M-real's complete lighter weight range offers cost savings and environmental benefits

04/06/2008
Press release 4.6.2008

Cost savings and increased environmental benefits can be realised from M-real's
range of lighter weight papers that offer top performance at lower basis
weights.  As a result of M-real's development of  unique high yield pulps and
special coating formulas, customers can order a lighter basis weight than
normally specified  without compromise on visual qualities, opacity, thickness
or printability. 

M-real products offering a noticeable ‘yield advantage' include EuroArt Plus, a
coated fine paper for brochures and other commercial printing applications, and
the Galerie range of publishing papers for magazines and catalogues. Jobs with
long print runs will potentially gain most in cost reduction, as well as items
such as catalogues or direct mail that can take advantage of lower postage
charges. 

“We estimate that cost savings of around 10% can be realised by switching to a
lighter grade,” says Lasse Lerche, Assistant VP Technical Services, M-real.
“Savings encompass the entire supply chain up to mailing and transportation of
the end product, with significant benefits gained through a lighter weight per
copy.”  ** 

A perfect example of an M-real customer benefitting from the use of lighter
grammages is Metro Group, one of the most important international retail
companies. “We have benefitted significantly in lowering the basis weight of
paper that we use by 20%,” says Heidi Stockum, Division Management Paper
Purchase Europe I, Metro Group Advertising.  “This has been a gradual move,
coming down from the original 60gsm standard LWC paper to eventually specifying
as light as 48 gsm Galerie Lite. There is no noticeable difference in the
quality of our inserts and leaflets, which is very important to us in order to
maintain our quality image.” 

Environmental benefits are significant, starting from less wood raw material
being required to make a lighter weight paper. Once the paper is made it is
lighter to transport to the customer and on to the end-user.  Finally, at the
end of the product's life, there is less waste to be disposed. 

M-real has been a pioneer in the development of lighter weight grades, starting
with such products as Galerie Lite and Galerie Fine coated magazine papers, and
the introduction of EuroArt Plus to the coated fine paper market.  Galerie Silk
is the most recent product to be launched, in January 2008. Many print products
today use a 5-15% lighter basis weight than would have been specified ten years
ago. 

Unprinted and printed dummies that demonstrate the yield advantage can be
obtained from M-real, as well as extensive training and information on
environmental issues for customers.  Please contact your local M-real sales
office for further information. 

** Being traditionally sold by weight, rather than by number of sheets or by
dimension, the cost of paper reduces if a lighter product is specified.  If
1,000 sheets are required to produce a particular job, that quantity will weigh
less and therefore cost less.  Alternatively, more sheets can be supplied but
for the same amount of money. 

Link to photos:
http://databank.metsaliitto.com/metsaliitto/mreal.jsp?x=6051252&i=22423919414823
31309125230112043524196215207 

For further information please contact:

Marjo Halonen
Vice President, Marketing Communications, M-real Graphic Papers
Mobile: +358 50 5987 046
Email: marjo.halonen@m-real.com

Lasse Lerche
AVP Techical Services, M-real Graphic Papers
Mobile:  +358 50 381 93 15
Email: lasse.lerche@m-real.com 

www.m-real.com