Branding Klaus-Dieter Koch believes that being stingy with stimuli is out. And proves it in "Reiz ist geil" with the laws of physics and many positive and negative examples of brand development and maintenance. Stinginess was cool, not only on Saturn, but also on Earth. That was light years ago. Today we live in the age of stimulus - only granting discounts and being stingy with stimuli is over, because stimulus is cool. This is the conclusion of the book of the same name by brand expert Klaus-Dieter Koch, who wants to position himself as a brand. And not even badly ... but let's take it one step at a timeThe natural scientists are conquering marketing. Peter Metzinger, who established the discipline of business campaigning in the German-speaking world, is a physicist, while Klaus-Dieter Koch explains the seven steps to attractive branding using the laws of physics. For him, brands work like systems in nature. They attract when their density is high enough and they clearly distinguish themselves from others.
Koch derives his concepts for increasing the appeal of brands, products and services from this. And when he writes attraction, he means attraction: for him, strong brands have the power to seduce customers. For Koch, we are not lacking in performance, innovation, quality or service - we are lacking in the art of seduction.
The art of seductionPeople want to be seduced. This is just as true in a relationship as it is when buying a television or taking out life insurance. Those who understand this and have mastered the art of seduction not only sell more, but above all sell more expensively. Because we not only want to be seduced, we are even prepared to pay more for it. What we pay more for is the premium for the allure factor.
In this way, stimulus generates added value for brands, products and services. Klaus-Dieter Koch explains how this works with seven laws of physics:
The higher the density, the stronger the mass attraction (evaluate).
Paramagnetic stories attract heterogeneous groups equally (explore).A brand on which no force acts remains in a state of rest (inspire).The center of the brand is singularity (position).The load force of a brand results from load and time (construct).A closed system creates density (condense). Swarm intelligence enlarges a brand community (mediate).Like a phoenix from the ashesAnyone who sat at the window in physics lessons at school will still understand these theses. Firstly, because Koch explains the laws of physics to which he refers in simple terms, and secondly, because his writing is clear, comprehensible and structured. He also backs up each of his theses with positive and negative examples, such as the rapid rise of Puma.
15 years ago, Puma was on the brink of extinction; today, Puma is one of the best-known and, above all, most sought-after sports lifestyle brands. The brand managers in Herzogenaurach combine influences from sport, fashion and lifestyle more successfully than others because they focus on the four brand characteristics of distinctiveness, individuality, spontaneity and internationality. What's more, sports fashion is not available everywhere, which increases desire. Puma's brand managers have mastered the fine art of seduction.
Intensive seminar or book? Koch explains how brand building and brand management work, what it takes and what can go wrong. His book "Reiz ist geil" is easy to read because he conveys his knowledge of brand strategy with wit, spirit and humor. That's why much of it sticks, even for laypeople.
No wonder, Koch is considered one of the most prominent branding experts in the German-speaking world and is a frequent speaker on the subject. For example at the ZfU. Anyone who doesn't have time for this two-day intensive seminar will be well served by the book and will also save CHF 2631 ...
   
Roger Hausmann
> Reiz ist geil by Klaus-Dieter Koch; orell füssli, Zurich, 2006, 192 pages, 49 francs.

From now on, the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung (bz) in Liestal will regularly inform its readers about what they can expect from September 16. This was announced by bz publisher Mathis Lüdin in a one-column announcement in his newspaper on Wednesday. The cooperation between the bz and the MittellandZeitung (MZ) starts on September 16 (see Basellandschaftliche Zeitung cooperates with Aargauer Zeitung). Lüdin wants to prepare his readership for the "new features and innovations" and let them share in his "anticipation of the new bz", as he writes. Lüdin describes the cooperation with MZ as a "new era in the 174-year history" of the bz and it starts under the motto "Your bz - and even more". Thanks to MZ, the bz will be able to offer its readers more material in the areas of domestic, foreign, business, sport, culture and special interest and "use the resources freed up for regional reporting". The most important goal is "to maintain an independent journalistic voice for the Basel region" and "a piece of press diversity", the publisher continues. "He is somewhat surprised by the reactions of "our overpowering competitor" Basler Zeitung. At the same time, Lüdin emphasizes that the bz is facing up to the competition, "which will hopefully be conducted with fair means".

Markus Knöpfli

According to a press release from the SDA news agency, the Aargau government also rejected the creation of a new criminal offense of ambush marketing on Wednesday. An extension of the offense of unfair competition would excessively restrict the freedom of the economy.
In the statement published on Wednesday, the government writes that no new provisions are necessary from an economic point of view. On the contrary, there would be a risk that bona fide advertisers would be sued.

The Aargau government also finds it unusual that the European Football Association UEFA, as an organization under private law, is demanding that alleged loopholes in Swiss law be closed. The Aargau government is not alone in this stance.

I-pods and podcasts are more popular with young listeners than radio. Representatives of the radio industry in Germany complain that the drop in ratings in recent years has been "really severe". And the figures prove them right. The youth station Eins live, for example, lost 5.8 percent of listeners compared to the previous year alone. Overall, the reach of radio among listeners under 30 has fallen by 10 percent in the last five years, confirms Monika Piel, Radio Director of Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR). This development is particularly bitter for private radio stations that live from advertising revenue. The interest of advertisers is shrinking along with the declining listenership.
For the former head of Universal Germany and current operator of the music station Motor FM, Tim Renner, the solution is: "Play music again that people don't know yet, because the iPod can't do that." The success of podcasts shows that he is not wrong. This technology, which is around two years old, allows listeners to put together their own radio program. The podcatcher software independently collects radio programs from the Internet and downloads them to the computer. From there, they can be transferred to the I-Pod or other digital playback devices. Relatively cumbersome, one might think - but according to German radio representatives, podcasts are also increasingly causing problems for stations.
The choice of podcasts is now huge. Music programs and spoken word contributions are provided by amateurs and professionals alike. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for example, has achieved involuntary cult status with a podcast that turned out to be quite stiff.
The figures make it clear that radio stations need to become more flexible. Renner's Motor FM, for example, which can only be received in the Berlin and Stuttgart area, has around 50,000 listeners in the traditional way, compared to 28,000 podcast subscribers. Although radio is considered an outdated medium, it is still in demand thanks to new technologies. And it's not necessarily just music that is of interest: WDR's most popular podcast, for example, is the history program "Zeitzeichen".

The hesitant attitude of advertisers seems to be a thing of the past. Advertising agencies everywhere are working on new campaigns. You can find an initial selection starting on page 7.The Zurich University of Applied Psychology HAP and its practice partner, the advertising agency By Heart, have been conducting research over the past two years with the support of the Swiss National Science Foundation. The aim was to find out what brands do in the minds of consumers and what role they play in their lives. The two partners are now putting their collaboration on an entrepreneurial footing. Science and creativity do not seem to be mutually exclusive. Read more about the new company and its innovative brand analyses on page 9.In the media industry, the forging of alliances continues. The big players are securing their positions with cooperations and rearming their soldiers.Over the weekend, it became known that the managers of the "Thurgauer Zeitung" and the "Landbote" are currently negotiating a possible cooperation. A joint jacket section and a uniform layout of the two newspapers are planned. According to "NZZ am Sonntag," the media company Tamedia - which owns the "Thurgauer Zeitung" and holds 20 percent of the "Landbote" - is pushing for cooperation. The other side is not sleeping either: NZZ's Freie Presse Holding is behind a deal that seems to be more than a mere cooperation. The closing of ranks between the two titles "Neues Bülacher Tagblatt" and "Zürcher Unterländer" should rather be seen as a veritable takeover. We report on this on page 15.An IHA-GfK study provides initial results on Betty-TV, the interactive television. Around 6,000 people in German-speaking Switzerland are already using the new medium. For more information, see page 16.Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
pc.meier @ werbewoche.ch

Corporate publishing Employee magazines are more than ever a basic tool in the internal communication mix of companies - as the example of Alstom shows. "Dear colleagues, the following instructions must be implemented throughout the Group." So begins an article in the former employee magazine of Alstom Switzerland, one of the largest companies in the Swiss engineering industry, based in Baden. As in many other "in-house magazines", the other texts came across as dry strategy papers, emotionless technical articles (for example: Pictured: the latest welding robot ...) or random reports on the experiences of individual employees. Why should such a magazine be read? Barely noticed and ineffective as an internal means of communication, the magazine was discontinued in 2002. In the years that followed, the global Alstom group found itself in a crisis that also affected the strong national company in Switzerland with over 4000 employees. During the restructuring phase, systematic internal communication was out of the question. In 2006, Alstom achieved a turnaround; the order books were full, new employees were being recruited in Switzerland and it was - finally - possible to communicate with new self-confidence. Internally at first: a skeptical attitude prevailed among employees. Identification with the company was also made more difficult by the fact that the employees in the power plant division had previously worked for ABB and had difficulties with the new corporate culture. In short, a new sense of unity had to be created for Alstom in Switzerland. This was no easy task, as Alstom is divided into three sectors worldwide (new installations business, service business and transportation), and employees in Switzerland also identify primarily by sector.
500 name suggestions for the employee magazineAlstom Switzerland decided to create a new employee magazine together with the Prime Communications agency. As a basic instrument in the internal communication mix, it is of crucial importance, as the intranet of the country organization is little used and the factory workers have no access to electronic media. To generate the necessary attention for the corporate publishing product and involve employees in its creation, CEO Walter Gränicher launched a naming competition for the magazine in April. The response was overwhelming: within three days, Internal Communications received 500 suggestions. As the name competition also explained the concept of the magazine - background knowledge across all sectors, employees at the center - it was clear that the need for professional, easy-to-understand and thoroughly emotional internal communication must be considerable. After two issues, it can be said that the employee magazine has gained a high level of acceptance. Not only among employees, but also among management.
Balance between journalism and management strategy organ While in-house magazines used to be places where committed employees could realize their own potential or - as the former Alstom magazine shows - misunderstood publication channels for administrative regulations or specialist articles, the big challenge today is to find a balance between the editorial search for the "story" and strategic management communication, between random decisions and deliberate internal agenda setting. Journalistic professionalism in text and layout is a prerequisite for successful corporate publishing - but it is not enough. When members of management repeatedly contact internal communications to suggest topics, request topics and specify topics, it becomes clear that they are also an important stakeholder group whose needs must be taken seriously.  
Strategic topic management sets guidelinesWhen faced with the conflict between the required proximity to employees and the equally necessary management task, it can be helpful for internal communication departments to consult an agency. A conceptually anchored strategic topic management ensures that the communicative goals are achieved over a certain period of time - twelve months, for example. It provides the necessary scope for turning a "dry" topic into an exciting, employee-oriented story. In particular, it also serves as an argumentation aid for management.
Employee magazines are more indispensable than ever. After all, there is no substitute for personal communication from management. However, the triumph of the intranet has given the printed, sensual medium of the employee magazine a new freedom. The indispensable instructions to "valued" colleagues can now be found as guidelines on the company network, so that the employee magazine can concentrate on its actual strengths: Providing relevant, easy-to-understand background information about the company and its employees, thereby promoting a sense of togetherness and pride in the company. After all, employee magazines are not for self-fulfilment - neither for the project managers nor the agencies - they must bring measurable communicative benefits to the company.

Philipp Metzler
Alstom peopleThe magazine
is published four times a year in German and English and is sent to the homes of over 4,000 employees by post. The Zurich agency Prime Communications
developed the magazine and is responsible for the text and layout.

Regional press More than mere cooperation: The Neue Bülacher Tagblatt (NBT) is being taken over by the Unterländer (NZZ). "The two former competitors Neues Bülacher Tagblatt and Zürcher Unterländer are joining forces." These were the opening words of a press release published by the Graf printing company in Bülach and Zürcher Unterland Medien (ZUM) in Dielsdorf on July 26. It described the "alliance" as a close editorial and technical collaboration, which would culminate in a headline system under ZUM management from November. It was also emphasized that the Neue Bülacher Tagblatt (NBT) would remain as a title and that its owners, the brothers Karl-Heinz and Dieter Graf, would remain on the Board of Directors. The cooperation was justified with economic considerations. The forthcoming Tamedia regional strategy is likely to be a further reason for the rapprochement, although a press release written in this way leaves room for speculation. The Tages-Anzeiger, for example, stated with regard to NBT: "The local newspaper is losing its independence." And the NZZ also speculated: "Further future integration steps appear likely."
It is now clear that both are correct. Much more has already been sealed than communicated. PubliPresse General Director Otto Meier, for example, hints in an interview that the merger is a "takeover" of NBT by ZUM. Meier will know, as PubliGroupe is known to hold 60 percent of ZUM's share capital. For more precise details, however, Meier refers to ZUM Managing Director Erland Herkenrath - but he does not want to confirm a takeover. Neither does Karl-Heinz Graf. "We don't want to give any information about that," he says. "We have agreed not to disclose anything," says Herkenrath. Which means nothing has been denied. It can therefore be assumed that ZUM will at least hold a majority stake in the Graf printing company - and that this stake will be integrated into NZZ's Freie Presse Holding, which holds 40 percent of ZUM. This is also indicated by the fact that changes are imminent on the NBT Board of Directors. According to Karl-Heinz Graf, his father Heini Graf, one of the former owners of the publishing house, is stepping down from the three-member board, and it is quite possible that the board will be expanded.
It is also certain that from November 1, the NBT will take over the layout of the Zürcher Unterländer (ZU), which has already been identical to that of the Zürisee-Zeitung and the Zürcher Oberländer for a year. What's more, as of October 3, the Züriland newspapers will create a joint editorial team for the Canton of Zurich, foreign and domestic sections, and later also for sports - the NBT will also take over the mantle. The consequence: in future, the NBT will only differ from its competitor ZU and the other Züriland newspapers in the newspaper header, on the front page and in the local section. But Graf points out: "The existing editorial team will remain responsible for the NBT, so the NBT's unique features and trenchant commentary, which are highly valued by readers, will not be missing."
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how this alignment with the ZU in terms of appearance and content will be received by the approximately 5,000 NBT subscribers. After all, the two newspapers have so far differed mainly in political terms: there is a gulf between the NBT, which has a clear right-wing, bourgeois orientation, and the more liberal ZU. It is therefore possible that the NBT will sooner or later be completely absorbed by the ZU if the NBT readership drops off. However, Erland Herkenrath does not want to get involved in such a discussion. "I don't know what the situation will look like in five years' time. For the time being, however, we are continuing with the concept of two separate titles, because if the readerships are very different, it would be wrong to merge the papers," he says.
The integration into the overall Züriland newspaper system also means that the NBT will no longer be produced at the NZZ, but on the printing presses in Oetwil, in the joint printing center of the Züriland newspapers. In addition, the NBT will become part of the Züriland advertisement combination, which means that it will lose its autonomy.
Increased reachHowever, the weekly NBT large circulation (33,000 copies) hardly makes sense any more and will probably be discontinued at the end of the year. According to Herkenrath, however, the ZU will expand the existing large circulation somewhat and also cover communities that were previously served exclusively by the NBT.
However, the cooperation not only enables synergies and cost reductions, it also gives the new headline paper a greater reach - for example in the town of Bülach: both NBT and ZU each had around 2500 subscribers there due to their different political orientations - double subscriptions are rare. Now they can offer twice the distribution density there, an undeniable advantage in view of Tamedia's regional strategy.
But that is only one side of the coin. From ZU's point of view, the NBT takeover prevented an equally conceivable rapprochement between Landbote and NBT - and thus an intrusion by Landbote into ZU's territory.
Markus Knöpfli
A partner in the Limmat Valley is missing To cover the whole area
To cover the area around the city of Zurich, the Züriland-Kombi needs a fourth partner in the Limmat Valley. The Limmattaler Tagblatt (LT), which belongs to the Mittelland Zeitung (MZ) and with which a loose editorial cooperation already exists, would be an obvious choice. But Beat Lauber, who is responsible for regional newspapers at the NZZ Group, waves it off: "At the moment, no talks are being held with the aim of linking the LT to the Züriland-Kleeblatt. "But if this wish were to arise at LT, we would not turn our backs on it," he adds. However, there is no reason to do so as long as the Tages-Anzeiger in the Limmat Valley refrains from a regional split and the MZ continues to do its job as well as before. (mk)

As of October 1, Thommen will be the deputy editor-in-chief of Radio Basel 1. Following the editorial reshuffle at Radio Basel in July, the station had to start looking for a new deputy editor-in-chief. (see "Radio Basel 1 has a new editor-in-chief"). With Catherine Thommen, the team will be complete again from the fall.
 The 26-year-old journalist from Basel previously worked at the Basel station Radio X and at Telebasel. She has now successfully completed a Master's degree in Broadcasting Journalism in Nottingham, England, and completes the regional station's editorial team. For Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Schmid, she is an ideal addition. CEO Silvana Imperiali is confident that she will help achieve the goal of strengthening local reporting.

Radiocontrol The medium of radio continues to lose some of its reach, but still reaches over four million people in Switzerland. The radio figures for the first quarter continue to show a slight downward trend. This is shown by the evaluation of Radiocontrol's dials for the first half of 2006. The net reach of the medium fell in German-speaking Switzerland by 0.3 percent to 91.3 percent compared to the same period last year (French-speaking Switzerland: -0.5% to 89.2%; Ticino: -1.6% to 88.4%). 404,6900 listeners paid attention to the medium for an average of 111.4 minutes per day. Although this is 58,500 more people than in the same period last year, the listening time was slightly reduced by 2.9 minutes.Among the SRG stations, Radio DRS improved its overall market share by 0.4% to 63% (RSR: +0.2% to 57.2%; RSI: +1.8% to 71.3%). Private radio stations also gained market share in German-speaking Switzerland (+0.3% to a total of 25.8%) and in Ticino (+0.4% to a total of 7%), while they fell by 0.7% to 22.8% in French-speaking Switzerland. By contrast, foreign stations recorded a decline in all three parts of the country, the sharpest in Ticino (-0.9%).
The Radiocontrol statistics show some significant changes for the first half of 2006 compared with the same period last year: Among the SRG stations, DRS 1 and DRS 2 lost market shares of 0.3% (now 41.1%) and 0.5% (now 4.8%) respectively and lost reach (-1.7% and -0.9% respectively). In French-speaking Switzerland, La Première lost 0.6 per cent market share (now 40.8%) and 1.4 per cent net reach (now 39%). In Ticino, the total of RSI stations gained 1.8% in market share but lost 1.7% in reach.
Among the private stations in German-speaking Switzerland, Radio 24 is in the lead with an unchanged market share of 2.9%, followed by Radio Zürisee (2%), Argovia (1.9%) and Pilatus and Energy (1.8% each). Radio Top, Radio Zürisee, Radio Central, Radio Emme and Radio Eviva have gained market share. Argovia, Sunshine, BE1 and Grischa lost market share.
Radio Grischa and the German edition of Radio Fribourg (-0.3% reach) showed significant changes with a 0.5 percent loss in reach and an unchanged market share (0.5%).
In French-speaking Switzerland, Lausanne FM leads with a market share of 3.2 percent, ahead of Rouge FM and RTN-2001 (2.7% each) as well as One FM (2.6%), Nostalgie Léman (2.5%) and Rhône (2%). In French-speaking Switzerland, Lausanne FM, One FM, RTN-2001 and Fréquence Jura, among others, gained market share. However, Rouge FM, Lac, Rhône and Chablais have lost ground.
One FM (+0.7% reach) Rhône (-0.5% reach) and NRJ Léman (-0.5% reach) have changed significantly.
In Ticino, 3iii is still ahead of its foreign competitor RTO (2.1%) with a market share of 3.2 percent.    
René Worni

*These data refer to the whole of Switzerland
These changes compared to the previous semester are significant
Source: Publica Data AG / Radiocontrol

Advertising market I After a rather weak June, July saw a significant recovery. Advertising investments were up 9.5% on the previous year and the cumulative annual figure also points to a record advertising year. The winners include the Internet (+33%), TV (+30.7%), radio (+23.5%) and teletext (+18.4%). Advertising in daily newspapers increased by 14.6% and billboard advertising by 0.2%. Less advertising pressure was generated by trade journals (-16.8 percent), consumer magazines (-12.2 percent) and cinema advertising (-9.7 percent). (kf)Click on image for larger view

According to the AIS Advertising Index Switzerland published by Wemf AG für Werbemittelforschung, investments in advertising increased by 8.8% compared to the previous year. Advertising sales in the summer slump month of July amounted to CHF 222 million.
The following sectors invested significantly more in advertising than in the previous year:
Finance/Insurance (+ 55.7 percent)

Trade (+ 29.8 percent)
Media (+ 27.3 percent)
Cosmetics/body care (+ 25.5 percent)
Tourism/leisure (+ 20.5 percent)
Services (+15.9 percent)
Clothing/shoes (+12.8 percent)
Residential/house (+10.5 percent)

Fewer investments were made in the following sectors:

Tobacco products (- 33.9 percent)
Telecommunications/Internet (- 30.5 percent)
Food (- 22.7 percent)

The other sectors were a maximum of 10 percent above or below the previous year's advertising investments.

In absolute figures, investments in online advertising also fell, as reported by Netzwoche. 3.4 million was invested in this advertising medium. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to an increase of 21.7 percent.
The July dates are on

www.wemf.ch is available for download.

Paper Choosing the "right" paper is no easy task. A classification helps: paper is a fascinating printing material. It is versatile and an ideal information carrier. In order to meet different requirements, there are different types of paper, which are classified by the paper industry according to their areas of application.Five areasThe first group includes newsprint, which is usually processed from rolls into newspapers or inserts.
Graphic papers are probably the most important category. This category, which in turn can be divided into two areas, includes all printing and writing papers as well as multifunctional preprint papers. The latter can be pre-printed with the company logo and other information in offset printing and are then used on all kinds of modern office communication devices.
Another group comprises paper, cardboard and paperboard for the huge field of packaging. Cardboard and paperboard are mainly used in packaging companies for the production of folding carton packaging or in bookbinderies.
The fourth area is made up of papers for modern office communication in service and industrial companies, but also for private customers. These paper qualities are also known as office papers. The segment mainly comprises white, but also colored uncoated papers. Office papers are specially designed for multifunctional use in the office. Multifunctional papers are suitable for writing on and printing with laser and inkjet printers or for copying, for example.
Another segment is hygiene paper. This segment includes toilet paper, kitchen towels, handkerchiefs, cosmetic tissues, towel paper, etc.
Finally, a less significant group comprises paper and cardboard for special technical applications.
Paper qualitiesThe quality of graphic papers differs primarily in terms of the composition of the pulp, the surface texture and the color. We talk about wood-free paper when the paper raw material contains no groundwood pulp, i.e. consists of cellulose or rags. Cellulose is the fiber obtained from the wood, which is completely cleaned of all impurities, in technical terms lignin and incrustations. This paper quality is offered uncoated and coated.
Wood-containing grades with a coating on both sides are widely used. These coated papers are mainly used in web offset or gravure printing processes. Depending on the grammage, these are also referred to as LWC and ULWC papers (see box). LWC and ULWC papers are used for high-volume magazines and catalogs.
Wood-containing papers are also used uncoated on a large scale, especially for periodicals. They are often used where a thin paper is required that also has a natural feel. Wood-containing papers are more opaque than wood-free papers with the same grammage. However, they have the disadvantage that they are not resistant to ageing.
Paper and the environmentPaper producers have done a great deal in the past to improve their once tarnished image. For example, bleaching pulp with chlorine is a thing of the past, and closed water cycles and wastewater treatment plants have become a matter of course.
Today, the paper manufacturing industry is also taking a responsible approach to the environment when it comes to wood as a raw material. One well-known example is recycled paper. These papers are made from 100% household waste or pre-consumer waste (waste from the printing and paper industry) and are labeled accordingly. Manufacturers are allowed to use the term recycled paper if the paper contains 80 percent waste paper and thus 20 percent virgin fibers.
The two labels FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes) are becoming increasingly popular. These two labels indicate the sustainable management of wood as a raw material. PEFC differs from FSC in that PEFC certification is used in countries where the forests are mainly privately owned. The PEFC label is therefore very widespread in Scandinavia. The COC (Chain of Custody) suffix on both labels is an indication of the controlled product manufacturing chain. This proof can be used to prove that the raw material wood for the end product bearing the label - e.g. printed matter, furniture, packaging, etc. - actually comes from PEFC- or FSC-certified forests. Only if these conditions are met by the paper processing industry - and if the customer so wishes - may the corresponding label be printed.
All companies involved in the production, distribution and processing of such papers must also be certified. If this label is used by printing companies, this is an indication that they fulfill the various requirements of the label. To this end, the paper or cardboard in the company must be labeled and the entire flow of goods must be traceable and verifiable; after all, the sustainable production of a paper cannot otherwise be determined.
Creative or designer papers are the salt in the (paper) soup. In addition to the designer, they also make the customer's heart beat faster.
The broad field of creative papers is very difficult to define. Creative papers can have special surface textures and create a different haptic impression - or they stand out due to their color. Creative papers are used, for example, for high-quality, elegant-looking business stationery or for textured invitation cards. Creative cardboard is also used in the packaging segment for luxury packaging and the like. Although a niche product in terms of volume, it is this segment in particular that continues to cause a stir in the paper sector. The paper collections of leading manufacturers such as Arjo Wiggins, Gmund, Lake Paper (offshoot of Gmund) and Thibierge & Comar (part of Arjo Wiggins) are hard to resist for anyone interested in paper.
Format, grammage, volumeNot every paper can be used "sensibly" in every format. This fact has to do with the direction in which the paper runs during paper production (the paper fibers always arrange themselves in the direction of the wire on the paper machine). After the necessary separation of the paper into either smaller and therefore more manageable paper rolls or the cutting to raw or final formats, and due to the fact that the running direction is decisive for the further processing of certain printed products, certain printed matter formats are more or less suitable. Better utilization of the sheet and therefore less waste ultimately make production more cost-effective. For large orders (from approx. 2 tons), paper mills also produce individual formats to compensate for any format-related disadvantages.
Common raw sheet formats for the so-called consumer grades are 72 ¥ 102, 70 ¥ 100, 64 ¥ 92, 46 ¥ 62 or 50 ¥ 70 cm - in both directions (narrow and wide web). In addition to the format and paper quality, other important parameters when evaluating a paper for a job are the grammage. The basis weight or grammage (sometimes colloquially referred to as "gram weight") of a paper is defined in grams per square meter. And because the grammage refers to one square meter, it is easy to calculate how heavy a 16-page brochure will be. If the end product is in DIN format, the (rough) calculation is even easier. Since the A0 format (841 ¥ 1189 mm) corresponds almost exactly to one square meter, you can quickly calculate the weight. An example for calculating the total weight of a 16-page brochure that is to be produced with 80 g/m2 paper: One sheet of DIN A0 = 80 g/m2. I.e: A1 = 40 g, A2 = 20 g, A3 = 10 g, A4 = 5 g. The 16-page A4 sheet will therefore weigh 8 (sheets) ¥ 5 = 40 g.
From newsprint to mirror-gloss paperThe grammage of a paper has a significant influence on the overall costs when choosing paper, as the price of the paper on the one hand and any increased postage costs on the other can increase the unit price of a printed product sent out. Another criterion when choosing paper is the volume. In mathematical terms, volume is a spatial quantity. It defines the ratio of the paper cross-section (its thickness) to the paper weight. An example: A single-volume, 80 g/m2 paper has a thickness of 0.08 mm (or 80 m); a double-volume paper is 0.16 mm thick as 80 g/m2 paper and therefore twice as thick for the same weight. Higher-volume papers are therefore always suitable when a paper with a good grip is required and weight has to be saved.
Another, and indeed the most important, criterion when choosing paper is the paper quality. The paper industry produces different paper qualities to meet the various needs of the graphic arts industry. These qualities differ on the one hand in the composition of the paper and on the other hand in the paper finishing downstream of paper production. The most important parameter in the composition is the raw material used. This ranges from (not necessarily completely) wood-free paper to recycled paper and paper interspersed with waste paper, through to grades to which rags or other materials have been added. Stiffness, opacity, foldability, whiteness, resistance to ageing and, ultimately, price are the key parameters when choosing the "right paper". Papers with a high wood content and a high proportion of waste paper are mostly used for short-lived products such as daily newspapers or for newspaper printing. The high proportion of waste paper makes a high whiteness impossible and the high proportion of wood causes the paper to yellow more quickly. On the other hand, the paper is very ecological, inexpensive and still has good opacity.
The satin finish and/or coating turns papers into high-quality substrates. This quality is often referred to as premium paper and is often chosen for higher-quality magazines (magazine printing) or for the production of corresponding printed matter. Depending on taste and use, matt, semi-matt or glossy papers are available coated or uncoated.
Apart from the creative papers, the top of the paper pyramid is occupied by cast-coated papers. The gloss of this quality, also known as mirror-gloss paper, is created by the special coating process, which uses highly polished steel cylinders and heat to make the already applied and satinized coating shine.
Natural papers have established themselves between the newsprint and premium papers. This uncoated paper quality has no coating, but has a very high-quality pulp composition. Uncoated papers are therefore also referred to as uncoated papers.
 
Paper needs advicePaper is a product that requires a lot of advice - even the most discerning paper buyer finds it difficult to choose from the large selection. And: the more special the paper is supposed to be, the more advice is required.
Paper advice from the print shop is a huge opportunity for them to stand out. This is where the experience of the printers or customer advisors, who have the necessary practical experience, comes into play. However, according to paper wholesalers, many print shops just want to make things easy for themselves and shy away from the effort of testing an "exceptional" paper. It is therefore also up to the persistence of the agency or the print buyer to make their wishes known and to enforce them.
The sales advisors at paper wholesalers also offer great support in selecting the right paper for printed matter. In addition, paper producers also offer assistance to help printers achieve good results. In its customer magazine Paper Now, the Finnish paper manufacturer writes that although capturing and separating images is obviously becoming increasingly commonplace, the paper parameters are unfortunately often not taken into account. The company thus emphasizes the importance of adapting the litho to the paper. Paper manufacturer Sappi provides digital brochures on technical printing problems on its website in the Knowledge Bank section (which are of course also available in a version printed on paper). M-real, a manufacturer of high-quality paper qualities, and Arctic Paper, a paper producer specializing in uncoated paper, even provide ICC profiles for download and/or guidelines for the "correct" handling of their papers. In addition to information on grammages and available formats, the paper collections of most suppliers often also contain a lot of technical printing information.
Jürgen Franck
Paper consumption in SwitzerlandSwiss paper producers
have been successful in exporting paper for years. With the exception of packaging paper and cardboard, more paper is exported than imported. As a result, paper producers had good capacity utilization last year. However, since 2001
consumption in Switzerland. In its 2005 annual report, the ZPK (Association of the Swiss Pulp, Paper and Cardboard Industry) writes: "It is becoming apparent that demand for paper has reached a maximum. Switzerland is a saturated economy in terms of paper consumption (less so for cardboard, as this is used for packaging goods)." (jf)Terms from A to Z Waste paper:
Paper waste designated as waste paper can be used for the production of recycled paper and other products made from paper or for cardboard, etc. Handmade paper:
Handmade paper without running direction; characterized by an irregular stock thickness and irregular edges.thin printing paper/Bible printing paper:
Strong, thin and opaque printing paper; particularly suitable for the production of large, yet thin books.continuous paper:
Not really continuous, mostly wood-free roll printing paper for continuous printing machines (form printing); usual grammages: between 40 and 80 g/m2.label paper:
Especially suitable for label production; important properties include wet strength, curl and tear resistance:
High-quality, double-sided coated paper for demanding, color printing work; has a mostly glossy, very even and smooth (also smooth and semi-matt) surface. Ideal for reproducing images with the finest halftone screens.offset paper:
Fully glued, machine-smooth, non-picking and non-dusting paper.poster/affiche paper:
Wood-free, wet-strength and fully glued uncoated paper; has special properties that allow soaking prior to posting and gluing.Text & cover paper:
A term taken from the American term for high-quality, uncoated, approx. 100 to 320 g/m2 heavyweight fine papers in white or color; usually characterized by felt-marked or embossed exclusive surface structures:
Soft, elastic, machine-smooth paper with a well-sealed surface; mainly used for printing books. (jf)