Product category:
Printing Substrates - Paper, Forms and Stationery
News Release from: PaperSpecs | Subject: Paperspecs
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 03 August 2005
First On-Line Paper Specification
Database
What is claimed to be the first on-line paper database, specifically developed for the design and print industries, has developed some new features in response to requests from members.
What is claimed to be the first on-line paper database, specifically developed for the design and print industries, has developed some new features in response to requests from members Paperspecs features more than 3,500 papers from over 65 mills and manufacturers
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 6 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Members can search the Paperspecs' database and determine which paper is just right for their projects with information, such as colour, sheet sizes, pricing and other features.
The website also offers tips on paper buying.
Members can sign up for 'Quicktips', a twice-monthly email from founder Sabine Lenz, which advises designers, art directors, print buyers and other paper specifiers on issues of the day or tips.
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Quicktips also assists in assembling samples and swatch books for clients or projects and members gain insight in paper specifying and print buying issues.
Sabine Lenz has been a graphic designer in Germany, Australia and the USA for 15 years and has worked on design projects ranging from corporate identities to road shows and product launches.
Her list of clients includes Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Deutsche Bank, IBM and KPMG.
She explained: "It can drive you crazy trying to keep track of all the changes in the paper world.
I founded Paperspecs as a truly comprehensive paper database - one that covers stock of every description and source, Paperspecs is fiercely independent and not sponsored by any mills or merchants." After a member signs in, the site offers them access to sidebars, such as 'Mills Promotions' and 'Mills Swatch books'.
Each is a large database of resources available to designers.
The 'Mills Promotions' features the newest releases of promotional items that can be requested on-line and offer designers access to new products.
The 'Mills Swatch books' show the latest updates and new releases on the market.
Such tools allow designers to expedite the selection process of the appropriate colour, weight and finishes of paper.
Paperspecs members are pre-approved by the mills so there is no charge for the fulfillment services.
One user, Laura Shore, the vice president of marketing and communications at Mohawk Fine Papers, said: "What I like about Paperspecs is that it does an excellent job at aggregating paper information for designers.
In addition, we like the diverse nature of its audience, which seems to include print buyers inside of corporations, in advertising agencies and studios, as well as freelancers.
I've also been very impressed with the breadth and currency of information on the site - especially environmental information, which is very important to us.
Mohawk recently acquired the Strathmore, Beckett, Via and Britehue brands so we have a steady stream of important news that's of interest to the design community.
We find that Paperspecs is a great way to get the word out." And Melinda Thompson, the editorial director of Bookbug - a maker of educational and novelty books for children - commented: "Paperspecs is an educational tool for me to be able to discuss the technical specifications of a project with the art director.
The members-only area offers me a way to access mill promotions on-line so that I can see the things that are just coming out.
With our novelty products it's important that we stay on top of the newest and the hottest paper products.
Paperspecs lets me do that in a very easy way." The website offers a number of tools to assist designers with their projects.
The 'Quicktips' emailed to customers bi-weekly, offer tips and insights.
Relevant information, directly related to a designer's or print buyer's point-of-view, is sent out bi-weekly as e-mail updates.
The tips are then archived in the 'Members Only' area for research purposes.
If after performing an advanced paper search for all available papers a member is still unsure about a specific feature, can't find a particular paper, or just wants to know whether a paper choice will fit a certain application, personal help is available.
Sabine Lenz said that she often interjects personal ideas and suggestions concerning problems individual members may encounter, such as minimum orders set by vendors and recommended inventory paper supply issues.
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