New ZANDERS ZETA swatch

The ZANDERS ZETA range should need no introduction - it is Europe's market leading paper for business. As regular readers of this blog will know, following the abrupt closure of the PaperlinX group (Robert Horne, Howard Smith and PaperCo) earlier this year, Fenner Paper took over UK distribution for the Zanders Zeta range.

 

We now have a lovely new swatch (230mm square) which shows the entire mill range:

5 COLOURS - 5 SURFACES - 7 WEIGHTS

 

If you would like one of the new swatches, please email me: justin@fennerpaper.co.uk

The below picture shows the swatch open which has colour and embossing chips together with a waterfall of papers in each of the weights...

Like most prestigious letterhead papers, there is a watermark in the paper (see below), which in the case of ZETA is rather subtle. It is worth mentioning that with the ZETA range, most items are also available un-watermarked.

Zeta watermark in the Zeta Hammer Embossed finish

Below image shows the different shades and substances in the range.

There are five surface finishes in the range including Smooth and Wove and three embossed finishes in Hammer, Linen and Micro. The range encompasses whites and light shades in a wide variety of sizes and weights as well as matching envelopes in DL, C5 and C4.

ZETA can be printed using offset litho, hot foil blocking, engraving, thermography and is guaranteed up to 150gsm for laser printing, colour copying and inkjet printing.

These fine papers are manufactured at the Reflex Paper mill in the town of Düren in Germany, which was founded in 1857 and the mill also produces transparent papers, label papers and artists papers. All ZETA products are made from Chlorine Free pulp (ECF) and carry the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification

If you would like one of the new swatches, please email me: justin@fennerpaper.co.uk

 

http://www.zetapaper.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 29.10.2015

Tullis Russell Papermakers ceases production

I have previously drawn people's attention to the poor state of the paper industry, in general. Unfortunately the decline in quantities required and the high cost of production in western economies has meant many mill closures, and more recently the demise of PaperlinX paper merchants which includes the names of Robert Horne, Howard Smith and The Paper Co.

http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/sad-demise-of-paperlinx-in-uk.html

 

Yesterday, a further blow for the UK paper industry was struck. It was announced that Tullis Russell Papermakers Ltd, a paper mill in Markinch (Fife, Scotland) had been placed into the hands of administrators. The management had tried to sell the business but to no avail and the losses at the £125million turnover mill continued to mount. The mill employs over 470 people.

 

This is very sad news for the staff, the local area and for UK manufacturing. It will also affect readers of this blog - graphic designers and printers - it means far less product choice.

Tullis Russell makes many products that you will be familiar with: Naturalis, Trucard,  Advocate, Gemini, Mellotex, Lustrulux and Rothmill to name just a few.

You can read more about it here on the Printweek website: http://www.printweek.com/print-week/news/1151059/tullis-russell-in-administration

It would be great to think that a buyer for the business can be found and I sincerely hope that the mill can be saved. It's further evidence, if more were needed, as the dire state of the paper and print industry globally and especially in Europe.

Posted by Justin Hobson 28.04.2015

Zanders Zeta now stocked by Fenner Paper

For most of you the Zanders Zeta range will need no introduction, it's Europe's market leading paper for business. Unfortunately with the abrupt closure of the Paperlinx group (Robert Horne, Howard Smith and PaperCo) there was no UK stockist - follow the link for my previous post about Paperlinx: http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/sad-demise-of-paperlinx-in-uk.html. 

As a result of their sad demise, the mill needed a distributor for this range in the UK which has been extensively marketed over the years ...and that's where Fenner Paper comes in!

The good news is that we taken on a broad range of Zeta papers into stock, including the popular Zeta Hammer and Linen embossed finishes. Yesterday the first large stock consignment arrived by trailer, as you can see from the picture below: 

Zanders Zeta is produced by the Reflex Paper mill in Düren, Germany which was founded in 1857. The mill also produces transparent papers, label papers and artists papers.

You can read more about the new arrangement in Printweek:

http://www.printweek.com/print-week/product-news/1150950/fenner-paper-now-exclusive-uk-stockist-of-zanders-zeta

You can see the current range here: http://www.zetapaper.co.uk/

BUT...
please don't throw away your old Zeta swatches as currently we don't have any available. We'll distribute new swatches when they are produced but in the meantime, at least you know where to come to get the product (in fact if you have a moment why don't you grab the Zeta swatch off the shelf and write Fenner Paper on the back - it might save you time and trouble at a later date!

Posted by Justin Hobson 21.04.2014

Sad demise of Paperlinx in the UK

Yesterday it was announced that the Paperlinx group companies were placed in administration (in common parlance that means gone bust). Staff have been sent home and the phones are not being answered. This is not an April fool joke.

Paperlinx is the Australian company which owns three UK paper merchants that you will be familiar with: Robert Horne, Howard Smith and The Paper Co.

You can read more about it on the Printweek website:
http://www.printweek.com/print-week/news/1150685/breaking-deloitte-appointed-at-paperlinx-uk-most-branches-closed

Regular readers of this blog may well remember that I had a bit of a 'run in' with Paperlinx and their solicitors after posting a hyperlink (with allegedly defamatory remarks) when I wrote about Toby Marchant's 'golden goodbye' departure:
http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/toby-marchant-exits-paperlinx.html
Sadly, Graham Critchley, who ran the website exposing the shananagins at Paperlinx (and who's blog I linked to) passed away in January 2014. The financial troubles at Paperlinx have persisted resulting in this rather final and drastic action for the UK division.

It is very sad for our industry and for the near one thousand staff working in the UK for the group. Although this may have been a chronically mismanaged company, it sadly highlights the bad state that the paper and printing industry is in. Definitely no laughing matter here.

http://www.printweek.com/print-week/news/1150698/merchants-move-to-plug-paperlinx-gap

Posted by Justin Hobson 02.04.2014

Shock, horror ...it's finally happened!

 Well to most people it was always obvious and to some inevitable, but on Friday, the three companies which makes up the UK paper merchanting interests of the Australian, loss making conglomerate Paperlinx, started answering their phones using their new name.

Robert Horne, Howard Smith and Paperco will now be known as PaperlinX (surprise, surprise!)

...from this

to this....

You can read more about it here:

http://www.printweek.com/bulletin/printweekdailybulletin/article/1181216/paperlinx-rebrands-howard-smith-robert-horne-paperco/

 

This is actually a great shame for the paper industry and reflects the rather sad (and bad) state of the industry overall. I've written about it before on this blog:

http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/toby-marchant-exits-paperlinx.html

http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.com/2012/05/stardream-answering-your-questions.html

...including my legal "shot across the bows" from Paperlinx:

http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.com/2012/10/paperlinx-gets-stroppy.html

 



Posted by Justin Hobson 07.05.2013

PaperlinX gets stroppy!

Oh deary me! Last Friday I received a legal notice from posh solicitors Shoosmiths, acting on behalf of Paperlinx about a post on this very blog! - it's almost made me feel important!

 

Rather sadly I can't actually post the letter on the blog because of it's legal nature, so I can only show a "redacted" letter (that's the word that everyone used last year connected with the parliamentary expenses scandal) ...so you can't read it!



Anyway, you'll all be pleased to know that although it's about alleged defamatory allegations, they aren't ones I've written - it's been sent to me because I posted a link to an Australian based website, written by Paperlinx shareholder Graham Critchley. Obviously, I've now removed the link, but this was the original article:

http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/toby-marchant-exits-paperlinx.html

 

You may remember from previous posts that PaperlinX is the global, loss making, Australian company which owns Robert Horne, Howard Smith and The Paper Co - names of UK paper merchants which many of you will be familiar with. 

 

Picture courtesy of www.printweek.com

Unfortunately PaperlinX is in a financially perilous state which has been much reported in the press and is now headed by Dave Allen ( ...not the erstwhile Irish comedian!). Personally, I would have thought he might do better working to get the figures looking better for the banks and shareholders than worrying about nice people like me and the links I put on my blog!

 

However, this could be useful information for readers of this blog, because I certainly didn't know that by linking a site, you are in fact re-publishing that site and therefore also responsible for what's been published - interesting eh? So thanks to Paperlinx and Shoosmiths for the heads up! 

 

www.paperlinx.com.au

www.shoosmiths.co.uk

Posted by Justin Hobson 10.10.2012



Stardream - Fine Gold

Earlier this year we took over UK distribution of Stardream from Robert Horne (see my previous post: http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/stardream-some-exciting-news.html). Since then, we have been working closely with the Italian manufacturer Cordenons, to further develop the product. An exciting development is a brand new shade called Fine Gold, which is amazing and looks just like ...gold!

It comes in 120gsm and 285gsm and is available from stock right now!  It joins the two other shades, Gold and Antique Gold plus the 29 other pearlescent and metallic shades in the range. 

 

If you would like samples of the new shade or if you haven't already got a swatch and would like one, just give me a call or send an e-mail.

www.cordenons.co.uk

Posted by Justin Hobson 25.09.2012

Toby Marchant exits Paperlinx

Yesterday, Paperlinx announced the resignation of its chief executive, Toby Marchant (did he jump or was he pushed?) For those that don't know, he's been the guy at the head of Australian based Paperlinx. If you're wondering what that's got to do with this blog and you - it's because they own Robert Horne, Howard Smith and The Paper Co -names of UK paper merchants which many of you will be familiar with. 

Toby Marchant started as a paper merchant in the UK, eventually becoming Managing Director of the loss making Modo Merchants (now closed down). He jumped ship at the end of the 90's to the profitable Robert Horne Group and after overseeing years of declining profitability, he was promoted (!) through the ranks of  the parent company, Paperlinx, ending up as CEO (...nice work!)

For Paperlinx, which a decade ago was worth more than (Aus)$2 Billion (-yes, you did read that correctly), there are many issues - it now has a market capitalisation of only (Aus)$25 Million (Source: Sydney Morning Herald) - having recently sold off operations in South Africa, Italy and Eastern Europe, it is contending with hostile shareholders trying to reverse several years of corporate losses and it's bankers. Suppliers appear to be withdrawing products; Zanders have withdrawn Chromolux, ArjoWiggins have stopped supplying their recycled ranges, Cordenons have withdrawn their Stardream range and suppliers are struggling to get credit insurance cover. Other executives including Malcolm Lane-Ley, Managing Director of Howard Smith and The PaperCo is also leaving at the end of this month.

Robert Horne Paper was the revered company in the UK paper industry, as a supplier, customer and employer. I was fortunate enough to meet Kenneth Horne in 1995 and I even bought the book he published "Somebody said that it couldn't be done" which documented his three decades at the helm of the company founded by his grandfather - and make no mistake, it was a great company. It will certainly be sad for the UK industry if the end result of Paperlinx involvement means that this and the sister companies simply disappear.

Hundreds (if not thousands) of jobs have been lost in the UK paper industry in recent years. I hope that Toby Marchant, who is set to receive a "banker style" golden goodbye of one year's salary (after only 2 years as CEO) will reflect on this whilst lying on his sun lounger!

http://www.smh.com.au/business/news-takes-a-page-from-paperlinx-20120717-228fo.html
www.paperlinx.com
http://www.printweek.com/bulletin/printweekdailybulletin/article/1141767/paperlinxs-toby-marchant-give-interim-chief-executive-dave-allen/

Posted by Justin Hobson 18.07.2012

28th September Update
Printweek reports today that Marchant ended his employment with Paperlinx on a salary of £363,545 after he took a 15% voluntary pay cut on 1 April (April Fools day!) this year. Tobes gets 12 months salary as part of his "mutual" decision to leave the company. On top of this, he was given £26,000 in accrued entitlements to bonuses for completed asset sales in 2011/2012 and £21,648 to compensate for untaken annual leave. I'm sure everyone in Northampton will be pleased to know that he'll be comfortably off in his retirement.
http://www.printweek.com/news/1152474/Paperlinx-AGM-postponed-chairman-leaves-prematurely/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH

===============================================
10th October 2012 - Important update
A link to an Australian website run by a Paperlinx shareholder has been REMOVED from this post, following a legal notice sent to me by a solicitor acting for Paperlinx Limited.
I have written about this on the following post:
http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/paperlinx-gets-stroppy.html
===============================================
As with everything written on this blog, the views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to Fenner Paper Company Ltd!

Stardream - answering your questions.

Since my post on Tuesday (below) about our new Stardream range, I've had quite a few e-mails asking for swatches (thank you - they are on the way). I've also had quite a few comments both on the blog and e-mails asking how we've ended up being the stockist.

So, how come we are now the UK distributor?

Well, there's a bit of a story here but basically up until now it has been stocked by the (once mighty) Robert Horne Group.

These days Robert Horne is a division of the loss making Australian based Paperlinx (as is Howard Smith and Paper Co). Unfortunately Paperlinx is in a financially perilous state which has been much reported in the press. There have been rafts of redundancies and other cuts which culminated last November, when Robert Horne announced that it was closing it's entire branch network.
http://www.printweek.com/news/1106823/Robert-Horne-centralises-sales-Northampton-regional-sales-offices-close/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH

Subsequently, Italian paper manufacturer Cordenons, approached us to see if we would be prepared to work with them and improve the availability of Stardream for designers and printers in the UK. We thought about it, said OK and here we are!   

It's a tough time in the print and paper industry at the moment and although in this instance Robert Horne's loss is our gain, it's important to remember that this is against the backdrop of things being very hard in the paper/print industry. I'm sure there are many other mills also contemplating their distribution arrangements.

The following links show some backround about the Robert Horne/Paperlinx situation:
http://www.printweek.com/news/1122504/Paperlinx-sells-its-Italian-business-Lecta/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH

http://www.printweek.com/news/1120351/Paperlinx-suspends-interest-payments-its-Step-up-Preference-shares/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH

http://www.printweek.com/news/1115540/Paperlinx-investors-bid-oust-chair-appoint-representative-director/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH

http://www.roberthorne.co.uk/
http://www.paperlinx.com.au/
http://www.cordenons.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 24.05.2012

Tom Jansz goes independent!

Some of you will know that Tom Jansz left Robert Horne a couple of months ago (having been there for over nineteen years!) following the whole re-sourcing of the Revive range debacle.

Anyway, as of October 1st (yes that's today!) he is now officially at Denmaur Independent paper (the publishing paper specialists), so this was just a quick post to say best of luck for the future.

 http://www.denmaur.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 01.10.2010

Megan re-emerges at Horne's

Many people will remember Megan Simpkins from her days at GF Smith and print managers Cousin. Anyway, after a brief spell at the Chinese paper manufacturer Gold East she has now emerged as Account Director at Paperlinx subsiduary Robert Horne as from this September.

Best wishes to Megan in her new role.

http://www.roberthorne.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 22.09.2010