Beat the price heat with Custom Papers from Central Florida Press
Orlando, FL – August 23, 2011 – Like most other commodities, the paper world
is one constantly in flux. Global consolidation and mill shutdowns have played
contributing roles in the current cycle where prices continue to rise for
uncoated, coated and board papers. Ironically, coated papers remain the best
value in today’s market since they are less expensive than uncoated papers due
to global supply. That’s where Central Florida
Press (CFP) will help keep the lid on a project’s budget.
One coated
paper price increase already took place in the first quarter and another is
likely before the end of 2011. Major manufacturers of economy grade paper
domestically and overseas have already announced price hikes of 6-8 % this year.
While demand is not the culprit, input costs such as global pressures, inflation
and raw materials shortages are feeding a supply-restricted market and will
likely cause another price bump later this year. CFP’s alignment with paper mill
manufacturers and focus on the bigger picture is proving more beneficial than
simply saving on price. Having the ability to create custom papers by examining
the printed product’s use and life cycle will allow for a cost effective paper
that’s both optimal and durable.
CFP has produced custom papers for
major casual dining organizations and their individual concepts for over 15
years. Tapping into its relationships with their paper mill partners, CFP
provides custom coated or uncoated products such as menus and other in-store
items.
"We have a much stronger value proposition to present to our
customers and one that is not easily outsold by our competitors," explained John
Glick, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Central Florida Press.
"Tailor-making paper that is unique to each menu concept has delivered value to
our customers and to our own company. These custom grades are sold exclusively
and cannot be sourced by other printers."
Casual dining restaurants
change high volume menus on a regular basis with rotating monthly specials to
keep customers returning. CFP uses fine paper grades for these types of
situations that call for high-end quality imaging. Glick says one example of the
benefits associated with custom stocks is the enhanced durability to bring about
a greater number of "touches" on menus.
"Certain fibers are more
conducive to better folding characteristics and lend themselves to a printed
menu that looks better for a longer period of time," Glick said. "Not all mills
are created equally, but we have aligned ourselves with the best. This allows
CFP to give our customers a true custom product."
The next paper price
increase will likely correlate with input costs and the overall demand for
paper. Glick points out that each raw material or ingredient used to manufacture
paper creates its own market. Engineering a sheet of custom paper enables CFP to
present alternatives to achieve a certain print aesthetic while maintaining
their customer’s bottom line.
"We find value in partnering with merchants
and distributors to give a much larger commitment volume-wise over many
accounts," countered Glick. "Some of these partners have worked in conjunction
with us to identify the needs of our customers from a design perspective and
have engineered stocks specific to a concept or brand."
Central Florida
Press is one of the largest, multi-faceted commercial printers in the
southeastern U.S. Founded in 1983, CFP in 2005 became a division of
The MATLET Group, a certified Minority
Business Enterprise and Corporate Plus® member of NMSDC. For more info, visit
www.printcfp.com.