We often have discussions about ‘quality of products’ with current & potential customers. And often these discussions end up in a territory where we are comparing said quality from different manufacturers.
We feel there is something to be understood here while we engage in such comparisons.
But let’s back up a bit,
and quickly talk about how the paper stationery industry is structured as that has a great bearing on such discussions.
So level 1 - Paper Mills
You’ve got your paper mills that produce all types of paper in bulk (virgin, recycled, speciality) and supply in large unruled reels.
If you look at a notebook or similar product as a buyer – and you think the paper is great quality – then really you are tipping your hat to the paper mill and not necessarily your supplier.
Level 2 - Converters
Next comes a class of businesses referred to as “converters”, most likely your supplier is one such converter – as they buy these papers off the rack from paper mills & ‘convert’ this paper into all types of notebooks, journals, diaries, calendars, pads etc. They start with ruling the blank paper and then depending on the type of product it goes through various automated & manual processes to make the finished notebook, package it and ship it to you.
Level 3 - Brand Owners / Retail Chains
And finally you have your brand owners that focus on marketing & distribution.
Granted that at times you will find businesses that have gone and integrated a level forward or backward – conglomerates such as APP of Indonesia go from plantations to mills to stationery manufacturing right down to marketing & distribution – all in-house.
Having said that, by and large – you will find most companies specializing in one of these levels.
So coming back to our subject of discussion –
if you are still reading, I am sure you have already figured out that if the mills are making the paper, and the converters are "converting" this paper into finished notebooks -- what it means is that just about any converter can buy bulk paper from any mill.
Paper quality – good or bad or anywhere in between – is not something that your converter controls. Their contribution comes from their extent of experience in the industry and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of various mills in different types and grades of paper to be able to marry the right mill to the right market at the right price point.
But what your converter is 100% responsible for and that a buyer must be looking at is the fit & finish of the product. Is the spine tape glued properly ? are the corners rounded clean ? are the spirals locked ? do papers tend to fall out ? is the stitching holding up the product ? have they used the right combination of other materials – covers, backboards etc to give the structural strength a product needs to survive ?
An industry professional will almost always inspect a product for it's construction to evaluate his or another supplier's strengths/weaknesses.
He/she will always look at paper 2nd - 'cos well that's the easy bit right ? You understand what a market needs and you buy it off the rack.
Guaranteed when you evaluate your converter on these points – you will make the right decision in selecting your partner. Paper quality makes the strongest first impression - but construction quality determines the life of the product and hence repeat purchases from your end consumers.
Look for partners that focus on construction quality and deliver superior fit & finish - this is the complicated bit that requires commitment to manufacturing best practices. And something you may not be able to drive.
As far as the paper is concerned a converter who knows their industry should easily be able to offer you a range of paper grades, brightness etc that works for you giving you the ability to drive this decision.
Click here to contact us today if you any questions you need help with in designing your product, we are always happy to engage with you !
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