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Who we are
The Printing and Writing Papers Association (PWPA) represents companies producing all types of woodfree and
mechanical papers used in communications. The PWPA's 18 member companies operate mills throughout North America.
The PWPA's mandate is to work on issues of common interest and to undertake the statistical and market research work that can be
most efficiently and appropriately carried out by a single organization, focused on printing and writing papers.
The PWPA makes every effort to ensure that its activities do not contravene the provisions of competition or anti-trust laws of
countries with which its members trade, in particular those of the United States, Canada, and the European Union.
Members of the Printing and Writing Papers Association
Overview of the Printing and Writing Industry
Printing and writing papers include most papers used for publishing and advertising, with the exception of newsprint and papers
generally referred to as office papers.
Four main grades make up the printing and writing papers industry: uncoated mechanical, uncoated woodfree, coated woodfree and coated
mechanical papers.
Just like newsprint, uncoated mechanical papers are made of fibres produced by a mechanical pulping process. However, they
are not classified as newsprint because they possess other properties, such as higher brightness or smoothness that enhance their
value. Their main end uses are directories, magazines, catalogues, inserts, flyers, coupons, as well as books.
Uncoated woodfree papers, the largest printing and writing papers category in terms of capacity, includes almost all office
papers and offset grades used for general commercial printing. The definition of "office papers" encompasses forms, envelopes,
technical papers, stationary, and the all important office reprographic papers (paper for photocopiers and printers).
Coated papers, generally selected for their brightness, are those covered with pigments, such as kaolin clay to create a
uniform surface on which one can print a higher quality product. Coated mechanical papers are mostly used for magazines and
catalogues, whereas coated woodfree papers, the highest quality of printing papers, are used for annual reports and high-end
catalogues, magazines, and promotional material.
WORLD SUPPLY
The world's printing and writing papers capacity is estimated at 111.2 million tonnes in 2006. Uncoated woodfree is the largest
segment, followed by coated woodfree, coated mechanical, and uncoated mechanical (see table).
North American printing and writing papers capacity is 29.9 million tonnes and accounts for 26.9% of world capacity (see table).
This region's share of total capacity is greatest for uncoated mechanical papers at 37.7% and lowest for coated woodfree papers at
16.0%. North American uncoated woodfree and coated mechanical capacities both account for roughly one third of the world's total.
WORLD PRINTING AND WRITING PAPER CAPACITY (by grade in 2006)
| Uncoated mechanical |
16.9 |
15.2% |
| Uncoated woodfree |
44.9 |
40.4% |
| Coated woodfree |
29.9 |
26.9% |
| Coated mechancial |
19.5 |
17.5% |
| Total |
111.2 |
100% |
| Source: PPPC |
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More than half of the Canadian capacity is concentrated in the uncoated mechanical sector. Canada is the world's largest producer of
such grades, due largely to the quality of its softwood fibre.
U.S. capacity, on the other hand, is mostly concentrated in the uncoated woodfree market of which it is, by far, the world's largest
producer.
WORLD PRINTING AND WRITING PAPER CAPACITY (by region in 2006)
| Western Europe |
37.8 |
34.0% |
| North America |
29.9 |
26.9% |
| Asia |
22.3 |
20.1% |
| Japan |
12.0 |
10.8% |
| Latin America |
4.4 |
4.0% |
| Eastern Europe |
3.1 |
2.8% |
| Africa |
1.1 |
0.9% |
| Oceania |
0.6 |
0.5% |
| Total |
111.2 |
100% |
| Source: PPPC |
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SUPPLY WITHIN NORTH AMERICA
North America consumed 29.9 million tonnes of printing and writing papers in 2006 compared to 9.9 million tonnes of
newsprint.
With regards to the supply of printing and writing papers, 68% came from the U.S. and 20% from Canada; only 12% was supplied by
imports from overseas, 66% of which came from Europe, mostly coated and uncoated mechanical papers.
Most of what North America produces remains at home. In 2006, only 3.3% of output was exported.
NORTH AMERICAN PRINTING AND WRITING PAPER CAPACITY (by grade in 2006)
| Uncoated mechanical |
6.4 |
21.4% |
| Uncoated woodfree |
13.0 |
43.5% |
| Coated woodfree |
4.8 |
16.1% |
| Coated mechancial |
5.7 |
19.1% |
| Total |
29.9 |
100% |
| Source: PPPC |
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The ten-year average growth rate of North American demand for printing and writing papers is close to 1% (see table). By
comparison, North American demand for newsprint shrank by an average of 2.1% per year, between 1995 and 2005.
Although uncoated woodfree papers is the largest component of printing and writing papers, it is the only category that has shrunk
over the past ten years, at 0.5% per annum. This is partly due to the fact that it includes grades, such as forms, for which demand
is steadily declining as a result of technological change.
However, technology has helped boost demand for other grades, such as uncoated mechanical papers. More specifically, due to
supercalendars and other manufacturing processes providing high gloss paper, demand for this grade increased over the last decade,
on average 2.4% per year.
Coated woodfree demand increased at a 2.4% rate, as demand for high quality printing rose with technological advances in the ink and
print processing sectors.
NORTH AMERICAN DEMAND FOR PRINTING AND WRITING PAPERS
- 10 YEAR GROWTH RATE BY GRADE (1995-2005)
| Uncoated mechanical |
2.4% |
| Uncoated woodfree |
-0.5% |
| Coated woodfree |
2.4% |
| Coated mechancial |
1.8% |
| Total |
0.8% |
| Source: PPPC |
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Grade Structure and Definitions
The PWPA classifies North American printing and writing papers under four main grades.
Under each are many sub-grades which can be regrouped as shown below:
Printing & Writing Papers
Uncoated Mechanical
High-Gloss
Standard
Lightweight
Uncoated Woodfree
Offset
Bond & Writing
Forms
Envelopes
Other
Coated Woodfree
Coated 1 side
Coated 2 sides (#1 to #5)
Other
Coated Mechanical
Coated #4
Coated #5
Uncoated Mechanical Papers
These are uncoated papers, excluding newsprint, containing mainly wood fibres from a mechanical pulping process. They include
papers for inserts, flyers, magazines, catalogues, directories, books, etc.
For statistical puproses, PWPA classifies North American production according to the following parameters, regardless of the
manufacturing process:
Uncoated Woodfree Papers
Uncoated papers which contain mainly wood fibres obtained by a chemical pulping process. They cover a wide range of end uses such as
printing papers, bond, ledger, duplicating, envelope, and stationery.
In North America, these papers represent the largest segment of the market, accounting for almost 50% of North American printing and
writing capacity.
Coated Mechanical Papers
A coated paper made from a furnish containing fibres from a mechanical pulping process. The major end-uses are magazines and
catalogues.
In Europe these papers are classified according to basis weight - medium-weight and lightweight. In North America, they are
classified according to brightness - categories #4 and #5 (note: in North America coated papers are classified #1 through #5,
mainly according to brightness).
Because Europe is the largest producing region and lightweight grades account for about 80% of European production, the term
lightweight coated (or LWC) is often incorrectly used in North America to describe #5 or coated mechanical papers in general.
These papers are occasionally referred to as coated groundwood papers.
Coated Woodfree Papers
A coated paper made from a furnish containing mainly fibres from a chemical pulping process. The major end-uses are high-end
catalogues and magazines, annual reports and promotional material.
In North America, woodfree papers that are coated on both sides are classified #1, the highest quality, through #5.
The #2 and #3 grades account for about 85% of production. Brightness is the most important criteria.
How to become a member
Membership in the PWPA is open to any company with printing and writing operations in North America.
To learn more about the services offered and how your company can join the Printing and Writing Papers Association, please
contact us (see coordinates below).
Contact at the Printing and Writing Papers Association:
Timothy Brown
Director, Product Groups
E: tbrown@pppc.org
T: 514.861.8849
F: 514.866.4863
© 2007, Printing and Writing Papers Association
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