What Are The Benefits Of Buying From A Paper Company?
Very few of us stop to consider where our paper comes from. Paper is a major necessity for most businesses to perform their daily job functions. However, depending on the quantity of paper needed, people can buy paper from a few sources. One of the most common sources for large amounts of paper is a paper distributor. Here’s more on sources of paper and the benefits of buying from a paper company.
Primary Sources for Buying Paper
Over the past 15 years, paper sourcing has changed. As technology advances, people shop and read differently than they did years ago. There is also the significant trend of digital imaging to consider. Despite what some people may think, paper is still a necessity for almost every business in the world. There are still five primary sources of paper:
- Distributors/Merchants
- Job-Lot/”Seconds” Companies
- Mill-Direct
- Broker
- Printers
Choosing a paper vendor depends on your business’s specific needs.
Distributors and brokers are independent sales businesses that often represent many paper mills.
A Merchant/Distributor traditionally pays for the paper and stores it. They then resell it to publishers, printers or companies who need large quantities of paper.
Job-Lot or “Seconds” Companies buy and resell market-rejected or returned paper. That is to say that they transact primarily with paper that was rejected due to quality or other issues after manufacturing. These sources obtain the paper from printers or from the mill themselves. They also can buy contractual amounts direct from mills, taking their grade transition tons or overruns that may have had quality issues. Consistency of product and type is rare from these sources.
Mill-Direct buying occurs when you purchase paper directly from the paper mill that makes it. Typically, the volumes requirement are quite high to have a direct relationship with a mill and the payment terms may not be appealing.
Brokers sell paper without actually taking physical possession of it. This is done frequently for large end-users who might have various printer locations and the volume to support such an arrangement. Today, many Merchant/Distributors also handle all your brokering requirements.
Some say that purchasing paper from the Printer is simpler, after all, they deal with paper quite often as well. However, they must purchase, store and handle the stock so there may be additional markups on their paper. They also may not be as familiar with all the options out there based on their current market segment or book of business, and many printers push the sheets that they stock for obvious reasons.
Volume and paper types typically guide these decisions and each of these suppliers has there negative and positive aspects but buying paper from a distributor has many benefits.
The Benefits of Using a Distributor
There are many benefits of purchasing paper through a distributor. One benefit is cost. Distributors often buy large quantities of paper (truckloads), and as a result, they can provide price breaks for volume. This solution is very cost-effective for shops or offices that use large amounts of specific types of paper on a regular basis.
If you are going to need to buy more paper in three months regardless, why not buy a large amount for less money. Plus, you can take advantage of excellent overstock sales when they offer them.
Variety is another benefit. Paper distributors have large varieties of styles and types of paper available. They can usually find just about any paper you need for your project. Instead of going to pricey office stores to search for the paper you need, a distributor can provide you with an array to choose from for less money (and deliver it).
Today many distributors are also digital printing paper experts. They understand the unique printing requirements for digital imaging. These distributors have great customized programs that help businesses provide the best quality imaging services to their customers.
Paper distributors are experts at purchasing and selling paper as well as managing the supply chain and transaction process. They have numerous supply sources and leverage over purchasing. They can also help you manage your print program(s) by analyzing your paper needs, total usage and printer locations and possibly leverage your total spend to your advantage. Their expertise makes the paper-buying process much more streamlined.
Some distributors even work with customers on managed consignment programs that put paper inventory on their client’s pressroom floors. When the printer runs the sheet, the stock is invoiced.
Buying paper from a distributor has numerous benefits. They provide some of the best prices as well as the most extensive supply and variety of paper. They are experts in the paper industry who provide you with an incredible, less stressful paper buying experience.
Recent Comments