FAQ's

1. Pulp prices are still rising and now exceed 40% in 2017.

2. MAY 2017 – IDEM, the mill producing most of Europe’s carbonless paper goes into liquidation.

3. With IDEM no longer there, the mills producing thermal paper switch around 25% of their capacity over to carbonless causing shortages of thermal

4. JUNE 2017 – All thermal mills announce an allocation based system for paper roll converters cutting the supply chain dramatically.....

5. AUGUST 2017 – Prices inevitably go up by Koehler, Lecta, Mitsubishi, Jujo etc...etc...

6. SEPTEMBER 2017 – The Chinese factory that produces 70% of the worlds “leuco” dye (the component that gives the thermal image it’s black image) is shut down for a minimum of 3 three months due to toxicity, reports of over 70,000 companies having to close temporarily to improve their standards.

7. OCTOBER 2017 – Thermal mills announce yet more shortages and price increases for January 2018 as the prospect of no dye being produced bites hard with some mills down to less than a month’s stock.

8. OCTOBER 2017 – Apvion Paper, the largest producer of thermal paper in the USA files for “Chapter 11” – protected bankruptcy....this causes huge panic in the USA as converters fear the worst and struggle to get allocation from Apvion along with uncertainty as to its future.

9. NOVEMBER 2017 – European thermal mills are inundated with requests from converters in the USA to fulfill the shortfall from Apvion, and can virtually name their price.....once again diverting much need stock in Europe away from converters here.

10. DECEMBER 2017 – Mills still very uncertain as to when the leuco dye situation will be resolved with many now struggling to book stock for 2018 production causing more turmoil and prospect of further allocation cuts in 2018 along with more rises expected, possibly on a monthly basis until this is resolved.

11. March 16 - 2018 - Koehler paper anounce price increase of 12% effective immediately. We have enough supplies to last to 16th April so we hold off the price increase until then.

12. April 16 - 2018 - Price increase in range of 10% comes in to effect April 16th 2018

Please click links below to see the increases from our paper manufacturers.

Koehler Paper

7% Price Increase May 2017

8% Price Increase Sep 2017

7% to 12% Price Increase Jan 2018

12% to 15% Price increase April 1st 2018

Mitsubishi Paper

7% Price Increase June 2017

8% Price Increase Sep 2017

7% to 13% Price Increase Jan 2018

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THERMAL PAPER. All image stability guarantees on Thermal apply only if paper is stored and used according to these instructions. If selecting a thermal paper grade for an application where there is risk of contact with harmful materials or paper needs to have good preservability properties, please contact our customer service for assistance on selecting a suitable paper from our range of standard and extra long life grades.

1. Avoid hot and humid environment

• For long-term storage, store thermal paper in the dark at an average ambient temperature of less than 25°C and a relative humidity of less than 65%.
• Thermal paper begins to develop colour at between 60°C to 100°C and reaches applicable density at between 70°C to 120°C. The paper, however, displays similar signs of development under high temperature or high humidity conditions. If the paper is used continuously at temperatures of 40°C or above for more than 24 hours, attention should be paid to the ambient temperature and humidity.

2. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight

• The paper will yellow if exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The printed image also tends to fade in direct sunlight.
• The image tends to fade when left exposed to conventional fluorescent light for prolonged periods of time. Therefore printed paper should be filed soon after printing.

3. Do not use solvent-type adhesives

• Adhesives containing volatile organic solvents such as alcohols, esters, ketones etc. cause color formation.
• Adhesives based on starch, PVA or CMC are harmless and hence recommended.

4. Avoid contact with plasticizers

• PVC film contains plasticizer such as esterphtalate and prolonged contact reduces the image forming ability of the paper and causes printed image to fade as well. When storing the paper, files and cases made of polyolefins or polyesters are recommended.
• Self-adhesive cellophane tapes might contain plasticizer which causes the printed image to fade. Tacking thermal paper with double sided self-adhesive tape, applied to the back side of  thermal paper, is not recommended.
• Wax-type paper might also contain plasticizer and cause the image fading of thermal paper. Do not store these two types of paper in the same file or case.

5. Others

• Avoid direct contact with freshly developed diazo copying paper as it might induce colour forming on the surface of  thermal paper.
• Avoid direct contact with carbon as well as carbonless copying papers as these might reduce print ability or cause the printed image of thermal paper to fade.
• Human body fluids like sweat causes the printed image of thermal paper to fade. Please pay attention to proper paper handling.
• Thermal paper sheets must be stored with their printed surface separate from each other because the printed image might slightly be transferred from one surface to the other.
• Frictional heat induced by scratching or pressure by hard metal objects, finger nails etc. causes images to be developed. Please pay attention to proper paper handling and avoid e.g. transportation of heavy jumbo rolls by rolling them on the floor.