The paper manufacture industry and the paper trade sector affect many operations and actions in our everyday lives. We use paper to write on it and for our entertainment as books, magazines, newspapers or pictures. Sometimes paper even represents a value when used as bank notes, checks, vouchers or tickets. Paper factories produce corrugated boxes, paper bags, industrial packing paper or wrapping tissue. Paper companies also produce paper for decorative applications, for example when it is used as basis for art or as wallpaper. In the industrial sector, paper production is important for the production of toilet paper, tissues, handkerchiefs and paper towels, emery paper or universal indicator paper. In our corporate lives, paper products such as envelopes or boxes help us to send, package and store items properly. Further office supply products which are made of paper are letter and printing paper, calculator rolls, notepads and calendars – just to mention a few ones. A stationery manufacturer provides office supplies stores with a large amount of paper items as for example school articles such as exercise books, drawing or music paper.

 

A paper manufacturer uses plant fibres, usually extracted of pulpwood trees such as spruce trees, for the paper manufacturing process. A kind of binder holds together these fibers which compose of cellulose material. An important step for paper producers is the so called pulping. Paper pulp processes are carried out either chemically or mechanically. A paper web is produced from which the paper company then removes the water by pressing and drying with air or hot heat. Last steps for a paper factory are, depending on a paper’s colour, paper bleaching and paper sizing. The copy paper manufacturer cuts the paper into the individually desired or standardised sizes a customers demands for his or her applications, for example A3 or A4 copy paper.

 

Producing paper means disposing of scarce and valuable raw materials such as wood, water and energy. Therefore, paper waste is collected in special paper disposal containers and recycling paper is produced. In general, waste paper is collected with trucks from waste paper disposal areas to industrial sorting plants. The paper is chopped into small pieces then and soaked with water. The paper fibers are extracted and bleached chemically. However, to recycle paper also means that – if a customer desires paper with a high whiteness level – chemicals are used to bleach the paper as recycling paper mostly has a grey to yellow surface.