Flambeau River Papers launches high-end envelope paper called St. Croix Premium, which has 96 brightness and 70 Sheffield smoothness rating, designed to run smoothly on envelope converting equipment

Debra Garcia

PARK FALLS, WIsconsin , December 3, 2013 (press release) – Flambeau River Papers, one of North America’s “greenest” paper mills, has launched another new specialty paper, a high-end envelope grade called St. Croix Premium. The new envelope grade, a super smooth 96 bright sheet, is in greater demand these days as envelope converters find themselves under increasing pressure to deliver exceptionally vivid colors and sharp contrast.

The new grade is named for the St. Croix River, a 169-mile tributary of the Mississippi that rises out of northwestern Wisconsin’s Upper St. Croix Lake. The lower 125 miles of the National Scenic Riverway form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota.

St. Croix Premium features a 70 Sheffield smoothness rating and is designed to run efficiently on envelope converting equipment, including the newest high-speed machines. Moreover, the paper’s high brightness enhances print contrast dramatically.

Envelope converters operate in a highly competitive marketplace,” said William “Butch” Johnson, FRP’s president and chief executive officer. “St. Croix Premium is a beautiful sheet of paper that runs well, while enabling converters to differentiate their customers’ products and provide sharper, higher quality communications.”

Like all FRP products, St. Croix Premium is made in accordance with FRP’s stringent environmental policies. In its seven-year history, FRP has won numerous awards for its environmental programs, many of which have been targeted toward energy efficiency. These ongoing programs go hand-in-hand with a growing list of capital investments the family-owned mill has made in recent years, all of which demonstrate its long-term commitment to partners, suppliers, and customers.

“At FRP, we are committed to continuously improving our processes, our papers, and the service we provide our clients,” Johnson said. “This outlook led to the development of St. Croix Premium and several other specialty grades—papers that make a direct impact on the way our customers go to market.”

St. Croix Premium is just one of several specialty papers FRP has qualified in recent months, as part of an initiative to accommodate the ever-changing print and converting marketplace. At the same time, the mill continues to serve as a key supplier of uncoated white papers for customers in the Midwest and beyond. Other specialty grades Flambeau River Papers has recently developedinclude RiverJet (continuous-fed inkjet papers), MOCR bond, converting base papers, wet-strength, FDA-approved papers, and more. 

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.