Spicers

turning the page

Being a global leader in the paper business gives Spicers a healthy view of the world's forests. "Trees are what keep us in business," admits General Manager Ed Gamelin, "and if we don't replenish our source we'd be like the corn farmer who forgot to plant his crop in the spring. There simply would be no more paper."

Spicers began in the late 1700's and has evolved into a responsible global paper supply business. With a clear focus on preservation, they've earned an admirable reputation by limiting their sources to companies that replenish the forests by planting at least 4 trees for every 1 harvested. And, with their focus on retention of old growth forests, they're supporting other countries in their efforts like policing the Indonesian rain forests. They understand that earth cannot breathe without trees.

Digital Integration

Spicers has turned the page. They've eagerly embraced a broader focus to increase their value to clients by supporting their most efficient use of online capabilities. Print grows online communications through print drivers and online communication grows print through web to print solutions. New age communication is really a marriage between the online and offline (printed) word. As Ed points out, "In our digital age, magazines, for example, offer an ideal onramp to online opportunities with quality content that drives readers to handheld devices and the Web for the next part of the story. In fact, six in ten buyers claim to have visited a supplier or manufacturer's website based on ads viewed in a specialized business publication."

"When you think about it, magazines are a natural way to catch your business audience sitting down. While digital is important to any buy, business publications rank second only to the internet for value as a trusted information source. Magazines come in virtually all flavours, reaching every industrial and professional sector. Best of all, you can track and measure your results in the marketplace. Want to capture more business? Reach for a magazine."

Creative Connections

When I asked Magda Cober, Business Development Manager, for another example of connecting the physical printed world with the virtual digital world, she explained Augmented Reality and showed me a fascinating example of printed boxes coming to life in a Lego video. Since I could not possibly do the subject justice in this article, I took the easy route with this link.

And now Top Notch, printed on Spicers paper product, has connected you to the magic of online everything.

They're always thinking ahead at Spicers. A recent internal memo suggested adding this message to the bottom of all corporate emails, "Please feel free to print this email. We'll plant 4 more trees. And please recycle. It's our fastest growing source of paper."

In this world of technology-supported communications where the role of digital is increasing by the day, the printed word remains an important link in the communication chain, grounding you and bringing your mind back out of the clouds. And that too is a healthy view.