EBB is stocking its uncoated house paper in a short grain version, aiming to provide printers with an alternative to the usual options.
EBB will be stocking short grain reams of its Horizon branded uncoated paper, providing an alternative to the traditional long grain papers commonly used in the UK.
Short grain papers have been more popular in mainland Europe. While EBB has not introduced short grain options on coated papers, it has now brought this feature to its branded uncoated paper.
According to EBB sales director David Tennent, "We have observed the significant benefits to customers when printing short grain on coated paper. It is a logical step to invest in Horizon Offset to provide UK printers with the optimal choice for achieving high output and high quality."
Extensive testing has been conducted on the paper to ensure that its performance can be guaranteed.
The grain direction will aid in the smooth transport of the sheet through the press, especially at high speeds, as there is less risk of distortion. This will facilitate the substitution of lighter weight versions of standard papers. Uncoated papers are more prone to distortions caused by the absorption of water or ink into the paper fibers, which can result in longer drying times. Although short grain printing does not enhance drying characteristics, it can help reduce the tendency to distort.
"In general, we have observed an improvement in sheet feeding and delivering with lighter weight materials," says Heidelberg product manager for sheetfed and digital, Matt Rockley. This improvement extends to directional stability, thereby minimizing color-to-color registration issues, particularly when printing at high speeds. Heidelberg demonstrated 21,000 sheets per hour (sph) and Koenig & Bauer demonstrated 22,000 sph during the show.
"We have observed an improvement as the material holds its shape better than long grain when transitioning from unit to unit."
"We initially recognized the benefits of short grain material many years ago with CutStar customers."
EBB will maintain stocks of the paper in wrapped reams, on pallets, and as CutStar reels ranging from 80-170gsm.
