Beer paper is the toast of new specialty swatch
A paper that incorporates the remains of grains from a Bavarian brewer’s mash comes in a variety of flavours including ale, lager and German beer, pils.
The visible flecks from the hops, malt and yeast give it a distinctive texture and colour and sense of organic production. Manufactured by the world-famous Gmund mill in Germany, Bier Papier is one of a number of speciality products marketed in Australia by Lexel Papers.
The long-established Sydney-based specialty paper merchant has now released a new swatch to showcase its expanded range of high-end specialities, which it claims is the largest in the industry. With over 500 different papers in stock the amazing variety is changing the way printers and designers think of speciality paper products.
Much of Lexel’s papers are produced for the retail market but an increasing amount is targeted at commercial printers looking for value-added paper. The family-owned business – Colin Lipman is managing director (pictured on left with Herbert Eibach, director) – is intent on supplying the commercial printing market with digital papers and boards as well as offset sheets.
According to Herbert Eibach, director, Lexel has by far the biggest choice of specialty papers for commercial printers. Most of the stock comes from the Gmund mill in Bavaria, where he worked before coming to Au
stralia, first with CPI and now with Lexel.
“We are very serious about expanding the trade. Most printers know about us a little, but we intend to change that. Printers can order as much or as little as they wish. We are very flexible in service and quantity,” he said.
Part of Eibach’s development strategy includes the production of a new high-fashion swatch book to showcase the range. In addition to the five ‘bier’ organic flavoured papers, there are different types of white metallic effects, ‘feel’ colours (with an incredible pitch-black paper that has to be seen to be believed), fine pearlescent metallics and white gold, along with many more. All the papers are compatible for most devices such as laser printers and copiers.
In an industry that appears to be fixated on producing its products on bog-standard cheap white-ish paper, the Lexel collection is amazing. Yes, these are not cheap papers but at a time when printing is looking for ways to distinguish itself as a communication medium, the treasury of speciality papers from Lexel Papers deserves to be more widely known.