DES reassures industry on supply of premium papers

DES has been quick to assure its Australasian customers that there will be little or no local impact from Hahnemühle’s purchase of Zanders from Finnish paper giant M-real.

Hahnemühle Fine Papers has acquired the Zanders premium paper business and related assets as well as well as nearly 100 mill staff in Germany. The digital fine art paper range is used for letterhead, brochures, books, calendars and envelopes.

Ian Clare, managing director for DES, believes the new combined operation has the potential to be one of Europe’s leading premium paper manufacturers. The new owners will acquire all Zanders’ trademarks and production facilities.

It all fits together for the local supplier. In Australia and New Zealand, DES’s Image Products business has handled distribution of the Hahnemühle digital fine art paper range for the past six years.

Clare says he has seen a recent surge in promotional portfolio presentations and digital photograph albums for which the Hahnemühle FineArt range offers photographers a wide range of possibilities.

“We expect little change on the local scene as a result of the European buyout,” says Clare. “It is however highly likely that it could add considerably to our future product offerings in the Australasian markets,” he adds.