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| p2p Magaz i ne | Autumn 2011
0870 903 9500
ADVERTORIAL
Controlled growth strategy
The Premier Paper Group, established in March 2008
following the merger of Premier Paper and Beswick Paper, is
today the largest independently owned paper merchant in
the UK, with an annual turnover in excess of £150 million.
Stora Enso, PortucelSoporcel, M-Real, IP,
Suzano and Mitsubishi. “It’s true to say
that getting a relationship right with a
supplier is the key factor that will enable
us to offer choice to our customers. But
also, we are continually bringing new
products to the market and introducing
new and targeted marketing initiatives.
The recently launched ‘Small Pack Range’
is a particularly good example of where
we have responded to the needs of
our stationer customers and launched
a selection of top brands in smaller
pack quantities; something that their
customers are increasingly demanding.”
The growing digital print sector is
also a focus sector for Premier and
Griffths says, “We are widely recognised,
by suppliers and competitors alike, as
being the market leader in this sector;
we have the widest range of digitally
optimised products available in the UK
and our recently launched website www.
premierdigitalpapers.co.uk is dedicated
to providing customers with extensive
information on the digital products that
we
offer”
The environment is another
key area in which the Premier Paper
Group is leading the way. “By and
large the pulp and paper industry
conducts itself very responsibly on the
environmental front and has a good story
to tell, but we think differently to most
merchants.We feel that it is important to
acknowledge that there is some impact
from paper manufacturing activities.
However, we believe in presenting the
facts in the correct context, providing
information and giving factual advice
to customers so that they can make
informed choices about the paper that
they buy and use.With this in mind,
our environmental website
www.
paperandtheenvironment.co.uk
is
designed to inform and educate.”
We have
responded to
the needs of
our customers
and launched
a selection of
top brands in
smaller pack
quantities
The UK paper merchant market is
dominated by two giant international
companies, PaperlinX and Antalis
McNaughton. The Premier Paper Group
is the only UK independently owned
merchant with full national coverage.
Group Managing Director Graham
Griffths says, “Our focus is to build a
strong business for the future through
a programme of controlled growth.
“We are building a company that has
the size and critical mass to challenge
the two global groups and offer real
choice to the market – choice to paper
manufacturers who want to sell into
the UK, choice to people working within
the industry and above all, choice to
customers.”
The company has just announced
plans to expand its operations in the
south of England with the acquisition of
Dorset-based merchant Arc Paper. Arc
Paper’s Tony Chutter, a prominent fgure
in the paper trade throughout the region,
will join the group’s Southampton team
in a senior role.
The Premier Paper Group offers locally
held branch stocks and has dedicated
local sales teams; backed by the strength
of national stock holdings and key
partnerships with world class paper
manufacturers. Commenting on the
acquisition, Chutter says, “Arc Paper and
the Premier Paper Group have a similar
ethos, which is a one hundred per cent
commitment to customers.We also share
the core values of local people offering
local service and the development of
long-standing relationships.”
Griffths says that the acquisition of
Arc Paper will fuel future investment
in the region and further strengthen
Premier’s south western operations,
which comprise; local sales offces and
stock holding warehouses in Bristol,
Newton Abbot and Southampton.
Product quality and availability are
vital to the group’s customers’ businesses
and according to Griffths, that’s why its
main product portfolio is sourced from
many of the world’s leading papermakers
including the Lecta Group, Mondi, Sappi,