Graphic Arts Monthly Prints December 2007 Cover on Sustainable Mohawk Options

COHOES, N.Y., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphic Arts Monthly (GAM), one of the printing industries most authoritative publications, closes out 2007 in the green. For the first time in the publication's history, it chose to print its cover on a 100% recycled fiber paper - Mohawk Options 100% PC White.

In an industry that leans toward the sleek, glossy look of coated papers for magazine covers such as Sports Illustrated, Fortune, or Vanity Fair, using the softer and more subtle appeal of an uncoated paper is atypical. "We [GAM] are very concerned about sustainability and are trying to take an edgier approach in our manufacturing process," said Bill Esler, Editor-in-Chief, Graphic Arts Monthly.

For this experimental cover, which was sponsored by TOYO INK, Esler was looking for a dramatic visual and tactile effect, while still making it environmentally responsible. To achieve this, GAM worked in collaboration with TOYO INK and Chicago-based Lake County Press, one of the first printers in the Midwest to earn FSC certification.

Using new UV-cured inks by TOYO INK, a combination of varnish techniques, and an anilox roller brought in by Heidelberg specifically for this cover, Lake County Press produced a vibrant three-dimensional cover with lifelike water droplets.

"GAM's theme this past year has been 'green printing.' Our goal was to deliver the message that green printing doesn't have to look like the inside of a cereal box. We have covered the topic of sustainable practices in every issue and have printed several covers with different environmental approaches. This issue was our biggest venture - using FSC certified paper and having the recycled logo on the front cover. This one was a home run," said Esler.

Because 100% of the emissions from electricity used by Mohawk Fine Papers is offset with certified windpower certificates, Mohawk Options offers an even greater environmental impact than other recycled papers. "We used the environmental calculator on Mohawk's website to establish the impact we made producing this cover," said Esler.

The environmental savings created by producing the 78,000 Graphic Arts Monthly covers on Mohawk Options 100% PC White, 65 lb. cover, can be found on page 40 of the December 2007 issue. Some of those savings include: Preserving 42.5 trees for the future, not generating 1,988 lbs. of solid waste, preventing 3,933 lbs. of net greenhouse gases, and not consuming 30,107,000 BTUs of energy.

More about the production of this special cover, and other articles about sustainability and sustainable practices, can be found in the December 2007 issue of Graphic Arts Monthly or online at graphicartsonline.com.

For more information, visit www.mohawkpaper.com or call 1-800 the mill.

About Graphic Arts Monthly

Established in 1929, Graphic Arts Monthly explores applied technology for the printing industry. In addition to its 70,000-circulation print edition, the magazine's online counterpart, www.graphicartsonline.com, receives approximately 30,000 unique visitors and nearly 100,000 page views per month. GAM is published by Reed Business Information (www.reedbusiness.com), the largest business-to-business publisher in the U.S. and a member of the Reed Elsevier Group plc. In addition to GAM, Reed Business covers the printing industry with its A.F. Lewis equipment database-powered Graphic Arts BlueBook regional directories (www.gabb.com) and The Industry Measure subsidiary (www.theindustrymeasure.com), which compiles statistics based on in-depth surveys of U.S. printing managers.