Newsprint
Newsprint is an uncoated paper that is mainly used for printing newspapers.
In the past, it has been made largely from mechanical pulp. But today, an
increasing amount of recovered paper, mainly old newspapers (ONP) and old
magazines (OMG), also goes into the production. The weight of a sheet of
newsprint usually ranges from 40 g/m² to 52 g/m², but can be as high as 65 g/m².
Newsprint is white or slightly coloured (eg, pink Financial Times), and is
supplied in reels for rotogravure, offset or flexo printing.
 Uncoated Mechanical Improved
Uncoated Mechanical Improved (UMI) contains different grades of
machine-finished paper of a higher brightness than is included in Newsprint. The
basic furnish is the same as for newsprint and the basis weight starts at 40
g/m². The grade is split into two sub-categories based on brightness -
high-bright and super-bright.
Uncoated Mechanical Others
Uncoated Mechanical Others (UMO) covers a wide a range of publication paper
grades that are not already included in the other main paper groups listed
above. The grade includes directory paper, thin printing grades and book paper.
The basic furnish is the same as for newsprint, but the basis weight starts at
28 g/m².
Supercalendered Magazine Paper
Supercalendered Magazine Paper (SC) is primarily used for the publication of
consumer magazines, catalogues and advertising material using rotogravure,
offset or letterpress printing. It is made from mechanical pulp with a large
content of mineral filler. This grade is split into sub-categories based on
brightness: SC-A+, SC-A, SC-B.
 Coated Mechanical Reels
Coated Mechanical Reels (CMR) is split into two sub-categories - Lightweight
Coated (LWC) and Medium Weight Coated (MWC). These papers can have either a
glossy or matt finish, and are used mostly for catalogues, magazines and
advertising material using rotogravure or offset printing. They are made from a
blend of chemical and mechanical pulp with a content of fillers and are mineral
coated on both sides, either on or off machine. LWC has a basis weight of up to
72 g/m² and anything above 72 g/m² is classed as either MWC or Heavy Weight
Coated (HWC).
Other definitions
While many papers are easy to classify into one group or another,
technological advancements in paper production and the development of the
various end-use sectors continue to blur the edges between the traditional paper
definitions. Where definitions are unclear, CEPIPRINT recommends the following
guidelines:
- Improved Newsprint for offset printing = Uncoated Mechanical Improved
- Improved Newsprint with High Brightness (>ISO 71) = Super-Bright (UMI)
Guideline for Paper Definition Structure
| Quality |
Sub-quality |
Finish |
Utilisation |
gr/m² |
Brightness |
Colour |
Furnish |
| Newsprint |
Newsprint Standard |
- |
rotogravure / offset |
40-57 |
<= ISO 59 |
white or slightly coloured |
min 65% mechanical pulp
and/or deinked pulp |
Uncoated Mecanical
Improved
UMI |
High Bright |
- |
rotogravure / offset |
>=40 |
>= ISO 60;
<= ISO 71 |
white or slightly
coloured |
min 65%
mechanical pulp and/or deinked pulp |
| Super Bright |
- |
rotogravure / offset |
>=40 |
>= ISO 72 |
white or slightly
coloured |
Uncoated
Mechanical Others
UMO |
Uncoated Mechanical Others |
- |
rotogravure
offset |
>= 28 |
- |
white or slightly coloured |
min 65% mechanical pulp and/or
deinked pulp |
Supercalendered
Magazine Paper
SC |
SC-A+
rotogravure* |
- |
rotogravure |
- |
>=ISO 72 |
white |
min 65%
mechanical pulp and/or deinked pulp with large content of mineral filler |
| SC-A+ offset* |
- |
offset |
- |
>=ISO 72 |
white |
| SC-A
rotogravure* |
- |
rotogravure |
- |
>= ISO 69; <=ISO 71 |
white |
| SC-A offset* |
- |
offset |
- |
>= ISO 69; <=ISO 71 |
white |
| SC B rotogravure |
- |
rotogravure |
- |
<= ISO 68 |
white |
| SC B offset |
- |
offset |
- |
<= ISO 68 |
white |
Coated
Mechanical Reels
CMR |
MWC glossy rotogravure |
gloss |
rotogravure |
>= 73 |
>= ISO 65 |
white |
min 10%
mechanical pulp and/or deinked pulp - coated on both sides |
| MWC glossy offset |
gloss |
offset |
>= 73 |
>= ISO 65 |
white |
| MWC matt rotogravure |
matt |
rotogravure |
>= 73 |
>= ISO 65 |
white |
| MWC matt offset |
matt |
offset |
>= 73 |
>= ISO 65 |
white |
| LWC glossy rotogravure |
gloss |
rotogravure |
<= 72 |
>= ISO 65 |
white |
| LWC glossy offset |
gloss |
offset |
<= 72 |
>= ISO 65 |
white |
| LWC matt rotogravure |
matt |
rotogravure |
<= 72 |
>= ISO 65 |
white |
| LWC matt offset |
matt |
offset |
<= 72 |
>= ISO 65 |
white |
|
* SC-A/SC-A+ equals SC Standard
For qualities falling in between two different categories, the final deciding
factor is deemed to be the end-market into which the paper is sold.
The grade categories comparative table is also available in Excel format:
North America
& Rest of the World
NORTH AMERICA
The definition of newsprint used by North America's Pulp and Paper Products Council
(PPPC) for statistical purposes is as follows:
| Newsprint |
Grammage |
40 - 57 grams per square metre |
| Colour |
white or slightly coloured |
| Caliper |
under 100.0 microns (0.00394 inches) |
| Brightness |
less than or equal to 65 ISO |
| Ash Content |
not exceeding 8.0% by weight |
| Sizing |
unsized or lightly sized |
| Smoothness |
greater than or equal to 2.61 PPS :m (S10) |
|
PPPC guidelines for classifying uncoated mechanical papers, effective January 2003, are the following:
| |
PPPC code |
Grade equivalent |
g/m2 |
Brightness |
Smoothness µm PPS (S10) |
Gloss |
| High-Gloss |
A+ |
SCA+ |
>= 40 |
>= ISO 68 |
<= 1.50 |
>= 48 |
| A |
SCA |
>= 40 |
>= ISO 68 |
<= 1.50 |
>= 40
< 48 |
| B |
SCB, SNC+ |
>= 40 |
>= ISO 65 |
<= 2.50 |
>= 26 |
| Standard |
LG |
Low-gloss SNC, SCC |
>= 40 |
>= ISO 60 |
<= 2.50 |
>= 20
< 26 |
| SB |
Super-bright |
>= 40 |
>= ISO 75 |
> 2.50 |
|
| HB |
High-bright |
>= 40 |
>= ISO 65
< ISO 75 |
> 2.50 |
|
| BB |
Bulky book [1] |
>= 40 |
>= ISO 60 |
|
|
| O |
Other grades [2] |
>= 40 |
|
|
|
| Lightweight |
LW |
Directory |
< 40 |
|
|
|
|
[1] Product made to caliper
[2] All other uncoated mechanical grades (weighing 40 g/m2 or more) not specified elsewhere
The PPPC guidelines for classifying uncoated mechanical papers are also available in Excel format:
REST OF THE WORLD
Uncoated paper of a kind used for the printing of newspapers, of which not less than 65% by weight of the total fibre content consists of wood fibres obtained by a mechanical or
chemi-mechanical process, unsized or very lightly sized, having a surface roughness Parker Print Surf (1
MPa) on each side exceeding 2.5 micrometres (microns), weighing not less than 40g/m2 and not more than 65g/m2.
|
