Quartet Launches Envi(TM), the First ‘Green’ Line of Whiteboards, Bulletin Boards for Retail Market

Quartet is introducing consumers to the first environmentally-friendly whiteboards and bulletin boards to hit the retail market. Its new Envi(TM) line boasts MBDC’s (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry) Cradle-to-Cradle(SM) silver certification, which verifies that the boards are created to ensure minimal impact to the environment throughout their entire life-cycle.The Envi boards are made with MBDC certified safe materials (cork, cardboard and steel), which are sustainable and recyclable, so that they can be used again and do not have to be dumped in landfills at the end of their lives. The silver award certified, and patented ENVI boards are also “Designed for Disassembly,” meaning they can be easily dismantled by the consumer for recovery in the recycling process.

“Our customers want products that are more ecologically sound, and we’re working to deliver them,” said Sam Moon, product manager for sustainability at Quartet. “We are extremely excited to introduce the Envi line because no other retail line of whiteboards or bulletin boards offers this unique designation. This is just the first step in Quartet’s “Design for the Environment” efforts to incorporate innovation and sustainability into all of its new products.”

MBDC is a third party certification consulting firm that qualifies a company’s manufacturing processes and products have been properly evaluated under specific criteria. These criteria include environmentally safe and healthy materials, material reutilization, water and energy conservation, and strategies for social responsibility.

Quartet’s president, Paul Easthope, is the driving force behind the pursuit of Cradle to Cradle certification in the development of its new products. “This innovative design approach is good for the environment and good for our consumers and our business as well,” he states. “It truly helps consumers to do their part for the environment.”

The Envi line is available in four designs and sizes - an 11 x 17 dry-erase board, an 11 x 17 and 23 x 17 dry-erase monthly planner, a 17 x 23 magnetic combination board, and a 17 x 23 cork bulletin board.

About Quartet and ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE:ABD)

Quartet is the leader in presentation whiteboards and accessories. From boards, easels and markers, to overhead projectors, transparencies and screens, Quartet is synonymous with the essential functions of visual communication that take place in workspaces every day. To learn more about Quartet products, visit www.quartet.com.

ACCO Brands Corporation is a world leader in select categories of branded office products, with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion. Its industry-leading brands include Day-Timer(R), Swingline(R), Kensington(R), Quartet(R), GBC(R), Rexel(R), NOBO(R), and Wilson Jones(R), among others. Under the GBC brand, the company is also a leader in the professional print finishing market.

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Understanding Paper Weights

Paper weights are one of the hardest concepts to understand in the field of office machines and paper handling. This is the one topic that stumps both rookies and professionals alike. The system used here in the US is confusing by any standards, and varies greatly from what is used in the rest of the world. In the United States, we use a system based on several factors and labeled as pound(lb.). The confusing part is that an 80 lb sheet of paper can be a completely different thickness depending on if it is considered text, cover or something else. This naming system, (i.e. text, cover etc.) is extremely important to our method of measure, but often times it goes unsaid, and this is where most confusion stems from.

In the US, and a great majority of North America, we use the imperial method of measuring paper weight. This way is highly dependent on the end use of the paper in question. What ever the most popular use for that particular weight of paper becomes it’s basis weight, which is not to be confused with its basis size. Examples of basis weight include “text”, “cover”, “bond”, etc. Each of these individual weight categories also has a basis size that is taken into consideration. The combination of the two will allow you to calculate the actual weight in pounds.

In the US, paper weight is calculated by weighing 500 sheets of each basis size. So basically the weight of the paper refers to the weight of 500 sheets of the paper stacked in a pile. This seems easy enough until you realize that the sheet sizes are different for each basis weight, along with the thicknesses.

Example:
Text paper has a basis size of 25″ x 38″ and cover paper has a basis size of 20″ x 26″. This is why it is important use the basis weight when specifying the weight of the paper you want. A good example would be to ask for 80 lb. cover paper, and not just 80 lb paper in general. An 80 lb. cover will vary greatly from an 80 lb text.

Using the US method of weighing paper, you could mistakenly, or purposely for that matter, have two sheets of the same grade of paper with two different weights. This could happen by calculating off of different basis sizes. This is why it becomes so important to always reference the basis of the paper you want. Without it at the end you will end up being confusing and quite possibly get the wrong paper. So to be completely clear when ordering paper you should say things like ” I need some 80 lb text paper” or “Please get me the 100 lb bond”. You cant just say 80 lb paper.

The other method of measuring paper weight would be the metric system, and it is widely used in most other parts of the world. It is a straight forward and comparably easy formula to understand, but is never really utilized here in the US. With the metric system, all paper weights are measured on the same scale. There are no basis weights or sizes to worry about. Each paper type is measured by how many grams per square inch are in a single sheet of paper. It is written G/M2. You will see varying weights represented in an easy to follow manner. An 80 G/M2 piece of paper would be considered text weight, where as a 300 G/M2 sheet would be considered cover weight. Notice how the larger number equals thicker paper, and there are no qualifying phrases necessary. This method of weighing paper seems easier to understand right away. Just say ” I need some 110 G/M2 paper” and everyone knows what you are talking about.

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Coin Sorters Explained

If you have ever manually counted and sorted a pile of coins, you know it can be a tiring and tedious chore. It is also a significant waste of valuable time since it is a job that can easily be automated using a coin sorter. If you own or operate a business that frequently takes in large numbers of coins as payment, you can easily be overwhelmed if you try to count them manually. But laundry mats and car washes are not the only places that will benefit from an automatic coin counter and sorter. Any company that spends man hours counting coins can easily make the purchase of a coin sorter pay for itself in a very short time. Once your business reaches a certain size it will become virtually impossible to keep up with all the counting by hand. The only scalable solution to this problem is to invest in a coin sorter for your company.

What Is It?
A coin sorter is a simple machine used for sorting coins into individual denominations and then depositing them into slots so they can be rolled. These machines come in several varieties ranging from manually operated versions, to battery operated ones, and all the way up to high end, high volume digital sorters. By making use of the size, weight and shape of each coin, these machines are able to quickly sort and, in some cases, count your change. It takes just few minutes to complete this task, so you save lots of time.

Basically a coin sorter consists of a vertical load hopper that empties and sorts into slots below. There is usually a rotating disc beneath the coins that moves them along in a certain direction. The coins are loaded in a batch and then sorted into a single layer and single file line. Mechanisms in the sorting area are able to distinguish between coins of different denominations, so only certain coins are selected to exit at certain times. The coins can then be further sorted . They are pushed along and then deposited by denomination, based mainly upon size. Each time of coin will be neatly stacked by type. If you have a sorter and counter, it will display the total amount counted.

Choosing a Coin Sorter
When choosing a coin sorter, you need to consider two basic aspects. The main thing to consider is the speed of the machine. Most people will want to count change as fast as possible, but there are varying speeds depending upon model and price range. Coin sorter speeds are measured in coins per minute, so you will want to choose one that will count fast enough for your needs. Size of the coin sorter would be the other thing to consider. Usually with increased size, you will get increased speed, but smaller companies will not want to consider incredibly large machines just to save a few minutes. Most small to medium sized businesses will be fine with a machine that handles 1000-3000 coins per minute. If you have a large company, or deal with a lot of coins you might want to consider a larger machine. The bigger models will have larger hoppers and greater storage capacities. This means you can handle a larger volume with little hassle, but a large sized coin sorter can be inconvenient because it needs more room and is difficult to move around. Be sure to completely weigh your options verses your needs before purchasing your new coin sorter.

Electronic Coin Sorters:
The electronic coin sorter is designed to make the task of rolling coins faster. It is a step up from manual models, but does not have the ability to count your coins, just sort them by type. Simply press a button and drop in your change. That’s all it takes to use one of these useful machines. Electronic coin sorters are able to sort your coins rapidly and then deposit them into pre-formed coin wrappers that fit perfectly into coin holder slots. Some electronic coin sorters may be battery operated.

Digital Coin Sorters:
The digital coin sorter is the best type of coin sorter. For this reason, there are many different models available in today. Some are heavy-duty coin sorters, which handle large amount of coins per minute. Some are battery operated and small coin sorters, which handle just 20 coins at a time. The real benefit of these machines is that they will batch count your coins as it sorts them. Just a press of a button will give you a grand total on the digital display. You can also see totals by coin type. Most of the digital sorters can accept newer coins. This will save you from having to manually sort your coins and separate the old coins from the new coins.

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