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.

Shop for Whiteboards at Factory Express

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.

Learn More at Factory Express

5th Time GBC Dealer of the Year

In recognition of outstanding sales for 2007, Factory Express, Inc, a leading supplier of office equipment in the U.S. and abroad, has received the GBC Dealer of the Year Award. This prestigious honor has been awarded to Factory Express for the fifth time due to outstanding sales both domestically and abroad. Factory Express is one of the largest GBC dealers in the nation and represents the full line of GBC Binding Machines, Laminators, Binding Supplies, Roll Film, Laminating Pouches, Paper Shredders and Presentation Products.

John Golde, Vice President of the GBC Dealer Group presented the award to Factory Express President Marcie Rackow. Vice President John Golde said: “We at GBC are pleased to announce that Factory Express Inc. of Albuquerque has achieved the dealer of the year award for our Double Diamond category. ” Factory Express Inc. is a full line dealer covering the state of New Mexico for both sales and service of GBC products. In addition to a local sales force targeting the Southwest, Factory Express has a large client base stretching across the United States, Canada. and beyond.  They supply a wide range of companies; from Fortune 500 companies to home based businesses with their document finishing and protection needs.

Regarding the award President Marcie Rackow said, “We are honored to receive this award. It is a real testament to the dedication of our team here at Factory Express. We have had another record year thanks to our commitment to high quality service and unbeatable pricing. We are very pleased once again to see that our year of dedication to our customers has been recognized by GBC.”

GBC has presented numerous awards to Factory Express for various growth and sales performance records. This is the fifth year when such an award has been given. Other years of exceptional achievement include 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. GBC® is the largest supplier and manufacturer of binding equipment and supplies in the world and has a reputation for quality that is surpassed by no other.

About Factory Express:
Factory Express was founded in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area in 1995 and has since become one of the fastest growing Internet distributors of business machines and supplies. Operating as http://www.factory-express.com/, Factory Express is dedicated to providing its customers worldwide with high quality equipment at low prices, and a steadfast commitment to absolute customer satisfaction.

About GBC:
GBC, an ACCO Brands company, is a world leader in the binding, laminating and display equipment industry with over 50 years of experience. GBC is an innovative technology leader in lamination films and binding solutions for the commercial and digital print market. Other ACCO Brands companies include Swingline, Kensington, Wilson Jones, Quartet, GBC and Day-Timer among others.

The World’s First Auto-Feed Bulk Capacity Shredder Designed to Handle Stapled and Paper-Clipped Documents

 Destroys Paper Clips and Staples, 500 Sheets at a Time

Auto+(TM), a new Rexel(R) shredder, was designed to save employees time by automatically shredding large volumes of paper with minimal human interaction. With this high-performance model, there is no need to remove staples or paper clips before shredding and it can shred up to 500 A4 sheets in one load.

Time management is a top priority for any organisation no matter what industry they are in. According to a study conducted by the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), the majority of respondent companies have concerns about time management. The survey found that 53% of companies have a “somewhat high” or “high” level of concern about the time management skills of their employees.

“We understand that shredding can be a time consuming activity,” said Mike Stranders, EMEA, Product Manager for ACCO Rexel. “The Auto+ shredder is specifically designed for minimal human intervention. Employees can simply load their paper, close and lock the lid by entering a unique password and walk away. The shredder will automatically shred the document, allowing personnel to redirect their efforts which in turn, increases their productivity.”

Not only can Auto+ shred up to 500 sheets of paper at once, but unlike other shredders on the market today, staples and paper clips do not jam the shredder. As an added convenience, the Rexel shredder has a top load feeder for smaller jobs up to six sheets of paper at a time. Businesses that use confidential documentation can shred pages into 3×20 mm pieces for security level three compliance.

The Auto+ shredder is perfect for environments where the company’s bulk shredding is done in one centralised location such as a post room, facilities department or in any company that regularly needs to shred archived material to comply with stringent data protection legislation.

The Rexel Auto+ shredder also features an innovative LCD display that provides a variety of indicators for user convenience (door open, bin full, reverse, overload/jam and oil). Using sophisticated technology, this durable shredder was designed for continuous operation since it is not necessary to wait for the machine to cool down between jobs. Because the entire shredding process takes place within the enclosed machine, the Auto+ model is ultra quiet. With an 83 litre waste bin capacity, 1000 sheets of paper can be shredded before the internal bin needs to be emptied.

Shredding large volumes of paper used to be a time consuming task but not with the introduction of the new auto-feed shredder from Rexel.

About Rexel and ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE:ABD)

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.