BOISE, Idaho, Aug. 23 -- Boise Paper Solutions, a division of Boise Cascade Corporation, has launched Now@BoisePaper, an Internet-based business model that provides cost-effective direct sales and marketing to commercial printers in the western United States. With the tag line "Direct to press . . . for less," Now@BoisePaper offers printers a fast and efficient alternative to purchasing paper through the merchant channel. According to George Jendrzejewski, director, Printing & Converting Businesses, Boise Paper Solutions, "Now@BoisePaper is a choice-based model, designed to give printers another option and will be most effective for commercial printing customers who value a more streamlined product offering and can tolerate potentially longer lead times. For customers, however, who prefer a more intimate way to purchase Boise's commercial printing paper, we will continue to offer our printing papers line through our select merchant distributors." At the same time, Boise recognizes that not all commercial printers will prefer this new option. Jendrzejewski says, "In fact, Boise values its merchant distribution and the value-added services they provide to those customers who choose to purchase through the distributor channel. For this reason, Boise fully intends to maintain the merchant-channel relationship and to provide fair and balanced merchant channel policies." Concurrent with this announcement, Boise is also implementing an up-charge for merchant and direct sale business. Best prices will be allowed on truckload orders shipping directly from the mill location to a single point. Less than truckload orders and orders shipping from Boise's Regional ServiCenter locations will carry price up-charges. According to Jendrzejewski, "This price structure better reflects Boise's true cost of the value-added services provided on orders for small quantities or faster delivery. It will ensure that our western merchant customers can still buy at Boise's best prices for truckload or greater orders shipped to their floors."