Mechanicsburg, PA -- Fry Communications offers Telephone Directory Publishers some of the greenest opportunities for environmentally responsible production processes. That includes a variety of environmentally friendly inks and papers to meet the requirements of those green-minded telephone directory publishers.

The inks used to produce the text of heatset and cold-set directories at Fry are all soybean-based. The heatset inks contain an average of 9 to 11 percent soy oil and Fry has been certified to use the SoySeal logo on directories using those inks. Our standard cold-set inks contain 20 percent soy oil and we offer a 40 percent option that exceeds the minimum set by the American Soybean Association for using the Soy Seal.

By choosing Fry soy-based inks, the directory publisher uses an ink with a base that comes from a renewable source naturally lower in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are organic compounds that participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions (thus harming the ozone layer.) Soybeans are also grown using very little irrigation, thus preserving more natural resources. It's also worthwhile to note that paper printed with soy-based inks can be "de-inked" more effectively than paper printed with petroleum-based inks, making it much easier and cleaner to recycle.

For cover production, Fry's newest sheetfed press will use UV-curable inks that have either zero or negligible VOCs. Publishers can produce high-end, eye-catching covers, tab dividers, and inserts utilizing the inline diecutting and emboss/deboss units of the new press while minimizing any impact on the environment. Since these extra processes are done in-line, the amount of natural resources needed to produce the pieces is also reduced. There are no added transportation costs of shipping the covers to a subcontractor, and the electricity used during the entire production run is reduced.

Options for environmentally friendly paper continue to grow. Fry has offered FSC-certified papers for years and offers a variety of responsible paper options.

All of these environmentally responsible choices can be documented using the appropriate certified logos on the cover of the directory, or within its pages in a special "environmental notes" section, showing advertisers and consumers alike the publishers concern for the Earth. Directory Publishers are encouraged to review in depth "Fry's Environmental Initiatives" information for more tips on addressing the environmental needs of its community.