Cincinnati, Ohio - xpedx and Bulkley Dunton, leading U.S. suppliers of printing and publishing papers, today announced they are distributors of Appleton Coated Utopia Inkjet papers. The papers are used in today's new high-speed, multicolor web inkjet production printing presses, including those produced by HP.

Under the agreement, xpedx and Bulkley Dunton become the exclusive U.S. distributors of Appleton Coated Utopia Inkjet papers, expanding a long-standing relationship among the three companies.  The papers, co-developed with HP, are one of the most technologically advanced printing substrates available today.

"These specially engineered, premium web inkjet papers are already creating profitable new markets in publishing and direct mail, with increasing commercial print applications," said Rob Watson, director of Marketing-Printing Papers, xpedx.

Publishers and commercial printers use the papers to produce personalized, high-impact color printing, including direct mail, short-run books and much more. The papers are treated during the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for special ink bonding agents to be added on press.

"High-speed, inkjet web press technology is a game-changer for the book publishing business," said Paul Bradshaw, Appleton Coated's senior vice president of Publishing Papers. "This technology can have a dramatic impact on improving the publisher's supply chain by lowering finished goods inventories and reducing the cost of obsolescence. It will immediately improve the supply chain by lowering costs for the custom publishing business and has even more potential for improvement on the short-run offset side of the business."

"Direct marketing applications are beginning to grow as clients recognize the benefits of high-quality, variable printing at higher volumes and therefore lower cost," added Greg Savage, Appleton Coated's vice president of Commercial Sales. "Marketers realize that response rates and return on advertising investments improve with personalized promotions that are easy and economical to produce with high-speed inkjet web technology. These applications require a high-performance coated paper."

The Utopia Inkjet papers were co-developed with HP, and optimized for HP's new web inkjet presses, including the T200, T300, T350 and T400 presses, which can run at speeds of up to 600 feet per minute. The papers can be used on other new-generation inkjet web presses including the Kodak Prosper press.

Utopia Inkjet papers for commercial printing applications are currently available in dull finish in a wide range of text and cover weights, with all coverweight papers meeting postal regulations for caliper. xpedx exclusively distributes Utopia Inkjet papers for commercial printing applications. Bulkley Dunton exclusively distributes Utopia Book Inkjet papers for all publishing applications.

The papers contain a minimum of 10 percent post-consumer recovered fiber and are available with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. The Utopia Book Inkjet papers meet the specifications of the National Association of State Textbook Administrators (NASTA).

"Appleton Coated continues to optimize its Utopia Inkjet papers as HP and other press manufacturers advance web inkjet press technology. Finish, basis weight and grade specifications of web inkjet papers will evolve with the continued development of web inkjet presses," said Watson.