MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 5 -- International Paper today announced that an independent panel of judges has named Hammermill Color Copy Gloss paper an innovative technology, worthy of the prestigious 2004 Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) InterTech Award. This award marks the first time ever in the twenty-six year history of the competition that a forest products company has received this award for innovative excellence for a grade of paper. The panel of independent judges chose this year's recipients from a list of thirty-three submissions. "The judges agreed unanimously that this year's entries represented new, useful and significant advancements in technologies and products," said John Lind, Director of Research for Printing Industries of America/GATF. "The nominations for this year's awards were very competitive, requiring the judges to be painstakingly critical in their evaluations." The judges were quick to acknowledge the challenge it has been to create a coated paper for digital color electrophotography, yet they agreed that the solution presented by Hammermill Color Copy Gloss has become a benchmark for the industry. Hammermill Color Copy Gloss gives commercial printers a reliable avenue for digital printing and photocopying on glossy stock that is truly technologically advanced and groundbreaking. International Paper has spent nearly a decade developing the technology, and Hammermill Color Copy Gloss is the first gloss-coated paper that reliably performs like a premium uncoated paper in electrophotographic equipment. The paper's unique design eliminates problems with runnability, image quality and blistering seen in other gloss sheets. "Forest product companies do not get enough recognition for their innovation and technology," said Ned Spangler, brand manager Imaging Papers in Memphis, Tenn. "But International Paper is a technology powerhouse, and this InterTech Award is a testament to the outstanding work being done by our employees. Ten years of research and product development led to the creation of this patent-pending paper. Until the invention of Hammermill Color Copy Gloss in 2003, commercial printers didn't have a reliable alternative to offset printing when they wanted to use a gloss stock. For shorter runs, where make-ready costs make offset printing cost-prohibitive, print shops now have an option: digital printing on Hammermill Color Copy Gloss."