Groupe Hamelin is the European market leader in books and pads for school and office use. The company is expanding rapidly and its high-quality products are being distributed in growing volumes in all key European markets. Stora Enso has been Hamelin's paper and board supplier for more than 25 years, and today the main material used in the covers of Hamelin's products is Ensocoat.
Hamelin's major brand, Oxford, is synonymous with high-quality stationery products. This in turn means that the material used for the covers must be a graphical board of truly top quality. "The board used for the covers must provide excellent printability, stiffness and optimal whiteness on the back side. Good folding ability is a particularly important property in the books and pads covers. That's why we use Ensocoat," says Eric Joan, European General Manager of Hamelin. Ensocoat is a fully coated solid bleached sulphate (SBS) board, pigmented on reverse side.
Innovative new products
France is particularly well known for the high quality of its stationery products. Hamelin's expansion into other key European markets is spreading this culture. "We are actively innovating and launching new and better products to respond to consumers' demands and preferences. Both the structure and contents of the notebooks are under constant development, as is their design," Mr Joan says.
Hamelin carefully designs its products to attract different target groups and to meet specific applications. The company's extensive selection includes products for both schools and office use. With their elegant design and sophisticated content for professional use, the Oxford Office and Oxford International ranges represent the highest end of today's stationery segment.
The Oxford notebooks for schools are sold through most major retail chains and traditional stationery outlets and bookstores. Consumers can choose from an almost endless variety of designs, contents and formats. Small children tend to prefer exercise books with vivid printing and age-adapted exercises, while older students can choose from a selection of subject-specific books and pads.
Efficient and reliable deliveries are crucial
Currently, Hamelin is busily engaged in printing and producing books and pads for the next school year. Deliveries to outlets will be conducted between May and June. Everything is geared to the Back to School season from July to August, which is the peak time for retail sales.
Ensocoat sheets are delivered to Hamelin's production facilities from the Stora Enso ServiceCentre in Baienfurt, southern Germany, which stocks SBS board grades and offers customized sheeting service for customers in the graphical and packaging industries. Stora Enso also operates ServiceCentres in other central locations in Europe.
"We are proud of being a supplier to Hamelin for the past 25 years and are very much looking forward to further developing our business with this growing company in the future," says Alain Piattier, Sales Director of graphical boards and cosmetics & luxury packaging boards at Stora Enso France.
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For further information:
Stora Enso France S.A.
Alain Piattier, Sales Director
Tel. +33 1 46 95 90 00
Alain Piattier, Sales Director
Tel. +33 1 46 95 90 00
Stora Enso Packaging Boards
Jorma Hyrkäs, Business Coordinator Covers, Graphical Boards
Tel. +358 2046 121
Jorma Hyrkäs, Business Coordinator Covers, Graphical Boards
Tel. +358 2046 121