Volume 8, Number 5
Oct 1984

Glatfelter Makes Alkaline Paper Easier to Get

The P.H. Glatfelter Co. of Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, has made nothing but acid-free paper for years, specializing in medium and heavy book grades and selling only through wholesale channels. Most or all of their paper has been buffered with calcium carbonate as well as being acid-free. This means it can be expected to stay acid- free too.

The original mill has operated in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, since 1864. In 1979 Glatfelter bought the Bergstrom Paper Company, thus increasing its number of mills from one to three. This year it sold one of the two Bergstrom mills to Appleton Papers, or at least it has agreed to do so. It is keeping the other mill, which it converted to alkaline, and which is in Neenah, Wisconsin. Even with only two mills, it is still the largest manufacturer of book paper in the United States. The Neenah mill makes light grades of book paper, which complement the Spring Grove medium and heavy grades, so Glatfelter is now able to supply all grades, about 200 kinds in all.

Now their paper is available through retail distributors, who sell in smaller quantities. In New York City there are now five distributors, including Perkins & Squier, Lindenmeyr and Alling & Cory. However, temporarily the demand is outrunning the supply and they are "in a reservation program" (setting aside paper for old customers). (Unfortunately for the Abbey Newsletter, most of their paper is sold in the East. There is only one distributor for Glatfelter paper in all of Utah, and they do not stock all grades.)

Perkins & Squier sent ten samples of different 50 lb. offset paper to the Abbey Newsletter office. All looked good, and all but one were clearly above pH 6.7. A friend compared their prices with those of comparable grades on the market, and found they were lower on the average.

For information about prices and availability, call Glen Markle in Spring Grove (717/225-4711).