As a committed environmental corporate citizen Fuji Xerox Australia has solved a significant environmental problem in the area of forest management by developing a recycled copy paper to precise specifications for use in digital equipment.
This product development was in response to poor sales of existing 100% recycled papers, which the market deemed to be of poor quality, expensive and unreliable. Fuji Xerox Australia undertook extensive research, together with one of Australia's paper manufacturers, to develop and launch in Australia the first Australian made, cost effective recycled paper guaranteed for use in high speed applications.
The paper is made up of 50% recycled waste from Australia's cotton industry - a feature known to significantly strengthen this paper and improve durability - and 35% content from wood pulp from sustainably managed forests. Since its launch in 1997, the paper has experienced rapid growth - greater than all other Fuji Xerox papers sold. It currently represents 15% of the company's total copy paper sales. The results of customers switching from 100% pulp paper to reliable recycled paper is that pressure on forests is reduced and waste, which traditionally would have gone to landfill, is directed for recycling.
The company's launch strategy supported the environment with a campaign, which donated 20 cents of every ream of paper sold to local land care environment groups in the region where the paper is made. This money has allowed these groups to embark on projects addressing soil erosion, water salinity and wildlife protection. To date, an additional A$85,000 has been raised over and above the company's sponsorship of LandCare Australia.
A resounding endorsement of the product has been the announcement that the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games will use the 'Green Wrap' product as its official copy paper, with an estimated usage of 34,000 reams of paper.
Updated By: Mary Ann Maybaum
Last Updated: 10/24/2003 5:45:00 PM |
