Ovendens becomes Teknocard distributor

Independent paper merchant Ovendens has become the sole UK stockist for two products in the Teknocard solid bleached sulphate (SBS) board range, after partnering with Arjowiggins Graphic.

Teknocard, launched by Arjowiggins last year, is a “superb white” premium board and packaging range aimed at users of Trucard.

It was launched three months after Trucard brand owner Tullis Russell Papermakers went into administration and a month before Trucard was subsequently snapped up by PG Paper. Teknocard is the first SBS board produced by Arjowiggins.

Teknocard is said to have "outstanding bulk, stiffness and dimensional stability" and "perfect smoothness", with suitable applications including business cards, greetings cards, postcards, audiovisual packaging, menus and book covers.

Effective from last month, Ovendens has been appointed to exclusively stock both the one-side coated Teknocard 1 and two-side coated Teknocard 2, both of which it will hold in depth.

On a non-exclusive basis it will also offer the other products in the Teknocard range, such as Teknocard 0. All grades are FSC-certified and are also available on demand in 100% recycled FSC-certified versions.

Ovendens lead director of sales for SBS products Michael Allan said: “Our market really dictates the one- and two-sided options for the general commercial printer and the digital printer.

“The bigger packaging printers would probably look at Teknocard 0, which we can also offer, but 98% of our customer base want the one or two-sided offerings.”

He added: “We already stock a few other Arjowiggins grades. [Arjowiggins graphical board development manager] Malcolm Sinclair was developing Teknocard in the UK and we decided it was a good synergy for Ovendens to take on another Arjowiggins grade product, and to have it exclusively was a real selling point for us.

“Our client base is starting to want a whiter, purer shade and Teknocard is it. Though offset will be its biggest market, its performance in the digital market on both Indigo and dry toner printers has been really good, it’s guaranteed for both of those technologies.”

Pricing for the Teknocard range was not disclosed but Allan said it “sits nicely” in the same sort of price bracket as similar offerings, such as Incada. Ovendens will sell Teknocard products in ream-wrapped packets for short runs and bulk packs in SRA1, SRA2, B1 and B2 sizes for longer runs.