Business Library

Scope of This Guide:

Ninety percent of all paper made in the U.S. is made from wood pulp. Logs are harvested, debarked and reduced to wood chips. Pulp is made in digesters which cook the chips with heat, pressure and chemicals to dissolve the lignin that binds the cellulose fibers together. The fibers are then washed to remove the chemicals and lignin. The fibers are bleached to remove other discolorations. Dyes and other additives are added to the fibrous pulp which will impart desirable qualities to the finished paper product.

The pulp is then formed into paper on a forming fabric or screen. The water is extracted through a series of pressure and heat applications. Paper that is to be used for writing or printing purposes receives additional treatments, including sizing to regulate ink absorption, smoothing and polishing.

Kraft paper is darker, rougher and stronger than paper made for printing. It is used for paper bags, cartons and liner boards for packaging. Paper is also used for some disposable cleaning and hygiene products, such as facial tissue, paper towels, diapers and cat litter. It is also used in specialized applications, such as sandpaper, blotting paper, and electrical insulation.

Paper manufacturers use large quantities of hard and soft wood, and must carefully manage their sources. The paper industry also uses a large amount of energy for heat processes and electricity. However, energy costs are offset by burning bark to generate steam and electricity. Some chemicals can be recovered and reused, or recycled for other purposes. Pulp and paper mills are subject to a variety of health, safety and environmental laws and regulations at the federal, state and local levels.

See Also Agribusiness Industry
See Also Publishing & Printing Industry

Industry Definitions: Description by NAICS Sector / Sub-Sector

Databases for Industry Research

Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage

• Industry surveys
• Bond ratings
• Company profiles and corporation records
• Stock, bond and fund research

• See especially, "Paper & Forest Products Industry Survey"

• Industry sector analysis and research
• Industry trends and statistics
• Market research and trends
• Company profiles

• Real-time full-text investment research
• Reports cover companies and industries
• Over 750 contributing firms

• Aggregate data and analysis on industries
• Reports, articles, and company highlights

ABI/Inform (via ProQuest)

• Indexes over 1000 business periodicals
• Trade journals, business magazines, academic journals and other news sources
• Most articles full text

IBISWorld

• Over 700 full-text industry reports
• Over 700 US industry risk rating reports
• Information on over 8000 Publicly Traded Companies
• Hundreds of economic and demographic profiles

For additional database choices, see:

1. Database Descriptions
2. Database Comparison Chart

Selected U.S./World Industry Data & Company Sites

Selected Companies

International Paper Company

Kimberly Clark Corporation

Weyerhaeuser Co.

Mead/Westvaco

Bowater Incorporated

Pope & Talbot Inc

Temple-Inland Inc.

Sonoco Products Company

Sealed Air Corporation

Wausau-Mosinee Paper Corp.

Resources for Identifying Companies in the Industry

Hoover’s Online

• Proprietary company overviews
• Industry breakdowns and explanations
• Competitor listings
• Financial synopses

Lexis/Nexis Corporate Affiliations
Business Library, Reference: HG4057.A219

• U.S. corporate directory
• Holding company directory

Mergent Online

• Information on 11,000 U.S. public companies and 17,000 non-U.S. Public companies
• Detailed, standardized financial statements
• Searchable by company name, industry codes, revenue levels, and other characteristics
• Comparative analysis among companies
• Access to SEC reports

Ward’s Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies
Business Library, Reference: HG4057.A56

• Listings organized by NAICS code
• Ranks public and private companies by revenues/sales

Library Collections: Selected Reference Titles & Call Number Ranges

Selected Reference Titles

For additional materials, contact the Schreyer Business Library.

Paper Science and Paper Manufacture
3rd Floor Paterno: TS1105.P43 1999

Journals

Pulp & Paper Life Sciences, Periodicals: TS1080.P82			Packaging
Paper, Film & Foil Converter			Forest Products Journal Life Sciences, Periodicals: TS800 .F58
Packaging Digest Engineering Library, Periodicals

Call # Ranges

TS1080-1268 Paper manufacture and trade

Trade Associations: Selected Industry Associations Web Sites

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA)

NPTA - The association for the paper, packaging and supplies distribution channel

Paper Industry Management Association

Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI)

• See also Associations Unlimited for association listings by subject or keyword.
• See also ABI/Inform for articles reporting trade association data.

Career Information: Selected Sources for Employment Information

Vault Online Career Library (Currently, Vault Guides are facing problems opening in Adobe Reader 8.x. Please see here for using FREE Adobe Digital Editions to access these guides)

1. Vault provides full-text career and industry guides
2. Includes company profiles, occupation descriptions, and career-related articles

Career Guide to Industries (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Business Library, Reference: HF5382.5.U5 C3162

Occupational Outlook Handbook  (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
CAT record for print copies
Business Library, Reference: HD8051.A623

Career Resources Page

3rd Floor, Paterno Library
University Park, PA 16802
Reference Desk:
814-865-6369