Fine art paper plant growing again

By Chad Cain

03/26/2008- Hampshire Franklin Gazette

SOUTH HADLEY - Canson Inc., an international supplier of fine art papers, expects to begin construction this spring on an expansion that will boost capacity of its South Hadley plant by one-third.

Canson's new 35,000-square-foot building will be attached to the north end of the existing 103,000-square-foot facility at 21 Industrial Drive, replacing an employee parking lot that will move to the opposite side of the plant, said Jim Allery, Canson president and CEO.

No significant hiring is expected.

Allery declined to say how much the project will cost, and plans have yet to be filed with South Hadley's building department.

When Marois Construction of South Hadley completes the building in August or September, it will be used primarily for warehouse space, to store many of the company's new products, and as a distribution center to help expedite shipments throughout the country.

'This expansion will enable us to maintain the high level of service our customers rely on, even during peak periods, and allow us to keep up with the mounting demands of our growing business,' said Allery.

At the company's South Hadley plant, opened about 20 years ago, Canson workers convert rolls of paper into a variety of sketch pads and sheets. The rolls of paper are cut, bound into pads, wrapped and shipped to customers throughout North America. Canson also imports fine art color paint and pastels from a company called Royal Talens and distributes those products from its South Hadley headquarters.

Business at Canson, which claims to be the world's largest supplier of fine art papers, has grown by 35 percent over the last five years as the company has increased its market share and instituted new products, Allery said.

Two recent additions to its product line include a partnership with children's book author Eric Carle to develop, market and sell children's sketch pads based on his books. Canson is also supplying the specialized paper used for Manga sketch pads that depict Japanese cartoons.

Allery said Canson will add a small number of employees to its payroll in conjunction with the expansion, but nothing substantial. That's because the company has invested in recent years in efficient pad-making equipment and a new distribution system that streamlines the manufacturing process, he said.

This year marks at least the third expansion at Canson during its time in South Hadley. The company recognizes that its growth is good news during a challenging economic time, and notes that it reflects growth over the past several years, said Allery.

Canson is owned by Groupe Hamelin, a privately held business specializing in paper and headquartered in Caen, France. Canson papers have been manufactured in France for 450 years. Nearby, its sister mill, Arches, has been producing fine art papers for 516 years. Royal Talens has been creating fine art color for more than 100 years, the company says.