The Clairefontaine signature
For more than 165 years one of our strengths is the quality of our products. This quality is closely linked with Clairefontaine brand. Offering always the best quality of the market in all the segments being essential.
A list of measures was set up:
First of all, the strict selection of our raw materials:
- resistante white paper paste issue from sustainable forests, white carbonate and ultra-pure calcium quality additives
- controls at reception and in quality assurance partnerships with our suppliers.
- means of production (paper machines, shaping) constantly improved to match the quality, the productvity and to decrease natural waste.
- an on-line measures capacities and the regulation systems which allow to limit the variations inherent to any production.
- paper tests on every produced reel which are then analyzed by our quality control aboratory : visualy of course (paper aspect, default or eventual imperfections) but also thanks to performant laboratory teams to measure the caracteristiques in particular:
- mechanical (resistance, tear, scraps).
- Optical (whiteness or tint, opacity),
- Of texture (grammage, thickness, rigidity, smoothed or roughness),
- Quality of writing and printability (sticking, permeability, stability while printing on printer or copier), etc.
Then, by a precise analyse of eventual claims causes or remarques from our customers and the implementation of corrective actions actions with verified efficiency. By samples taken during the paper transformation in reams, size and reels to be able to check the quality of cutted paper to be wrapped such as our customers would expect it to Be : good …. , respect of dimensions, absence of cutting dust. The packagings evolve to always better protect and present the papers. Last but not least : by training and commitment of all for the quality that to be able to satisfy all our customers.
« The quality of all our items can be mesured. We are untreatable on the quality aspect of our production . » states M Michel Febvet Sales Manager of Papeteries de Clairefontaine.
In addition to this a permanent actions for innovation. It allow us not only to meet the expectations at best of the market expectations along with those of our customers but also to launche new and innovative products : graphic art papers, green friendly papers, color papers, papers for the high speed printing. Proof of that requirement, Clairefontaine achieved in 1997 ISO 9001 certificate. Delivered by an independent body, it certifies a quality managment system. More over the quality imposed by Clairefontaine became the reference on the European market.

And tomorrow?
The last decades saw a big evolution in paper printing of technologies as well as the consumers quality needs. From the 70s, Clairefontaine was one of the paper pioneers intended to the « xerography ». The wide distribution of this technology gave birth to a new generation of papers for the office use. With the laser printing a fundamental evolution is the generalizing for color depiction on both levels of which office as well as the graphic arts. The Ink jet printing became a part of our everyday life. It is used by most of the personal computers but also on machines with fast cadence.
Which paper for tomorrow? For our customers? How to use them? On which machines?
Those research issues from frequent contacts with our customers, with suppliers of transforming machines or the print of technology monitoring. It is upon that data that we establish the ID card of the new paper. With our suppliers we look for adapted materials which are tested through trials in laboratory on experimental machines or in life-size on paper machine. We call on to the Paper Technical Center (CTP) to help in researches. Once the paper is defined our laboratory and production teams ensure about its quality and its regularity. Our recent developments are examples of adequacy between the market expectations and our strategy: Clairmail, less material and energy consumer paper, Dune: environmental paper without brighteners , dyinking and without chlorine bleaching » TCF » the Offset Color Printing OCP, in the qualities of printability and whiteness beyond standards. Equality a new concept of paper consisted of 50 % of recycled fibers « post consumer » + 50 % of virgin fibers certified for the forst sustainable management.