By Mike Boyer
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Hamilton's Smart Papers LLC said Monday it will become the first U.S. papermaker to use 30 percent recycled content in its premium coated papers.

"Large corporations - particularly consumer goods and service companies - urgently want increased amounts of recycled, post-consumer fibers in premium coated printing papers for their marketing programs,'' said Tim Needham, Smart Papers CEO.

The move is effective immediately. It will include its flagship Kromekote and Knightkote Matte paper brands, used in things from annual reports and marketing materials to labels and book covers. Most papermakers use 20 percent or less recycled content in premium papers.

The U.S. government requires a minimum of 10 percent recycled content for a product to be classified as recycled. Last year 4.8 million tons of premium coated free sheet paper was produced in the United States, Smart said.

Needham said independent papermakers such as Smart will find it technically and economically feasible to use 100 percent recycled content in their premium coated papers in a few years.

He said Smart is able to increase its use of recycled content because of changes in its technology and rigorous control of its recycled paper sources.

Privately held Smart was formed in 2001 to operate the former Champion International mill. It employs about 500 in Hamilton.

Last month, Smart said it would idle one of its papermaking machines after selling its all-purpose litho paper line to MeadWestvaco Corp. The move eliminated about 60 jobs at the Hamilton plant. The company said the product was increasingly a commodity-grade paper, and it couldn't be competitive.

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E-mail mboyer@enquirer.com