Fraser

Specialty packaging and printing paper producer Fraser Papers has sought out bankruptcy protection in the United States and Canada. Fraser and its subsidiaries have initiated a court-supervised restructuring under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act in Canada and will be seek similar relief under Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Fraser will continue its routine business operations.

Generally speaking, Chapter 15 helps sort out bankruptcy cases that involve parties (debtors, assets, claimants, etc.) from more than one country. Fraser is based in Toronto.

Valassis Communications has filed a countersuit against Fraser Papers in district court in Maine. Earlier, Fraser had taken Valassis to court over an alleged unpaid bill for 1.8 million pounds of specialty paper valued at $933,000.

In Valassis' countersuit, the printer contends it has not paid the amount allegedly due Fraser because of an earlier outstanding debt owed by Fraser to Valassis for defective paper.

As in-plants demand more just-in-time delivery, paper companies are upgrading their warehouses and inventory tracking systems to serve them. When your in-plant has a job to do, you need to have the right paper—and the right quantities of it—available. And since many in-plants rely on paper vendors for just-in-time delivery, what goes on behind the scenes at your supplier's facility can directly affect you. To get orders filled and delivered quickly, suppliers rely on strategically placed warehouses, and detailed inventory tracking and order management systems. They often must ship in advance of orders, too, to make sure supplies arrive on time. Georgia-Pacific Communication Papers

You want your paper delivered now. But what goes on behind the scenes to get it there so fast? Ordering paper used to be much easier—back before there were so many choices. "It used to be one size fits all," remarks Doug Cole, sales manager with Champion International. "With the expansion of product lines and the addition of value-added items, we've really had to change our approach." Paper vendors haven't had it easy in recent years. Customers are ordering smaller shipments and more product varieties—and they want them right away. Just-in-time delivery—where the paper vendor stores the paper and delivers to the customer just