Arches Infinity papers gone--what succeeded them?

[mikeseb]

I see that the Arches Infinity line of papers has been discontinued. I haven't used them in a while, having used my entire stock for a gallery exhibition a couple of years ago.

It appears that Canson may have taken over the Arches Infinity line of papers. Are the identical Infinity papers still offered under a new name? I've googled madly on this, but no direct answer found.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Richowens]

Mike,

 Here is an excerpt from a newsletter I received from Ink Jet Art.

 Another very popular archival paper used for art cards that we lost is the entire Arches Infinity line of paper (art printers have been dismayed for months over this already). The replacement for these are not due until the end of or after the end of this year. They were bought up or consolidated by Canson, a paper manufacturer of France. We believe the replacement for both Arches Infinity Smooth and Textured will be called Canson Verona. Don’t quote us on that, but we do know that they took the light and heavy weight and just averaged them out to one weight with the same surface.


 Rich

[jdoyle1713]

Rich and Mike,


The New Line is called Canson Infinity Here is a Link to there website.  http://www.cansoninfinity.com/en/

They have a very nice range of papers and yes the papers have been renamed.

One thing they have used top notch coatings on the papers and they due reporduce to quality results However they may have lost a bit of tooth on the textured but with the addition of several others they make up for it.

My shop carries them and I would reccomed a sample pack or two to see what you like before just ordering!

Cheers
Jim Doyle
http://www.shadesofpaper.com

[jdoyle1713]

Rich and Mike,


The New Line is called Canson Infinity Here is a Link to there website.  http://www.cansoninfinity.com/en/

They have a very nice range of papers and yes the papers have been renamed.

One thing they have used top notch coatings on the papers and they due reporduce to quality results However they may have lost a bit of tooth on the textured but with the addition of several others they make up for it.

My shop carries them and I would reccomed a sample pack or two to see what you like before just ordering!

Cheers
Jim Doyle
http://www.shadesofpaper.com

[mikeseb]

Rich and Jim:

Looking at the Canson line, it's difficult to tell whether one of the listed papers is just a renamed Arches Infinity (which had been available in 230 and 355gsm weights, and in both Textured and Smooth finishes) or not. There's no Canson Verona yet, so maybe that's really it. Do you know anything about this, Jim?

Also, their Rag Photographique paper is mentioned as coated with "natural minerals"--baryta perhaps?

Would be nice if manufacturers would skip the flowery marketing-department language and simply describe their products!

Arches Infinity Smooth was my favorite all-time matte paper, despite its throat-grabbing cost. Like many I've gravitated towards photo-black baryta papers; but for certain projects AIS just can't be beaten.

Thanks for the info, fellas.

[Ernst Dinkla]

They were bought up or consolidated by Canson, a paper manufacturer of France.

 Rich

Arches has always been part of Canson, at least as long as I remember but it could even date back hundreds of years. Richard le Bas mill  has been assimilated by that company as well. Canson in total was bought by Arjomari (1976), Arjomari merged with Wiggins Teape (1991) and split up again and merged with its sister distribution company Antalis to carry that name then and is owned by Seguana Capital. It could be that Canson (including Arches) is split from that as I see it is distributed again through Canson channels and no longer through Antalis. Let's hope that distribution actually works here :-)  It must be a marketing decision, no other mill, no other paper, just another name.

BTW, Hahnemühle bought the Lana mill not so long ago and some HM qualities are made on the foudriniers of that mill in the French Vosges. Cheaper to buy a mill these days than investing in new and wider foudriniers. Arches's mill is at the south side of the Vosges not far from Lana.


Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

[ternst]

Mike:

Adorama still had some of the original Arches Infinity smooth in stock last week in a variety of sizes - I would much rather order from Jim/Shades of Paper though once they get the full line available - I have an artist I print repros for and she doesn't like anything else so I hope they come up with a close match (I'm sure it will be better, but convincing the artist of that is often difficult)...

[AaronPhotog]

I'd also recommend checking Booksmart Studios.  They carry the full Canson line, and produced the custom profiles that you can get from the Canson website.  In my experience, their service is second to none.
Aloha,
Aaron