Arches is coming back

[MfAlab]

Italian fine art company F.I.L.A. acquired Arches from it's mother company Ahlstrom-Munksjö at MARCH 3, 2020. As we know, F.I.L.A. acquired Canson in 2016 too.

Before Canson be sold to Hamelin in 2006 (and sold to F.I.L.A. in 2016), Canson and Arches are both under Arjo Wiggins Appleton group for 30 years. Arches supplied raw papers to Canson Infinity digital fine art paper line. They made some excellent papers, Arches Aquarelle Rag, Arches Velin Museum Rag, and my personal favorite BFK Rives. Since Canson and Arches are under F.I.L.A. now, it's naturally Arches papers will be in Canson Infinity again.

I can't tell more, but you can expect there will be several new excellent inkjet fine art papers to come next year.

edit: press release of Ahlstrom-Munksjö
https://www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com/Media/releases/press-releases2/2020/ahlstrom-munksjo-completes-the-sale-of-fine-art-paper-business-arches/

brief background

The acquisition is a relief for Ahlstrom-Munksjö, they focus on abrasive backing papers and the fine art paper business is too small to them. They bought Arjo Wiggins (composition of Arjomari and Wiggins Teape; Arjomari composited by Arches, Johannot, Marais and Rives) in 2012, but they do not know how to run a fine art business. Ahlstrom-Munksjö signed a distribution agreement of Arches to Colart in 2014, and Colart become sole distribution in 2016. Colart also has fine art brands Winsor & Newton, Liquitex, Lefranc & Bourgeois and Conté à Paris. Ahlstrom-Munksjö re-signed Arches worldwide distribution to F.I.L.A. April 2019. F.I.L.A. own St Cuthber (MOAB Somerset), Canson, maimeri, Daler Rowney before they bought Arches.

[MfAlab]

more details below..

First of all, BFK is back in line, now is called Arches BFK Rives. New BFK Rives has white and extra white version. Naturally, Arches Aquarelle Rag will be there too. Finally, a new Arches paper be brought in Canson Infinity line. Arches 88 is a ultra smooth cotton paper, just like traditional Arches 88 screen printing paper. All these papers use mould-made 100% cotton paper without any optical brighteners.

New CI Arches inkjet papers will be released in 2021. According to the source, it's authentic Arches papers and has an unique and innovative inkjet receiving layer. Hope we can see these papers soon.