The Waiting Is Over, Let the Copy Flow

Published: September 01, 2000, By Yolanda Simonsis, Editor/Associate Publisher

With the publication of this September issue, the Polymers, Laminations and Coatings Division of TAPPI, Atlanta, GA, and Paper, Film & Foil CONVERTER mark the beginning of a historic new relationship. It is a relationship that certainly is valued by the partners involved, but more importantly, the relationship will bring a new dimension to the scope and breadth of the type of articles you will find in PFFC on a monthly basis. And so this relationship ultimately will result in proving to be especially valuable to you, our readers.

In my June editorial, I officially announced a cooperative arrangement between TAPPI/PLC and PFFC. Since you may suffer from the same "some-timers disease," from which I frequently suffer, allow me to repeat my message:

The PLC Div. traditionally has published some of its outstanding technical symposia and short-course papers in the TAPPI Journal, which is distributed to all TAPPI members. But the division recognized that non-PLC Div. members can benefit from its storehouse of information and felt that PFFC provided the necessary high-profile, international platform for all its news and selected papers on a monthly basis.

The result is a special section called "the P.L.A.C.E." (polymers, laminations, adhesives, coatings, and extrusions) that debuts this month on p. 95. Here you will find the latest news and summaries of some of the best peer-reviewed papers that TAPPI/PLC has to offer. The editor of this new section is our very own David J. Bentley Jr., who authors a monthly column in PFFC called PLC Probe. As a very active TAPPI/PLC member, he is the perfect editor for this new section.

I am equally excited and honored that TAPPI/PLC approached PFFC to be the vehicle for disseminating this information to both its members and to those among our worldwide subscribers that are nonmembers but that, nevertheless, receive our magazine and have vital interests in this sector of the converting industry. I know "the P.L.A.C.E." will bring additional value to those among our readership base that are in need of authoritative, technical information.

Inclusion of "the P.L.A.C.E." in each issue of PFFC will provide you with more focused coverage of the polymers, laminations, adhesives, coatings, and extrusions sectors of our industry. It complements our standard coverage of the entire converting industry we bring you each month.

This announcement leads me to another point. In my opinion, TAPPI, as an organization as well as a publisher of technical books, bulletins, newsletters, and even a magazine of its own, stands independently with my admiration in serving its members with unbiased information that is educational in nature, apart from the pressures that suppliers in a competitive atmosphere can exert. TAPPI programs and publications are successful despite this freedom from supplier pressures because officers of the organization—which include suppliers—and its individual divisions fairly and equitably exert a spirit of objectivity that is free from commercialism in everything it publishes.

Quite honestly, along the course of my 22 years as an editor, I frequently have had to turn down stories because I know they do not serve the specific interests of my readers or they are outside of the core nature of the businesses in which my readers are involved. I have been criticized for not accepting articles that may on the surface serve the purpose of a supplier but ultimately do not serve your purpose as a subscriber of the magazine.

Part of the judgement I must exercise as editor of PFFC—for that matter, it is the job of every editor of any trade journal—is to determine the appropriate reading material for the audience that chooses to select and receive my magazine.

I feel good about this "marriage" of sorts with TAPPI, because our interests are alike in that we similarly believe that our first responsibility is to our readers. TAPPI/PLC's contributions will complement the diversity of material that you will continue to receive as always.