The Covid-19 pandemic posed an assortment of challenges to suppliers and printers alike during 2020. Bottlenecks in supply chains created the biggest source of consternation, as material suppliers often struggled to meet surging demands.

UPM Raflatac, however, delivered for its customers while also developing multiple new products – specifically in the paper labeling segment. The Mills River, NC-based substrate supplier saw its supply chain remain intact, which has the company poised to handle future challenges.

“Through a lot of hard work and dedication, we minimized the supply chain impacts felt by our customers,” explains Jeff Buchanan, director of paper laminates, UPM Raflatac Americas. “Throughout the pandemic, most label material suppliers had longer lead times than we all would have liked, but our suppliers have been resilient in their performance and there have been many examples of great partnerships during the last year. Now, we have been implementing measures over the last several months that put us in a better position for the re