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The idea of a paperless society started way back in the late 1970s. With the advent of the personal computer and its integration into the workplace, many believed that society would eventually largely eradicate its need for paper. While technology continued to progress rapidly and the computer became more advanced, the use of paper only increased. Even today the arguments for a paperless society remain compelling: The Internet, e-mail and computer networks are all means of receiving and sending information that do not require paper. Yet despite further advancements in technology, the results remain the same. The global demand for commercial paper is on the rise. Canon Svenska President Robert Westin is convinced that the paperless society will remain in the wings for some time based on his observations of the Swedish workplace. He explained, "Sweden is really in the frontline of personal and business computing. What is happening is because computers allow for more information transfer, more and more information is being transmitted and therefore more is being printed into hard copy. "In fact, in Sweden, cut-sheet paper consumption has had an increase of close to 5 percent. It is predicted that there will still be an increase in the consumption of cut-sheet paper, but the use will shift from photocopies to printouts from computers."
For Canon Svenska, the shift in orientation of the Swedish workplace from photocopy-based applications to printer-based ones has long been anticipated. Before the shift, the company boosted its printer-related business, which has since made up the bulk of Canon Svenska's turnover. With the personal computer aided by the Internet -- the major tool of today's workplace -- Canon Svenska has taken advantage of the increase in information traffic within the workplace. Because the amount of data transfer is now so abundant and increases by the day, a premium has now been placed on so-called document-flow services. "What we need to do as a company is get into more services surrounding network and document flow. Our different product lines are in a relatively mature stage and the premium on these types of services are so high, especially here in the Swedish market," Westin commented. Arguments will remain on how and when the paperless society will arrive. But while today's technology has indeed provided a platform for the paperless society to take form, whether in the workplace or at home, it seems people will not be giving up their hard-copies anytime soon.
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Canon Svenska President Robert Westin oversees one of the most respected brands in Sweden.
In a computerized world hard copies are still the standard.