The Development of Offset Paper

By the late 19th century, photogravure printing (planographic lithography) had gradually matured. In 1904, Germans such as Caspar Hermann refined the rubber blanket transfer process, spurring demand for specialized paper tailored for lithography. Its predecessor was “Dawlin paper” produced by the British Dawlin Paper Mill. With its smooth texture, uniform fibers, and low dimensional stability, it was well-suited for multicolor registration and became the representative early offset paper, primarily used for book printing.

Europe pioneered large-scale production, with regions like the United States quickly following suit. Offset paper began gradually replacing some traditional printing papers.

Before 1949, China relied almost entirely on imported offset paper, commonly known as “Dawlin paper.” Only a few foreign-funded or joint-venture enterprises possessed limited processing capabilities.