G . F Smith

Name

G . F Smith

Legal name

GF Smith & Son (London) Limited

Website

https://gfsmith.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Paper Manufacturing

NAICS

Office Supplies and Stationery Retailers (45941), Books Printing (323117)

SIC

Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAMAIAF

Paper & Printing Grades Distribution (Printing/Writing, Newsprint, Specialty)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Paper & Forest Products/Forest Products Distribution & Trading

SECONDARYCRALABAA

General Office Supplies Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Office Supplies & Stationery Retail

SECONDARYCRALABAI

Business Forms, Labels & Shipping Supplies Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Office Supplies & Stationery Retail

SECONDARYCRALAJAC

Personalized, Custom & Monogrammed Gifts Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Gift, Novelty & Souvenir Retail

Keywords

• Specialty paper manufacturing
• Luxury packaging papers
• Premium print materials
• Creative paper distribution
• Colorplan paper collection

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston upon Hull

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Paper Product Sales: One-time purchase model for specialty papers sold through e-commerce and global distribution partners. Includes Colorplan, 50/50, Extracted collections, Gmund, Munken, and other specialty papers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

G.F Smith manufactures and distributes premium specialty papers — most notably the flagship Colorplan collection (50 colors, 25 embossings, 10 weights made sustainably in Great Britain for 80+ years) — alongside the 50/50, Extracted, Wild, Geltex, and Zen ranges. Products are sold directly via shop.gfsmith.com to UK customers and through a global network of 100+ exclusive distribution partners serving customers across seven continents. The company complements paper sales with Paper Consultant advisory services, bespoke Make Book book-making, and dedicated Trade and Student Services programs.

Product overview

G.F Smith is a UK-based paper company offering specialty papers through both direct-to-consumer e-commerce and a global distribution network. The core product is the Colorplan collection (50 colors, 25 embossings, 10 weights), supplemented by the Wild, Geltex, Zen, and 50/50/Extracted ranges. Through partnerships, GF Smith also distributes Munken Design (Arctic Paper), Gmund papers, Neenah Environment papers, and Peregrina Majestic specialty papers. The Make Book service provides bespoke book-making capabilities. Products are available globally through international partners and directly via the online shop, with dedicated trade and student services offering specialized support, low minimum orders (25 sheets), and educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Colorplan: Signature paper range featuring 50 colours, 25 embossings, and 10 weights, made sustainably in Great Britain for over 80 years.
• Make Book

Products and services

• Colorplan GF Smith's flagship specialty paper collection featuring 50 colors, 25 embossings, and 10 weights, manufactured sustainably in Great Britain. Used for applications ranging from business cards and packaging to record sleeves and luxury brand collateral.
• 50/50 Collection A specialty paper collection available through GF Smith's global distribution network alongside the Colorplan and Extracted ranges.
• Extracted Collection A specialty paper collection available globally through GF Smith's international distribution partners.
• Make Book A bespoke book-making service that allows customers to create customized books using online design tools, uploading photographs, images, and text to produce personalized products.
• Wild A paper range within the GF Smith collection featuring natural and textured papers, including Wild Clay used for premium packaging applications such as Assembly Coffee's limited edition sleeves.
• Geltex A specialty paper product featured in the GF Smith collection and Explore section.
• Zen A paper range including Zen Pure White, used for premium applications such as gift cards and stationery.
• Munken Design A paper range from Arctic Paper distributed by GF Smith, including various weights and finishes such as Kristall, Polar, Lynx, and Pure in smooth and rough textures.
• Gmund Papers Premium papers from Gmund, including Gmund Cotton and Gmund Heidi, distributed through GF Smith. Gmund Cotton is noted for letterpress printing with a soft, pillow-like impression.
• Peregrina Majestic A specialty metallic paper range available in shades including Petal, Real Gold, and Moonlight Silver.
• RK Burt A company within the GF Smith group, producing digital papers and specialty paper products including the Droplet Range.
• Neenah Environment Environmentally-focused papers from Neenah, including Birch 90gsm used for gift wrapping.
• Colorplan Carabiner A paper swatch display accessory showcasing the entire Colorplan Collection; can be clipped to bags, desks, clothes, or hung in studios for easy reference.
• Paper Consultant Services Expert advice from GF Smith Paper Consultants covering the creative journey, including guidance on paper selection and finishing techniques like multiplexing and embossing.
• Trade Services Trade-focused services with a unique minimum order of 25 sheets, allowing orders to increase by the sheet to minimize waste and maximize budgets, supported by expert paper consultancy.
• Student Services Services for students including free paper samples (up to 10 A4 sheets), 20% student and graduate discount, paper lectures, sponsorship schemes, and school visits by GF Smith Paper Consultants.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Papersmith & Son (South Africa)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor for GF Smith papers including Colorplan, 50/50, and Extracted collections in South Africa. Contact: [email protected], +27 11 240 6900.
• Legion Paper (USA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor for GF Smith papers in the United States. Contact: [email protected], +1 (212) 683 6990.
• TAKEO Co., Ltd. (Japan)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor for GF Smith papers in Japan. Contact: [email protected], +81 3 3292 3611.
• Ball & Doggett (Australia)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor for GF Smith papers in Australia. Contact: [email protected], +61 2 8863 1200.
• Pressision (UK)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduction partner for Colorplan Vinyl record sleeve project in Leeds, UK. Provided guidance on specification and production processes.
• father (Music & Sound Design Studio)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Colorplan Vinyl project - created a soundscape inspired by the 55 colors of the Colorplan range, composing pieces of music on a 12" vinyl album exploring the 'music of colour'.
• Future Icons (UK)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for London Craft Week 2023 exhibition at Oxo Tower Wharf's Bargehouse, featuring paper artists Fung + Bedford, B C Joshua, and NAT MAKS.
• Arctic Paper (Sweden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual collaboration on Munken Agenda project - a design project providing year's worth of inspiration while highlighting Munken Design paper quality.
• Manchester School of Art (UK)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent collaboration for Colorplan Vinyl project - BA (Hons) Graphic Design students created cover art for the 12" vinyl album exploring the music of colour.
• Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design (Germany)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent collaboration for Munken Agenda 2025 - students designed the year's worth of inspiration calendar using Munken Design paper range.
• RK BurtcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPart of GF Smith group of companies, operating as a related distribution entity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Arctic Paper: Sweden-based specialty paper manufacturer that produces the Munken Design range GF Smith distributes. Direct peer in premium uncoated and design paper for creative and publishing applications.
• Fedrigoni: Italian specialty paper group and one of the largest premium paper producers globally, offering comparable colored, textured, and fine papers for luxury packaging and print. Explicitly featured alongside GF Smith in creative content.
• Mohawk Fine Papers: US-based manufacturer of premium fine and specialty papers for design, print, and packaging. Closely comparable in product positioning, brand-led marketing, and creative-community engagement.
• Gmund Papier: German premium paper maker of Gmund Cotton, Gmund Heidi, and other specialty ranges that GF Smith distributes. Directly comparable as a design-led, color-and-texture-focused mill serving luxury packaging and print.
• Favini: Italian specialty paper manufacturer known for sustainable, textured, and effect papers used in luxury packaging, labels, and fine stationery. Directly comparable product mix and customer base.
• Cordenons: Italian luxury paper mill producing premium colored and felt-marked papers for stationery, packaging, and publishing. Strong overlap with Colorplan in luxury packaging and creative applications.
• Lecta: European specialty paper group producing coated and specialty papers for labels, publishing, and packaging. Comparable in scale, multi-mill footprint, and premium product positioning.
• Neenah Paper: US-based premium and sustainable paper manufacturer whose Environment range GF Smith distributes. Comparable in fine-paper heritage, sustainability positioning, and luxury/creative customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Stora Enso: Global pulp and paper incumbent with extensive specialty and packaging paper operations. Broader portfolio and scale than GF Smith but overlaps in premium printing and packaging papers.
• UPM-Kymmene: Large European forest industry group with significant specialty, label, and communication paper businesses. Adjacent incumbent providing competitive context for premium uncoated paper categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GFSmithpapers
• YouTubevimeo.com/gfsmith
• Facebookfacebook.com/gfsmithshowspace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/g-f-smith
• Instagraminstagram.com/gfsmithpapers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about G . F Smith