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Printers, therefore, have focused on cutting costs to try to maintain their profit margins—and were not always successful.

In recent months, however, printers have seen a sharp escalation in paper prices—good for the goose, but not necessarily the gander. "Paper demand has increased pretty dramatically… and prices are starting to go up," says Mead. But if prices rise too much, he notes, publishers will become increasingly cautious about costs and will cut back on projects.