Paperlinx duo defend use of APP-made paper.

Paperlinx merchants PaperCo and Howard Smith have defended their decision to use paper made by controversial manufacturer Asia Pulp and Paper (APP).

APP has recently come under fire from conservation groups who claimed it was planning to log illegally in a national forest in Indonesia.

Despite APP's firm denials of the accusations, some UK merchants have refused to be associated with the company on account of its alleged environmental record.

However, PaperCo stocks the A-OK coated paper range manufactured at APP subsidiary Gold East Paper. It said this decision was made only after an on-site evaluation.

Bob Ide, PaperCo marketing director, said …