1.  Provides the background for meetings between merchants to discuss a variety of industry topics within the full conformity of the law. Currently the Policy Group meets 5 times a year, the Boards Division 3 times a year and the Credit Committee every other month. The Publishing Division holds regular liaison meetings with the Periodical Publishing association

2.  Obtains confidential and detailed statistics from members and aggregates them for publication to the membership and other interested parties in an “anonymised” format. Only a trade association or similar independent body can provide such a service. The NAPM currently provides full monthly, quarterly trend and annual trend statistics in actual and indexed form for the paper section and monthly actual statistics for the Boards Division.

3.  Provides education and training courses covering all aspects of paper merchanting.

4.  Keeps members informed on matters of common interest and brings members and suppliers together at two yearly events, an annual dinner and suppliers forum

5.  Monitors and where appropriate, seeks to influence prospective and current legislation so that members can be alerted to its effects – a task now rendered vastly more important by the UK’s membership of the European Community with its multiplicity of new laws and penalties.

6.  For this purpose, maintains contact with relevant Government Departments, and with MPs in Westminster and MEPs in Brussels and is active in formulating the policies of the European confederation of paper merchants, EUGROPA. (Membership of the European confederation is restricted to Associations, but since The NAPM is a member, any member of NAPM may attend the Eugropa conferences.)

7.  Fosters active contact and co-operation with al the other trade associations, which represent both customers and suppliers to the paper merchanting sector.

8.  Safeguards members’ interests in the all-important sphere of the environment together with promoting the use of The NAPM Recycled Mark certification scheme for qualifying recycled papers.

9.  Offers an information service to members on virtually any topic related to the paper and board industry.

10. Provides a centre for enquirers seeking both paper or board supplies and the addresses of local member merchants, or information. The efficient provision of such information enhances the image of the whole merchant industry.

11. Is a member of the British Paper Trade Customs Committee that compiles the booklet setting out the paper trade customs for the allied industries.