Friday, November 30, 2012
EURO-GRAPH Reports Coated & SC Ships
EURO-GRAPH reported October European coated mechanical paper shipments rose +0.1%, demand increased +0.1% and exports declined -0.1%, Coated woodfree shipments was up +6%, demand rose +3.2% and exports jumped +20.6%. Supercalendered paper shipments fell -0.9%, demand rose +3.3% and exports declined -17.5%.
NS Legislation to Reduce Port Hawk Taxes
Nova Scotia legislation would reduce Cape Breton mill's municipal tax bill:
An agreement between Richmond County and a paper mill in Port Hawkesbury to reduce the operation's municipal taxes is being written into law by the Nova Scotia government.
An agreement between Richmond County and a paper mill in Port Hawkesbury to reduce the operation's municipal taxes is being written into law by the Nova Scotia government.
Municipal Relations Minister John MacDonell says amendments to the Stora Enso Taxation Act would see taxes paid by the mill remain at $2.6 million for 2012-13, with former owner NewPage and Port Hawkesbury Paper Group Ltd. each paying $1.3 million.
MacDonell says Port Hawkesbury Paper would then pay $1.3 million in taxes for three years, beginning on April 1.
The legislation which was tabled at the request of the municipality, would expire on March 31, 2016.
The tax deal was reached following a court battle between the mill's owner and the municipality.
In a ruling in September, a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge rejected a bid by the mill to cancel the previous tax deal.
Sappi Increases NBHK Price
Sappi Fine Paper
North America informed domestic customers today that its northern bleached
hardwood kraft (NBHK) market pulp prices would increase $20/tonne, effective
December 1 until further notice.
Sappi's $20/tonne price increase
would bring North American list price on NBHK to $755-765/tonne depending on
grade.
Arjowiggins Raises European CWF Prices
The situation of continuing
rising costs of raw materials, energy and transport has made it necessary for
Arjowiggins Graphic to review current price levels, and following this review
implement a price increase to help offset the rising costs being incurred.
As a consequence of these
adverse conditions that we are facing, we regret that it is unavoidable to
announce this price increase for our CWF paper range on both sheets and reels
during January 2013.
Fire at FutureMark Mill Contained
The Manistique Public Safety and
Volunteer Fire Officers were called to a reported fire at the FutureMark Paper
Mill, formerly known as Manistique Papers, Thursday evening at 8:14.
Employees reported that the fire
was located in a storage pile of paper bales located outside, adjacent to the
building near a clippings shed.
China Single Largest User Illegal Lumber
China, emergent superpower and
the world’s second biggest economy, is effectively standing on the sidelines as
its exponential growth devastates forests in a trade worth billions of dollars
a year.
In the new report Appetite
for Destruction: China’s Trade in Illegal Timber, launched today in
Beijing, the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reveals that
China is now the single largest international consumer of illegal timber,
importing wood stolen by organised criminal syndicates on a massive scale.
Brown Printing Signs Deal with National Standard
http://www.bpc.com/
Brown Printing has signed a
multi-year agreement to print and distribute The Weekly Standard.
Under the agreement, starting in
December 2012, Brown will produce The Standard at its East Greenville facility
and distribute the magazine using local and regional entry into the USPS system
as well as airfreight to western states, thus enabling faster delivery. The
Weekly Standard has subscribers in every state and a paid circulation of
approximately 95,000.
Bonnier Shutters Caribbean Travel + Life
Bonnier Shutters Caribbean Travel + Life Magazine and Related TV Show:
Bonnier Corporation’s Caribbean Travel + Life magazine will cease publication beginning next year. Additionally, its Discovery Channel television program will not be revived.
Bonnier Corporation’s Caribbean Travel + Life magazine will cease publication beginning next year. Additionally, its Discovery Channel television program will not be revived.
Digital Magazine Readership Up 47%
Q3 Out-of-Home Ads Up 4.4%
Overall, the media and advertising category increased 6% in the third quarter compared to 2011. The period also saw ample political ad spending, with the government, politics, and organizations segment up 14% compared to the same period in 2011.
The Economist Unbundles Tablet From Print
Now an important independent magazine is leaving the "All Access" camp: The Economist last month stopped bundling app access with all new print subscriptions, charging more to newcomers who want both and introducing a print option that comes without apps.
Latin American Printing Forecast to Grow 4% in 2012
http://whattheythink.com/
A study produced by the Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference (GOA) forecasts a positive state for the print industry in Latin America, a core GOA audience, in 2013.
A study produced by the Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference (GOA) forecasts a positive state for the print industry in Latin America, a core GOA audience, in 2013.
Produced annually by the Printing Association of Florida, and now in its 38th year, GOA is held February 21-23, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Based on statistics reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the study reveals that the Latin America printing industry remained positive for most of the last decade, with a projected growth of 4% in 2013. The projected GDP in 2013 for Latin America and the Caribbean is 3.9%.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Labor Strike Affects CA Ports
A
strike that began at the Oakland, CA, port yesterday apparently spread to the
port in Long Beach, contacts said today.
"They
have basically closed all ports this afternoon in Long Beach," said one
California paper trader.
The
Southern California port action involved clerical workers, not longshoremen,
contacts said.
In
Northern California, a trader today said that a contact said that APM Terminals
Pier 400 "has been on strike" since yesterday and that "today
Yusen (Terminals), Evergreen, Hyundai California United Terminals, (and) China
Shipping ... have added to the list."
Also
at Oakland, on Nov. 20, Service Employees International union 200 workers
disrupted shipping at the port, local media reported.
Port Hawk Pensioners Asked to Pay Co.
NewPage Port Hawkesbury pensioners told to pay back $5 million due to calculation error:
Former workers of NewPage Port Hawkesbury in Nova Scotia were told this week that they have been overpaid and will each have to pay back thousands of dollars.
Morneau Shepell Ltd., the current pension plan administrator, sent out letters to the pensioners telling them how much they will have to pay back, and blamed the calculation error on the previous plan administrator, Aon PLC.
The mistake was made while calculating the early retirement provisions years prior to the idling of the mill in 2011. About 200 people who opted to take a specific front-loading pension option are the pensioners who are now said to have been overpaid, and owe a collective $5 million. Some people have found out they have been overpaid as much as $60,000.
Former workers of NewPage Port Hawkesbury in Nova Scotia were told this week that they have been overpaid and will each have to pay back thousands of dollars.
Morneau Shepell Ltd., the current pension plan administrator, sent out letters to the pensioners telling them how much they will have to pay back, and blamed the calculation error on the previous plan administrator, Aon PLC.
The mistake was made while calculating the early retirement provisions years prior to the idling of the mill in 2011. About 200 people who opted to take a specific front-loading pension option are the pensioners who are now said to have been overpaid, and owe a collective $5 million. Some people have found out they have been overpaid as much as $60,000.
Graphic Packaging to Buy A&R Carton's Beer and Beverage
Graphic Packaging to acquire A&R Carton's Beer and Beverage Packaging Business in Europe
Graphic Packaging Holding Company recently announced an agreement for one of its subsidiaries to acquire A&R Carton's Beer and Beverage packaging business in Europe. The deal includes two manufacturing facilities that convert approximately 30,000 tons of paperboard annually.
Graphic Packaging Holding Company recently announced an agreement for one of its subsidiaries to acquire A&R Carton's Beer and Beverage packaging business in Europe. The deal includes two manufacturing facilities that convert approximately 30,000 tons of paperboard annually.
Canadian National Printing Association Announced
Formation of New National Printing Association Formally Announced: PISC and CPIA have formally announced the formation of a new printing association to be called Printing Industries of Canada (PIC). PIC "will serve as the national voice of the industry and will actively support and promote the health and growth of Canada’s printing industry," and will be officially launched in April 2013.
Magazines Continue Tablet Commitment
Magazines Double Down On Tablet Commitment: The magazine industry’s faith in the future of tablets is not easing up, even though advertiser support for digital editions has been slow in coming and these platforms still represent a small fraction of overall distribution for most books.
Leading among group publishers is Hearst, from whom iMonitor counted 89 apps, followed by Time Warner with 84, Conde Nast with 83 and Future Media with 82.
Leading among group publishers is Hearst, from whom iMonitor counted 89 apps, followed by Time Warner with 84, Conde Nast with 83 and Future Media with 82.
43% of Magazines Have Both Print, Digital Growth
GfK MRI: Over 40 Percent of Magazines Have Concurrent Print, Digital Growth: More than 40 percent of magazines surveyed saw concurrent print and digital audience growth in the fall of 2012, according to the most recent study by GfK MRI.
Next Issue Expands Title Offerings
Next Issue Expands Title Offerings Outside 5 Founding Companies:
Next Issue Media, the company behind the unlimited magazine app Next Issue, is a joint venture formed by five of the largest domestic publishers—Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp. and Time Inc. To offer readers more options, the company announced Thursday that it is expanding its iPad catalog beyond these five companies. The new offerings will include magazines from publishers like Mansueto Ventures, New York Media and American Express Publishing, among others.
Next Issue Media, the company behind the unlimited magazine app Next Issue, is a joint venture formed by five of the largest domestic publishers—Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp. and Time Inc. To offer readers more options, the company announced Thursday that it is expanding its iPad catalog beyond these five companies. The new offerings will include magazines from publishers like Mansueto Ventures, New York Media and American Express Publishing, among others.
BPA Members’ Circulation: Digital Now 21%
Digital Accounts for 21 Percent of BPA Members’ Circulation:
The number of publishers reporting digital copies is growing, new numbers for media-auditing firm BPA Worldwide show. A total of 532 BPA print titles reported digital circulation for the June 2012 cycle—an increase of 6.4 percent when comparing the December 2011 period.
The number of publishers reporting digital copies is growing, new numbers for media-auditing firm BPA Worldwide show. A total of 532 BPA print titles reported digital circulation for the June 2012 cycle—an increase of 6.4 percent when comparing the December 2011 period.
Wired's Puzzel; Only in Print
Wired celebrated its 20th anniversary
year in 2012 with a hidden and quite old-school little print puzzle.
If you stack the January through December issues with the covers facing up, it
reveals a (frankly hard-to-read) quote on the spines that Wired founding editor Louis Rossetto made
in the first issue, in 1993: "Our first instruction to our writers: Amaze
us." A reader in Riverside, Calif., named Ben Allen was the first to
notice the pattern—realizing after the first nine issues that it was spelling
out a message. He quickly guessed the complete line with a Google search. The
puzzle's makers, Eric Harshbarger and Mike Selinker, were wise to stick with
Rossetto's pithy first instruction to writers. His second was: "We know a
lot about digital technology, and we are bored with it. Tell us something we've
never heard before, in a way we've never seen before. If it challenges our
assumptions, so much the better."
Kodak Accepts Improved Credit Facility
Kodak Accepts Improved, $830-Million Credit Facility: Eastman Kodak has received and accepted an offer from the Steering Committee of the Second Lien Noteholders Committee for interim and exit financing totaling $830 million in loans. The commitment is superior to, and therefore replaces, the $793 million commitment announced by the company on Nov. 12.
Folio: People On The Move
People On The Move | 11.29.12:
Source Interlink’s Automobile Magazine has added Todd Lassa as its executive editor and Michael Jordan as senior editor. Lassa joins the magazine from sister publication Motor Trend, where he was Detroit editor. Jordan joins the magazine from Edmunds.com, where he was an executive editor and more...
Source Interlink’s Automobile Magazine has added Todd Lassa as its executive editor and Michael Jordan as senior editor. Lassa joins the magazine from sister publication Motor Trend, where he was Detroit editor. Jordan joins the magazine from Edmunds.com, where he was an executive editor and more...
ARM & UBM Tech Launch Signum
ARM and UBM Tech Launch New Digital Magazine:
ARM, a supplier and architect of digital semiconductor chips, has partnered with UBM Tech to launch the new digital magazine–Signum. The focus of Signum is to combine journalistic content with robust multimedia technology.
ARM, a supplier and architect of digital semiconductor chips, has partnered with UBM Tech to launch the new digital magazine–Signum. The focus of Signum is to combine journalistic content with robust multimedia technology.
Diversified Business Communications Buys Amazing Charts
Diversified Business Communications Buys Electronic Health Record Provider:
Portland, Maine-based b-to-b media company Diversified Business Communications has acquired Amazing Charts, a provider of electronic health records. The deal is intended to expand Diversified's Pri-Med division and its medical education business.
Portland, Maine-based b-to-b media company Diversified Business Communications has acquired Amazing Charts, a provider of electronic health records. The deal is intended to expand Diversified's Pri-Med division and its medical education business.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
EURO-GRAPH Reports Oct. Numbers
EURO-GRAPH has reported October European Graphic paper shipments rose +2.4% as compared to the same month last year. Exports increased +5.5% and demand was up +0.9%.
Sappi Cloquet: Union Votes to Authorize Strike
Sappi Fine Paper North America
has learned that, in a vote yesterday, the Cloquet Mill employees represented
by the United Steelworkers (USW) have authorized their leadership to call a
strike if it chooses to do so. "Even though such a vote is not uncommon,
and does not mean a strike will occur, we are very disappointed in the
membership's action, given our fair and competitive contract package,"
said Rick Dwyer, Managing Director, Cloquet, Sappi Fine Paper North America.
Catalyst Paper Names Bidder for Snowflake
Catalyst Paper identifies the bidder for its Snowflake mill assets in Arizona.:
Catalyst Paper has accepted a qualified stalking horse bid from MLR Ventures, LLC as part of the sales process for disposition of the Snowflake facility and Apache Railway.
“We have received a $12.0 million Stalking Horse bid for the assets and land associated with the Snowflake facility and the equity of Apache Railway,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin J. Clarke. “We look forward to beginning the next phase of the sale process and to identifying a qualified buyer in the near term.”
Catalyst Paper has accepted a qualified stalking horse bid from MLR Ventures, LLC as part of the sales process for disposition of the Snowflake facility and Apache Railway.
“We have received a $12.0 million Stalking Horse bid for the assets and land associated with the Snowflake facility and the equity of Apache Railway,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin J. Clarke. “We look forward to beginning the next phase of the sale process and to identifying a qualified buyer in the near term.”
AbitibiBowater Mill Project Dead
In May, Natural Resources Minister Jerome Kennedy confirmed that a company was interested in setting up shop at the former mill site.
But the company involved, York Energy, now says the government abruptly cancelled the negotiations and has killed the deal.
Resolute Estimates Fort Frances Idling Costs
Resolute Forest Products’ costs for indefinitely idling kraft mill and paper machine in Fort Frances:
Resolute Forest Products estimates the company will incur a charge of approximately $12 million for severance and other termination benefits, and $5 million in other closure costs resulting from the indefinite idling of the kraft mill and one paper machine in Fort Frances, Ontario.
Total future cash expenditures associated with these items are expected to be approximately $14 million.
Resolute Forest Products also expects to incur approximately $32 million of non-cash asset impairment charges to reduce the carrying value of the assets to their estimated fair value.
Resolute Forest Products estimates the company will incur a charge of approximately $12 million for severance and other termination benefits, and $5 million in other closure costs resulting from the indefinite idling of the kraft mill and one paper machine in Fort Frances, Ontario.
Total future cash expenditures associated with these items are expected to be approximately $14 million.
Resolute Forest Products also expects to incur approximately $32 million of non-cash asset impairment charges to reduce the carrying value of the assets to their estimated fair value.
NS to Spend $6.3 million to Increase Crown Land
Nova Scotia plans to spend $6.3 million to increase Crown land base:
Nova Scotia is setting aside $6.3 million in its 2013-2014 budget to increase the province’s Crown land base.
Lands purchased will be used to increase coastal access, protect Mi’kmaq values, enhance wildlife conservation, and help the province meet its 12% land protection goal. The $6.3 million dollar investment includes $800 thousand from the Forestry Transition Land Acquisition Program.
Nova Scotia is setting aside $6.3 million in its 2013-2014 budget to increase the province’s Crown land base.
Lands purchased will be used to increase coastal access, protect Mi’kmaq values, enhance wildlife conservation, and help the province meet its 12% land protection goal. The $6.3 million dollar investment includes $800 thousand from the Forestry Transition Land Acquisition Program.
Magazine Digital Readership Up 47%
Time Launches Digital Video Unit
To manage the unit, Lang brought in J.R. McCabe, who was vp, chief video officer at Meredith Corporation.
90% of Doctors Read Journals in Print
http://www.mmm-online.com/print-still-not-dead/article/269366/?DCMP=EMC-MMM_WeeklyDigest&spMailingID=5146624&spUserID=MjMyNDE2NDYwNgS2&spJobID=58987318&spReportId=NTg5ODczMTgS1
Kantar Media found that even though younger doctors are more inclined to seek out digital journals that they still have an appreciation for the print edition of the current journal, much like their older colleagues. According to Kantar, the digital divide shakes out as follows: 90% of doctors read print journals and 40% rely on print and digital. In terms of single channel readership, Kantar said 50% of doctors were print-only and just 8% never let their fingers touch ink, relying solely on digital editions.
Kantar Media found that even though younger doctors are more inclined to seek out digital journals that they still have an appreciation for the print edition of the current journal, much like their older colleagues. According to Kantar, the digital divide shakes out as follows: 90% of doctors read print journals and 40% rely on print and digital. In terms of single channel readership, Kantar said 50% of doctors were print-only and just 8% never let their fingers touch ink, relying solely on digital editions.
Buffet Still Bullish on Newspapers
Mr. Buffett went on a newspaper spending spree this year by buying more than 60 newspapers from Media General and a small stake in the newspaper company Lee Enterprises, a chain of mostly small dailies based in Iowa. At the time, he stressed that he had great confidence that newspapers would continue to be solid investments for decades to come.
Simon & Schuster Launching Archway Publishing
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
AF&PA Reports Oct. P&W Paper Ships
The American Forest & Paper Association released its
October 2012 Printing-Writing Paper Report on Nov. 21.
According to the report, total printing-writing paper
shipments decreased 2 percent in October compared to October 2011, primarily
driven by declines in uncoated mechanical shipments.
Additional key findings include:
October
shipments of coated free sheet papers increased year-over-year for the
fifth time in the past twelve months, reaching the highest level since
September 2010.
Shipments of
uncoated free sheet paper in October increased 2 percent over the same
period in 2011, with mill inventories at the lowest level since July 1995.
October uncoated mechanical paper shipments
decreased 23 percent compared to October 2011, with YTD shipments down 16
percent relative to the previous year.
AF&PA Reports Recovered Fiber Consumption
The American
Forest & Paper Association released its October 2012 U.S. Recovered Fiber
Monthly Report on Nov. 20, 2012.
According to the report, total U.S. industry consumption of
recovered paper in October was 2.49 million tons, 6 percent higher than in
September 2012. Consumption was up across all grades except for Newspapers,
which remained at its September low and was 25 percent lower than in October
2011. Year-to-date total consumption in 2012 is 4 percent lower than during the
same period last year.
China's Paper & Board Exports Up 2.5% YTD
More Details from Catalog Survey; Essential Consumer Tool
Print Catalogs Remain Essential to Many Consumers: U.S. consumers continue to rely heavily on the print catalogs, as reported by the American Catalog Mailers Association in its latest study.
Key findings:
92% of those who examine the catalogs they receive have made a purchase
Nearly six out of 10 (58%) respondents look at catalogs as soon as they
Two-thirds (66%) of consumers surveyed say they examine the print catalogs they receive in the mailbox.
Key findings:
92% of those who examine the catalogs they receive have made a purchase
Nearly six out of 10 (58%) respondents look at catalogs as soon as they
Two-thirds (66%) of consumers surveyed say they examine the print catalogs they receive in the mailbox.
Departures Hikes Rate Base
Departures Sees Jump In Ad Revenue, Hikes Rate Base:
Departures, American Express Publishing’s luxury travel title, is seeing gains in print and online advertising, and will be increasing its rate base in the new year.
Ad revenue for the print magazine grew by 12 percent and paging grew by a total of two percent in 2012. The news marks the title’s second consecutive year of growth—in 2011, the magazine saw a 46 percent increase in ad revenue and a 43 percent increase in paging. Revenue from the digital side also increased by 144 percent for the full year of 2012. In all, 78 new advertisers joined Departures this year.
Departures, American Express Publishing’s luxury travel title, is seeing gains in print and online advertising, and will be increasing its rate base in the new year.
Ad revenue for the print magazine grew by 12 percent and paging grew by a total of two percent in 2012. The news marks the title’s second consecutive year of growth—in 2011, the magazine saw a 46 percent increase in ad revenue and a 43 percent increase in paging. Revenue from the digital side also increased by 144 percent for the full year of 2012. In all, 78 new advertisers joined Departures this year.
All You Debuts "Real Talk"
The December issue of All You debuted "Real Talk," an editorial feature that opens each of the magazine's sections with a question from readers. The franchise is threaded throughout the book as well, with flagged reader comments appearing as sidebars within several stories.
Tesco: Retailer's Success in Publishing
The bi-monthly publication has grown its readership to 7.2m, according to the NRS. By contrast The Sun has a readership of 7.1m.
The retailer’s investment in content is a smart move, and it isn’t alone. Asda’s magazine has 6m readers. The M&S magazine has 3.7m readers. Sainsbury’s has 3.4m readers.
Pros & Cons of Holiday Subscription Discounts
‘Tis the season for huge savings. Whether they’re buying a
car, TV or the latest Barbie, customers expect big price drops during the
holiday season. The same goes in the magazine industry where publishers have
made a habit of offering seasonal discounts on top of already deeply discounted
subscription prices. But while slashing prices on magazines can attract hordes
of new readers, there’s also the risk of having those readers undervalue the
product itself.
Top Toy Catalog Ignores Typical Gender Roles
Top Toy created the holiday catalog for toy chains BR and Toys"R"Us. The catalog was released in both Denmark and Sweden, but the Swedish version features some Photoshopped changes. Perhaps most notably, a boy wielding a toy gun in the Danish catalog was replaced by a girl, while a boy appears on another page playing with a very pink dollhouse.
Retail, Online & Small Business Holiday Sales Strong
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