Wood energy pellets: love them or hate them.
It all depends upon your perspective and understanding. That’s why the U.S.
Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) today released two new
reports on the rapidly-growing wood energy pellet industry: “The
Wood Pellet Value Chain: An economic analysis of the wood pellet supply
chain from the Southeast United States to European Consumers,” and “Applying
Pathways to Sustainability: A case study of how hypothetical bioenergy
facilities in VA and GA can increase the sustainability of their supply
chains.”
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Australia: Renewables Cheaper Fuel
Down Under, Renewable Energy Is Now Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels (Going Green):
From Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the results of a new study that found that energy from renewable energy—specifically wind farms—is now cheaper than gas or coal plants.
The results suggest that the Australian economy is likely to be powered extensively by renewable energy in future and that investment in new fossil-fuel power generation may be limited, unless there is a sharp, and sustained, fall in Asia-Pacific natural gas prices.
From Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the results of a new study that found that energy from renewable energy—specifically wind farms—is now cheaper than gas or coal plants.
The results suggest that the Australian economy is likely to be powered extensively by renewable energy in future and that investment in new fossil-fuel power generation may be limited, unless there is a sharp, and sustained, fall in Asia-Pacific natural gas prices.
WWF: APRIL Should Stop Work in Tropical Forests
WWF Urges Indonesian Pulp Producer APRIL to Immediately Stop Pulping Tropical Forests: Following the announcement by Asia Pulp & Paper that it has stopped all clearance of Indonesian forests, WWF is now calling on its competitor Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) to stop pulping tropical rainforest.
Time Inc. Reportedly for Sale
Time Inc. Reportedly on the Block:
Speculation about Time Warner selling off its publishing unit Time Inc. has been a favorite pastime of media watchers for years now. Partly because of the thrill of imagining the country's largest publisher being spun off and partly because of revenue and operating income challenges that have nagged the unit when compared to TW's other groups. And, as Time Inc. is in the midst of laying off six percent of its global workforce, a report today by Fortune, a Time Inc. title no less, cites several unnamed sources who say that Time Warner is indeed in discussions with a buyer to sell most or all of its publishing unit.
Fortune describes the talks as "formative."
Speculation about Time Warner selling off its publishing unit Time Inc. has been a favorite pastime of media watchers for years now. Partly because of the thrill of imagining the country's largest publisher being spun off and partly because of revenue and operating income challenges that have nagged the unit when compared to TW's other groups. And, as Time Inc. is in the midst of laying off six percent of its global workforce, a report today by Fortune, a Time Inc. title no less, cites several unnamed sources who say that Time Warner is indeed in discussions with a buyer to sell most or all of its publishing unit.
Fortune describes the talks as "formative."
Vertis Communications Closing Plant
Vertis Communications Plant Closing in Medina, OH: A bankruptcy and company selloff by parent company Vertis Communications will result in the closure of the Medina Vertis printing facility on East Smith Road as of May 1. A total of 52 employees will lose their jobs.
Vertis plants in Dallas, New Jersey and Fort Erie, Ontario will also be closed.
Vertis plants in Dallas, New Jersey and Fort Erie, Ontario will also be closed.
Time Inc.’s Cooking Light Enjoys Growth
Time Inc.’s Cooking Light Sees Boom from Social, Mobile Audiences:
January was a big month for Time Inc.’s Cooking Light as the brand showed significant growth in key metric areas including unique visitors, page views, natural search, social media referrals and mobile traffic. Though the year’s first month traditionally draws considerable growth for the brand, the Cooking Light team is developing plans to capitalize on the growth and ride the momentum through the rest of the year.
January was a big month for Time Inc.’s Cooking Light as the brand showed significant growth in key metric areas including unique visitors, page views, natural search, social media referrals and mobile traffic. Though the year’s first month traditionally draws considerable growth for the brand, the Cooking Light team is developing plans to capitalize on the growth and ride the momentum through the rest of the year.
FOLIO, min Plan Print/Digital Event
FOLIO: and min Team Up for New MediaMashup Event:
FOLIO and min are partnering in the launch of a new event called MediaMashup. To be held in New York City on April 16, 2013, the event offers a day-long agenda that examines the cross-section of digital and print media.
FOLIO and min are partnering in the launch of a new event called MediaMashup. To be held in New York City on April 16, 2013, the event offers a day-long agenda that examines the cross-section of digital and print media.
Asset International Buys Investor Economics
Asset International Buys Investor Economics: Asset International, a b-to-b research, marketing and events provider for the financial sector, has agreed to acquire Canadian business intelligence firm, Investor Economics.
Postmaster General Pleads Case to Congress
Postmaster General Pleads His Case to Senate Committee:
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe appears today before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to plead for passage of a reform bill that the lame duck congress failed to act on at the close of 2012 Donahoe wants to run the USPS like a business, and to do so needs to eliminate billions in prepayments to the federal health and retirement plant that the USPS is called upon to make each year.
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe appears today before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to plead for passage of a reform bill that the lame duck congress failed to act on at the close of 2012 Donahoe wants to run the USPS like a business, and to do so needs to eliminate billions in prepayments to the federal health and retirement plant that the USPS is called upon to make each year.
Financial Times Turns 125
The
Financial Times marks its 125th anniversary today, and, befitting the challenges
facing newspapers today, the celebration will have practical elements.
An ad campaign with the somber tagline "Still guiding
the way for global business" is breaking in print and online...With its pioneering metered paywall, the FT has been held up as a rare success story in a
newspaper industry that has struggled to adapt to the digital age. Last
year, subscriptions to FT.com, at more than 300,000, surpassed print
circulation for the first time. Mobile is the fastest-growing source of the FT's digital traffic, accounting for 25 percent of its
visitorship.
Long-Time Exec. Leaves Time Inc.
Peter Bauer, one of Time Inc.'s longer-serving executives,
is hanging it up after 26 years at the magazine publishing giant.
Bauer spent most of his career at Time Inc., most recently
serving as vp of Time Inc. Branded Solutions, and survived a number of
reorganizations and layoffs.His exit came just as Time Inc. laid off 6 percent of its global headcount, or 480 people, in the face of a challenging market for print advertising. Insiders called his departure a retirement and not related to the layoffs, however.
Magazine Publishers Feel Sting of USPS Changes
After
last week’s announcement that the U.S. Postal Service will cut Saturday
mail, associations in the publishing industry are expressing concern that the
change could hurt their members’ business models.
Like packages and direct-mail pieces, magazines rely on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver their goods. So how did they take the news that the USPS would be taking Saturdays off starting in August? Not well. More details:
The reaction: Multiple associations spoke out against the changes—with the Magazine Publishers Association reacting strongly. “Like Congress, MPA was taken by surprise by today’s announcement,” the group’s president and CEO, Mary Berner, said in a statement on February 6. “While we have actively participated in conversations around postal reform, and in particular, five-day delivery, we did not expect the USPS would act unilaterally, without congressional approval, and we await Washington’s reaction and more details.” The National Newspaper Association argued that the change could hurt its members, mostly community newspapers, by forcing them to use alternative methods to deliver papers and content to readers on weekends.
Like packages and direct-mail pieces, magazines rely on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver their goods. So how did they take the news that the USPS would be taking Saturdays off starting in August? Not well. More details:
The reaction: Multiple associations spoke out against the changes—with the Magazine Publishers Association reacting strongly. “Like Congress, MPA was taken by surprise by today’s announcement,” the group’s president and CEO, Mary Berner, said in a statement on February 6. “While we have actively participated in conversations around postal reform, and in particular, five-day delivery, we did not expect the USPS would act unilaterally, without congressional approval, and we await Washington’s reaction and more details.” The National Newspaper Association argued that the change could hurt its members, mostly community newspapers, by forcing them to use alternative methods to deliver papers and content to readers on weekends.
A New Design for SELF
SELF,
for over thirty years, the leading women’s active lifestyle brand, has revamped
and rebooted its look, feel, approach and architecture to reach beyond the 13
million current users and readers to a new generation of young, healthy living,
active women who embody the SELF lifestyle.
Newpapers: 4 Success Stories
In America's embattled newspaper
industry, some business innovations are showing clear signs of success,
according to a new report by the Pew Research Center. While many of these are
occurring on the digital side, some papers are generating new print
revenue-through circulation gains, niche products and even sales
reorganization.
The report follows a year-long
effort to identify newspaper successes in the search for new business models.
This report analyzes four such dailies whose executives explained, in detail,
the motivation and strategy behind their experiments and shared internal data
about the results with the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in
Journalism.
McGraw-Hill Reports 2012, Q4 Results
McGraw Hill Financial Revenue Increased 22% in the 4th Quarter and 13% for the Full Year
Diluted EPS from Continuing Operations Increased 80% to $0.67 in the 4th Quarter and 19% to $2.37 for the Full Year
Adjusted Diluted EPS from Continuing Operations Increased 56% to $0.72 in the 4th Quarter and 32% to $2.75 for the Full Year, Creating a Baseline for Future Comparisons
The Company reported fourth quarter 2012 revenue of $1,226 million, an increase of 22% compared to the same period last year. Net income and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $190 million and $0.67, respectively. For the full year, revenue increased 13% to $4,450 million and net income and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $676 million and $2.37, respectively.
Folio: People On The Move
People On The Move | 2.13.13: Penton has named Joe Territo as senior vice president of content and user engagement. Territo was most recently executive director of content for Advance Digital.
Flirt Communications has named director of production Kari McGlinnen and creative director Pete burns as partners.
Ad Age has named Michael Learmonth as deputy managing editor. Learmonth was previously a digital editor at for the publication. Rupal Parekh has also been named as deputy editor. Parekh was serving as an associate editor for Ad Age.
Randi Siegel and Chris Peel have been promoted to joint advertising directors of Men’s Health. Siegel was serving as executive fashion director and Peel was formerly an advertising sales manager for the magazine.
Fortune has named Pattie Sellers as senior editor-at-large and executive director of MPW/Live Content for Time Inc. Joining Sellers’ team will be Leigh Gallagher, who will serve as co-chair of MPW along with Stephanie Mehta. And Colleen Leahy, reporter at Fortune will assume a new role as MPW digital program manager and more...
Flirt Communications has named director of production Kari McGlinnen and creative director Pete burns as partners.
Ad Age has named Michael Learmonth as deputy managing editor. Learmonth was previously a digital editor at for the publication. Rupal Parekh has also been named as deputy editor. Parekh was serving as an associate editor for Ad Age.
Randi Siegel and Chris Peel have been promoted to joint advertising directors of Men’s Health. Siegel was serving as executive fashion director and Peel was formerly an advertising sales manager for the magazine.
Fortune has named Pattie Sellers as senior editor-at-large and executive director of MPW/Live Content for Time Inc. Joining Sellers’ team will be Leigh Gallagher, who will serve as co-chair of MPW along with Stephanie Mehta. And Colleen Leahy, reporter at Fortune will assume a new role as MPW digital program manager and more...
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Resolute Forest Reports Q4 and 2012 Results
Resolute Forest Products reports net loss of $2 million in 2012:
Resolute Forest Products reported its Q4 and 2012 results today.
The company reported a net loss of $2 million for 2012, compared to a net income of $41 million in 2011.
The net loss in the 4th quarter was $36 million on sales of $1.1 billion, compared to a net loss of $6 million on sales of $1.1 billion in the 4th quarter of 2011.
“We significantly improved the Company’s competitiveness by optimizing our asset base, reducing costs wherever possible and strengthening our financial position this year,” said Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer. “We added pulp assets, committed to growth projects in lumber, invested in power cogeneration plants and further optimized our paper assets, steps that will position us well for the future. At the same time, we returned $67 million to our shareholders in share buybacks, reduced balance sheet working capital by a further $81 million from the end of 2011 and redeemed an additional $85 million of debt.”
Resolute Forest Products reported its Q4 and 2012 results today.
The company reported a net loss of $2 million for 2012, compared to a net income of $41 million in 2011.
The net loss in the 4th quarter was $36 million on sales of $1.1 billion, compared to a net loss of $6 million on sales of $1.1 billion in the 4th quarter of 2011.
“We significantly improved the Company’s competitiveness by optimizing our asset base, reducing costs wherever possible and strengthening our financial position this year,” said Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer. “We added pulp assets, committed to growth projects in lumber, invested in power cogeneration plants and further optimized our paper assets, steps that will position us well for the future. At the same time, we returned $67 million to our shareholders in share buybacks, reduced balance sheet working capital by a further $81 million from the end of 2011 and redeemed an additional $85 million of debt.”
Paper Industry Begins to Stabilize
Paper Industry Begins to Stabilize:
It’s no secret that the paper industry has suffered through volatility as digital mediums wrest readers from print. The aggregate effects of publishers slashing pages and mills shutting down swung prices wildly over the past several years on yet another front of the battle between digital and print.
The market may be stabilizing though as paper mills adjust and page counts slow their decline.
For Terry Choate, president of Making Magazines, static pricing has been a function of the paper mill industry’s ability to manage their own supply.
“The paper mills have done a better job downsizing recently,” he says. “[They’re at] the point where their capacity is pretty much in line with demand.”
It’s no secret that the paper industry has suffered through volatility as digital mediums wrest readers from print. The aggregate effects of publishers slashing pages and mills shutting down swung prices wildly over the past several years on yet another front of the battle between digital and print.
The market may be stabilizing though as paper mills adjust and page counts slow their decline.
For Terry Choate, president of Making Magazines, static pricing has been a function of the paper mill industry’s ability to manage their own supply.
“The paper mills have done a better job downsizing recently,” he says. “[They’re at] the point where their capacity is pretty much in line with demand.”
Vermont Gas Plans Line for IP's Ticonderoga
While
Vermont Gas Systems Inc. is now actively seeking the necessary permits and
easements it needs to extend its pipeline south into Vergennes and Middlebury
by next year, the company is also starting to lay the groundwork for the second
phase of its expansion plans: Service to International Paper Co. in
Ticonderoga, N.Y., by 2015, a construction project that will affect several
property owners in Cornwall and Shoreham.
Vermont
Gas officials have already met with the Cornwall selectboard for some
preliminary discussions about the 10.5-mile underground pipeline segment that
would extend from Middlebury through Cornwall and Shoreham, then flow under
Lake Champlain to the International Paper Co. mill in Ticonderoga.
Hearst's President: People Still Reading Magazines
http://allthingsd.com/20130212/hearsts-david-carey-on-how-people-are-still-reading-magazines-really/
Despite what you may have read online, the print magazine business is
actually pretty good.
Or so says Hearst Magazines President David Carey.“A lot of magazines get tarred with a lot of the anxiety around the newspaper business,” Carey said, speaking at our D: Dive Into Media conference. “Magazine brands are powerful things.”
Fashion and beauty advertising hit a new record last year, Carey said, and younger women in particular remain avid magazine enthusiasts. (Younger men are still a challenge, Carey agrees.)
NAA Suit Against PRC Proceeds
NAA Files Brief in Suit against the Postal Regulatory Commission: On behalf of its member newspapers, the Newspaper Association of America filed its initial brief today in its lawsuit against the Postal Regulatory Commission regarding that agency’s August 2012 decision to approve a negotiated service agreement between the U.S. Postal Service and Valassis Direct Mail. The lawsuit is being heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Under the NSA, USPS granted Valassis Direct Mail discounts of 20 percent to 34 percent on new mail pieces containing advertising from national retailers of durable and semi-durable goods. Through these discounts, the U.S. Postal Service—a governmental enterprise—has given one company a price incentive to move advertising inserts out of newspapers delivered to consumers’ homes. Advertising inserts comprise a critical revenue stream that supports the original reporting done by local newspapers in service to their communities.
Under the NSA, USPS granted Valassis Direct Mail discounts of 20 percent to 34 percent on new mail pieces containing advertising from national retailers of durable and semi-durable goods. Through these discounts, the U.S. Postal Service—a governmental enterprise—has given one company a price incentive to move advertising inserts out of newspapers delivered to consumers’ homes. Advertising inserts comprise a critical revenue stream that supports the original reporting done by local newspapers in service to their communities.
Easy Sales for Digital Presents Challenge
Digital media sales is a great business to be in at the moment. Interactive advertising revenue in the U.S. regularly goes up by double digits year over year. Advertising is the standard means of monetizing digital content, and all content is becoming digital. It's easy to make money selling digital advertising—but that's actually a really big problem.
The 2012 Interactive Advertising Bureau Interactive Ad IQ Survey demonstrated that industry professionals aren't comfortable articulating the value of digital media platforms. Eighty percent of respondents said understanding the value of online video was important, but nearly 20% weren't comfortable articulating its value in an overall media mix. For search, a classic, 35% of respondents expressed a lack of comfort. If we don't pause for regular training, we won't be able to articulate the value of our ever-evolving and advancing media to marketers; and if we can't communicate value, we can only sell on price.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Hearst/NBCUniversal Launch Esquire Network
Hearst, NBCUniversal Partner to Rebrand G4 as Esquire Network:
NBCUniversal has partnered with Hearst's Esquire to relaunch its G4 cable channel, which previously focused on gadgets and gaming, as a network featuring a broader menu of male-related content. For Hearst, the partnership resembles its branding strategy with the Scripps Networks' HGTV and Food Network, only in reverse.
NBCUniversal has partnered with Hearst's Esquire to relaunch its G4 cable channel, which previously focused on gadgets and gaming, as a network featuring a broader menu of male-related content. For Hearst, the partnership resembles its branding strategy with the Scripps Networks' HGTV and Food Network, only in reverse.
MPA Launches Campaign
Five months into her tenure as head
of the MPA, the Association of Magazine Media, Mary Berner is trying to get
its notoriously competitive members to play ball together.
Berner has spearheaded the creation of a 76-word working
statement that makes the case for magazines. Next week, she'll kick off a road
show with publishing companies and ad buyers to present it. First up are
Hearst, Meredith and Bonnier.
Digital 2.4% of Magazine Circulation
Magazine
circulation remained roughly flat in the second half of 2012 as digital
editions grew again but remained a small contributor to the whole, according to
new figures from the industry's chief arbiter of circulation.
Paid digital editions in the second half increased approximately 147% from the second half of 2011, according to the latest twice-yearly report from the Alliance for Audited Media. That means digital now comprises about 2.4% of the industry's total circulation. A year earlier, digital was under 1%.
Paid digital editions in the second half increased approximately 147% from the second half of 2011, according to the latest twice-yearly report from the Alliance for Audited Media. That means digital now comprises about 2.4% of the industry's total circulation. A year earlier, digital was under 1%.
NYT Style Magazine Debuts
Deborah Needleman’s first issue of T: The New York Times Style
Magazine will make its debut Feb. 17.
The magazine will look very different from Singer’s T. It has a larger trim size, heavier paper stock, as well as a redesign aesthetic that ditched the Gothic typeface of the old magazine and replaced it with a custom design by creative director Patrick Li.
The magazine will look very different from Singer’s T. It has a larger trim size, heavier paper stock, as well as a redesign aesthetic that ditched the Gothic typeface of the old magazine and replaced it with a custom design by creative director Patrick Li.
Macmillan Settles eBook Suit
Macmillan, the last publisher left in a U.S.
lawsuit alleging an e-books price-fixing conspiracy with Apple Inc.,
reached a settlement with the U.S., agreeing to void deals with retailers that
restrict discounting.
The settlement also requires Macmillan to
avoid entering any new restrictive agreements on price or promotions until
December 2014. Macmillan, a unit of Stuttgart, Germany-based Verlagsgruppe
Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH, also agreed to a compliance program that includes
reporting to the government communications with other publishers.
Direct Mail: A Positive for USPS
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe
added that direct mail had a strong surge last fall and gave the marketing
channel a promotional boost, saying, “Direct mail is the best return on
advertising investment there is.”
USPS Admits FSS Is Losing Money
USPS Admits FSS Is Losing Money: On the same day it very publicly announced the planned cessation of most Saturday delivery, USPS released data confirming what Dead Tree Edition speculated about two weeks ago. ( See So Far, FSS Is A Step Backward, USPS Data Indicate. ) The data show that two of the three major types of mail processed on FSS machines—Standard (non-carrier-route) Flats and Periodicals—had experienced larger increases in processing costs the past two years than they had gained in delivery savings.
The Print Buyer's World
A Peek into the Print Buyer’s World for 2013:
In December I created and distributed a 20-question survey about the state of print buying today. My goal was to get a sense of how print buyers are facing 2013, whether print volumes were up or down, how large or small their buying staffs were, and the most preferred ways by which they chose new print service providers.
Highlights:
About 62% of these buyers had over 15 years of experience in the field
53% manage $1 million and up in print spend each year
The #1 most popular value-added service a printer can offer is mailing and fulfillment
Nearly 64% buy more offset than digital printing
When sourcing digital print for the first time, most buyers give preference to printers with whom they’re already working
In December I created and distributed a 20-question survey about the state of print buying today. My goal was to get a sense of how print buyers are facing 2013, whether print volumes were up or down, how large or small their buying staffs were, and the most preferred ways by which they chose new print service providers.
Highlights:
About 62% of these buyers had over 15 years of experience in the field
53% manage $1 million and up in print spend each year
The #1 most popular value-added service a printer can offer is mailing and fulfillment
Nearly 64% buy more offset than digital printing
When sourcing digital print for the first time, most buyers give preference to printers with whom they’re already working
Friday, February 8, 2013
PaperAge Names Domtar CEO "Papermaker of the Year"
Domtar's John Williams Earns Paper Industry Executive Honor: PaperAge announced that John D. Williams, President and CEO of Domtar, is the recipient of its 26th annual "Executive Papermaker of the Year" award. An exclusive interview with Mr. Williams will be published in the March/April 2013 issue of PaperAge.
PaperAge selects its Executive Papermaker of the Year based on corporate vision, strategic objectives and strong leadership both within the individual's company and in the paper industry as a whole. The award has been an industry tradition since 1988.
Under Williams' leadership, Domtar has made strategic adjustments to its uncoated freesheet paper business and in the manufacture of hardwood, softwood and fluff pulp. In the first quarter of 2012, Williams struck a 15-year paper supply deal with Appleton whereby Domtar will supply Appleton with most of the uncoated base paper the company needs to produce its thermal, carbonless, and other specialty paper products.
PaperAge selects its Executive Papermaker of the Year based on corporate vision, strategic objectives and strong leadership both within the individual's company and in the paper industry as a whole. The award has been an industry tradition since 1988.
Under Williams' leadership, Domtar has made strategic adjustments to its uncoated freesheet paper business and in the manufacture of hardwood, softwood and fluff pulp. In the first quarter of 2012, Williams struck a 15-year paper supply deal with Appleton whereby Domtar will supply Appleton with most of the uncoated base paper the company needs to produce its thermal, carbonless, and other specialty paper products.
Holmen Invests in Hallsta Magazine Paper Mill
Holmen Invests in Hallsta Paper Mill:
Holmen Paper is investing SEK 200 million in restructuring the energy supply at Hallsta Paper Mill. This is the single largest investment in the mill since the PM 11 paper machine was built in 2002.
The planned measures strengthen the mill's competitiveness and form part of the transition to a two-machine mill.
FPAC Launches Recruitment Drive, Add 60,000 by 2020
The Forest Products Association
of Canada (FPAC), with support from the Government of Canada, is today
launching TheGreenestWorkforce.ca, a resource tool that provides information on
the dynamic direction of the industry and career opportunities on offer right
across the country.
The industry is also launching a
competition to give eight promising students across Canada a paid Green Dream
Internship that includes a four month paid summer placement at a forest
products company, an iPad Mini and a chance to win $5000.
Under Vision2020, FPAC has a set
the goal of recruiting at least 60,000 or more workers by 2020 to meet the
growing demand for such professions as millwrights, electricians, engineers,
sales staff, truck drivers, foresters, chemists and many more.
Caribou Conservation May Cost Forest Industry
Caribou conservation efforts for
the Abitibi River Forest will cost local forestry companies more than $100
million in reduced annual gross sales.
That is collectively a quarter
in lost profits for the seven mills and six independent operators that have
harvesting rights on the Abitibi River Forest.Local communities are similarly expected to be impacted by immediate reductions of 20 to 25% in harvest areas, according to the 10-year Abitibi River Forest management plan which comes into effect April 1.
By 2030, Biomass Demand Will Triple
Driven
by aggressive biofuel mandates, rapid growth will cause great strain on biomass
by 2030, according to Lux Research. Using today's technologies, an area the
size of Russia would need to be cultivated to replace all of petroleum use for
chemicals and fuels - feedstock innovation will be needed to keep growing
biomass's market share.
USPS Q1 $3.1 Billion Loss, Advertising Mail Revenue Up 3.1%
Holiday shipping and the 2012
election helped the Postal Service stems its losses, but the agency’s
financial woes continued in the first quarter, which ended Dec 31.
The Postal Service posted a $1.3
billion loss in the first quarter, compared with a $3.1 billion loss over the
same period last year. The agency said the first quarter has traditionally been
one of its strongest periods. Total mail volume continued to decline, however. Mail volume was 43.5 billion pieces for the quarter, down from 43.6 billion in earlier year, according to agency officials.
Revenue from first-class mail, which provides the bulk of the revenue for the Postal Service, declined $237 million, or 3.1 percent, from the same period last year, with a decrease in volume of 834 million pieces, or 4.5 percent. Revenue from advertising mail increased $141 million, or 3.1 percent, in the first quarter compared with the same period last year on a volume increase of 783 million pieces, or 3.6 percent.
Cataloguer Soft Surroundings Grows 30%, Adds Stores
After starting as a catalog
company in 1998, Soft Surroundings has grown rapidly, with sales surging about
30 percent last year to about $150 million, according to the company.
Last year, it doubled its number
of stores to 10 nationwide. It also launched Retreat, a French-inspired
furniture line with its own catalog, last month.In August, private equity firm Brentwood Associates took a majority interest — 55 percent — in the company in a $150 million deal. With the help of the new partner’s resources and expertise, Soft Surroundings is looking to grow its retail footprint. Four or five stores are slated to open this year, and many more may be on the horizon.
Bonnier Shutters Garden Design
Dave Freygang hasn't wasted time in taking a hard
look at Bonnier Corp.'s financials since becoming its new CEO last month.
On Thursday, one of his first
appointees, David Ritchie, notified the staff of Garden Design that the
magazine would be folded after the April issue. The announcement was made by
Ritchie, the newly appointed chief content officer at the company.
States Consider Tax on Ads
New taxes on advertising haven't yet been proposed in
Congress, but that hasn't stopped financially strapped states from considering
them. Governors John Kasich (R-Ohio) and Mark Dayton (D-Minn.) have both
proposed new taxes on advertising and other business services as part of their
2014 budgets.
In both cases, the proposals call for reducing the sales tax, but increasing taxes on services.
In both cases, the proposals call for reducing the sales tax, but increasing taxes on services.
Mindful Magazine Hits Newsstands
Mindful magazine is a bimonthly
lifestyle publication that focuses on integrating mindfulness into everyday
concerns like personal health, food and eating, the arts and culture, and even
business and technology. Published by the Foundation for a Mindful Society, a
non-profit organization that runs the Mindful.org website, the magazine is available at
stores like Whole Foods, Barnes & Noble, Giant, and Wegmans.
MPA Head Launches Magazine Campaign
Five months into her tenure as head of the MPA, the Association of Magazine
Media, Mary Berner is trying to get its notoriously competitive members to play
ball together.
Berner has spearheaded the
creation of a 76-word working statement that makes the case for magazines. Next
week, she'll kick off a road show with publishing companies and ad buyers to
present it. First up are Hearst, Meredith and Bonnier.
Interesting Data Points for Digital Publishers
I recently spoke at the CMO
Institute conference hosted by the International Performance Management
Institute in Las Vegas.
In the course of the meetings I
heard some interesting statistics... This got me thinking…what other interesting data points are out there for digital publishers? I found these:
12 percent of
the top 200 grossing apps on the iPad are publications. See more data
points like this here.
Readership of
magazines and newspapers on tablets has doubled in the past year.The second highest app category (to games) on the top grossing iPad chart was publications. Time, Conde Nast and Hearst were the top three.
NYT Revenue Up 5.2% in Q4
The New York Times Co. announced that total
revenues increased 5.2% from $547 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 to
almost $576 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, reflecting increased
circulation revenues from digital subscriptions at its flagship newspaper.
Total circ revenues jumped 16% in the fourth
quarter, from $222 million to $258 million. Advertising revenues fell 3.1% from
$289 million to $280 million.Digital subscriptions, introduced for the first time in March 2011, also helped lift results for 2012.Total revenues for the year increased 1.9% from $1.95 billion in 2011 to $1.99 billion in 2012, powered by a 10.4% increase in circulation revenues, from $863 million to $953 million.
Full-year advertising revenues slumped 5.9% from $954 million to $898 million
USPS Transition to Digital Agency
USPS Vice President of Digital Solutions Paul Vogel told customers at a recent meeting that the federal agency is considering how best to transition from the existing hybrid environment of physical and digital into a more digital role in the future. The Postal Service defines "digital solutions" as "products or services that enhance physical USPS offerings with digital capabilities," such as the USPS' recent Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) offering, or those initiatives that "present fully digital alternatives to physical products and services."
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