Marubeni in Talks to Build One of World's Largest Pulp Mills

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/05/marubenicorp-nikkei-idUSL4E8K58KN20120905

Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp is in talks with Angara Paper to build one of the world's largest paper pulp plants in Russia, the Nikkei reported.

The plant is valued at about 280 billion yen ($3.58 billion), the business daily reported.

If the negotiations are successful, Marubeni will design, build and procure equipment for the plant in the central Russian region of Krasnoyarsk, the paper said.

The plant's annual capacity is estimated to be 1.2 million tons and will be fully functional in late 2017, the Nikkei said.

UPM Warns EU of Consequences

UPM will move 300,000 tonnes of paper production from Finland to central Europe if the European Union (EU) passes the proposed changes to the directive on marine fuel sulfur content in their current form, the firm's CEO Jussi Pesonen told the Finnish newspaper Maaseudun Tulevaisuus.

In May, EU authorities agreed to amend the sulfur directive, which limits the sulfur content of marine fuels. Under the amended rules, the limit will fall from 1.0% to 0.1% in the North Sea, the English Channel and the Baltic as of 2015. A sulfur limit of 0.5% will be mandatory in other EU waters by 2020.

IP in Talks to Buy West Coast Paper, India

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-09-06/news/33650134_1_west-coast-paper-international-paper-indian-paper

Having whetted its appetite, the US-based International Paper, which last year acquired Andhra Paper Mills for about $425 million (about 1,900 crore then), is now in talks to buy the SK Bangur-controlled West Coast Paper for a deal likely to be valued between 800 crore and 1,200 crore.

An initial round of negotiations between the Memphis-based International Paper and West Coast Paper was held recently where valuations and future expansion plans for the plant located in Dandelli, Karnataka, were discussed.

Ilim Group Investing $580 Million

http://www.paperage.com/2012news/09_07_2012ilim_group_investment.html

Ilim Group is investing this year more than $580 million to complete modernizing and expanding their mills. This was announced by Ilim Group CEO Paul Herbert at the media briefing held at the APEC CEO Summit in Vladivostok.

Canada Invests $1.2 Million in Bioproducts Sector

Canada funds $1.2 million to develop wheat and flax opportunities in Manitoba including Prairie Pulp & Paper straw paper: Farmers and the Canadian bioproducts sector are getting a boost from the Harper Government. Member of Parliament Joyce Bateman (Winnipeg South Centre), on behalf Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, announced support of over $1.2 million for two innovative initiatives that will create new opportunities for Manitoba wheat and flax growers.

Finnish Forest Industry H1 2012

Forest industry in January-June 2012: Difficult market conditions led to weaker forest industry ...: 
Forest industry production volumes decreased or remained unchanged in a challenging operating environment during the first half of 2012. The industry's cost-competitiveness must be safeguarded in difficult economic times.
Finland produced 5.2 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in January-June 2012. Production volumes were down 10% from the previous year. Consumption of graphic paper grades remained low in the main market area of Europe because of the eurozone crisis, and this had an impact on Finnish production volumes. Paper export volumes decreased 12% in January-May, while paperboard exports were down 8.5%. Paper and paperboard prices remained stable in comparison to the corresponding period of 2011.

Power of Print Ads in China

http://www.pubexec.com/article/first-magazine-ad-effectiveness-data-show-power-print-china/?params=print#

First-ever data from GfK StarchMetrix and Sinomonitor measuring consumer recall of magazine advertisements in China reveal that ads in the cameras/photography, telephone equipment and face makeup categories generate the highest consumer readership scores.
The new syndicated print ad measurement data were gathered from online panels of approximately 10,000 consumers in June and July of 2012 by GfK StarchMetrix, a global leader in gauging print advertising effectiveness, in partnership with Sinomonitor, a leading consumer and media research company in China. The study, conducted in seven cities, encompassed 1,249 print ads across 42 magazine titles.

"The Economist" Formula for Success

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/garrett-goodman/the-economist-events_b_1796892.html?view=print&comm_ref=false

In a time of acute financial struggle for most media houses, weekly newspaper The Economist announced record profits and record circulation for last year. In the group's 2012 annual report, editorial events was cited by numerous managing directors as an important part of the publication's strategy.

This is a closer look at The Economist Group's event strategy: how it fosters audience engagement, generates millions in revenue, and attracts new readers.

Mobile Ad Revenue 2012 Forecast: $2.6 Billion

EMarketer projects mobile ad revenue will hit $2.6 billion this year: U.S. mobile advertising revenue will reach $2.6 billion this year, up 74% over last year, according to eMarketer. By 2014, U.S. mobile ad revenue will top $6.6 billion, the research firm forecast.

Transcontinental Reports Q3 Results

Transcontinental Increases Revenues by 8%: Transcontinental's Inc. revenues grew 8% in the third quarter, from $479.4 million to $517.0 million. This growth was driven primarily by the acquisition of  Quad/Graphics Canada, Inc. and Redux Media, among others, the volume generated from new printing contracts and the launches of new community newspapers in Quebec.

Court Affidavit Reviews Port Hawkesbury Prep Cost

http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2012-09-04/article-3067445/Court-told-of-prep-work-required-for-NewPage-mill/1

Court affidavit reviews ‘crucial’ prep work required to reopen Port Hawkesbury paper mill in Nova Scotia [From the web]:

Repairs will be required to some machinery at the NewPage Port Hawkesbury mill prior to it resuming operations under a new owner, and the timing of the work is considered crucial to restarting the mill.

An affidavit filed with the Nova Scotia Supreme Court by chief restructuring officer Peter Wedlake outlines the measures that will be required to put the mill, which Pacific West Commercial Corp. is currently working to buy, back into a state where it will be able to produce paper. Wedlake said there is a need to take immediate action beyond what has taken place during the almost year-long hot idle of the mill.

The total cost of the materials and work required, including labour, is listed as almost $2 million.

UPM Announces Coated Price Increase

UPM has announced an increase of $3.00 cwt on coated mechanical paper prices, effective with deliveries on or after October 1, 2012. The following grades, in all basis weights and finishes, are included: UPM Cote, UPM Satin, UPM Ultra and UPM Star.

German Paper Industry: Strain on LWC Producers

http://www.euwid-paper.com/news/singlenews/archive/2012/september/Artikel/strong-competition-and-declining-demand-on-the-german-market-put-a-strain-on-lwc-producers.html

The paper industry is suffering more than expected from the declining demand for LWC. Printing and publishing companies have recently reported that their order intake is weak or have even complained of declining volumes – even though order books of paper factories are growing again.

The majority of EUWID contacts in the LWC market are not satisfied with the way the year has developed or their annual figures – even a strong finish would no longer be enough to save 2012, many said.

Time Names President of News & Sports Group

Time Inc. Names Todd Larsen EVP and Group President of News and Sports Group:
Time Inc. CEO Laura Lang is filling in her yet to be publicly outlined digital strategy with the hire of Todd Larsen (pictured) as the new executive vice president and group president of Time Inc.’s News and Sports groups. In announcing his appointment, the company is emphasizing his background in building paid content models. 

ABM Forecast: 2013 Postal Rates Will Rise

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20120906/MEDIABUSINESS10/309069994/abm-forecasts-postal-rates-will-rise-3-5-in-2013

American Business Media is projecting that commercial mailers and marketers could face a 3.5% increase in postal rates next year.

The U.S. Postal Service is allowed by law to boost postal rates based on cost of living increases as measured by the Consumer Price Index, currently 2.5% to 3.0%. It also can base rates on any unused CPI amounts it has “banked,” which currently is about 0.5% for various postal products.

Legislation being considered by Congress, and urged by the ABM, would delay any rate increases for periodicals for at least two years.

Globally, Newspapers are Growing

http://themediaonline.co.za/2012/09/world-press-trends-newspaper-audience-rise-digital-revenues-yet-to-follow/

Report from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) said in its annual update of World Press Trends:

- More than 2.5 billion people read newspapers in print at least once a week and 600 million read newspapers online. Of those online readers, 500 million read both print and online and 100 million access newspapers in their digital version only.
- Newspaper paid-for circulation increased by 1.1% globally in 2011 compared with 2010, to 512 million.
- The global newspaper audience has grown by 4.2% since 2007.

Hearst Names "Marie Claire" Editor

http://www.adweek.com/print/143333

Just a few hours after news broke of Marie Claire editor Joanna Coles' move to Cosmopolitan [1], Hearst Magazines quashed budding rumors of who will inherit Coles' throne by announcing her successor: Brides editor in chief Anne Fulenwider.

Open Sky Media Expanding in Regional Magazines

The Growth of a Regional Magazine Company: Open Sky Media: After the acquisition of San Antonio, Austin Monthly and Austin Monthly Home, Hadley Capital, a private equity firm specializing in acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, recapitalizations and add-on acquisitions, among other things, founded Open Sky Media in March 2011...Open Sky Media (OSM) is hoping to reach its goal of having 10 to 12 regional titles in its portfolio in the next few years.

Printing Industry: Declining at Slower Pace

U.S. Printing Industry to Continue to Decline at Slower Pace Says IBISWorld Report: The U.S. printing industry has contended with a variety of challenges over the past five years.  The U.S. printing industry has contended with a variety of challenges over the past five years. Consumers are increasingly favoring digital alternatives, such as online media, over printed materials.

Content Marketing Increasing

Content Marketing World: Budgets rise, social media dominates: Marketer commitment to content marketing is on the rise, with greater portions of marketing budgets being devoted to content creation and distribution, according to a new study from the Content Marketing Institute.
Marketers are devoting 31% of their budgets to content marketing, according to CMI's report, which was based on an online survey of 2,400 marketers in August. That is up from 26% reported in last year's study.