Paper Recycling Rate in Europe Reaches 71.7%

http://www.paperage.com/2013news/08_29_2013europe_paper_recycling_rate_2012.html

Today the European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) announced an impressive 71.7% paper recycling rate for Europe. In their annual monitoring report the ERPC revealed that current paper consumption in Europe has dropped by 13% to the level of 1998, but the recycled amount of paper is 1.5 times higher than in 1998 — a remarkable achievement.
Since 2000 the ERPC has worked consistently on improving the quantity and quality of paper available for recycling. The ERPC monitoring report releases extra insights into the wider context of paper recycling revealing that Europe is the global champion in this field.
Furthermore, the ERPC reports that in Europe paper fibre is recycled an astounding 3.5 times a year; world-wide the average is 2.4 times.

Industry Leaders Address World Demand

http://www.paperage.com/2013news/08_29_2013pwc_forest_paper_conference_review.html

The 25th annual PwC Global Forest & Paper Industry Conference, with the theme of "Delivering value, innovation and growth in a volatile world" brought together 400 CEOs, senior executives, customers, suppliers, financial analysts, government representatives and other stakeholders in Vancouver, Canada on 10 May 2012. Through a series of interconnected presentations and discussions, conference speakers and panellists looked at the macro and micro influences affecting the forest and paper industry, providing insight on everything from geopolitical forces present in the world today, to discussions on sustainability practices and the influence of digitization on paper production.
PwC released an eight-page review of of its conference titled, "Growing the future: Global strategies for sustainable success in the forest, paper and packaging industry." The review begins by stating: "Competition is increasing for the world's limited landbase. As the population grows from seven billion people today to an estimated nine billion by 2050, so to does the demand for what's know as the "4Fs" — food, fuel, fibre, forests.

Gap Already Using Facebook GIFs

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/gap-and-other-brands-are-already-using-facebook-gifs-152107

Tech firm Giphy this morning tweeted that it had launched a Facebook GIFs product, and the digerati immediately buzzed with interest. Within a couple of hours, The Gap posted one of the first branded GIFs on the hugely popular social media platform and a handful of other brands are readying theirs for release shortly, according to sources.

Gap's GIF highlights its Tumblr-based "What's Blue to You" contest while utilizing Facebook's months-old hashtag feature with "#Backtoblue" copy. And a Giphy rep said via email that the social startup is "actively developing partnerships with brands and publishers."

Condé & Project Décor Relaunch Domino

http://ipdahome.org/newsstand/?cat=296

Condé Nast’s Domino, limited to twice-annual newsstand specials since 2009, is being revived this fall as both a quarterly print magazine and an e-commerce site, WWD sources report. Taking the lead on the relaunch are the founders of the e-commerce design site Project Décor, which include one of the co-founders of the food delivery app Seamless Web. Condé is believed to be holding on to the brand’s intellectual rights and to have an ownership stake, though it’s not clear what the ownership structure looks like. Project Décor, a quasi-shoppable Pinterest that allows users to design rooms and also shop for furnishings, was founded in 2012 by three well-known entrepreneurs and angel investors. Their plan, according to sources, is to redesign Décor under the Domino umbrella, while continuing as a social media and shoppable digital catalog. The new venture would not be in the business of holding merchandise or processing transactions. Efforts to jump-start Domino (which was originally launched in 2005, as a sort of combination magazine/catalog) shifted into high gear in the last couple of months and are set to continue in coming weeks as the new venture is shopped around to advertisers and vendors, writes WWD. No confirmation from Condé or Project Décor.

WWD

MPA Asks for Help in Fighting Postal Rate Hike

http://ipdahome.org/newsstand/?cat=296

MPA reports that, in partnership with the Affordable Mail Alliance, it is “executing a highly focused and aggressive national and grass roots campaign” to try to convince the USPS Board of Governors that a decision to approve an exigent rate increase (which could cost magazines $300M annually) would be “counterproductive for consumers, commercial mailers and the Postal Service itself.” MPA’s summary includes links to the AMA’s full letter to the BOG, and its press release on the issue. MPA has also posted a call for assistance from publishers in the fight, asking them to push the AMA’s messages out via their social media accounts and internal communications, and to tweet/retweet MPA’s tweets on the issue (@mapmagmedia). 

MPA (summary)

MPA (how publishers can help)

Port Hawkesbury Weighs Options for Newsprint PM

http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2013-08-27/article-3365873/Port-Hawkesbury-Paper-mulls-business-case-for-newsprint-machine/1

The owner of Port Hawkesbury Paper says mill management intends to make one last effort to find a business case that would call for the operation of the mill's newsprint machine.

But Ron Stern said it's more likely that the machine will be sold off in the next few months.

Since taking over control of the mill last year, Port Hawkesbury Paper has only operated the newer of its two paper machines, PM2, which produces supercalendered paper for the magazine and catalogue market. The mill's newsprint machine, PM1, has remained idle. By only operating one of the two machines, the company cut its workforce by about half, and now employs about 300 people.

Twin Rivers Names President

http://www.twinriverspaper.com/

Twin Rivers Paper Company is pleased to announce and introduce Mr. Kenneth Winterhalter as President of the Corporation effective August 26, 2013.

As President, Ken will be instrumental in setting the strategic direction of the company. Along with the board of directors and executive leadership team Ken's attention will be to build a growing, profitable business and create long-term value. He will be responsible for Sales, Marketing, Pricing, Distribution, Business and Product Development, Commercial Strategy and Customer Service.

Ken joins us with an extensive professional background in both private equity and public sectors. His experience includes 20 plus years in Senior Management, Manufacturing and Distribution.

Prior to joining Twin Rivers, Ken held leadership roles of CEO, President, Vice President Sales & Marketing, and Senior Vice President Strategic Development. His most recent positions as CEO/President for National Envelope and President for Unisource Worldwide demonstrated his strategic direction, team building effectiveness and sales management.

Japan: Papermakers See Potential in Biomass Industry

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/AJ201308270079

Paper manufacturers in Japan facing a lack of demand for their product are hoping to energize profits by plugging into the biomass power generation industry.

Motivated by a government feed-in-tariff system for clean energy, companies are also hoping to promote more effective use of wasted wood chips from forest thinning through their new business.

Between last fall and this summer, Japan's largest paper maker, Oji Holdings Corp., decided to install biomass power generating equipment in its three plants in Shizuoka, Miyazaki and Hokkaido prefectures.

How Catalogs Drive Your Business

http://www.retailonlineintegration.com/article/how-catalogs-drive-your-business/1

The printed catalog is the main driver of traffic to the web. However, with all of the other touchpoints available to consumers today, how do we really know the impact of catalog mailings on web sales? And why do we give so much credit to the print catalog? There are a few reasons why, and they include the following:
The process of matching back order files to mail tapes gives companies the strongest sense of how catalogs drive web business. 
When looking at your order curves, you'll see that online sales spike every time a catalog hits in-home
Contact strategy testing: Try testing holdout panels in mail vs. no mail split tests. The mailed segments always perform better.
A reduction in catalog circulation always results in a reduction of sales from the web.

Hearst Names Western European Director

http://ipdahome.org/newsstand/?cat=296

Hearst Magazines International has appointed Arnaud de Puyfontaine managing director for Western Europe. Puyfontaine, 49, has been CEO of Hearst Magazines U.K. since 2009 and EVP of Hearst Magazines International since 2011. He will now oversee the activities of Hearst Magazines in Spain, Italy, Holland, Germany and France. He will continue to report to Duncan Edwards, president and CEO of HMI. HMI is building a presence in the region, launching a German edition of Harper’s Bazaar in September and a French edition in 2014.

REMAG Incentives Program Expands

http://ipdahome.org/newsstand/?cat=296

REMAG, a program in which consumers recycle magazines, newspapers or catalogs in in-store kiosks, has been implemented in SuperMax supermarkets in Puerto Rico. For each recycled periodical, consumers get up to five instant coupons good for discounts off magazines of their choice (across 15 categories). They can also designate a nonprofit or charity to receive a monetary reward for each coupon. The program has support from leading consumer products companies (General Mills, P&G, Kraft, Pepsi, among others) and environmental organizations.   

Next Steps Marketing

Business Worries About USPS Rate Jump

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/1007-other/319075-postal-services-big-customers-dreading-a-rate-hike

Private-sector groups are growing increasingly worried that the Postal Service's board is going to consider a broad rate increase next month, a move they say would amount to an attack on some of the agency’s best customers. Industries that heavily use the mail, like magazines, catalog marketers and banks, say that a sharp hike in the postage rate would drag down their bottom line.

 Mailers also insist that, while they understand the USPS's board of governors has to look for ways to firm up a dire financial situation, approving a rate increase would be counterproductive for the agency, and little more than a temporary substitute for the long-term changes the service desperately needs. 
A postal rate increase of as much as 10 percent could produce a short-term revenue burst for the struggling service, mailers say, but could be a long-term loser once companies rely less on the mail.

Access Intelligence Sells Health Group Brands to UCG

http://www.foliomag.com/2013/access-intelligence-sells-health-group-brands-ucg#.Uh5YQbyYyKw

Access Intelligence has sold its Dorland Health and Contexo Media brands to Gaithersburg, Maryland-based UCG, a portfolio company with brands in the healthcare, financial services and telecom markets, among others.
Terms of the deal, done on behalf of UCG's DecisionHealth LLC, were not released.
Access Intelligence, parent company of FOLIO:, produces multiplatform content for several markets including media, energy and aviation/aerospace. Healthcare is a fourth grouping, but, as evidenced by the sale, is not considered as core to the company's strategic focus.
Contexo Media provides books, software and e-learning products for medical practices in the areas of reimbursement, coding and compliance. And Dorland Health publishes the monthly Case in Point as well as a group of newsletters.

Digital Growth Ignites Innovation

http://whattheythink.com/articles/65012-digital-growth-ignites-innovation/

Stakeholders in the sign and display market can look back on the past 18 months and note solid growth attributed to the steady and measured ascent of digital printing. Globally, we witnessed the continued adoption and embrace of digital as innovative new technologies helped print providers convert analog pages to generate new business and increase opportunities with existing clients.
Industry reports noted that high-end digital printing equipment sales reached record levels in the past year. As screen and offset technologies decline, analog manufacturers are increasingly focused on reducing costs for short runs. Meanwhile, digital UV and latex technologies are quickly gaining ground and reaching new levels of productivity and quality.
The financial climate has also pushed print providers to reduce costs and improve efficiency, while simultaneously finding new revenue with higher-value added services. 

Out-of-Home Continues to Grow

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/207796/out-of-home-continues-revenue-upswing.html#axzz2dChgh1yd

Out-of-home advertising revenues increased 5% from around $2.1 billion in the second quarter of 2012 to just under $2.2 billion in the second quarter of 2013, according to the latest figures from the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.
This marks the 13th straight quarter of growth for out-of-home, which has posted steady year-over-year increases since the second quarter of 2010. 

EURO-GRAPH Reports P&W Jully Ships

http://www.euro-graph.org/publicms/index/view/

EURO-GRAPH has reported European coated mechanical paper shipments in July fell -5.7% as compared to the same month last year. Demand declined -7.2%. Exports rose +1.3%. Coated woodfree shipments were down -5.7%, demand fell -3.8% and exports decreased -14.8%. Supercalendered paper shipments fell -0.6%, but demand went up +0.5%. Exports declined -4.8%. Uncoated woodfeee shipments for the month decreased -3.2%, demand was down -4.3%, but exports rose +6%.