UPM Making Additional Cutbacks

Finland's UPM to make more cutbacks as sales weaken:

UPM has concluded co-determination negotiations and decided to restructure its sawn timber and further processing operations in Finland and renews its business strategy. UPM has made a contract to sell its Kajaani sawmill to Pölkky Oy. Pölkky will continue sawn timber operations in Kajaani and all UPM sawmill personnel in Kajaani will continue working for Pölkky as permanent employees. UPM's Aureskoski and Heinola further processing mills will be closed down by the end of 2012. 

Separately, UPM reported redeeming the Myllykoski power plant from Vamy Oy in accordance with a previous commitment. The redemption is included in the reserves made in connection of the Myllykoski paper mill restructuring plans.

First Nation Lawsuit Against NS

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/health/first-nation-to-proceed-with-lawsuit-against-nova-scotia-government-160607975.html

A First Nation in Nova Scotia is moving forward with a lawsuit against the provincial government and Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corp.

The Pictou Landing First Nation launched the lawsuit in 2010 demanding the province clean up nearby Boat Harbour and build a new treatment plant for effluent from a pulp mill now run by Northern Pulp.

Verso Program to Add Certified Forest

Verso Paper Corp. Announces Grant Program to Increase Certified Forest Acreage near Its Paper Mills: (USA)Verso Paper Corp. (NYSE:VRS) today launched the Verso Forest Certification Grant Program, an initiative aimed at increasing certified fiber and certified acreage on lands near the company's four paper mills. The program will provide start-up funding to encourage and assist landowners, consulting foresters and other stakeholders in developing innovative new projects that will help expand and maintain certification in Verso’s wood procurement zones.

Domtar Unveils 2020 Sustainability Plan

Domtar Unveils 2020 Sustainability Indicator Framework: Domtar Corporation today released its 2011 Sustainable Growth Report, unveiling 35 key performance indicators that will shape the company's sustainability efforts out to 2020. This sustainability framework builds on years of industry leadership in forestry certification, mill-level environmental performance and longstanding ENGO collaborations.
This year also marks the first time Domtar is issuing a level-checked "B" Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) report, as well as the first

Ontario Supports CBFA’s Boreal Plan

Ontario supports CBFA’s boreal woodland caribou action plan:
The province of Ontario has announced its support for the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA)’s  action plan to secure the future of the 3 million hectares of caribou range in the Abitibi River Forest to conserve Boreal woodland caribou and maintain hundreds of jobs in forestry.
The proposed approach and recommendations are intended to produce over 800,000 hectares of critical habitat for Boreal woodland caribou that would be excluded from harvest.  The remaining 2.2 million hectares would remain open to forestry, with high standards of sustainable forest practices in place to safeguard wildlife and ecosystems.

Québec First Nations Continues Blockade

Some 36 hours after the start of their logging activities blockade on their ancestral territory, the Atikamekw Nation finally received a call from Québec Natives Affair's Minister. "We spoke to Natives Affair's Minister Geoff Kelley, but he had nothing to present us", said Wemotaci Chief, David Boivin. Consequently, the Atikamekw leaders decided to maintain their blocking of logging activities and logging transportation in Haute Mauricie region.

NewPoint Buys Assets from Network Communications

NewPoint Acquires Publication, Printing Assets from Network Communications: NewPoint Media Group has completed the purchase of business assets from Network Communications Inc. (NCI), including all the latter’s print and digital publishing titles and trademarks of long-standing real estate brands, along with NCI’s publication printing division and facilities.
The brands acquired include The Real Estate Book, Mature Living Choices, Senior Living Choices, New Home Finder, New Homes & Ideas, and New Homes Journal. NCI retains the assets associated with Apartment Finder, Unique Homes, ByDesign Publishing, along with home design titles and Digital Sherpa division.

Meredith Offers Titles on Goggle Play

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/27/v-print/4594049/meredith-joins-google-play-to.html

Meredith Corporation today announced that it is offering digital editions of its most popular magazines, including such well-known titles as Family Circle, EveryDay with Rachael Ray, Ladies' Home Journal, Midwest Living and MORE, as magazines on Google Play.

Google Play Adds Magazines

Google Play Adds Magazines, Shares Data: In a sign of the escalating turf war between it and Apple, Google made several key announcements this week at its I/O event—including the introduction of a new tablet, and the addition of magazines on Google Play.

Q1 Global Advertising Up

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/177804/global-spend-sees-31-uptick.html

Global advertising spending was up 3.1% in the first quarter of 2012 -- lower than the gains in the first quarter of a year ago. Worldwide advertising revenues were at $128 million for the quarter. A year ago, ad revenue was up 4.5% versus the same period in 2010. North America gains slightly underperformed worldwide results overall, up 2.1%.

Media Mergers Up Q1 2012

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/177842/media-deals-climb-52-in-q1-2012-hit-32-bil.html

Media deals quickened in the first half of 2012 -- with many mergers and acquisitions coming among smaller companies. Media investment banker The Jordan, Edmiston Group, says the number of announced deals climbed 52% over 2011 levels, with 95% of the transactions valued at less than $100 million. Overall, announced transaction value climbed about the same amount, 49%, to nearly $32 billion.

News Corp. to Split Company

News Corp. agrees to split company: News Corp. announced today that its board has approved splitting the company in two. One unit will consist of its newspaper and book publishing business; the other, its entertainment operations.
Since 2008, publishing profit has declined 32%.

USPS: Looses $2.1 billion in May

USPS posts $2.1 billion loss for May: Washington, D.C.—Despite steadying mail volume and revenue, the U.S. Postal Service reported a net loss of $2.1 million for the month of May, the eighth month of its fiscal year. The Postal Service has lost $10.1 billion year-to-date.

Carton Packs "Greener" than Bottles

Bottles use 50% more finite resources than carton packs:
Packaging systems specialists SIG Combibloc commissioned the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IFEU) to carry out the life-cycle assessment of 1,000ml carton packs and HDPE and PET bottles...
The study, run across 27 EU countries, revealed that, from extraction through to distribution and recycling, PET bottles used 57% more non-renewable fossil fuels, emitted 45% more carbon dioxide and consumed 36% more primary energy than carton packs for the UHT milk market.

Sappi Restarts Cloquet PMs

Sappi Fine Paper North America said Thursday it fully restarted manufacturing at its Cloquet, MN, pulp and paper mill including both coated freesheet paper machines. The mill shut down June 20 due to severe flooding across northeast Minnesota.

Resolute Layoffs at Catawba Mill

http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/06/27/4077614/resolute-to-lay-off-98-employees.html

Resolute Forest Products will lay off 98 employees when it shuts down one of four production lines at its Catawba plant. The No. 1 line which makes lightweight coated paper used in magazines and advertising fliers, will shut down Saturday. Layoffs will start Monday, said Debbie Johnston, spokeswoman for the company known formerly as Abitibi Bowater. The company employs about 750 workers in the mill.

Another Pulp Price Change

Weyerhaeuser informed customers that its northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) market pulp prices would decrease $20/tonne, effective July 1 until further notice.

China Addresses Overcapacity in Pulp & Paper Sector

China has adjusted its national policies in its newest development plan for the pulp and paper industry, aiming to address the issue of overcapacity in the domestic market, said Sinolight Corporation's deputy general manager Cao Zhenlei.

The five-year plan, running from 2011 to 2015, will apply guidelines that seek to discourage additional machine investment, the funding of which has led to overcapacity.

In China, without the government's approval, companies cannot get bank loans to fund their projects.

Fraser Papers Retirees Pursue Case

Fraser Papers retirees seek legal justice over corporate pension theft:

Fraser Papers retirees from Quebec and New Brunswick, who had their pensions cut by up to 40% when their employer filed for bankruptcy protection, will be at the Superior Court of Justice inToronto on Friday when their former bosses challenge their case.

Appleton Announces Consent Solicitations

Appleton Announces Consent Solicitations for its Senior Secured and Second Lien Notes: Appleton Papers Inc. announced today that it is soliciting consents to amend each of the indentures governing its 10.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2015 (the "Senior Notes") and 11.25% Second Lien Notes due 2015.

Hearst Offers 20 Titles on Google Play

http://www.hearst.com/press-room/pr-20120627a.php

With today’s launch of magazines on Google Play, Hearst Magazines, one of the world’s largest publishers of monthly magazines, announces that all 20 of its popular magazine brands are now available for purchase and reading on Android smartphones and tablets. Readers can buy single issues or annual subscriptions to Hearst titles such as Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Esquire, the newly launched HGTV Magazine and Marie Claire, and enjoy digital magazines in full-color with a clickable table of contents.

Bicycling Title Plans for Tour de France

Bicycling Mag Steps Up Content Strategy for Tour de France Coverage:  The 2012 Tour de France is a sporting event that cyclists and enthusiasts around the globe look forward to. Bicycling, a Rodale title, has this international event on its radar throughout the year and it uses it to increase Web traffic, reach new audiences, enhance social engagement and drive sales in print and digitally.

Artnet Magazine Closes

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-artnet-magazine-20120625,0,1302680.story

Artnet Magazine, a widely read online publication devoted to the visual-art market, is shutting down due to financial difficulties. The magazine's editor said in a email statement Monday that "during its 16 years of digital life, the magazine was never able to pay its own way."

Author Says "No" to E-Book

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18591110

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo has refused to allow his new novel to be sold as an e-book.

The 62-year-old said Interventions, a collection of four volumes, is a "tribute to the printed book" and would not be made available online. The author, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2002 with Empire Falls, said he wanted to encourage people to buy from local bookstores. "The rapid rise of e-books and online sales of printed books pose threats to bookstores, the book publishing industry and the rise of new authors," he continued.

Summit Business Media Names CFO

Summit Business Media Completes Executive Team With CFO Hire:  Adam Marder, most recently the vice president and general manager for sales at EverydayHealth.com, has been named executive vice president and CFO of Summit Business Media. The appointment completes the new executive management team that CEO Steve Weitzner has been putting together since he joined the company in February.

Fourth Producer Cuts Pulp Price

Resolute Forest Products (Resolute) announced to customers today that its paper grade softwood kraft market pulp prices would decrease $20/tonne, effective July 1 until further notice, industry contacts told RISI.

Catalyst May Emerge in Near-Term

http://www2.canada.com/albernivalleytimes/news/story.html?id=788020e4-e69b-44f6-b5a3-afd8e4a6b30e

About 300 jobs at the Catalyst Paper mill in Port Alberni are safe after the company's second attempt at restructuring was accepted by an overwhelming number of creditors, Monday.

The amended plan, which added pensioners to the creditor group, was voted in by 99% of both secure and unsecure creditors.

Catalyst should be able to emerge from creditor protection "in the near term" according to CEO Kevin Clarke.

Help for Kruger

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2012/06/26/nl-tom-marshall-kruger-mill-626.html

Finance Minister Tom Marshall says Newfoundland and Labrador is willing to support the struggling Kruger newsprint mill in Corner Brook with some sort of financing, even thought direct subsidies have been ruled out.

Conference Board of Canada; Industry Outlook

The steady shift in consumer preferences toward electronic information sources has gone beyond print media and is now taking its toll on demand for paper to produce books. As a result of this waning demand in North America, combined with ongoing turmoil in the world economy, Canada's paper products industry faces a weak outlook in the next few years, according to The Conference Board of Canada's Spring 2012 outlook for the industry.

Two Sides; Changing Attitudes on Print & Paper

Two Sides launches largest sustainability campaign:
It is the biggest campaign ever to be put forward by the graphic communications value chain, believes Two Sides' Martyn Eustace.
It aims to change consumer attitudes towards the sustainability of print media based on research conducted by Two Sides and IPSOS. In September 2011, 5000 consumer interviews found that 80% media users preferred reading from paper than a screen.

American Catalog Markerters Continue Fight

http://chiefmarketer.com/blog/under-appreciated-catalog

Hamilton Davison, president of the American Catalog Marketers Assn. is trying to rouse organization members living in Republican Congressional districts to hassle their Congress people early and often enough to get them to pull that underwater provision, part of the bill calls for increasing the rates on mail categories that don’t bring in enough revenue to cover their mailing costs.

ABM and PPA Form Alliance

http://www.foliomag.com/2012/abm-forms-strategic-alliance-uk-s-ppa

ABM, the association of business information and media companies, has formed a strategic alliance with the Professional Publishers Association (PPA), an ABM counterpart in the UK, which also serves consumer media.

Analogue Dollars & Digital Dimes

Are You Swapping Analogue Dollars for Digital Dimes?: If you follow the traditional publishing business model in an ever more digital world, it is inevitable. The traditional magazine business model is based on creating content to attract eyeballs, and then to sell exposure (advertising) to them. This basic plan has kept magazine publishers profitable for over a hundred years. But this model faces harsh challenges in today's digital media world.

Ennis Reports Q1 Results

Ennis Reports Net Sales Decrease in Q1 2012: Our consolidated net sales were $142.5 million for the quarter ended May 31, 2012 compared to $143.3 million for the quarter ended May 31, 2011. Print sales for the current quarter were $87.3 million, compared to $67.1 million for the same quarter last year, or an increase of 30.1%. Apparel sales for the current quarter were $55.2 million, compared to $76.1 million for the same quarter last year, or a decrease of 27.5%.

Goss Names New CEO

Goss Appoints New CEO: Goss International Corporation (“Goss”) today announced a restructuring of management. The Board has appointed Mr. Richard Nichols as CEO of the Company, effective immediately, replacing Mr. Jochen Meissner.The Board expects that the Goss management team, headed by Mr. Nichols, will undertake active and effective measures to stabilize and expand the Goss leadership position in the industry.

EURO-GRAPH Releases May Coated Ships

EURO-GRAPH reported May European shipments of coated mechanical paper fell -8.4% and demand was down -11.1% as compared to the same month last year. Exports rose +1.2%. Coated woodfree shipments declined -3.5%, demand decreased -1.1% and exports were down -12.4%. Supercalendered paper shipments fell -2.9%, demand declined -2.7% and exports decreased -3.6%