East Coast Port Strike Averted

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/28/there-wont-be-a-coastwide-port-strike-after-all/?print=1

The “container cliff” has been averted.

On Friday, the dock workers’ union reached a tentative agreement with shippers and port operators on the East Coast, federal mediators said. The breakthrough in talks means that the country won’t have to go through a strike by 14,500 dock workers from Houston to Boston — a move that could have been quite disruptive to the U.S. economy.
For months, the International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance have been battling over the issue of “container royalties,” a fee paid by shipping companies that is used to augment worker wages and benefits. That issue now appears to be resolved in principle, mediators said.
The union and the shipping companies will now extend the deadline another 30 days while they hash out the remaining issues on a new collective bargaining agreement.

S&P Raises NewPage Credit Rating

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/26/idUSWNB262720121226

U.S. coated paper manufacturer NewPage Corp. announced that it has  emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and closed on its exit  financing. We (Standard & Poor's) are raising the corporate credit rating to 'B+' from 'D'.  We are also assigning our 'BB' issue-level rating to the company's  six-year, $500 million senior secured term loan. The term loan has a recovery  rating of '1'. The stable outlook reflects the lower post-emergence leverage and good  prospects for meaningful free cash flow generation over the upcoming 12 to 18  months despite the significant challenges in declining North American coated  paper end markets. In addition, the outlook incorporates our view of the  company's strong liquidity position given the lack of financial maintenance  covenants and no significant debt maturities over the next five years. 

Oji Turns to Biomass

http://japandailypress.com/oji-to-sell-biomass-power-to-counter-slide-in-paper-sales-2720511

Oji Holdings Corp, which is now focusing on selling biomass power to take advantage of government subsidies for renewable energy and to address the slide in paper sales. -->
According to Shoji Fujiwara, chairman of Oji Green Resources Co, they are planning to build biomass power plants fueled by wood on the northern island of Hokkaido and the southern island of Kyushu. The company, the world’s largest corporate user of renewable energy, will spend 20 billion yen (approx. $233.5 million) to construct the plants and after three years, plans to sell the electricity to be generated by the units. Potential customers for this particular project are Kyushu Electric Power Co. and Hokkaido Electric Power Co. with a potential 2 billion income per year for each utility. Oji is investing around 60 billion yen ($700 million) for solar, geothermal and hydro energy projects.

Top Five DM News Stories

http://www.dmnews.com/new-years-countdown-dmn-style/article/274040/

It's been a long year and a busy one for direct marketers. The USPS topped the headlines and mobile marketing continued to mature. Just in case you missed any of the action, we've pulled together the top Direct Marketing News content of 2012 for you, both web and print. So, pour yourself a glass of early champagne and have a scroll.

Top five 2012 stories on dmnews.com
USPS expects Senate action on postal bill: Political gridlock in Congress was a big problem for the USPS in 2012.
DMA: Direct mail response rates beat digital: The Direct Marketing Association found that direct mail boasts a 4.4% rate, compared to email's average response rate of 0.12%.
JCPenney overhauls marketing, promo strategy: JCPenney got a new logo and  completely revamped its pricing, branding, promotions, as well as refreshing its stores.
Google finally opts for a 'Do Not Track' option: Analysts speculated the reasoning behind Google's 'Do Not Track' addition to Chrome, and questioned whether legislation will ensue nonetheless.
USPS officially announces gopost pilot: The USPS officially announced the pilot program of its gopost parcel delivery lockers, which the USPS began implementing in Northern Virginia in February.

2012 Top Magazine Launches

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/190075/recoil-read-this-list-of-2012s-top-magazine-laun.html#axzz2GHWUpE7C

The two “most notable” magazine launches of 2012 were (in this order) a magazine aimed at the kind of extreme gun enthusiasts who covet assault weapons, and a magazine aimed at young children, according to an annual list published by consumer magazine trend follower, Samir Husni, a professor at the University of Mississippi, who is also known as the “Magazine Guy.”
The aptly named Recoil ranked No. 1, Husni explained to online business news service CommPRO.biz, because it is “an artfully-done, gun-lifestyle magazine that is selling for as much as $125 an issue on eBay.”
No. 2  Highlight’s Hello, a spinoff of the long-running children’s magazine, which Husni says is aimed at ages 0-2, although its readership likely skews on the higher end.
No. 3: Dujour (targets the $5 million net-worth crowd)
No. 4: Howler (aimed at soccer enthusiasts)
No. 5: Cosmopolitan for Latinas (for Latinas, of course) 

2012 Media Advertising Up 5.4%

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/190077/forecast-solid-growth-for-global-ad-spend.html#axzz2GHWUpE7C

Media advertising spending grew 5.4% to just under $519 billion in 2012 -- up over the 3.6% growth rate in 2011, says eMarketer. This year's growth rate will continue at about the same levels through 2016, topping out at $628 billion.

This year, Latin America witnessed the fastest growth of any region -- up 11% to $34.66 billion, climbing to $51 billion by 2016.
Estimates are that China's ad spending will grow 13% this year to $42.6 billion, eMarketer says. China will also continue to climb -- albeit at a somewhat smaller rate, adding on 12%,11%, 10% and 10%, in the coming years, getting to $64 billion by 2016.
Overall, the Asia-Pacific region will grow 8.5% and will continue to climb near double-digit percentage gains over the coming years.
Though eMarketer estimates U.S. advertising spending this year at an aggressive 4.9% -- higher than other growth projections -- its actual spending number is way below that of other industry projections.

Vice Buys i-D

http://www.foliomag.com/2012/vice-acquires-british-fashion-mag-i-d#.UN3Dx7bZGKw

Bold and boastful hipster-targeted media conglomerate Vice is getting into fashion.
While the magazine has been on the edge of culture--including fashion--since inception, it's never been a fashion brand. The acquisition of British style title i-D brings them into that realm.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

M&A Hits Prerecession Levels

M&A Hits Prerecession Levels: M&A activity skyrocketed to prerecession levels in several major industry sectors, according to a year-end report from investment banking firm The Jordan, Edmiston Group (JEGI).

North American Coated Paper Ships

The Pulp and Paper Products Council reported November North American coated mechanical paper shipments decreased -1.6% as compared to the same month last year. Demand rose +6.2% and imports were up +74.3%. The operating rate was 99%. Shipments of coated freesheet were down -0.5%, demand rose slightlt by +0.8% and imports increased +8.1%. The operating rate was 90%. SC-A/SC-A+ paper demand declined -3.3% and imports fell -3.6%. SC-B/SNC+ demand was up +11.5%. The operating rate for Supercalendered papers was 99%.

November European Demand Reported

EURO-GRAPH has reported that European November demand of coated mechanical paper fell -9.8% as compared to the same month last year. Exports declined -4.8%. Coated woodfree demand decreased -2.2%, but exports jumped +7.4%. Supercalendered paper demand was up +1.2%. Exports fell -6.1%.

East Coast Dock Strike Looms Large

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/business/dockworkers-strike-threatens-to-close-east-coast-ports.html?hp&pagewanted=print

The dockworkers are flexing their muscles again, threatening a strike beginning Sunday that would shut seaports from Massachusetts to Texas. It would be the first such coastwide strike since a two-month walkout in 1977 paralyzed the flow of tens of billions of dollars of imports — and the nation’s retailers and other businesses fear a painful replay if the 14,500 dockworkers make good on their threats.

Twin Rivers Annouces Price Increase

Twin Rivers Paper informed customers that it will increase prices by $40/ton on its label, packaging and specialty grades effective with shipments on or after Jan. 21, 2013.

The increase applies to Twin Rivers' Acadia and Bladepak packaging papers, Alliance label papers, and all other specialties grades.
The company cited rising input costs and inflation.

Sale of Catalyst's Elk Falls Fails

http://www.paperage.com/2012news/12_21_2012catalyst_paper_pacifica.html

Catalyst Paper on Dec. 19 said that the sale of its Elk Falls site in Campbell River, British Columbia (Canada) to Pacifica Deep Sea Terminals Inc. did not close and the sale agreement has been terminated.

Chinese UWF Exports Up 11.6% in 2012

http://en.chinapaperonline.com/news/2012/20121226110531629.html

Based on report from China Paper Association, Jan-Sep 2012, 282,300 mts of uncoated writing paper were imported in China, dipping 9.08%. 711,000 mts of uncoated writing paper were exported, jumping 11.6% from same period 2011.

2013 Predictions for Direct Mail

http://www.dmnews.com/8-predictions-for-direct-marketing-in-2013/article/273776/

Let the new year roll.

In direct marketing, everybody's a prognosticator. Here are some of the top calls for the next year from our mailbag.
The reversal begins. A growing number of marketing campaigns will be led by digital and supported by offline as first-party customer data grows in importance.

2012: Challenge for Magazines

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/190039/mag-bag-2012-was-tough-year-for-magazines.html#axzz2GHWUpE7C

2009 was miserable. 2010 wasn’t much better. 2011 was a little bit worse. And 2012 looks to be, in a word, crappy.
Magazines can’t seem to catch a break, as the ongoing transition to digital media continues to undermine print advertising, still the main source of revenue for most big publishers. According to the Publisher’s Information Bureau, total ad pages fell 8.6% in the first nine months of 2012, compared to the same period last year.

USPS Looks at Same-Day Delivery

http://www.dmnews.com/same-day-delivery-plots-a-comeback/article/273988/

The United States Postal Service kicked off its Metro Post same-day service in San Francisco last week in a test with 1-800 Flowers' gourmet food products. USPS is looking for other retail partners to do similar tests in the coming year, relying on its delivery network to move past competitors in a race to provide same-day delivery service to retailers and direct marketers. In a business plan filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission in October, USPS noted that it expects to see revenues of only about $10 million during its experimental year.

Prevention with New Look & Focus

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/new-year-new-look-prevention-magazine-146143

Rodale's Prevention is kicking off the new year with a new look, a new focus and a new price. But unlike most women’s magazine redesigns, which are aimed at hooking younger readers, Prevention is embracing its core baby boomer audience.

Q&A: Meredith National Media Group President

http://www.foliomag.com/2012/q-meredith-national-media-group-president-tom-harty#.UNyZZLbZGKw

While it is a tough time to be a magazine publisher, it’s equally as exciting. It is true that the media environment is changing, but so are the companies that give it life. From mobile advertising to social media, exploring what’s on the horizon for our industry will be the key focus of FOLIO:’s annual conference, the MediaNext Show.

New Look for Old Title

http://www.pubexec.com/article/after-90-years-foreign-affairs-unveils-new-look-for-wider-audience/1

Foreign Affairs yesterday unveiled a new look, which for the first time in the magazine's 90-year history puts a picture on the cover. The January/February 2013 issue showcases the new look and new features, such as a monthly interview with a prominent newsmaker. Editor Gideon Rose tells Politico the periodical is seeking to "move beyond our wonky, quarterly appeal."

Wal-Mart/Condé Nast Create BeautyScoop

http://www.wwd.com/media-news/publishing/wal-mart-turns-to-cond-nast-for-beauty-magazine-6552390?module=hp-topstories

Buried within Wal-Mart’s Web site, beneath the red sales banners and loud holiday graphics, is a magazine called BeautyScoop. Thousands of stores also carry it, and it was mailed to millions of the store’s customers.

Hearst Names COO & Other Publishing Changes

http://www.minonline.com/news/21644.html  --> On Dec. 20, Hearst Corp. CEO (since 1979) Frank Bennack, Jr., and recently promoted president/COO Steve Swartz elevated Neeraj Khemlani to the corporate level as chief creative officer.  The four-year veteran was Hearst Entertainment & Syndication deputy group head since Feb. 2011, and, in Swartz's words "helped foster new relationships with pivotal partners, including Mark Burnett, NorthSouth Productions and Spooky Cool Labs. We [now] look forward to the creative multiplatform improvements and opportunities he will develop [in] working with all of Hearst's global brands."
People On The Move | 12.27.12:
Dan Robertson has been promoted to publisher of Golf Digest and Golf World. Robertson was serving as the associate publisher for the magazines...and others.

MSLO CEO Out

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/mslo-ceo-lisa-gersh-out-146073

Capping a year of turmoil that included layoffs, titles closing and the failure of its Hallmark Channel show, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s president and CEO Lisa Gersh is out.

MSLO cast the change in the context of the company's plans to shift more aggressively into merchandising. Gersh, who was named COO in May 2011 and elevated to the CEO title in June, came from a television background, having been a co-founder of Oxygen Media and serving in various roles at NBC after its acquisition of Oxygen.

http://adage.com/article/media/media-s-place-changing-martha-stewart-living-omnimedia/238906/

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is likely to find its next CEO outside the media and entertainment space, analysts said this week.
"Virtually all of the company's cash flow is derived from its merchandising business," said Michael Kupinski, analyst at Noble Financial Capital Markets. "As such, it would stand to reason that the next CEO will come from the merchandising world.

RRD Names Daniel L. Knotts COO

RR Donnelley Names Daniel L. Knotts Chief Operating Officer:
R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that Daniel L. Knotts is being named Chief Operating Officer, succeeding John R. Paloian who is retiring after over 25 years in the industry and having served for more than five years as the company's COO.

National On-line Sales Tax Not Likely

http://www.governing.com/news/state/Online-Sales-Tax-Collection-Bill-Unlikely-to-be-Voted-on-Soon.html

Federal legislation that would allow states to make online retailers collect sales taxes has bipartisan support in Congress and among state officials. It even has the support of Amazon, by far the nation’s largest online retailer, in addition to backing from traditional retailers such as Wal-Mart. What it doesn’t have, it appears, is a chance to pass this year as part of any fiscal cliff compromise.

Quad/Graphics Depew Plant Sold

Former Quad/Graphics Plant in Depew Sold for $4.4 Million: An investment group is paying nearly $4.4 million for the former Quad/Graphics printing plant in Depew, with plans to subdivide the massive facility for a collection of manufacturing and distribution tenants. The purchase comes one year after Wisconsin-based Quad/Graphics closed the plant, putting 400 employees out of work.

Resolute Fort Frances PM Down Over Christmas

Resolute’s Fort Frances No. 7 machine will shut down briefly over Christmas: Resolute Forest Products shut down its remaining operating paper machine at its mill in Fort Frances, Ontario briefly over Christmas.The No. 7 paper machine was shut down on December 24 and 25.The downtime is being blamed on market conditions. No. 7 machine to shut briefly

NewPage Announces New Board Of Directors

NewPage Announces New Board Of Directors: NewPage Corporation announced today the members of its new Board of Directors. Mark A. Angelson, former Chicago Deputy Mayor and chief executive officer of RR Donnelley who also led World Color Press out of bankruptcy and guided its combination with Quad/Graphics, has been named chairman. He will be joined by paper industry leaders Robert M. Amen, former president of International Paper Company and John F. McGovern, former chief financial officer of Georgia Pacific Corporation. Robert J. Bass, a member of the audit committee of Groupon and a recently retired vice chairman of Deloitte LLP, also has been named to the board, along with Paul E. Huck, senior vice president and chief financial officer of Air Products & Chemicals, Inc., Lisa J. Donahue, managing director in the Turnaround and Restructuring Practice of AlixPartners LLC, and Eric D. Muller, managing director in the Principal Investment Area of Goldman Sachs. George F. Martin, chief executive officer for NewPage, is the only continuing member of the board.

NewPage Completes Financial Restructuring

NewPage Completes Financial Restructuring, Emerges from Chapter 11 With Sustainable Capital Structure:  NewPage Corporation announced today that it has successfully completed its financial restructuring and has officially emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection pursuant to its Modified Fourth Amended Chapter 11 Plan confirmed on December 14, 2012, by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in Wilmington. "This is an exciting day for all of us at NewPage," said George F. Martin, president and chief executive officer. "We have successfully completed our restructuring, and we have emerged as a financially sound company. This step helps to solidify our position as the leading North American producer of printing and specialty papers.

Tembec Kapuskasing-Power Rate Break

http://www.kapuskasingtimes.com/2012/12/20/tembec-kapuskasing-to-receive-break-on-power-rate
Tembec’s Kapuskasing operation will benefit from an initiative the provincial government says is designed to help large northern industrial companies improve energy efficiency, reduce costs, sustain jobs and maintain competitiveness. “This is something we’ve been advocating for, for a long time not to give us any sort of advantage but just to make it competitive,” said Mayor Alan Spacek. “Tembec has told us this pricing is critical to long-term stability and I am very pleased with this announcement as it will add certainty and stability for the future.” “Electricity continues to be a major operating cost for large northern forestry operations. Monday’s announced extension of this program will assist them in lowering costs, improving productivity and boosting competitiveness. We look forward to continue working with the provincial government to develop policies and programs that support a renewable industry so important to Ontario’s economy,” said Jamie Lim, President and CEO, Ontario Forest Industries Association.

 

Twin Rivers Appts James Gehrman CEO

Twin Rivers Paper Company Appoints James Gehrman Chief Executive Officer: Twin Rivers Paper Company, a leader in lightweight specialty packaging, label and publishing papers today announced that James Gehrman,currently President, has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective December 31, 2012. He will replace Jeff Dutton who resigned from Twin Rivers Paper Company to accept the role of Senior Vice President at Brookfield Capital Partners. Mr. Gehrman has worked in the paper industry for nearly thirty years. For the past three years, he was Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing and was appointed President of the Company in March of 2012.

More Than 14,500 Dockworkers Could Strike Sunday

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/12/26/2565791/more-than-14500-dockworkers-could.html
More than 300 shipyard workers in North Carolina could stop loading and unloading cargo ships as of midnight Saturday, the result of stalled contract talks that threaten to idle more than 14,500 dockworkers at 15 of the nation’s major shipping ports.The strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association, one of the nation’s most successful labor unions, threatens to disrupt the flow of electronics, clothing and other products in and out of the country. If the walkout drags on for weeks, it would force retailers in this part of the country to bring in consumer goods by rail from the West Coast at extra expense. The looming strike follows a breakdown in contract talks last week and would be the first walkout by dockyard workers on the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico since 1977. With potentially serious economic consequences looming, retail lobbyists and the Republican governor of Florida, a state which has four ports, have asked President Barack Obama to invoke federal powers to force the striking longshoremen back to the waterfront and their lawyers back to the negotiating table if the walkout takes place.

US Senators Crack Down On Canadian Trade Practices

http://klobuchar.senate.gov/newsreleases_detail.cfm?id=338166&
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today urged the administration to crack down on unfair Canadian trade practices in the paper market. In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, Klobuchar and Collins, along with a bipartisan group of eight other senators, called on Ambassador Kirk to examine potentially illegal subsidies being provided by the provincial government of Nova Scotia to the Port Hawkesbury Paper (PHP) mill in Nova Scotia. A flood of illegally subsidized paper into the U.S. market would hurt Minnesota’s forest industry, which employs 30,000 people and contributes billions of dollars to the state economy. “Minnesota’s paper industry is a vital part of our state’s economy; supporting numerous jobs and communities across the state,” Klobuchar said.“American firms should not be asked to continue to compete on the unlevel playing created by unfair Canadian subsidies.” “Our state’s paper industry has a long history and remains a major economic engine in rural Maine, directly supporting thousands of good jobs,”said Senator Collins.  “At a time when our mills are already struggling to retain jobs, we must protect against unfair Canadian subsidies before lasting damage is done to the U.S. paper industry.” The Port Hawkesbury Paper mill was closed last year due to its previous owners filing bankruptcy. However, current reports indicate that the plant has reopened with assistance from the Canadian provincial government, including grants, loans, and reductions on utility rates and property taxes.

 

 

Cooking Light 1st To Make Every Recipe Scannable

http://www.magazine.org/industry-news/press-releases/member-press-releases/cooking-light-first-magazine-brand-make-every

Cooking Light, the nation’s leading epicurean brand, today announced that its January/February 2013 issue will use the Digimarc® Discover platform to digitally watermark all 79 recipes in the issue, making it the first magazine brand to make every recipe in a single issue scannable via this technology.  Following the January/February issue, Cooking Light will continue to make every recipe in every issue scannable and interactive using the Digimarc Discover platform. Using the Digimarc Discover app, a free download on the iTunes App Store and Google Play, consumers can use their smartphones to scan recipe photos to be automatically connected to the recipe page on sister-site, MyRecipes.com.  Once there, they can save it to their recipe file, share favorites with friends, organize menus, and make grocery shopping lists. The January/February 2013 issue of Cooking Light is available on newsstands December 28, 2012.

The End of an Era-The Last (Print) Newsweek

http://adage.com/article/the-media-guy/print-newsweek-covers/238918/

You can grab the final print issue on a newsstand near you. But you can mark this historic moment online too, of course; start by reading the oral history of Newsweek compiled by Andrew Romano. oral history of Newsweek compiled by Andrew Romano.

For Magazines, 2012 A Year of Transition

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/for-magazines-another-year-of-transition/
The defining magazine story of 2012, the closure of the print edition of Newsweek, foreshadows what may be the most volatile year for magazines yet. More titles will shift to online-only, and even those that maintain their print editions will look increasingly to circulation and digital advertising to make up for the steep declines in print ads, which show no signs of slowdown. News and celebrity magazines look especially vulnerable, as the web threatens to make their format obsolete. Certainly it’s an alarm that’s been sounded before. But the demise of Newsweek, one of the best-known brands in magazines and one of the biggest to fall victim to the digital stampede, has emphasized the looming problem like never before. The industry is in deep flux. “Although people will always–hopefully–want to read what we now call a magazine, magazines have to stop thinking about themselves in the traditional way and have to start thinking of themselves more as content providers, with the content being distributed on the platform most suitable for the content itself–print, web, tablet, smartphone, etc.,” says Martin S. Walker, chairman at Walker Communications, a print consultancy. In the coming year, magazines will be focusing more and more on furthering their brands rather than simply selling a print product.

TJX Acquires Sierra Trading Post

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/21/us-tjx-sierra-idUSBRE8BK0VA20121221?type=companyNews

TJX Cos Inc said it bought Sierra Trading Post, an off-price Internet retailer, for about $200 million, the latest brick-and-mortar store to try to attract customers who shop online via smartphones and tablets. TJX, which sells designer clothing and home goods at lower prices than department stores, said it expects the acquisition of Cheyenne, Wyoming based Sierra Trading to add slightly to earnings beginning in fiscal 2014, "but that this impact will not be material to TJX's consolidated financial statements. "Retailers across the board are boosting their online and digital presence as they cater to an increasing number of shoppers who use tablets and smartphones to buy stuff. A glitch-free and dependable internet presence is now considered as important for sales as a good in-store experience.

 

Intelligencer Printing New VP Operations

Intelligencer Printing Brings New Vice President of Operations On Board: Intelligencer Printing, a progressive print, marketing, mailing and fulfillment services company, announces the addition of a new vice president of operations, Joseph Schott, to lead the company forward.“Intelligencer is expanding into new markets, such as our In-line Hybrid Print technology, plus pursuing continued growth and expansion in the imaging, mailing and fulfillment areas.

Predictions for eBooks & Digital Pub In "13

Ten Bold Predictions for eBooks and Digital Publishing in 2013: Another exciting year for the publishing industry is in the books, so to speak. The eBook and digital publishing landscape changed drastically yet again. In 2012, Amazon and other retailers gained control over ebook pricing at three major publishers, ebook revenue growth hit an inflection point, and a parade of non-book-publishing companies entered the ebook business. Nobody saw it coming. Well, almost nobody. A team of publishing experts predicted in late 2011 some of the astounding developments we saw in 2012 for Digital Book World. See their original predictions here. Seeing as though 2012 is just about over, we’ve gathered more publishing experts to predict what extraordinary events are to come in book publishing in 2013.

Mondi Invests In Green Energy Projects

Mondi SCP Invests €128 million in Green Energy Projects at its Mill in Ružomberok, Slovakia: Mondi SCP announced plans to invest €128 million in green energy projects at its Ružomberok mill in Slovakia.This investment includes a new recovery boiler at the mill to increase pulp production, reduce the mill’s environmental footprint and improve the overall cost position. The projects will cover improvements in chemical recovery and green energy and heat production during the pulp production process. “Our objective is to increase pulp production, produce more green energy and further improve our CO2 footprint. The new recovery boiler will be constructed over a two year period with an expected start-up in the fourth quarter of 2014.

US Printing-Writing Shipments Down in Nov '12

American Forest & Paper Association Releases November 2012 Printing-Writing Paper Report:The American Forest & Paper Association has released its November 2012 Printing-Writing Paper Report. According to the report, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 4 percent in November compared to November 2011. Three out of the four major printing-writing grades posted decreases compared to last November, with coated free sheet posting the only year-over-year increase. November shipments of coated free sheet (CFS) papers increased year-over-year for the sixth time in the past 12 months. CFS shipments increased 1 percent when compared to November 2011 to 330,800 tons, the fourth highest total in 2012. While uncoated free sheet (UFS) papers shipments decreased 2 percent compared to November 2011 to 705,500 tons, October exports increased year-over-year for the third consecutive month. Year-to-date shipments of UFS paper are down 3 percent compared to the same months in 2011. Exports of UFS increased year-over-year in October, up 15 percent. Year-to-date UFS exports are up 11 percent in 2012 compared to same 10 months in 2011.

UPM & Taaleritehdas Agree To Trade Forestry Acres

UPM and Taaleritehdas Have Agreed to Trade 6,000 Acres of Forestry:  UPM and Taaleritehdas have agreed to trade around 6000 acres of forestry. The farms are located in Central Finland in the following towns: Pyhäntä, Utajärvi, Kiuruvesi and Converter. At the same time the parties entered into a long-term timber sales and forest management agreement. The parties have agreed that the transaction will not be published. Taaleritehtaan new private equity fund Taaleritehtaan Forest is a completely new model of forest ownership, which Taaleritehdas provides investors with an easy and convenient way to purchase a piece of Finnish forest and enjoy the forest assets of regular income. Professional forest management, as well as the buying and selling to improve profits. Taaleritehtaan Forest now purchased premises for the timely management of the Fund forestry expert, together with UPM professionals.The investors in private equity funds are private Finnish investors as well as institutional investors and corporations.

Italy CWF Paper Producers Price Hikes in Q1

http://www.euwid-paper.com/news/singlenews/archive/2012/december/Artikel/cwf-paper-producers-aim-for-price-hikes-in-q1.html
Major suppliers join in the latest price round for coated woodfree paper in Italy. Despite a difficult market environment, many manufacturers of coated woodfree paper (CWF) appear to firmly believe that sales prices in Italy can be raised soon. After some producers already announced their pricing plans for the first quarter of 2013 back in October or November, in December two of the leading coated paper suppliers in Italy joined in the price round announcing hikes of 5-6% for all shipments effective mid-January or the beginning of February. If more manufacturers join in this movement, it would create a united front vis-á-vis paper buyers and they would have no other choice but to except higher prices at the beginning of next year, manufacturers stressed. Buyers from the printing industry as well as paper wholesalers were not surprised by supplier’s plans, but did not really believe price hikes for CWF paper could be successfully implemented. In December, it were paper manufacturers themselves approaching buyers and offering low prices in order to place orders and/or defend their market shares, several buyers reported.

Paper-Makers’ In India-Outlook Bright

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/papermakers-margins-crumpled-but-outlook-bright/article4218287.ece?homepage=true&ref=wl_home
From 2008 to 2010, the printing and writing paper industry in India expanded by more than 1.6 million tonnes, an increase of 30% to 40%.  For paper manufacturers 2012 has been full of mixed blessings. They were faced with high input prices and pressure on margins, given their inability to pass on costs in a slow market. On a positive note, though, the market has absorbed the expanded capacities and new supplies in printing and writing paper, demand is set to pick up towards the year-end and things are not as bad as in 2011. A look at the stock prices of leading paper mills is an indicator of the trend. The financial results of most paper companies have been ‘troublesome.’ This has been primarily due to the unrelenting increase in cost of raw material and inputs, including coal and pulp wood. The costs could not adequately be recovered from the market. “The demand is OK, but the issue is more about input cost squeeze,” Singhania said.

Prevention Revamped For The New Year

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/new-year-new-look-prevention-magazine-146143
Rodale's Prevention magazine s kicking off 2013 with a cleaner design, better photography, an updated editorial focus, and a new cover price. Title continues to serve women ages 40s through 60s, but instead of talking to them as "Doctor Mom" as in the past, now focuses on the reader's personal needs with an "encouraging, uplifting, and almost indulgent" tone, says SVP, editorial director Anne Alexander. New tone apparent in new tagline (“Love your whole life”); cover lines (“27 days to a healthier, fitter, more energized you,” “13 trips to transform body and soul”); and new section titles (“Better Than Ever,” “Happiness News”). The January issue hits newsstands on Dec. 25, which marks a change in the magazine’s production schedule. (Like most monthlies, Prevention had typically gone on sale midway through the month.) The new newsstand date is intentionally later, says publisher Lori Burgess: “Readers were frustrated when an issue was coming out and it was a month ahead of the calendarized promotions.”