2011 NA Forest Product Indusry Capital Spending Up 46%

Capital spending by North American pulp and paper companies increased sharply in 2011, with most of the increased outlays focused on replacing higher-cost existing capacity, converting mills/machines to more profitable grades, energy cost reductions, enhancing quality, and environmental improvement.

Spending in 2011 increased by 46.5% and was up by more than $4 billion, compared with the 2010 spend, according to a PPI Pulp & Paper Week survey of 20 major North American pulp and paper manufacturers.

The 2011 total in the US alone was 120% higher than the 2009 total.

Resolute Forest Products Buys Co-Gen Plant

Resolute Forest Products buys idled co-gen plant in Dolbeau, Quebec:
Resolute Forest Products (formerly known as AbitibiBowater) has purchased the idled co-generation plant at Dolbeau, Quebec from Boralex for $5 million.

Paper Co.s May Lose Black Liquor Tax Loophole

U.S. Paper Companies May Lose Son of Black Liquor Loophole: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus is trying to close the Son of Black Liquor tax loophole that has already provided U.S. paper makers with a windfall of more than $1 billion.

ALM Relaunches Better Buildings

ALM Relaunches Better Buildings Brand with a National Supplement: ALM is resurrecting its Better Buildings brand, a tri-state area building management magazine which debuted in 1981 and shuttered in the mid 1990s, with the launch of a national, quarterly supplement of the same name, to be distributed along with its Real Estate Forum magazine.

US Commercial Printing Shipments Fall in December & Q4

US Commercial Printing Shipments End 2011 on Sour Note (Economics & Research Center):
U.S. commercial printing shipments for December were $6.96 billion. This was down -$207 million compared to December 2010, a decrease of -2.9%.

Quad/Graphics, Transcontinental Deal Ready to Close

http://www.qg.com/news/quad_news_detail.asp?NewMessageID=38745

Quad/Graphics Inc. today announced that it has been authorized by Canada’s Competition Bureau to complete the sale of its Canadian operations to Transcontinental Inc. The company expects to close the transaction in the next several weeks.

Edwards Brothers and Malloy Merge

http://www.piworld.com/article/edwards-brothers-malloy-merge-form-nation-s-sixth-largest-book-printer/1

Edwards Brothers and Malloy Inc., two leading book manufacturers, announced that they would merge effective Feb. 6, 2012, forming a new company called Edwards Brothers Malloy. The new company will have combined sales of $115 million and will be the sixth-largest book manufacturing firm in the United States.

QuinStreet to Cut 84% Ziff Davis Jobs

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20120207/MEDIABUSINESS1501/302079997/quinstreet-to-cut-about-80-of-ziff-davis-enterprise-employees

QuinStreet Inc., an online vertical marketing company, plans to cut about 80% of Ziff Davis Enterprise employees in the wake of its acquisition of the tech media company, according to accounts by former ZDE employees. The total job cuts may approach 100 over the next several months.