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.