Domtar to Sell Ariva to Central National-Gottesman

http://www.paperage.com/2013news/07_22_2013domtar_ariva_cng.html

Domtar Corporation today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its Ariva business in the United States to privately-held Central National-Gottesman Inc. The business will be integrated into Lindenmeyr Munroe ("Lindenmeyr"), a division of Central National-Gottesman, and the transaction is expected to close at the end of July 2013, subject to customary closing conditions. 
http://www.piworld.com/article/central-national-gottesman-acquires-domtar-s-ariva-operations-in-the-us/1

Central National-Gottesman (CNG) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Domtar Corp. pursuant to which Lindenmeyr Munroe, a division of CNG, will acquire the U.S. operations of Domtar's Ariva paper distribution business.
Ariva, headquartered in Covington, KY, is a major U.S. paper distributor, with 15 locations in the East and Midwest. The closing is expected to take place by the end of July 2013. Immediately after the closing, CNG has agreed to sell the Midwest locations of Ariva, located in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, OH, Dayton, OH, Fort Wayne, IN, and Indianapolis, to The Millcraft Paper Co., a long-established and highly regarded paper merchant headquartered in Cleveland.

AF&PA Reports Kraft Shipments

http://www.afandpa.org/

The American Forest & Paper Association released its June 2013 Kraft Paper Report.

Total Kraft paper shipments were 131.4 thousand tons, an increase of 2.3 percent compared to the prior month. Bleached Kraft paper shipments increased year-over-year 5.7 percent, and the 2.8 percent year-over-year decline in unbleached Kraft paper shipments were enough to bring overall Kraft paper shipments down 1.5 percent year-over-year. Total month-end inventory increased 0.7 percent to 71.2 thousand tons this month compared to May 2013 month-end inventories.

US Paper Mills Reduce Energy and Improve Profits

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/07/17/cutting-carbon-through-industrial-energy-efficiency-case-midwest-pulp-and-paper-mills

While manufacturing is a critical part of the U.S. economy, it's struggled over the last several years, both financially and environmentally. Overall U.S. manufacturing employment has dropped by more than one-third since 2000. Meanwhile, U.S. industry -- of which manufacturing is the largest component -- still uses more energy than any other sector and serves as the largest source of U.S. and global greenhouse gas emissions.

The good news is that energy efficiency can help U.S. manufacturing increase profits, protect jobs and lead the development of a low-carbon economy. The Midwest's pulp and paper industry is a case in point.

Verso Facing NYSE Delisting Deadline

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/07/19/business/verso-paper-faces-boot-from-new-york-stock-exchange/?ref=latest

Verso Paper Corp., which operates two paper mills in Maine, is trying to save itself from being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

The NYSE on June 25 said it had commenced proceedings to delist Verso's common stock, traded under the ticker symbol VRS, because the company's market capitalization - the market value of the company's outstanding shares - had fallen below the required threshold.
Specifically, the company, which is majority owned by private equity firm Apollo Global Management, had failed to maintain a market capitalization of at least $75 million over 30 consecutive trading days. Verso's market cap was $52.4 million as of the end of trading on July 18.

Verso Seeks Extension for Bucksport

http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=81877:verso-seeks-third-extension-to-fix-faulty-boiler&Itemid=938

Time is running out on Verso Paper Corp.'s attempt at fixing a boiler in its Bucksport mill. Verso requested a third extension recently from the state Department of Environmental Protection to correct an emissions problem with its No. 8 boiler.

Verso officials asked the department's Bureau of Air Quality Control to extend the Aug. 15 compliance deadline to Feb. 15 for monitoring the boiler's most efficient operating level.

Companies May Spend $1 Billion to Assure Access

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/07/22/nb-irving-forestry-investments-233.html

J.D. Irving Ltd. and other forest companies are willing to spend $1 billion on mill upgrades and silviculture if the provincial government will guarantee the companies enough long-term access to Crown land, according to an official.

Mary Keith, the vice-president of communications with J.D. Irving, said the Saint John-based company and "other partners" have assembled plans for possible investments in the forest sector, which could add up to $1 billion.
"That amount is not exclusively with our company, although we do represent a significant amount of what will be potentially invested," she said.

Print Catalogs Remain Key in B-to-B World

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20130721/SUB1/307219986

It may be a digital world, but there still is a place for the good ol' print catalog in business-to-business sales. Just ask CJ Milo, a sales consultant at Today's Business Products, a distributor of office furniture and supplies on Snow Road in Middleburg Heights.
When he first started at Today's, Mr. Milo accompanied an experienced salesman on calls. At a routine appointment at Notre Dame College in Euclid, the pair felt the wrath of disgruntled secretaries, who heckled the empty-handed salesmen and demanded the newest edition of Today's catalog.
Fortunately, the veteran salesman kept four cases of catalogs in the trunk at all times so that he could hand out the books at a moment's notice.
That experience taught a valuable lesson to Mr. Milo, who said print catalogs continue to help him in his career.

Time Inc. Names Joe Ripp CEO

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/new-time-inc-ceo-joe-ripp-familiar-face-151356

The waiting game is finally over. Today, Time Warner said former CFO Joseph Ripp will succeed Laura Lang as the CEO of its soon-to-be spun off publishing division Time Inc. He starts in September.

Ripp, currently the CEO of OneSource Information Services, has a long history at Time Inc. and Time Warner. He joined the company in 1985 as assistant comptroller of Time Inc., and eventually became its svp, CFO and treasurer. Subsequently, he was evp, CFO of Time Warner and held executive positions at America Online before leaving the company in 2004. 

http://www.foliomag.com/2013/time-inc-names-joe-ripp-ceo#.Ue2T71OYyKw

Time Inc. has found its new CEO. Time Warner's Jeff Bewkes announced today that Joe Ripp, a former CFO of Time Inc., Time Warner and AOL has been named to the top spot as Time Inc. gets ready to spin off as an independent, publicly-traded company.
In a sense, Time Inc. has in its new CEO both an insider and an outsider. Ripp spent almost 20 years at the company, leaving Time Warner in 2004.

Retailers with Catalogs Can Learn from Music Industry

http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/blog/2013/07/17/what-retailers-with-catalogs-should-learn-from-the-music-industry/

When a new technology comes along there are two kinds of companies - those who adapt and those that strive to cling to a more comfortable model for short term financial gains.
This is the impasse faced by retailers who rely on printed catalogs instead of expanding their efforts on platforms such as Pinterest. For these brands the time to take notice of the platform is now. Pinterest recently launched Rich Pins, which are specifically designed to drive ecommerce through the platform.

Catalog Doctor: Prescriptions for Profitable Pagination

http://www.retailonlineintegration.com/article/prescriptions-profitable-pagination/1

"Doc, my old print catalog staff have retired, and the new young staff don't know catalog techniques like pagination. Can you give me a road map for pagination to share with my staff?"
"I'd be glad to. Pagination is the science of which products go where in the catalog, how to group them and how much space to allocate to each. The goal of pagination is to help guide your customers and prospects to a buying decision. Therefore, keeping your customer in mind while you're building your pagination is crucial, and will help maximize your catalog's sales. Here are definitions and prescriptions for different types of catalogs."

USPS's Picture Perfect Branding for Mailers

http://www.dmnews.com/uspss-picture-perfect-branding-for-mailers/article/303998/

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has introduced Picture Permit Imprint Indicia, a new promotional tool for businesses to imprint their logo, brand image, or trademark to First-Class and Standard IMb (Intelligent Mail barcodes) letters and postcards. Commercial mailers may apply on the USPS website, send in their images, and once approved, begin attaching their image to their mailing items.
Tom Foti, manager of direct mail and periodicals, says the USPS is responding to interest from a wide array of customers. He says that Picture Permit can potentially increase open rates and enhance the value of the mail.
A fee of 1¢ for First-Class Mail and 2¢ for Standard Mail applies. Additionally, images must be in color.

Forbes Launches Hungarian Edition

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20130722/MEDIABUSINESS0902/307229994/forbes-to-launch-hungarian-edition

Forbes Media has partnered with Business Consulting & Media and its Hungarian branch, Mediarey Kft, to publish a monthly Hungarian-language edition of Forbes magazine. The first issue of Forbes Hungary will be published in November.
Forbes previously worked with Business Consulting & Media to launch Forbes Slovakia in November 2010 and Forbes Czech Republic in November 2011. The content of Forbes Hungary will consist of 60% Hungarian business news, commentary and features, and 40% editorial content from Forbes U.S., Forbes Media said in a statement.

Former Time CEO Sues Orange County Register Publisher

http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/07/boston_globe_bidder_files_suit_vs_ex_partner

Two media bigs who teamed up to try to buy The Boston Globe in 2011 are now engulfed in a long and pricey breach of contract dispute, as former Time Inc. CEO Jack Griffin is suing Orange County Register publisher Aaron Kushner for up to $10 million in New York Civil Supreme Court, according to court filings.
Griffin — now part of a local group comprised of cousins and former Globe owners Stephen and Benjamin Taylor hoping to buy the broadsheet — is accusing Kushner of stiffing him on payouts after his company, 2100 LLC, acquired the Orange County Register and six other newspapers last year.