Quad/Graphics Reports Q3 Results

https://www.google.com/search?q=quad%2Fgraphics&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Highlights:
Generates third quarter net sales of $1,040 million.
Achieves Adjusted EBITDA of $155 million and Adjusted EBITDA margin of 14.9% for the quarter.  Generates $53 million in Recurring Free Cash Flow for the quarter and $220 million year-to-date.  
Raises full-year 2012 Recurring Free Cash Flow guidance to equal or surpass full-year 2011 of $340 million.
Repays $16 million in debt during the quarter and $148 million year-to-date.
Announces intent to acquire substantially all the assets of Vertis Holdings, Inc.

Cenveo Reports Q3 Results

http://www.cenveo.com/

The Company generated net sales of $451.3 million for the third quarter of 2012, compared to $475.8 million for the third quarter of 2011. The decrease in net sales was primarily due to lower sales in our print and envelope product lines as a result of lower direct mail volumes from our financial services customers, the closure and consolidation of a print plant in the first quarter of 2012 and our decision to exit certain low margin businesses. The Company generated net sales of $1.3 billion for the first nine months of 2012, compared to $1.4 billion for the first nine months of 2011.

Hearst Buys Equity Stake in Spooky Cool Labs

Hearst Takes Equity Stake in Game Developer Spooky Cool Labs:
Hearst Corporation has officially entered the game space with a minority stake in mobile and social game developer Spooky Cool Labs. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Atlantic Headed for 3rd Year of Profits

Digital Pushing Third Year of Profit for The Atlantic:
The Atlantic had another strong month in digital sales and traffic. According to the company, October 2012 digital revenue was 28 percent higher than the same month last year. The increasing sales figures are expected to help push the brand into its third consecutive year of profit, with 2012 digital revenues projected to be 33 percent higher than 2011.

Finland's 3rd Biggest Coal User Plans Change

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-07/helsingin-energia-may-replace-40-of-coal-with-biomass-at-plants.html
Helsingin Energia, Finland’s third- biggest coal user, may replace as much as 40 percent of its coal with wood pellets at two plants in the next eight years to limit carbon emissions and boost renewable energy output.

Helsingin Energia, the country’s biggest municipal utility, strives to find an “optimal fuel mix” for replacing 5 to 10 percent of coal use by co-firing 100,000 metric tons of wood pellets annually starting 2014, and possibly 40 percent by 2020, after tests which are taking place through April, it said today in an e-mailed statement.

Michigan Votes No on Renewable Energy Goal

http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/12/11/voters-reject-push-require-25-renewable-energy-25

Proposal 3, which called for amending the Michigan Constitution to require 25% of the state's energy to come from renewable resources by 2025, was easily trounced Tuesday.

With 41% of the precincts reporting, 64% of voters voted no, while 36% voted yes.

Heidelberg Q2 Sales up 10%

Heidelberg Q2 Sales up 10%: At EUR 668 million, incoming orders in second quarter remain at previous year's level; with more than EUR 1.5 billion after first six months around 17 percent above previous year
Sales in second quarter EUR 697 million, 10 percent up on previous year.

Resolute CEO Claims Defamation

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/163046-resolute-head-seeks-name-of-critic

The president of the company that closed the Bowater Mersey paper mill in Queens County wants to know who wrote online comments about him that he alleges are defamatory.

In documents filed in Nova Scotia Supreme Court on Nov. 2, Richard Garneau, president and CEO of Montreal-based Resolute Forest Products Canada Inc., applied to have Bragg Communications Inc., owner of Internet service provider Eastlink, identify who made comments about him in response to a story published in September on the website, http://foresttalk.com/.

Chinese RCP Imports Up 2.8%, Pulp Jumps 16.4%

China's total recovered paper (RCP) imports grew 2.6% to around 2.714 million tonnes in September, up from some 2.646 million tonnes in August, according to data from China Customs.

September's figure was 9.8% higher than the 2.473 million tonnes recorded in the same month of 2011. 

China's total pulp imports shot up 16.4% in September compared to the previous month, to nearly 1.329 million tonnes, according to data from China Customs.
The surge was ascribed to Chinese customers' restocking after they had halted purchases of market pulp for the previous three months.

China Looks at Vancouver Island Investment

China looking to invest in Vancouver Island timber assets:
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that China Investment Corp. (CIC) is close to buying a 12.5% stake in Island Timberlands for about $100 million.
Island Timberlands  is jointly owned by a subsidiary, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, and other institutional investors.  Island Timberlands owns about 254,000 hectares of forest land on Vancouver Island.

Golf Digest Wins Top Prize at Pearl Awards

Golf Digest Properties wins top prize at Pearl Awards: Golf Digest Properties captured the Best in Custom Award at the 10th annual Pearl Awards Tuesday. The media company won the award for its 2012 Masters Journal.

Pearson Might Sell 'FT'

Pearson reportedly puts 'FT' on the block: Pearson is exploring a sale of the Financial Times, according to reports. Bloomberg said Pearson may initiate sale preparations ahead of the retirement of Marjorie Scardino, who is stepping down as CEO in January.
According to the Guardian, the FT has denied that it is for sale.
Pearson has been focusing on building its education and professional businesses via acquisitions. In the past 12 months, the company has made 10 acquisitions in the education sector for a total of $1.2 billion.

Meredith Teams Up With Campbell’s

Meredith Teams Up With Campbell’s For Holiday Pinterest Sweepstakes:
or Meredith brands like Better Homes and Gardens and Allrecipes.com, the holidays provide important opportunities to interact with readers, support partners and boost traffic and engagement metrics. To take advantage of holiday excitement, these brands have teamed up on a reader-driven Pinterest sweepstake that is supported by advertising partner Campbell’s Soups.

B-to-B Print Advertising Drops in July

B-to-B Print Advertising Drops in July:
Print advertising revenue figures declined again in July, according to the latest Business Information Network numbers released by ABM. Pages were down almost 9 percent for the month and revenues were down about 4 percent compared to the same period last year.

September Commercial Printing Ships Down

US Commercial Printing Shipments Decline -3.2% in September (Economics & Research):
September 2012 US commercial printing shipments were $6.97 billion, down -$232 million, or -3.2% versus September 2011. On an inflation-adjusted basis, shipments were down -$375mil, or -5.1%.

Response Rates: What is Their Role?

Response Rates: What's Really Being Said? (Digital Nirvana):
Last week, I started a lively discussion on Digital Nirvana with a post about the limited role that response rates should be playing in evaluating the success of marketing campaigns. Response rates have a role — and an important one — but not as the primary measure.

NFL Turns to Digital for Playbooks

NFL Playbooks: There’s an App for That: Want a competitive advantage? As NFL teams are discovering, there’s an app for that. Across the league, teams are trading in their 500-page printed playbooks for iPads.

Campaigns a Boon for Printers

Campaigns a Boon for Printers: This year’s elections have generated more than $500 million of added revenue for printing businesses nationwide. A chunk of that money is helping a struggling Wisconsin print industry. Between things like tickets for presidential visits, mailers and voter information flyers, Tom Schorr of Wells Print and Digital Services in Madison says he’s been busy this year.

Retailers Offering Paperless Receipts

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/11/03/retailers-e-mail-digital-paperless-receipts/1675069/

The "paper or plastic" mantra at store checkouts is getting a digital twin: "paper or e-mail."

As smartphones proliferate, more stores and banks are offering to e-mail shoppers their receipts rather than giving them a printed copy. These electronic or digital receipts, touted as green for saving paper and convenient for saving time, enable retailers to market directly to customers.

Consolidated Graphics Reports Q3 Results

Consolidated Graphics Reports Revenue and Income Declines: #INLINE-CHART#
Consolidated Graphics announced its financial results for the second quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012. • The company’s revenue for the quarter totaled $263.6 million—a $3.8-million Consolidated Graphics announced its financial results for the second quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012.

Eliezer Print Management Rebrands As Continuum

http://primummarketingcommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/j/3C74402C66EE6601/4BA8D0F8353FF1E944D0DD5392A9C75A
Eliezer, a print management industry leader, announces its rebranding as Continuum. Along with the release of a new brand and logo, the company has launched a redesigned website, www.continuum-mps.com . The rebrand is the result of Continuum’s exceptional growth and increased recognition in the managed print services industry. “Print management involves many steps and needed areas of expertise. We chose the new name Continuum to showcase our team’s ability to act as an extension of our clients’ business and be there for their every print management need, allowing them to focus on their core business objectives,” said Jonathan Shean, COO of Continuum. Continuum evolved out of two long-standing and successful companies: A.T. Clayton, a paper services company, and J.S. Eliezer & Associates, a print consultancy business. All three sister companies are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Marubeni Corporation, a $55 billion global organization. These strong relationships, along with Continuum’s customized technology platform, Gateway, provide clients with the people, processes and technology required to dramatically impact their print strategy.

Resolute To Permanently Shutdown Machine

Resolute Forest Products to permanently shutdown paper machine #10 at Laurentide mill in Shawinigan, Quebec:
Resolute Forest Products has announced that it is permanently shutting down paper machine No. 10 at its Laurentide mill in Shawinigan, Quebec. The permanent shutdown comes after an important drop in demand and an increase in market capacity of the paper grade produced on machine No. 10.The Laurentide mill, which currently has 388 employees, produces over 350,000 metric tons per year of commercial printing papers with two machines. Machine No. 10 produces 125,000 metric tons per year. This machine will cease production on November 26, eliminating nearly 111 jobs. The shutdown will not affect paper machine No. 11, which has an annual production of nearly 225,000 metric tons per year.

IP Donates Land To Louisiana

IP donates 8,100 acres of land to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
International Paper announced recently that it will donate over 8,100 acres of land, which includes the Bussey Brake and Wham Brake reservoirs, to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). The total donation is valued at over $7.8 million. The fresh water reservoirs located near Bastrop, Louisiana in Morehouse Parish are popular recreational sites. "This donation by International Paper will preserve these reservoirs for future generations to come for the citizens of Louisiana," said Tommy Joseph, International Paper Senior Vice President. "We are excited to be able to make this announcement today."

Appleton Reports Q3 2012 Results

Appleton Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results:
Appleton's third quarter 2012 net sales of $210.7 million decreased 2.9% compared to third quarter 2011. Adjusting for the Company's decision to discontinue the sale of carbonless papers into certain non-strategic international markets, third quarter 2012 net sales were up 1.8%. The Company's strong revenue growth from thermal papers of 9.3% helped to partially offset the sales decreases in carbonless papers and Encapsys.

Al-Pac To Increase NBSK Price

Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries has announced an 11/1 increase to aspen-grade northern bleached hardwood kraft (NBHK) pulp and northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp in North America. Its NBSK prices will be $870/ton.This is the same price that was announced by various NBSK producers.

 

RRD And Harper Collins Warehouse Deal

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/manufacturing/article/54617-in-deal-with-donnelley-harper-exits-warehouse-business.html
HarperCollins and R.R. Donnelley have signed a new agreement that will create one centralized warehouse that will serve as the distribution site for all HC U.S. titles, including those published by its Christian publishing division that houses Zondervan and Thomas Nelson. Harper said it expects the new facility to be opened next summer and that it will close its two warehouses in Scranton, Penn. and Nashville. “We have taken a long-term, global view of our print distribution and are committed to offering the broadest possible reach for our authors," said HC CEO Brian Murray."We are retooling the traditional distribution model to ensure we can competitively offer the entire HarperCollins catalog to customers regardless of location.”Under the agreement, HC will provide Donnelley with the demand for books and Donnelley will have the flexibility to print using offset or digital presses. That type of flexibility is something that couldn't happen before, Murray said. The agreement, which expands on a deal signed in May 2011, will also make Nelson titles available in Europe and Australia through Donnelley's print-on-demand capabilities."When we bought Nelson we said we would expand their sales outside of the U.S. and this will help us accomplish that," Murray noted.

House Beautiful: Mobile Activations

http://www.minonline.com/news/House-Beautiful-Mobile-Activations-Have-Changed-This-Magazine_21420.html
When almost all of your readers have been found to peruse your monthly magazine with a smartphone within reach, deciding to make the two media work together is pretty much a no-brainer. Getting there is another matter altogether. For the last six or seven years, magazines have tried all kinds of mobile activation methods and scenarios, from early image recognition technology to SMS prompts beside articles to Microsoft Tags, QR codes and more recently watermarking. But beyond settling on a print-to-mobile technology, the challenge has been developing a coherent editorial and advertising strategy for mobilizing the page. House Beautiful, which discovered that 90% of its reader have their phones nearby when reading the issue, is arguably among the most advanced in pulling together the technology with an editorial mission and ad strategy for mobile activation. According to Kate Kelly Smith, SVP, publishing director and CRO Heart Design Group, they call the model “Live Paper,” and it showed its promise from the July 2011 issue when editor Newell turner first used the Digimarc watermarking technology on some editorial pages.

All Time Titles Now Available On Kindle Fire

http://www.magazine.org/digital-subscriptions-all-time-inc-titles-now-available-amazons-kindle-fire-family
Time Inc. today announced that Kindle Fire customers will now have access to digital subscriptions of all 20 of its consumer magazine titles. All Time Inc. titles are now available on Kindle Fire for digital subscription, single copy sales or authentication. All Time Inc. titles are specifically designed for Amazon’s Kindle Fire.“Expanding our relationship with Amazon provides more choices for consumers to access Time Inc. content wherever they want it,” said Laura Lang, Chief Executive Officer of Time Inc. “We’ve already seen tremendous success with single copy sales and authentications on the Kindle Fire. Digital subscriptions will attract new customers who are tremendously valuable to Time Inc. and our advertisers.” Enabling digital subscriptions on Kindle Fire is the latest development in Time Inc.’s strategy to reach more consumers wherever and whenever they want. The Company was one of the first to bring its leading titles to tablets and is now delivering digital editions across multiple platforms, giving print subscribers access at no additional charge.

 

W Magazine Celebrates 40th Anniversary

http://www.wwd.com/media-news/fashion-memopad/w-magazine-celebrates-40th-anniversary-6469902
Stefano Tonchi, W’s editor in chief for the past two years, is ringing in the magazine’s 40th anniversary with a promotional blitzkrieg. The 30th birthday was celebrated too, but 10 years later, W has a new ad-thick November issue and a newly redesigned iPad app. The centerpiece of the rollout is a new glossy coffee-table anthology that looks back at W’s history from the days it was a biweekly broadsheet.

Semper’s Survey-Increase in Printing Sales

Semper’s ‘Industry Insight’ Survey FInds Increase in Printing Sales: Semper International, a leading placement firm for skilled help in the graphic arts and printing industry, announces that its “Industry Insight” survey has seen an increase in printing industry sales during the last half of the third quarter of 2012. “June and July are typically slow months in the industry; this year was no exception,” notes Dave Regan, Semper CEO. “This year, sales were slow through mid-August. Sales didn’t pick up until the Fed announced its third round of quantitative easing in mid-September. Sales are back on track now and we expect a solid quarter—as we saw after the Fed’s second round of quantitative easing, conducted to stimulate the national economy.”

Consumers Often Misled By Ads Content

Consumers Often Feel Misled By Ads Appearing As Content:
Mobile advertising solution provider MediaBrix commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a survey focused on consumers’ perceptions about ads that attempt to appear as part of the content in print, TV, digital, social and mobile platforms. Examples of such content include: sponsored video ads that appear to be content, advertorials, infomercials, sponsored stories on Facebook and promoted tweets on Twitter."This study validates that people respond best to authenticity in advertising no matter the format. With the recent buzz around 'native' ad formats, I think we need to carefully consider best practices," said Ari Brandt, CEO for MediaBrix. "While anyone pushing the native ad agenda or otherwise would agree that we need to provide user experiences that are not jarring or disruptive, we also need to ensure that we are direct and honest with consumers about when they are being marketed to.”

UK Unibind Launches 'Talking' Print Ads

Unibind launches 'talking' print ads:
The firm's StraightTalking technology comprises an ultra-slim microchip and speaker inserted into a standard printed advert. It will cost from 30p per unit for long-run magazines and up to 55p for runs of less than 10,000 copies. Unibind sources the microchips from a Chinese supplier but carries out the rest of the work in the UK. Jobs will be delivered within 45 days from receipt of artwork and audio files. The microchip is embedded in an A3 sheet of paper, which is folded in half and glued around the edges, and powered by batteries similar to those found in watches.

Halifax Media Selling CA Publications

http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20121101/BUSINESS/311019946/1024?Title=Halifax-Media-to-sell-3-California-publications-
Halifax Media Group, has reached an agreement to sell three publications in California to a group of investors there. Halifax Media acquired the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, The Petaluma Argus-Courier and North Bay Business Journal in January from The New York Times Co., as part of a deal that included 16 publications, mostly in the Southeast. The company has agreed to sell the Press Democrat and the two affiliated publications to Sonoma Media Investments, LLC. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close in early November, weren't disclosed.

 

Macmillan Dictionaries Ceases Print Edition

http://www.bizjournals.com/prnewswire/press_releases/2012/11/05/UK201211024185
Macmillan Dictionaries will no longer appear as physical books. The final copies are rolling off the presses at this very moment, and from next year, Macmillan Dictionary will be available only online. Since its launch in 2009, Macmillan Dictionary Online has seen explosive growth and will now fully replace the print version in a transition that, according to Editor-in-Chief Michael Rundell, can only be a positive one. With this migration to new media, Rundell believes that Macmillan's dictionaries have found their ideal medium: "The traditional book format is very limiting for any kind of reference work. Books are out of date as soon as they're printed, and the space constraints they impose often compromise our goals of clarity and completeness. There is so much more we can do for our users in digital media."

 

Afar-Reshaping Model Of Multiplatform Pub

Capturing the Global Citizen:
Today, a new publication might launch digitally, forgoing a print component. But just three years ago, when Afar, a media brand that caters to a special breed of experiential travelers who like to immerse themselves in a region’s culture, it was the magazine format that founders Greg Sullivan and Joe Diaz used to pull their audience together. According to Sullivan and Diaz, the print focus was not simply a stubborn adherence to traditional ways. Over the last three years Afar has added an expanded digital strategy, an experiential group travel model and a philanthropic organization to its platform—all of which, say the founders, have grown from the community that was initially formed around the magazine.

EURO-GRAPH Reports September Ships

EURO-GRAPH reported September European coated mechanical deliveries fell -15.4% as compared to the same month last year.  Exports declined -9.7%. Coated woodfree shipments decreased -5.3%, but exports were up significantly, rising +20.6%. Supercalendered Paper shipments fell -15.6% and exports were down -28.8%.

Memphis Works to Keep IP

Memphis Working on Incentive Package to Keep International Paper:
International Paper is considered one of the world's largest paper producers and one of the city's biggest employers.
The company employs more than 2,000 people in Memphis, and there's a chance those jobs could be headed to Mississippi.
International Paper is looking to expand its operations and will need more space to do it.
Memphis city leaders say they're fighting to keep the company from relocating to Mississippi. IP reportedly wants a 30 year tax break if it builds a new building in the bluff city, so the city is said to be preparing an incentive package attractive enough to get IP to stay.

Cranes Buys William Arthur

http://www.crane.com/

Crane & Co., the iconic American brand known for its premier quality stationery, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire William Arthur, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Paperlinx Completes Sale

http://www.paperlinx.com.au/

PaperlinX Limited confirms that following receipt of competition clearance, the sales of its operations in Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia to the Heinzel Group have now been completed.

EU Proposal Limits Land for Biofuel Production

New EU Commission proposal to limit land conversion for biofuel production
Today, the Commission published a proposal to limit global land conversion for biofuel production, and raise the climate benefits of biofuels used in the EU. The use of food-based biofuels to meet the 10% renewable energy target of the Renewable Energy Directive will be limited to 5%. This is to stimulate the development of alternative, so-called second generation biofuels from non-food feedstock, like waste or straw, which emit substantially less greenhouse gases than fossil fuels and do not directly interfere with global food production.

IP & Utility Build Underwater Gas Line

Mill deal sees natural gas line under Lake Champlain:
Lake Champlain would get its first-ever underwater natural gas line under a $70 million project by a Vermont utility to connect below lake bottom to a paper mill in Ticonderoga on the lake's western shore. The company, Vermont Gas, reached an agreement last month with International Paper for the new line, which is proposed to cross under the lake bottom from Addison County to Ticonderoga, where the lake ranges in width from about 2,000 feet to more than a mile.

The Atlantic Launches ‘The Sexes’

The Atlantic Launches ‘The Sexes’ Gender Analysis Vertical:
After Anne-Marie Slaughter, the Princeton University professor and former State Department foreign policy expert, penned The Atlantic’s most highly trafficked article in history—“Why Women Still Can’t Have it All”—the brand realized there was an unmet need in the marketplace. This week, the brand launched a new content vertical called The Sexes that examines contemporary relationships between men and women.

Atlantic Media's Quartz has Strong Start

Atlantic Media's Quartz Hits 840k Uniques in First Month:
Just over a month after it launched, Atlantic Media's international business news site Quartz is reporting it attracted just over 800,000 unique visitors in October. Other audience metrics are already tracking similarly to established digital brands in Atlantic Media's portfolio, a factor that's hitting an encouraging note for the startup.

Most Publishers Sell Integrated Advertising

Most publishers now sell integrated advertising packages: The majority of publishers now sell integrated advertising packages across various media channels, according to a new report from content management company Godengo+Texterity.

Martha Stewart Living Reports Q3 Results

http://www.foliomag.com/2012/mslo-takes-third-quarter-hit 
The publishing segment may be Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's biggest revenue source, but in the third quarter it continued to be the heaviest drag on income. Publishing revenues were down 17 percent for the quarter to $27.5 million and the group recorded a $51 million operating loss, compared to a $3.5 million loss in 3Q 2011.

RRD Reports Q3 Sales

http://www.rrdonnelley.com/

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company today reported third-quarter 2012 net earnings attributable to common shareholders of $71.4 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.5 billion compared to net earnings of $158.0 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.7 billion in the third quarter of 2011.

RRD to Produce All AARP Periodicals

RR Donnelley Awarded Multiyear Agreement by AARP to Produce 100 Percent of Its Periodicals: R.R. Donnelley & Sons has been awarded a multiyear agreement that renews and expands its relationship with AARP.

Webinar: Print & Social Media

Print and Social Media: Working Together: Free WhatTheyThink webinar, sponsored by Ricoh, outlined how print and social media work together for a more effective marketing strategyLexington, Kentucky USA -- WhatTheyThink today announced that nearly 300 industry professionals registered to attend a free printing industry educational webinar. Social Media Meets Print: Part One.

USPS Reform Possible: Congress Must Act

USPS Reform Possible, but Congress Must Act Soon: A solution will not be easy;  the Postal Service already is cutting costs substantially, but far from enough. Congress must act on many of the common-sense steps already incorporated in House and Senate bills to put the Postal Service back on a path to prosperity.

Resolute Forest Reports Q3 Net income

Resolute Forest Products reports net income of $31 million in third quarter, 2012:
Resolute Forest Products has reported net income of $31 million for the third quarter on sales of $1.2 billion. This compares with a net loss of $44 million on sales of $1.2 billion in the third quarter of 2011.
Excluding $24 million of special items described below, net income for the quarter was $7 million. “We’re pleased with these results, considering the specific challenges we faced in the quarter and the unexpected extent of the maintenance required to bring our recently acquired St. Felicien mill up to par,” said Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer. ”Our cost-focused strategy allowed us to maintain attractive margins in the paper and wood products segments despite lower shipments overall. This is the direct result of our focus on the items we control: selling only profitable tons and maintaining world-class operational standards.”

IP Surprises With Market Advance

Despite Its Steady, If Unexpected Climb, Stock Of Global Paper And...:
One of the market's big surprises is International Paper, one of the unlikely stocks that have led in this year's unrelenting market advance. The stock of the leading global producer of printing paper and packaging products has been a robust gainer, ramping up to 52-week high of $38.20 a share on Oct. 16, 2012, way up from $22 in September. No wonder many investors now think this unlikely winner in the current market rally has just about reached its peak. But don’t make the mistake of falling for that gloomy prediction. Remember that many investors had pronounced as dead the paper industry in general and IP in particular, in the dawning of the new digital world. In 2009, at the height of the recession, the stock plunged to a low of $3.90 a share. To paraphrase Rodney Dangerfield, it got no respect, and investors spurned International Paper. But the stock’s performance since 2009, when the financial meltdown and recession hit, was solid proof that the naysayers were wrong.
And even when IP posted somewhat disappointing third-quarter results based on some analysts’ expectations, IP believers stayed bullish on the stock.    

Glatfelter Reports Q3 2012 Results

Glatfelter Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results:
Glatfelter today reported 2012 third quarter adjusted earnings of $19.4 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, compared with $12.8 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, in the 2011 third quarter.“Our third quarter results reflect solid performance from our Specialty Papers business which delivered top-line growth, again outperforming the broader uncoated freesheet market, and it significantly increased operating income,” said Dante C. Parrini, chairman and chief executive officer.

Great Northern Celebrates Successful First Year

http://ht.ly/eLHZb
One of Maine’s greatest business success stories of 2012 was recently celebrated by business, political, and community leaders in “The Town That Paper Made.” In April 2011, hundreds of papermakers lost their jobs when Katahdin Paper Company’s East Millinocket mill closed, helping to push the region’s unemployment rate to nearly 22%. By September 2011, Cate Street Capital purchased the mill, along with its sister facility in Millinocket. Just one month later, Cate Street Capital reopened the East Millinocket mill under its most revered historical name – Great Northern Paper (GNP) – and 215 people were back to work. Fast forward to October 2012. GNP’s workforce stands at 257, and it continues to hire workers for its second paper machine.GNP officials and employees hosted a one-year anniversary celebration at the mill today. They were joined by state and local political figures, community and business leaders, retired and current employees, and their friends and families to commemorate the important milestone. Two restored, antique, brass plaques with the original names of each paper machine, “Katahdin” and “Penobscot,” were unveiled during the ceremony.

US Consumption Of RCP Down 8% In Sept

US industry consumption of recovered paper down 8 per cent in September 2012 
The American Forest & Paper Association released its September 2012 U.S. Recovered Fiber Monthly Report which said total U.S. industry consumption of recovered paper in September was 2.36 million tons, 8 percent lower than August 2012. Year-to-date total consumption in 2012 is 4 percent lower than during the same period last year.U.S. exports of recovered paper, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, decreased 4 percent in August compared to July, led by a drop in Mixed Papers exports which fell after a very strong July. Year-to-date exports of recovered paper in 2012 are 6.5 percent lower than during the same period in 2011.

             

             

Vertis Continued Momentum in Chapter 11 Case

Vertis Communications Announces Continued Momentum in Chapter 11 Case and Sale Process:
Vertis Holdings, Inc. today achieved the next key milestones in its Chapter 11 case and sale process by obtaining the Bankruptcy Court's approval of the procedures through which it will evaluate any competing offers for its businesses to ensure it receives the highest and best offer. The Court also issued final orders giving the Company access to $150 million in new financing obtained in conjunction with the filing as well as the authority to maintain its client programs, pay employees' wages and benefits and otherwise operate its business as usual. These motions had been approved on an interim basis on October 12, 2012.

Transcontinental Closing Plant in Quebec

Transcontinental Closing Its Printing Plant in Quebec; Around 150 Jobs Lost:
Transcontinental Inc. is closing, on or about Dec. 20, 2012, its printing plant at 7743 Bourdeau St. in LaSalle, Quebec, leading to the loss of some 150 jobs. All employees affected by the termination of printing operations at this plant have been informed of the decision and will receive severance pay as well as out-placement services to help them find new jobs. “The printing industry is undergoing a major transformation that is altering supply and demand. Given the capacity and potential of our network, we have concluded that we have excess production capacity in relation to market demand. In order for Transcontinental inc. to remain competitive in this industry under pressure and get the most out of its most efficient equipment, we have had to make the difficult decision to terminate our printing operations at LaSalle,” said Marian Kerr, senior vice president, Retail and Newspapers - Eastern.

Martha Stewart Scaling Way Back on Print

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Scaling Way Back on Print:
Just ahead of its third-quarter earnings call, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia today is announcing it is scaling back its print operation by cutting 1.1 million-circulation Everyday Food from a standalone 10x frequency to a 5x supplement to flagship magazine Martha Stewart Living. In the meantime, the 760,000-circulation Whole Living, also on a 10x frequency, has been put on the block—the company says it's already in discussions on a possible sale—and if a buyer doesn't materialize then the brand's content will be folded into Martha Stewart Living. The pullback on print will come with a staff reduction, which The New York Times reports to be about 70 people, and MSLO says the new cost efficiencies of the moves could realize up to $35 million in annualized savings.

Walgreens Debuts Healthy Living Magazine

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2012/11/01/walgreens-debuts-healthy-living-magazine.html
Walgreen Co. is getting into the magazine business with a healthy living guide available Nov. 4. The Deerfield-based drugstore chain's Happy And Healthy, Your Guide To Living Well With Walgreens will be a glossy, bi-annual magazine in English and Spanish. There will also be a similar version for Duane Reade  customers. Walgreens expects circulation to be about 65 million. The magazine will be online at walgreens.com, in stores as well as inserted in Sunday newspapers across the country.

National Geo Launches Magazine On iPhone

National Geographic Launches Magazine on the iPhone:
National Geographic’s brand, which already reaches over 400 million worldwide—is about to grow a little bigger with the introduction of its magazine on Apple’s iPhone. National Geographic magazine’s iPhone edition will launch with the November 2012 issue. The app will provide daily updates, including video, photography, audio recordings, maps, graphic timelines, daily feeds of news, Instagram photographs from the brand’s photographers and photos from the National Geographic online community of fan photographers. Unique content will be offered each time a user opens the app.

Penguin & Random House Merger Creates Giant

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2012/10/29/penguin-books-random-house-merger/1665505/
Two of the largest book publishers, Penguin, home to Patricia Cornwell and Nora Roberts, and Random House, which publishes E.L. James and George R.R. Martin -- are planning to merge into the world's larest publisher in a deal announced Monday.If approved by government regulators, the merger would combine the two publishers' parent companies, the British-owned Pearson and the German-owned Bertelsmann. The merger also heads off a bid by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., which owns publisher HarperCollins, to buy Penguin for $1.6 billion.
The new joint venture would publish about 25% of all books in the U.S. But what the consolidation means for readers and authors isn't as clear.Under the terms of the agreement, Penguin and Random House will combine their businesses in a joint venture named Penguin Random House. Bertelsmann will own 53%, Pearson 47%.John Makinson, currently chairman and chief executive of Penguin, will be chairman of the new firm; Markus Dohle, currently chief executive of Random House, will be its chief executive.

 

 

Media Buyers Waiting Until After Election

Nearly half of media buyers waiting until after election to buy advertising: Nearly half (47%) of media buyers plan to wait until after the presidential election to buy advertising for their clients in order to avoid competing with political ads, according to a survey by media buying and selling software company Strata Marketing. The survey was based on an online poll of 80 advertising agencies, conducted in October. It found that only 35% of ad agencies expect their business conditions to be better during the second half of the year than during the first half, and 19% said they expect business conditions to be worse in the second half compared with the first half.
Also, nearly one-third of agencies surveyed do not expect their business to return to a strong growth period until after 2013.

Consolidation Key To Secure Newsprint's Future

Consolidation is key if we're to secure newsprint's future:
There are many newspaper presses around the country running maybe four or five hours in every 24. It doesn't take a genius to see that this is simply not sustainable. The overheads associated with running and maintaining these operations are massive, but there are many companies across the UK in the same position. That simply needs to change. There have been many developments in the publishing sector in past decades, but many publishers have not moved with the times and have retained their printing operations. I propose a new model with publishers sticking to producing content and leaving the print to the specialists, with a clear division between print and publishing. We should pool capacity to a point where newspaper plants are producing major titles through the night while production of the regional titles is carried out during the day shifts. This would result in an elimination of this spare capacity.

Globe & Mail AmongTop 80 Newspapers

The Globe and Mail Among the Top 80 Best Printed Newspapers: The Globe and Mail and TC Transcontinental are pleased to announce that The Globe and Mail, Canada's National Newspaper, has been welcomed into the Top 80 of The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers International Newspaper Color Quality Club for 2012-2014.The new TC Transcontinental Canada-wide network of hybrid presses – the only one of its kind in the country – gave The Globe and Mail the flexibility to deliver colour on every page of its publication, plus glossy magazine-quality production. The Globe and Mail is  printed at five TC Transcontinental plants in Canada. Members of the Color  Quality Club Jury evaluated the quality of copies produced by the  Transcontinental Vaughan printing plant.

Mercer Reports Q3 Results

Mercer International Inc. Reports 2012 Third Quarter Results:
Mercer International Inc.today reported results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2012. Mr. Jimmy S.H. Lee, President and Chairman, stated: "During the third quarter of 2012, NBSK pulp prices remained generally weak. Despite this, we generated Operating EBITDA of €22.3 million, primarily as a result of strong pulp sales volumes and energy sales in the quarter."

Mondi Releases Q3 2012 Report

Mondi Group releases 3Q 2012 report
Mondi Group announces that underlying operating profit for the third quarter ended 30 September 2012 was EUR 135 million (year-to-date EUR 405 million, 2011 EUR 490 million) in line with that of the comparable prior year period (Q3 2011 EUR 136 million) and below that of the prior quarter (Q2 2012 EUR 150 million). This was in line with expectations and reflects a stable trading environment considering the impact of the traditionally weaker European summer months, annual maintenance shuts at a number of the Group's larger operating sites during the quarter and ongoing strong cost containment. Sales volumes were, on average, similar to those achieved in the previous quarter but above those of the comparable prior year period, although demand in the downstream converting operations was below that of the prior year.

Wired Editor To Launch Publishing Tools Startup

http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/02/ryan-singel-contextly/
Well, there goes another tech journalist with the startup bug.
Ryan Singel, editor of Wired’s security blog Threat Level, told me that today is his last day on the job, because he’s leaving to run his startup Contextly. Over the past decade, Singel has held various reporting and editing roles at Wired — apparently he helped start Threat Level back in 2006, and I got to know him few years later, when he was writing for the site’s Epicenter business blog. With Contextly, he said his goal is to “make tools for journalists actually designed by journalists, rather than marketers or advertisers or techie guys that don’t actually get how journalism works.”

Letterpress Is A Sign Of The Times

http://www.feltandwire.com/2012/11/01/letterpress-is-a-sign-of-the-times/
http://vimeo.com/51544296
In this charming video by The Ronaoke Times, John Reburn owner of Appalacia Press talks about the idea that seeing a surge in the letterpress business in these digital times, is a sign of overall economic growth for the Virginia town. In the video he says, “Digital will always have its place because of commerce and business and how things are made, but putting your handwriting and giving it to somebody has turned into being such a gift, it will trump anything digital or online.”

Verso NBHK Pulp Increase Announced

Verso Paper Corp. has announced a US $20 per ton increase on Nov 1st for (NBHK) pulp. The NBHK is at its mill in Quinnesec, Michigan, the company's coated freesheet facility.

 

Resolute's NBSK Pulp Price Increase

Resolute Forest Products is the latest pulp manufacturer to announce an increase in the NBSK pulp price in North America by $20 per ton, effective November 1.

Norske Skog Q3 Lower Debt, Good Cash Flow

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/01/idUS52643+01-Nov-2012+HUG20121101

Gross operating earnings in the third quarter were NOK 365 million, compared to NOK 393 million in the previous quarter. The weak markets in Europe and Australasia were offset by lower variable- and fixed costs and effective production adjustments. Despite very challenging markets, we have been able to implement effective production adjustments, considerable cost reductions and a significant debt reduction this year, says President and CEO in Norske Skog, Sven Ombudstvedt. Cash flow from operating activities (before financial items) was NOK 550 million, an improvement of NOK 162 million from the same quarter last year. The good cash flow for the period was a result of an effective realisation of trade receivables and reduction of inventories.

Resolute Forest Issues 2011 Sustainability Report

Resolute Forest Products issues Sustainability Report for 2011 Performance:
Resolute Forest Products released its Sustainability Report for 2011 Performance today, detailing company efforts to balance environmental, social and economic considerations. The report also publicly introduces Resolute’s first company-wide sustainability strategy which has three primary areas of focus:
Reinforce Resolute’s environmental credentials, taking appropriate steps to responsibly manage its environmental footprint;
Position the company as a competitive employer, attracting and retaining employees based on opportunities to quickly learn and grow within a dynamic organization; and
Build solid community relations in Resolute’s operating locations, recognizing that economically viable and civically involved companies support long-term regional prosperity.

Flambeau Paper Financially Sound

http://www.pricecountydaily.com/news/article_d6e0ec5a-2390-11e2-a1a5-0019bb2963f4.html
While it is true that the Flambeau River Papers have missed making state loan repayments since March 2012, Senator Bob Jauch said it is important to temper recent news reports by looking at a broader picture of the situation. Jauch said in an interview on Monday, that he has been assured by the company that the Flambeau River Papers will be resuming the payments to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in January. He was also assured that the company remains financially stable and plans to continue to sustain and grow its presence in the paper industry.  “It is important to note that the Flambeau River paper company has paid back 75 percent of the principal on one loan and 50% of the principal on the other two loans,” Jauch said. “Very clearly, the company is meeting its responsibilities.”

 

Incentives to Keep IP Headquarters In Memphis

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/oct/31/international-paper-seeks-incentives-to-expand/?partner=RSS 
Local officials plan to offer International Paper a package of incentives to keep the company's corporate headquarters and more than 2,000 jobs in Memphis. Three high-ranking city officials said they have been told by Mayor A C Wharton that Memphis is in a dogfight with Mississippi to keep the Fortune 500 corporation based here.The company, they said, is seeking a 30-year property tax break on a new building it would construct in Memphis.

In addition to retaining the company's current workforce, the project would bring another 100 high-paying jobs to the city, the officials said. The company recently acquired a competitor, Austin, Texas-based Temple-Inland.
 

RRD Puts Measures In Place After Google Filing

 http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20121101/NEWS01/121109997/r-r-donnelley-3q-profit-shrinks-cuts-forecast
Printing services provider RR Donnelley & Sons Co., which mistakenly filed Google Inc.'s earnings report ahead of schedule two weeks ago, said it has put measures in place to prevent any such incidents in the future.The company, whose third-quarter revenue fell more than expected, is the top agent for handling Securities and Exchange Commission filings and owns the EDGAR Online portal for SEC filings, used by corporations, analysts and investors.Chief Executive Thomas Quinlan, on a conference call with analysts, called the incident "deeply regrettable"."Everyone at RR Donnelley wishes it could have been undone. We have already begun to implement additional enhancements that will help to prevent an extremely rare incident like this one from happening again," he said.
Filing agents such as Donnelley take paper documents and convert them for submission to the SEC in the appropriate format. As of mid-October, the company had handled more than 75,000 submissions this year, according to SECInfo.com. RR Donnelley also lowered its full-year revenue forecast to $10.1 billion-$10.2 billion from $10.4 billion-$10.5 billion.

RRD Net Earnings Cut As Printing Sales Slump

RR Donnelley’s Net Earnings Cut in Half as Net Sales Slump : RR Donnelley’s Net Earnings Cut in Half as Printing Sales Slump:  R.R. Donnelley & Sons reported third-quarter 2012 net earnings of $71.4 million  on net sales of $2.5 billion, compared to net earnings of $158.0 million on net sales of $2.7 billion in the third quarter os 2011. "While our top line continues to be pressured by challenging industry dynamics and ongoing global economic headwinds, we remained focused on managing our cost structure to drive improved operating earnings and margins in the third quarter," said Thomas J. Quinlan III, RR Donnelley's president and CEO. "As we close the year and look ahead to 2013, our focus on aggressively aligning the cost structure with revenue will remain intact."  Net sales in the quarter were $2.5 billion, down $174.5 million, or 6.5 percent, from the third quarter of 2011. Pro forma for acquisitions, net sales decreased 6.9 percent due to volume declines, a 118 basis point unfavorable impact of changes in foreign exchange rates, price erosion and a 46 basis point unfavorable impact of lower pass-through paper sales.

Pivotal Research Lowers Ad Forecast, Citing Sandy

Pivotal Research lowers ad forecast, citing effects of Sandy:Media research company Pivotal Research Group lowered its U.S. ad forecast to a 0.5% decline in the third quarter, a 1.4% decline in the fourth quarter and zero growth for the full year, citing the effects of massive storm Sandy and other recent variables. The projections are down from an earlier forecast of 1.2% growth for the third quarter, 0.9% growth for the fourth quarter and 1.4% growth for the full year. The projections do not include political or Olympic ad spending.
“The first signs of a stormy second half of the year for advertising had become clear once the agency holding companies reported, and then Superstorm Sandy arrived, making us certain that 2012 will prove to be a year without growth for the U.S. advertising economy,” wrote Brian Wieser, senior research analyst at Pivotal Research Group, in the report. Wieser estimated Sandy will cost the advertising industry about $500 million in lost revenue, due to interruptions in local TV and radio programming and also factoring in decision-making by media buyers in the wake of the storm.

Capitalizing on Business Documents

Capitalizing on transactional documents: What happens when messages are sent within a printed business document? You may be surprised to know that they get read. This year the average consumer will see or hear more than one million marketing messages—that's almost 3,000 per day. But what happens when messages are sent within a printed business document? You may be surprised to know that they get read.
According to research from Pitney Bowes, printed bills garner more of the consumer's time than other channels, even when compared to the same content in electronic format. In other words, despite the advent of e-billing, most likely your utility bill or bank statement is read more often in print.

People Still Like To Read

http://www.economistgroup.com/leanback/mass-intelligence/people-like-to-read/
Last week, John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of The Economist, spoke on NPR’s “The Diane Rehm Show”, along with Stephen Shepard, dean of the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School of Journalism and former senior editor at Newsweek and BusinessWeek. Given the recent announcement by Newsweek and the difficulties most print publishers are going through, both discussed the future of news magazines in this digital age. Here are some highlights from the interview:
 - The conventional thinking seems to be that in the age of the 24-hour news cycle, who needs a weekly news magazine? But why is Time successful and not Newsweek? What makes one magazine successful compared to another? “It’s that vague concept called editorial quality, by which I mean original stories that are not available elsewhere”, Shepard said. Publications that produce valuable content that readers are willing to pay for use the news for a forward-looking story that incorporates analytical thinking and is relevant not necessarily to what happened yesterday but to what the impact of yesterday’s news is.

 

Newspaper Inserts Drive Users Online

Newspaper Inserts Drive Users Online as Part of New Path to Purchase: Valassis, one of the nation’s leading media and marketing services companies, shared consumer insights from a recent survey conducted via social media that demonstrates favorable response to newspaper-delivered advertisements. According to findings from a 2012 Valassis survey, conducted on Facebook, 30 percent of respondents said they searched online for more information about a product or service within 30 days of seeing a newspaper insert. This consumer behavior further demonstrates how the traditional path to purchase has evolved and is no longer linear. The survey also revealed that of respondents who use newspaper inserts:
76 percent said inserts are one of the main reasons they purchase the newspaper;
92 percent say that inserts save them money; and
65 percent said inserts save them time.
Nearly 60 percent of insert users bought a product or service in response to seeing a newspaper insert, according to the survey. These findings indicate one of the ways traditional print and digital media work together to drive consumers from awareness to action.

Hearst UK and Polestar Agree To New Deal

Hearst Magazines UK and Polestar Agree to New Deal: Polestar is to retain our position as the Number One print supplier to Hearst Magazines UK. All twelve titles in the existing portfolio printed by Polestar are to be retained in a new three-year deal, which encompasses both print and subscription mailing. John Hughes, Production Director of Hearst Magazines UK, says: 'We are very pleased to continue our long standing relationship with Polestar. We trust them and know that they will support our publishing requirements into the future.'

Wenner Media Strikes Content Deal With Yahoo

Wenner Media Strikes Content Deal with Yahoo:
While digital content partnerships between publishers have been a common tactic for driving traffic and branding from one site to another, less common are dedicated pages shared between the two. Such is the deal that Yahoo and Wenner Media announced today, with Yahoo's omg! and Yahoo Music featuring mini-sites and blended content from Us Weekly and Rolling Stone. Likewise, UsMagazine.com and RollingStone.com will feature Yahoo-branded channels. Taking the syndication deal a step further, Us Weekly and Rolling Stone print magazines will also feature Yahoo content.
According to the partnership, the two companies will pool editorial resources to contribute content across the sites. Wenner's Men's Journal will also provide its content to Yahoo, making it the first time the brand has appeared on the network. The partnership gives Wenner a huge upside on scale. According to September comScore numbers, Usmagazine.com and Rollingstone.com attracted 6.7 million and 3.1 million uniques, respectively. omg! and Yahoo Music attracted 28 million.

Total Ave Circ Decrease For Newspapers, Some Gain

Total average circulation decreases for newspapers, but some titles post gains: The total average weekday circulation of U.S. newspapers fell 0.2% from April through September of this year compared with the same period in 2011, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. However, some newspapers posted circulation gains, notably The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, each of which has a paywall on its website. Total average weekday circulation for The New York Times grew 40.3%, to 1.6 million. The Wall Street Journal saw a 9.6% gain, to 2.3 million.
Weekday circulation for USA Today, which recently unveiled a redesign for all its platforms, fell nearly 4%, to 1.7 million, while the Washington Post's average weekday circulation decreased nearly 9%, to 462,228.