Resolute's Thunder Bay Faces Challenges

http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/275972/Resolute-CEO-sees-future-for-Thunder-Bay-mill,-but-must-become-more-competitive

The president of Resolute Forest Products says he thinks the company's Thunder Bay mill has a future in the pulp and paper business.

But, added Richard Garneau, it won't come easy.
Facing a 10 per cent decline in demand over the first quarter of 2013 compared to a year ago,

Garneau said the company had no choice but to temporarily shut down the plant this month, correcting a potential oversupply had the decision not been made. More than 100 people were affected.

Canadian Rail Car Shortage Affects Industry

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/04/26/nb-lumber-rail-shortage.html

Frustration is growing among saw mill and pulp mill owners as a Canadian National rail car shortage is forcing companies to find alternate ways to ship lumber products.

Just as the lumber industry in the province begins to bounce-back due to a more stable homebuilding sector in the U.S., several northern New Brunswick mills have been forced to pay thousands of extra dollars every week to ship lumber to the U.S. by truck due to a shortage in CN rail cars.

Capital Hill's Internal Argument on Online Sales Tax

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/us/politics/bill-on-sales-tax-for-internet-purchases-divides-republicans.html?hp&_r=0

Legislation that would force Internet retailers to collect sales taxes from their customers has put antitax and small-government activists like Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform and the Heritage Foundation in an unusual position: they’re losing.

For years, conservative Republican lawmakers have been influenced heavily by the antitax activists in Washington, who have dictated outcomes and become the arbiters of what is and is not a tax increase.
But on the question of Internet taxation, their voices have begun to be drowned out by the pleas of struggling retailers back home who complain that their online competitors enjoy an unfair price advantage.

Men's Fitness Rebranded

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/mens-fitness-magazine-remade-lifestyle-brand-148947

Two years ago, Men's Fitness put Vin Diesel on its cover, wearing a red, body-hugging T-shirt and surrounded by coverlines that screamed "Instant muscle" and "53 fat-burning tips." Vin is back for the June issue, and while he’s still showing off his biceps, this time he’s sporting John Varvatos and Banana Republic.

Sitting at a long conference table in the offices of American Media Inc., chairman David Pecker placed the 2011 issue alongside the new one to underscore the point: Men's Fitness, long the province of workout tips and Gatorade ads, is going in an upscale lifestyle direction to compete with the likes of Men’s Health, Details and GQ.

ESPN Magazine: Print Spin on Sponsored Content

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/espn-magazine-puts-print-spin-sponsored-content-148990

Branded content has gotten plenty of attention as it's taken off online where the division between editorial and advertising real estate can be fuzzier (see: Forbes, The Atlantic, BuzzFeed, Gawker), but publishers have shied away from using similar strategies in print. Now, ESPN: The Magazine is taking a page from electronic media by letting an advertiser incorporate its logo into editorial content.

Financial Times Subscritptions Up, Ad Revenue Down

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/financial-times-faces-weak-ad-market-148939

Another struggle for 125-year-old Pearson publicationThe Financial Times is facing a weak advertising market, despite subscription gains, The Guardian reported. Parent company Pearson said it's because a number of large ad campaigns are planned for the second quarter, whereas last year they ran in the first quarter.

Despite the blow to ad revenue, Financial Times digital subscriptions increased by 4 percent in the first quarter, to 328,000. The business news publication has a global paid and digital circulation of 602,000.
Still, along with others in the industry, print ad revenue has been challenged in recent months and digital advertising has been slow to make up for it. There's growing competition for the global business reader, from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, Reuters and Bloomberg LP. In February, there were rumors that the 125-year-old paper would be sold.

RH Mails Spring 2013 Catalog

http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2013/04/restoration_hardware_catalogs.html

The Spring 2013 Restoration Hardware catalog has arrived and this is notable for just a few reasons.

It is not one catalog, it is six. 
And it appears Restoration Hardware is rebranding itself RH, or so each catalog is labeled.
At a total of 1,598 pages, the six books cover: Small Spaces; Objects of Curiosity; Tableware; Baby & Child; Outdoor & Garden; and Interiors – the biggest in the collection. 
They are beautifully photographed, as you might imagine, evoking a sense of world travels and the well-worn comfort of Gucci loafers.
 It's an interesting approach, a traditional printed catalog, at a time when even a full 140 character tweet seems too long.

Pearson Reports Q1 Results

http://www.pearson.com/news/2013/april/agm-and-interim-management-statement.html

Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, is today holding its Annual General Meeting and providing an interim management statement for the first three months of 2013.

Pearson is trading in line with the expectations set out in our full-year results announcement on 25 February (http://bit.ly/ZkoXqf). In the first three months of the year, sales including Penguin increased by 3% at constant exchange rates to £1.2bn (a headline increase of 4% and an underlying decline of 1%).

ABM Merger with SIIA Approved

ABM Merger with SIIA Officially Approved 83-3:
At ABM's 2013 Annual Conference here in Amelia Island, FL today, membership cast their vote as the final step to approve the merger between ABM and SIIA. The vote came in at 83 for, 3 against, but not without a bit of drama.

Global Ad Spend Continues Uptick

Global Ad Spend Continues Uptick; Internet to Overtake Print in 2015: ZenithOptimedia predicts global ad spend to strengthen over the next three years.
http://adage.com/article/agency-news/zenithoptimedia-forecasts-global-ad-spending-jump-3-9/241142/
Publicis Groupe's ZenithOptimedia predicts global advertising expenditures will grow 3.9% in 2013, reaching $518 billion by the end of the year. ZenithOptimedia's forecast shows an upward trend for ad investments in the Middle East and North Africa—a first for the region since the Arab Spring in 2011. It also calls for spending surges in rising markets like Latin America.   Mature markets, including North America, Japan and Western Europe, are on track for spending growth of just 1.8% in 2013. Spending in rising markets -- every other region -- should rise 8.2%. Despite low expectations for mature markets, the U.S. should continue to serve as the biggest contributor of new ad dollars to the global market. The agency expects the region to contribute 28% of the $76 billion that will be added to global spending between 2012 and 2015.

Weyerhaeuser Reports Q1 Results

http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/

Wood Products reports strongest quarterly earnings since 2005; Board of Directors increased dividend by 18 percent on April 11 to 20 cents per share; Weyerhaeuser upgraded to investment grade on improved performance

Weyerhaeuser Company today reported net earnings of $144 million, or 26 cents per diluted share, for the first quarter. This compares with net earnings before special items of $9 million, or 2 cents per diluted share, for the same period last year. Net sales for the first quarter of 2013 totaled $2.0 billion, compared with net sales of $1.5 billion for the first quarter of 2012.

Sequana Reports Q1 Results

http://www.appletoncoated.com/

http://www.arjowigginsgraphic.com/

http://listofcompanies.co.in/sequana/
In the first quarter of 2013, the recession in Europe coupled with a weak global economy in general continued to accentuate the structural decline in demand for printing and writing papers against a backdrop of strong downward pressure on selling prices. First-quarter volumes declined by 10% in distribution and by 6% in production. Consolidated sales came in at €892 million, down 9.4% (down 8.4% at constant exchange rates) year-on-year.
Arjowiggins' sales were €324 million, down 10.8% on first-quarter 2012, or 9.8% at constant exchange rates.
This decline was attributable mainly to falling volumes for printing and writing papers in Europe amid strong downward pressure on selling prices. Demand held up better for recycled paper in most countries, along with recycled pulp and most of the specialty businesses.

Koehler Appeals Commerce Duties

http://www.koehlerpaper.com/en/papier/thermal/

Almost a week after the US Dept of Commerce (DOC) levied a much-higher 75.36% dumping duty on Koehler Paper's lightweight thermal POS paper imports, Koehler appealed the determination and called on the US Court of International Trade (CIT) to review the decision, contacts told PPI Pulp & Paper Week.

The DOC on Apr. 18 made final a dumping duty of 75.36%, from 4.33% or 6.5%, on Koehler's lightweight thermal paper.

PPPC: Global Pulp Deliveries Up

Global pulp deliveries rose by 11% to 3.909 million tonnes in March, up from 3.523 million tonnes the previous month, according to Pulp and Paper Products Council (PPPC) data.

Shipments were 0.6% higher than the year-earlier period, up from 3.885 million tonnes in March, 2012.
Bleached softwood kraft (BSK) pulp shipments were up from 1.810 million tonnes in February to 1.964 million tonnes in March, while bleached hardwood kraft (BHK) pulp deliveries jumped from 1.596 million tonnes in February to 1.827 million tonnes last month.

Finnish Paper Production to Fall, Export Prices to Rise

http://www.ptt.fi/site/?lan=3&mode=tiedotteet&tiedote_id=1281

Finnish paper production and exports will decrease this year and next, while paperboard and pulp manufacturers will enjoy export growth, according to the Pellervo Economic Research (PTT) Institute's 2013-2014 forecast.

PTT forecasts further drops in Finnish paper volumes. This year, Finnish production and exports of paper will decrease by 1-3% and next year by 1-4%, according to PTT.

This is due to the weak economic situation in Finland's most important export countries, which will drag consumption there down, coupled with a structural decrease in paper demand. As a result, the industry is taking permanent or temporary measures to limit production. In Finland, UPM will close a 245,000 tonne/yr supercalendered paper machine at its Rauma mill in April.
However, PTT foresees increases in Finnish paper export prices. The institute expects prices to either remain stable or rise by up to 2% in 2013 compared to 2012. For 2014 it sees prices rising by 2-3%, as a result of capacity closures in Europe.

AF&PA Reports March Kraft, Boxboard Ships

http://www.afandpa.org/

Total Kraft paper shipments were 132.6 thousand tons, an increase of 11.6 percent compared to the prior month. Bleached Kraft paper shipments decreased year-over-year 1.3 percent, and the 7.2 percent year-over-year decline in unbleached Kraft paper shipments were enough to bring overall Kraft paper shipments down 6.5 percent year-over-year. Total month-end inventory increased 0.4 percent to 71.6 thousand tons this month compared to February 2013 month-end inventories.

Total boxboard production decreased by 1.2 percent compared to March 2012 but increased 6 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production decreased over the same month last year and decreased compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production decreased compared to March 2012 but increased compared to last month. The production of Recycled Boxboard increased compared to March 2012 and increased when compared to last month.

Germany: Another Mill Raises Coated Price

Antalis has set its sights on higher prices in Germany. The trader announced last week that it intends to raise prices for coated woodfree (CWF) sheets by 5% from May 6. Prices for all other grades are supposed to rise by 3% from the same date.

Antalis ascribed the move to rising energy and fuel prices as well as logistics and transport costs, which are impacting the price structure in the wholesale market.

Cabela's Reports Strong Q1, Plans New Store

http://www.pymnts.com/news/businesswire-feed/2013/april/25/cabela-039-s-inc-reports-record-first-quarter-2013-results-20130425005416

Cabela's Incorporated (NYSE:CAB) today reported strong financial results for first quarter fiscal 2013.
For the quarter, total revenue increased 28.7% to $802.5 million; Retail store revenue increased 41.0% to $486.7 million; Direct revenue increased 18.4% to $225.2 million; and Financial Services revenue increased 2.8% to $85.8 million. For the quarter, comparable store sales increased 24.0%. For the quarter, net income increased 72.9% to $49.8 million compared to $28.8 million in the year ago quarter, and earnings per diluted share were $0.70 compared to $0.40 in the year ago quarter. 

http://www.pymnts.com/news/businesswire-feed/2013/april/25/cabela-rsquo-s-reg-announces-plans-for-edmonton-alberta-canada-store-20130425005360

Cabela’s Incorporated (NYSE:CAB), the World’s Foremost Outfitter® of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, announced today plans to bring the extraordinary Cabela’s retail experience to customers in the north Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, area.

MediaPost Mag Bag

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/198962/mag-bag-national-journal-bows-nj-digital-ad-ta.html#axzz2RVYzoCAG

Wired Celebrates 20th Birthday With Anthology
Wired is celebrating its 20th birthday with a new digital anthology, Wired@20, which plumbs the magazine’s archives for the best stories from its first two decades.
Glassman To Smithsonian Media, Associate Publisher, Marketing
Smithsonian Media has promoted Judy Glassman to associate publisher for marketing. Her previous role was director of marketing for the company. In her new role, she will be responsible for developing multiplatform marketing opportunities among Smithsonian Media Group assets, including the flagship magazine, Air & Space, goSmithsonian, the Smithsonian Channel and Smithsonian.com.

And more... 

What's Next for Magazines?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/magda-abufadil/beyond-skeuomorphism-what_b_3156773.html

"Innovations in Magazine Media 2013 World Report"  is the annual must-read guide to what's new in the field of magazines, analyses of how the industry is doing, and, some looking into the future. 
The book is published by the Innovation International Media Consulting Group for FIPP, the worldwide magazine media association.
The 130-page book offers a wealth of information on how magazines continue to morph into shapes, views and sounds beyond imagination. 
Not only are magazine developers leaving no proverbial page unturned, they're also leaving no sense untouched in their quest for the ultimate experience. 
An introduction to a chapter on magazines' prospects says it all: "While paper is eternal, technologists and visionaries are re-imagining the magazine following the old adage that the best way to envision the future is to prototype it."

Meredith Posts Strong Q3

http://www.pubexec.com/article/meredith-delivers-strong-fiscal-2013-third-quarter-and-nine-month-results/1

Meredith Corporation, the leading media and marketing company serving American women, today reported fiscal 2013 third quarter earnings per share of $0.65, compared to $0.47 in the prior-year period.  Excluding special items in both periods, fiscal 2013 third quarter earnings per share grew 9 percent to $0.72, compared to $0.66 in the prior-year period.  Total Company revenues rose 7 percent to $370 million.

Valassis Profit Down in Q1

Valassis Profit Down in Q1, Cuts 2013 Guidance: LIVONIA, Mich. - Valassis today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013.  First-quarter 2013 revenues were $482.5 million, a decrease of 7.0% from $518.6 million in the prior year quarter. This decrease was due primarily to an anticipated decline in revenues in the Neighborhood Targeted segment resulting from the change in certain client contracts to a fee-based media placement model.

Deluxe Reports Q1 Results

Deluxe Profit in Q1 Tops Esimates:
Revenue for the quarter was $387.6 million compared to $378.0 million during the first quarter of 2012. Revenue increased 2.5% compared to 2012, despite two fewer business days in 2013, driven by 8.1% growth in Small Business Services. Marketing solutions and other services revenue increased 22.2% compared to 2012 and represented 19.2% of consolidated revenue, up from 16.1% in the first quarter of 2012.

Standard Register Reports Q1 Results

Standard Register Continues Upward Performance Trend in Q1: DAYTON, Ohio - Standard Register today announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2013. The Company reported revenue of $141.6 million and a net loss of $2.0 million or $0.7 per share. The results compare to first quarter 2012 revenue of $157.6 million and a net loss of $5.1 million or $0.18 per share.

CEO Confidence Continues to Improve

CEO Confidence Continues to Improve: The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence™, which had increased in the fourth quarter of 2012, improved again in the first quarter of 2013. The Measure now reads 54, up from 46 in the previous quarter (a reading of more than 50 points reflects more positive than negative responses).

Senator Vows Postal Reform Act by July 4

Senator Carper Vows Postal Reform Act by July 4:  Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate subcommittee that oversees the United States Postal Service, told a group of postal officials and business leaders yesterday at the Postal Vision 2020 conference that he expected to have a new reform bill passed by both Houses of Congress and sitting on President Obama's desk before Congress's July 4 recession.

NY Times Co. Plans Strategy, Reports Q1

NY Times Co. unveils growth strategies: New York—On the heels of reporting first-quarter results, the New York Times Co. announced a series of strategic initiatives to spur revenue growth that will begin to be rolled out in the fourth quarter.

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/new-york-times-planning-lower-priced-digital-subs-148888

The New York Times Planning Lower-Priced Digital Subs

In this morning's first quarter earnings call, which had revenues down 2 percent, The New York Times Co. announced plans for a number of new initiatives at the flagship paper, including a lower-priced subscription model, international expansion, and increased focus on digital video, all expected to roll out in the last quarter of 2013 through 2014.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/198963/nytco-circ-revenues-up-ad-revenues-down.html#axzz2RVYzoCAGThe New York Times Co. reported that circulation revenues rose in the first quarter, reflecting the continuing success of its digital subscription strategy -- but this growth was more than offset by a steep decline in print advertising revenues and a more modest decrease in digital ad revenues. NYTCO's total circulation revenues rose 6.5% from $227 million in the first quarter of 2012 to $242 million in the first quarter of 2013, thanks to a 45% jump in the number of the company’s digital subscribers, which numbered 708,000 at the end of the recent quarter, compared to around 490,000 a year before.

Irving Announces SC Price Increase

http://www.jdirving.com/
Irving Paper has announced a price increase of  $50 per short ton for Irving SCA, Irving SCB, Irving Radiance (SCA+) and Irving Opulence (SCA++),  effective with all new and existing orders shipping on and after July 1, 2013.  This increase affects all basis weights.

UPM Reports Q1 Results

http://www.upm.com/en/Pages/default.aspx

Sales for Q1 2013 were EUR 2,474 million, 5% lower than the EUR 2,608 million in Q1 2012. Sales decreased due to a reduction in paper deliveries and prices.
EBITDA was EUR 284 million, 11.5% of sales (357 million, 13.7% of sales). The decrease in EBITDA was mainly attributable to the Paper business area, as a result of lower average paper prices and lower delivery volumes.
Fixed costs decreased by EUR 30 million from the comparison period. Also, variable costs were slightly lower than last year.
Operating profit excluding special items was EUR 144 million, 5.8% of sales (156 million, 6.0%).

UPM Closes Rauma SC PM

http://www.upm.com/en/Pages/default.aspx

UPM has permanently closed the 245,000 tonne/yr supercalendered (SC) paper unit PM 3 at its Rauma mill in southwestern Finland. The firm stopped production on the machine at noon on April 19, according to UPM Rauma general manager Kari Pasanen.

Two weeks ago, UPM announced that it would stop PM 3 as well as the 175,000 tonne/yr SC unit PM 4 at its Ettringen mill in Germany, by the end of April instead of by the end of June, as originally announced in January.

The closure at the Rauma mill will lead to 87 jobs being cut. After the shutdown, the mill will still house three machines with a combined capacity of some 280,000 tonnes/yr of SC paper and 710,000 tonnes/yr of lightweight coated (LWC) paper.

Norske Skog Reports Q1 Results

http://www.norskeskog.com/Default.aspx
First quarter of 2013: Gross operating earnings NOK 174 million (NOK 332 million in the fourth quarter of 2012). Decline due to lower prices, seasonality and active capacity management.
Negative cash flow from operating activities of NOK 106 million reflecting restructuring payments and seasonally increased working capita.
Net interest-bearing debt increased by NOK 461 million to NOK 6 482 million in the quarter reflecting adverse currency effects and negative cash flow.

AF&PA Reports March P&W Paper Ships

http://www.afandpa.org/
The American Forest & Paper Association has released its March 2013 Printing-Writing Paper Report.
According to the report, total printing-writing paper shipments were down 6% compared to March 2012.
Additional key findings:
Coated mechanical (CM) shipments in March decreased 9 percent compared to March 2012 to 247,800 tons. Imports of coated mechanical increased year-over-year through February, up 12 percent.
March shipments of coated free sheet (CFS) papers decreased less than 1 percent compared to March 2012, with year-to-date CFS shipments essentially flat through the first quarter.
Uncoated free sheet (UFS) papers shipments of 753,000 tons in March were 6 percent below the same period last year, with imports increasing 12 percent year-over-year in February and exports declining 12 percent.
March uncoated mechanical (UM) paper shipments decreased 13 percent when compared to March 2012, with year-over-year exports through February up 28 percent.

Domtar Reports Q1 Results

http://www.domtar.com/

Domtar Corporation today reported net earnings of $45 million ($1.29 per share) for the first quarter of 2013 compared to net earnings of $19 million ($0.54 per share) for the fourth quarter of 2012 and net earnings of $28 million ($0.76 per share) for the first quarter of 2012. Sales for the first quarter of 2013 amounted to $1,345 million.

Excluding items listed below, the Company had earnings before items¹ of $33 million ($0.95 per share) for the first quarter of 2013 compared to earnings before items¹ of $46 million ($1.31 per share) for the fourth quarter of 2012 and earnings before items¹ of $61 million ($1.65 per share) for the first quarter of 2012.