Saskatchewan establishes Right To Practice for foresters and technologists:
Forestry professionals who want to practice in Saskatchewan’s public forests must now demonstrate their qualifications and competence through registration with their professional association, similar to other professions like engineers and agrologists. On May 15, amendments to The Forestry Professions Act were proclaimed, legally establishing the right to practice for Registered Professional Foresters and Registered Professional Forest Technologists. Now, anyone practicing professional forestry on forested Crown lands must be registered with the Association of Saskatchewan Forestry Professionals (ASFP) or work under the supervision of a registered member. The ASFP works to establish and maintain high standards of ethics and excellence for its members in the professional practice of forestry. The association is governed by a council of elected members and one public representative.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Barefoot Books Stops Selling to Amazon
Seven years after Barefoot Books in Cambridge, Mass., cut off Barnes & Noble and Borders, it announced that it has terminated its relationship with Amazon in North America and in the U.K. Instead, the children’s book publisher will focus on selling direct through its bookstore/studios in Concord, Mass., and Oxford, England, and its boutique in FAO Schwarz in New York City. It will also continue to sell direct on its Web site and to expand its Ambassador network of home-based sellers, which has been growing at a rate of 16% a month, according to Barefoot. “As entrepreneurs, we admire Amazon and its groundbreaking accomplishments,” said cofounder and CEO Nancy Traversy. “However, Barefoot’s commitment is to diversity and to grassroots values. Living Barefoot is about creating a sustainable model, which enables individuals to build small-scale businesses.” Traversy said she was unhappy with having Barefoot titles heavily discounted at the e-tailer, which sometimes began selling them before the press even received advance copies from the printer. Today’s announcement does not affect the sale of Barefoot’s titles to the education market or to independent bookstores and gift shops. According to the press, its relationships with wholesalers will not be affected. Last year, Educational Development Corp., which employs thousands of home-based sellers for its titles, also cut its ties to Amazon in a bid to boost sales for its home reps.
Penguin Agrees To $75M Settlement
Penguin has agreed to pay $75 million to settle the ebook
pricing lawsuit with consumers and states. Meanwhile, Apple and the Department
of Justice are set to go to trial on June 3. Book publisher Penguin has agreed
to a $75 million settlement with consumers and states in the ebook pricing
lawsuit, several months after it settled with the Department of Justice. The
other publishers in the case — HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette
and Macmillan — had already settled with both the states and the DOJ. Penguin’s
settlement is by far the largest that any of the publishers have reached. The
settlement also clears the way for the Penguin-Random House merger to move
forward in the second half of this year. Penguin’s parent company Pearson said
in a statement, “In anticipation of reaching this agreement, Pearson had made a
$40m provision for settlement in its 2012 accounts. An incremental charge will
be expensed in Pearson’s 2013 statutory accounts as part of the accounting for
the Penguin Random House joint-venture.
CWU Receive Ballots DSA Boycott
Postal union ballots members on DSA boycott:
Around 112,000 CWU members will receive ballot papers asking them four questions, one of which asks: "Do you support the boycott of competitors' mail".While the ballot is primarily targeted at strengthening CWU's hand in negotiations with Royal Mail on pay, privatisation and working conditions - a strong yes vote on the question of boycotting DSA mail would give the union the mandate to introduce a boycott."This ballot is about protecting the interests of our members and the future of the UK postal service. It is time to challenge Royal Mail and send a strong message to the government and regulator. The consultative ballot deals with the complex issues facing our members and the postal industry. We're asking postal workers to support the union or allow Royal Mail a free hand to determine their future - there is no fence to sit on," said CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward.
Around 112,000 CWU members will receive ballot papers asking them four questions, one of which asks: "Do you support the boycott of competitors' mail".While the ballot is primarily targeted at strengthening CWU's hand in negotiations with Royal Mail on pay, privatisation and working conditions - a strong yes vote on the question of boycotting DSA mail would give the union the mandate to introduce a boycott."This ballot is about protecting the interests of our members and the future of the UK postal service. It is time to challenge Royal Mail and send a strong message to the government and regulator. The consultative ballot deals with the complex issues facing our members and the postal industry. We're asking postal workers to support the union or allow Royal Mail a free hand to determine their future - there is no fence to sit on," said CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Resolute Comments On CBFA Agreement
Resolute Forest Products comments on Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement:
Resolute Forest Products expressed the company’s disappointment that negotiations under the auspices of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) have broken down after three years of collaborative efforts. Parties were unable to reach mutual agreement on a workable plan to jointly further conservation efforts while balancing environmental, social and economic considerations in the Canadian boreal forest. The CBFA was signed by members of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), including Resolute, and a group of environmental organizations to establish a common framework to further support boreal conservation efforts while safeguarding the livelihood of thousands of citizens in communities that depend on healthy working forests. While it was challenging to find common ground among organizations with such diverse interests, Resolute believes its contributions to CBFA working groups and its overall commitment to sustainable forestry positively impacted the process. Company employees participated in all CBFA activities, offering concrete proposals and committing thousands of work hours to the initiative. Resolute also stepped forward to provide funding and offered significant additional financial support to the process. Over the past several weeks, intense negotiations took place leading up to the third anniversary of the CBFA. Resolute put forward proposals for Northwestern Ontario that endorsed the setting aside of an additional 504,000 acres (204,000 hectares) of forest for conservation, providing additional protection of caribou and other species. This commitment is on top of the approximately 4,942,000 acres (2,000,000 hectares) of Ontario forests that have already been established as protected spaces, parks and other initiatives over the past 15 years. In Quebec, Resolute put forward additional candidates for protected areas to move up the total percentage to 12%, equivalent to 1,710,000 acres (692,000 hectares), focusing primarily on best habitats for caribou conservation. The company also specifically addressed concerns related to the Montagnes Blanches and the Broadback Valley. The Resolute proposals were made with full knowledge that further curtailment of the company’s fiber supply is likely in the near future due to revisions of the annual allowable cut by Quebec’s Chief Forester, and by the implementation of a government endorsed caribou conservation plan. “It is unfortunate the CBFA signatories were ultimately unable to reach alignment on how to strike a balance among environmental, social and economic priorities – the three pillars of sustainability,” stated Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Resolute Forest Products expressed the company’s disappointment that negotiations under the auspices of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) have broken down after three years of collaborative efforts. Parties were unable to reach mutual agreement on a workable plan to jointly further conservation efforts while balancing environmental, social and economic considerations in the Canadian boreal forest. The CBFA was signed by members of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), including Resolute, and a group of environmental organizations to establish a common framework to further support boreal conservation efforts while safeguarding the livelihood of thousands of citizens in communities that depend on healthy working forests. While it was challenging to find common ground among organizations with such diverse interests, Resolute believes its contributions to CBFA working groups and its overall commitment to sustainable forestry positively impacted the process. Company employees participated in all CBFA activities, offering concrete proposals and committing thousands of work hours to the initiative. Resolute also stepped forward to provide funding and offered significant additional financial support to the process. Over the past several weeks, intense negotiations took place leading up to the third anniversary of the CBFA. Resolute put forward proposals for Northwestern Ontario that endorsed the setting aside of an additional 504,000 acres (204,000 hectares) of forest for conservation, providing additional protection of caribou and other species. This commitment is on top of the approximately 4,942,000 acres (2,000,000 hectares) of Ontario forests that have already been established as protected spaces, parks and other initiatives over the past 15 years. In Quebec, Resolute put forward additional candidates for protected areas to move up the total percentage to 12%, equivalent to 1,710,000 acres (692,000 hectares), focusing primarily on best habitats for caribou conservation. The company also specifically addressed concerns related to the Montagnes Blanches and the Broadback Valley. The Resolute proposals were made with full knowledge that further curtailment of the company’s fiber supply is likely in the near future due to revisions of the annual allowable cut by Quebec’s Chief Forester, and by the implementation of a government endorsed caribou conservation plan. “It is unfortunate the CBFA signatories were ultimately unable to reach alignment on how to strike a balance among environmental, social and economic priorities – the three pillars of sustainability,” stated Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Flambeau Completes New Headbox Installation
Flambeau River Paper completes $2 million new headbox installation on PM#3 at Wisconsin mill: Flambeau River Papers, one of North America's "greenest" paper mills, completed installation of the new headbox on Paper Machine No. 3. The $2 million plus investment, which controls flow and distribution of fiber, will improve the mill's current grades while allowing the manufacture of additional specialty printing and writing papers. A new headbox represents a large investment during uncertain economic times, however it improves paper quality, uniformity and allows the addition of other uncoated free sheet grades. It is one more investment required to keep 320 dedicated, hard working U.S. employees on the job. In a decade of paper mill closures Flambeau River is taking a bold approach to keeping the mill competitive while meeting the requirements of today's demanding and ever changing printing and writing market. Customers will visually notice much better formation throughout the web and printers will notice a much improved profile in both basis weight and moisture giving a very consistent caliper.
Wausau Sells Specialty Paper Business
Wausau Paper today announced that it has signed a
definitive agreement to sell its specialty paper business to a new company
sponsored by KPS Capital Partners L.P. a New York-based private equity
firm with significant experience in the paper industry. The new company will be
known as Expera Specialty Solutions, LLC. KPS, as previously announced, has also entered into a
definitive agreement to acquire the specialty paper business of Packaging
Dynamics Corporation (“Thilmany”), which operates paper mills in De Pere and
Kaukauna, Wisconsin. Expera will combine the Thilmany business with Wausau
Paper’s specialty paper business to create a leading North American
manufacturer of specialty paper products for the food packaging, industrial,
and pressure-sensitive release liner segments. A collective bargaining agreement covering employees at the
Mosinee, Rhinelander, and Kaukauna facilities has been negotiated and ratified.
The collective bargaining agreement and the Thilmany acquisition agreement were
both conditions to Wausau Paper entering into its agreement with KPS.
Twin Rivers Acquired By Private Investment Firms
Atlas Holdings and Blue Wolf Capital to Acquire Twin Rivers Paper: Blue Wolf Capital Partners and Atlas Holdings today announced that they have reached an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Twin Rivers Paper from Brookfield Asset Management. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in approximately three weeks, allowing time for certain procedural requirements. Blue Wolf and Atlas, both NY-based private investment firms, have long track records of building forest products companies in North America. Twin Rivers, with facilities in Edmundston and Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, and Madawaska, ME, has been a vital economic engine for the region for over 80 years, producing specialty papers and lumber for a variety of markets. Through the acquisition of a controlling stake in Twin Rivers, Atlas and Blue Wolf are showing their commitment to the future of the business, and will work with the company in the development of its long-term capital and growth plans.“Twin Rivers produces specialty papers and lumber products that are well regarded throughout the industry,” said Adam Blumenthal, managing partner of Blue Wolf. “Our plan is to build on these strengths as we seek to position the operations for long-term success and as a key contributor in the revitalization of the forest products sector in Maine and New Brunswick.”
Holmen Shuts Down Swedish SC & News PM's
Holmen to shut down 140,000 tonne/yr SC PM 3 at Hallsta mill and 200,000 tonne/yr newsprint PM 51 Braviken mill, Sweden, by end of September: Holmen Paper's previously announced closures of PM 3 at Hallsta Paper Mill and PM 51 at Braviken Paper Mill will take place towards the end of September. Capacity will thus be permanently reduced by 140 000 tonnes of SC paper annually, and by 200 000 tonnes of newsprint. Also, due to conversion and adaptation to the new structure, Holmen Paper will be forced to cut a further 10 per cent of the company's available capacity in Sweden during the third quarter. The ongoing restructuring programme is taking place against the backdrop of considerable losses in the business. "The extensive capacity cuts announced will gradually lead to a better market balance in 2013," says Henrik Sjölund, head of Holmen Paper.
Bonnier, Source Interlink Exchange Titles
Bonnier, Source Interlink Exchange Titles: Change continues at Bonnier as the company announced its third major holdings change in the last month, agreeing to acquire nine motorcycle titles from Source Interlink Media. Concurrently, Bonnier has sold the majority of its TransWorld enthusiast properties and sound-system and theater review title, Sound + Vision, to Source Interlink. While related, each deal was structured separately and was not part of an asset swap, according to a Bonnier spokesperson. Financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed. The activity comes after Bonnier had recently sold Parenting and Babytalk to Meredith, and five snowsports properties to Active Interest Media. "The transactions today are the last in a series of moves we have implemented to transform our company to one that will achieve revenue growth and sustained profitability," says Dave Freyang, CEO of Bonnier, in an internal memo. "I realize this spring has brought significant change to our company. I also recognize that change creates uncertainty. Please be certain of this: We have our operating groups and brands in place, and we have the right people to allow us to achieve our goals." A Bonnier spokesperson confirms that there will be no layoffs in the immediate future stemming from the deal. Bonnier will pair the acquired properties with Cycle World, which it acquired from Hearst in 2011, to form the Bonnier Motorcycle Group-the largest media group in the segment, according to the company. Source Interlink staff will join Bonnier's Cycle World personnel at its Carlsbad, Calif. offices.
Survey: 70% Of Marketers Use Branded Content
Survey: 70% of marketers use branded content in advertising: Seventy percent of marketers and 77% of agencies said they have used branded content as part of advertising in the past year, according to a survey by global newspaper website MailOnline. The study was based on an online survey of 610 marketers and ad agency executives conducted in April. It found that 66% of marketers said branded content marketing is very important to their marketing mix. The top source of branded content for advertisers is publishing partners (58%), followed by clients (49%) and third-party content producers (37%). When asked which tactics were most effective in achieving branding objectives, marketers cited video as the top tactic (26%), followed by branded content, social media and search (25% each). Other tactics cited were email (17%), mobile (14%) and display advertising (9%).
B-to-B Media & Info Industry Growth Slows
http://www.btobonline.com/article/20130521/MEDIABUSINESS10/130529997/The growth of the b-to-b media and information
industry slowed last year compared with 2011, according to Business Information
Network data released by American Business Media. Collectively, the main sources of b-to-b media company
revenue, trade shows and events, print advertising, digital advertising and
business information/data— grew 4.3%, from $24.49 billion in 2011 to $25.4
billion last year. Adjusted for inflation, the increase was 2.2%. Between 2010 and 2011, the industry grew 7.2%, from $22.7
billion to $24.4 billion. The inflation-adjusted growth rate was 4.2%. ABM compiles BIN data from the Center for Exhibition
Industry Research for trade shows, Inquiry Management Systems for print (except
healthcare), Kantar Media for healthcare, and Outsell for data and business
information. ABM estimates digital advertising data based on the Interactive
Advertising Bureau’s Ad Revenue Report.
DMA: Increased Spending in Q1
DMA: Marketers increased data-driven spending in Q1: Marketing departments saw improvements in several key performance indicators in the first quarter of the year, according to a new report by the Direct Marketing Association.According to DMA's “Quarterly Business Review” for the first quarter, conducted in partnership with consultancy Winterberry Group, 80.6% of survey respondents said their data-driven marketing spending was equal to or greater than it was in the fourth quarter of last year. Following a sustained period in which marketers did not increase staff, the first quarter saw increased staffing growth for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2010, the DMA said. DMA's report is based on an online survey of 246 marketers and marketing vendors distributed in April.
Food Net & HGTV Mags-A Tale of Two New Magazines
“A Tale of Two New Magazines:” It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was
the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief,
it was the epoch of incredulity…Not only is this the first line of one of the classics; it
is the opening scene of a drama we sometimes witness in the magazine media
world. Hearst recently announced that rate bases were jumping again
on two of its titles: Food Network Magazine and HGTV Magazine. This will be the
11th consecutive rate base increase for Food Network Magazine since launching
in 2009 and the 3rd increase for HGTV Magazine since the first official issue
in June 2012. It is the best of times for Food Network Magazine. Yet it
was the worst of times for another culinary magazine that had been around for
almost 70 years: Gourmet. In 2008, when the economy busted and technology burst upon
the scene, some major publishers, like Condé Nast, struggled to keep their
footing. So Gourmet was sacrificed and Condé Nast concentrated all of its
life-giving oxygen on Bon Appétit. So has the economy improved that much in four or five years
that the magazine media industry can expect the amazing growth that titles like
Food Network and HGTV are realizing? Or is there more to the story? Perhaps we
have finally learned a very important lesson: that as long as we integrate and communicate to our audience the relevant message, via the relevant platform, we
can see our numbers grow once again. In the cases of Food Network and HGTV, stories are rarely
repeated between the pages of the print magazines and those that come to life
on the television screen. Both magazines are substantial and are their own
unique experiences, apart from their broadcast counterparts. What I believe that we can take away from this is two
things: One, you have to be willing to listen to your customers,
bottom line. Paying just lip service to your customers is not going to work. It
doesn’t matter what you as an editor or publisher want, you can’t self-support
your own magazine; it’s going to take a community of loyal readers to do that
for you. Two: We need to learn from the old business model, take from
it what still works and be willing to sacrifice what does not. Doing the same
thing time and time again won’t fly in 2013. Take the best from the past, focus
on the present, and always keep an eye on the future, that’s where your
business model should be headed.
Rodale Launches E-Commerce Site
Rodale Launches Standalone E-Commerce Site, Rodale's: Rodale Inc., launches its first eco-luxury online retail store specializing in handpicked luxury and sustainably sourced goods, according to a press release. Rodale’s will offer items across most retail categories that include apparel; accessories and beauty; kitchen and garden; fitness; bed and bath; gifts and books and general care. There will be selected artisanal vendors included in the launch including Stewart+Brown apparel, Vapour Organic Beauty, Gabrielle Sanchez jewelry among others, according to the press release.
Time Launches M-Commerce Pilot Program
Time Inc.'s All You
has added shoppable capabilities to its tablet edition. Starting with the May
issue, customers using an iPad or Kindle Fire can tap a "shop now"
icon to see where the product is for sale with a direct link to purchase. The print magazine, sold through Walmart, some newsstands
and through regular subscription channels, is commerce-oriented title as it is
and adding an m-commerce capability to the tablet edition taps into reader behavior
already in place. In a recent survey conducted by All You and Insight Strategy
Group, 62 percent of a mix of All You subscribers and other women look for
product deals on their smartphone or tablet. "Ninety percent of women in
the survey think of themselves as smart bargain shoppers," says George
Kimmerling, All You's deputy editor. The shoppable function, provided through a partnership with
app commerce services provider ShopAdvisor, also allows the user to tag an item
to monitor it for price drops. This function requires an email address, and a
price change on an item triggers a message back to the reader.
Wenner's Kid New Head of RollingStone.com
Rolling Stone owner Jann Wenner has a knack for picking
talent. So we're sure his online staff will give a hearty welcome to their new
boss: Jann Wenner's fresh-out-of-college kid. Gus Wenner, 22, is an amazing media success story. Just a
few years ago, he was a Brown University student playing in a band with fellow
celebukid Brown student Scout Willis. Today, he's still playing in a band with
Scout Willis— and also running the website of a major national magazine! Gus's
dad, Jann (the boss of the place, coincidentally) sent this email out to
Rolling Stone staffers today: Dear all: David Kang and I are very pleased —and I am very proud —to
announce that Gus Wenner, after leading the re-launch re-design effort for our
website, will now continue by heading up the overall operations of
RollingStone.com. Jann
Ziff Davis Nabs NetShelter
Ziff Davis announced on Monday that it has acquired
NetShelter, a technology-centric ad network/platform which claims to represent
about 150 websites. Ziff Davis boasted in a release that the deal with elevate
the company to the position of No. 1 property in the tech category, per
comScore. "The acquisition of NetShelter fully returns Ziff Davis to the
dominant market position in the technology vertical," Ziff Davis CEO Vivek
Shah said in a statement. "We will combine our best-in-class ad targeting
capabilities and trading desk expertise with what our marketers need most
today. High-quality, high-impact inventory that's available at scale on trusted
sites frequented by tech enthusiasts." News of the deal was first reported by TechCrunch on Sunday.
Ziff Davis publishes popular tech sites like PCMag.com and Geek.com, while
NetShelter has MacRumors.com and other sites under its umbrella. Speaking about the deal, Bennett Zucker, Ziff Davis' svp and
gm of data solutions, echoed Shah's sentiment. "As a company, Ziff Davis
started out many years ago as a print publisher. (It) has enjoyed some very
high highs and endured some very low lows along the way. Since June 2010 when
we really began to reinvent the company, it's been our mission to recapture
that No. 1 spot in technology as a goal. And this acquisition, on top of some
others we've made the last couple of years, gets us there."
Tumblr And Tech Future
In the mid-90s, the pop band Barenaked Ladies sang out
scenarios for their fantasy, "If I had a million dollars." Today, in
Silicon Valley and due north in Redmond we have a new version playing out where
Yahoo, Facebook and Microsoft are all figuring out what they would spend a
billion on. While the targets -- Tumblr, Waze and Nook -- make for fascinating
discussion of fit and valuation on their own, together they show something
interesting about the future of these goliaths beyond the personal computer.
They're looking well beyond the personal computer, but in different ways. After several small acqui-hires, Yahoo has finally swung for
the fences with a billion dollar acquisition of Tumblr. Tumblr is a
microblogging and social network site, and its audience is decidedly
un-Yahoo-like. Consider, too, that Yahoo has just announced a move toward
native advertising on its sacred home page. Giving the Yahoo sales force more
inventory and the ability to blend content between the Tumblr network and Yahoo
properties might be a highly valuable combo for consumers and advertisers
alike.
Inside Yahoo!’s Tumblr Deal
http://business.time.com/2013/05/21/inside-yahoos-tumblr-deal-heres-who-hit-the-billion-dollar-jackpot/
It will likely be years before we know if Yahoo!’s blockbuster $1.1 billion deal to buy social blogging platform Tumblr was a success. But 24-hours after the deal was officially announced, a few things are certain: The deal represents a landmark event for New York City‘s tech startup scene, and a handful of Tumblr employees and investors are now extremely wealthy. Here’s a quick breakdown of the big winners and how much they made on the deal: Founder David Karp: $253 million. Karp, the 26-year-old high school dropout who founded the company six years ago, owns approximately 25% of Tumblr and is set to reap $253 million in cash as a result, according to data compiled by PrivCo, a New York-based research firm that tracks private companies and the venture capital industry. Investors: $750 million.Tumblr’s investors, of course, hit paydirt. New York-based Union Square Ventures and Boston-based Spark Capital led an initial Tumblr investment of $775,000 in 2007, and then added $4.5 million one year later, according to Bloomberg.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Port Hawkesbury Looks To Diversify Products
Just as groups in the Strait area are
looking for ways to diversify its economy, the region’s largest employer is looking
to diversify the products it manufactures. Since restarting the former NewPage paper mill in Point
Tupper in October, Port Hawkesbury Paper has been looking to expand its product
line. The year-long closure of the mill following its former
owning filing for bankruptcy protection prompted some soul-searching among
local municipal, business and development officials about the need to further
diversify the region’s economy. While the mill did reopen after obtaining
financial assistance from the province and a negotiated power rate structure,
only one of the mill’s two paper machines has been restarted and it employs
about half as many people as it did prior to shutdown. Speaking at the Strait Ahead conference in Port Hawkesbury
on Thursday, mill development manager Marc Dube said the forestry sector has
been in decline for more than a decade, although there will remain a need for
paper. Since restarting, the mill’s supercalendered paper machine has begun
making a new higher-brighter grade of paper under the product name Artisan that
has been accepted by the market beyond expectations. It is the only mill that
makes a product with 35 per cent clay in it. It replaces coated paper. They had estimated that Artisan could make up about 15 per
cent of orders. “It’s really exciting, the marketplace loves it,” Dube said.
“About 25 per cent of our orders today are coming in that grade and we should
be at 50 or 60, because we could be easily, but we made commitments to people
on other paper sales.” The machine has proven to be the most efficient of its kind
in the world, and its thermomechanical pulp plant is the top-producing plant
globally, creating the best-quality pulp. “Even with all of that, it’s not simple to do business in
North America in pulp and paper today,” he said. Owner Ron Stern gave the mill the challenge to find an equal
amount of revenue from other sources. They can’t do that by restarting the
idled newsprint machine because the market for the product is not there, he
said. Instead, they are looking areas such as using some waste streams to
produce methane to be used as fuel for the biomass boiler. In order to ensure the mill is sustainable its business has
to evolve and move into the bioeconomy sector, Dube said in an interview,
adding that was something they focused on in discussions with the province
prior to reopening the mill.
Tembec Closes NBSK Pulp Mill Sale
Tembec announced the
closing of the sale of its NBSK pulp mill and related assets located in
Skookumchuck, British Columbia to Paper Excellence Canada Holdings, this
according to a company news release. Total consideration for the transaction is $94.6 million,
including $25.5 million in working capital. Tembec, a manufacturer of forest products, will use the cash
proceeds to pay down revolving operating debt and for general corporate
purposes.
Stora Enso Stops Production On News PM
Stora Enso is proceeding with its plans to reduce newsprint
capacity by another 475,000 tpy before the start of price negotiations for the
second half of the year. Negotiations on job cuts in Hylte and Kvarnsveden
still ongoing. Yesterday, Stora Enso has stopped production on two
newsprint machines in Sweden, PM 2 at the Hylte mill and PM 11 at the company’s
Kvarnsveden mill. In February, Stora Enso announced it would permanently shut
down the two machines during the second quarter due to continuing structural
weakening of newsprint demand in Europe.
According to Stora Enso, newsprint production on the 205,000
tpy PM 2 in Hylte has been closed down for good, but determination negotiations
with employee representatives on the total number of job cuts have not been
concluded yet. The outcome of these proceedings is expected for June. In the case of the 270,00 tpy PM 11 in Kvarnsveden, the
company explained it had halted production for the time being in what is said
to be a market related stoppage. Negotiation between the company and employee
representatives regarding the permanent shut down of PM 11 and the total number
of jobs affected by the closure were still going on.
Metsä Fibre-Week Of Maintenance At Finnish Pulp Mill
Metsä Fibre will halt
production at the Äänekoski pulp mill to facilitate annual maintenance work
during week 21. The shutting down of normal production processes will proceed
starting on Saturday 18 May, as the company said in a press release received by
Lesprom Network. Maintenance work will be performed during the stoppage by
the mill's own personnel as well as by some 550 employees of its cooperation
partners. A gradual restart of production operations will commence on
Saturday 25 May. It will take about 24 hours for the mill to reach its normal
production mode.
Greys Paper-Turns Rags Into Office Paper
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Greys+anatomy+Inside+Edmonton+plant+that+turns+recycled+paper/8397573/story.html
The office paper and used clothing and linen that Edmontonians toss into recycling bins is being turned into stationery by a new eco-friendly recycling plant. “What we are doing is trying to close the loop on recycling,” said Rajan Ahluwalia, CEO of Greys Paper Recycling Industries. “You give me your waste paper and we take cotton clippings and cuttings, or bedsheets and towels from hotels, and we shred them and pulp them and then mix those two in my own secret recipe where I mix those two pulps together and roll sheets of paper.” The cotton adds strength to the paper’s wood fibre, which is less durable and has a shorter lifespan. More than 100 local businesses, including most major hotels, provide waste paper and used cotton fabric to Greys. These companies and the City of Edmonton have also committed to purchasing the recycled products. The plant also uses old, non-reusable clothing and linens collected at 14 recycling depots and Eco Stations. Ahluwalia gave city officials and media a tour of the $20-million plant at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre in the city’s northeast on Thursday. Two months ago, it started one of its two production lines which produces as much as five tonnes of paper a day. The plant has started making envelopes and note pads. Other products will be rolled out later in the year. A second larger production line is expected to start up in mid-June, producing as much as 40 tonnes daily. The 100-per-cent post-consumer recycled paper, which feels rougher than conventional paper, is light grey in colour — giving the company its name. Greys employs 55 people and at full production will need a minimum of 100 workers. The technology which Ahluwalia brought to Edmonton with him from India uses no chemicals and a fraction of the water of traditional paper mills. “This is all done by mechanical processes,” he said. “There is no emissions and no pollution.” The plant is a partnership between Greys and the City of Edmonton, which contributed $5 million to build the two giant white domes housing the plant.
The office paper and used clothing and linen that Edmontonians toss into recycling bins is being turned into stationery by a new eco-friendly recycling plant. “What we are doing is trying to close the loop on recycling,” said Rajan Ahluwalia, CEO of Greys Paper Recycling Industries. “You give me your waste paper and we take cotton clippings and cuttings, or bedsheets and towels from hotels, and we shred them and pulp them and then mix those two in my own secret recipe where I mix those two pulps together and roll sheets of paper.” The cotton adds strength to the paper’s wood fibre, which is less durable and has a shorter lifespan. More than 100 local businesses, including most major hotels, provide waste paper and used cotton fabric to Greys. These companies and the City of Edmonton have also committed to purchasing the recycled products. The plant also uses old, non-reusable clothing and linens collected at 14 recycling depots and Eco Stations. Ahluwalia gave city officials and media a tour of the $20-million plant at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre in the city’s northeast on Thursday. Two months ago, it started one of its two production lines which produces as much as five tonnes of paper a day. The plant has started making envelopes and note pads. Other products will be rolled out later in the year. A second larger production line is expected to start up in mid-June, producing as much as 40 tonnes daily. The 100-per-cent post-consumer recycled paper, which feels rougher than conventional paper, is light grey in colour — giving the company its name. Greys employs 55 people and at full production will need a minimum of 100 workers. The technology which Ahluwalia brought to Edmonton with him from India uses no chemicals and a fraction of the water of traditional paper mills. “This is all done by mechanical processes,” he said. “There is no emissions and no pollution.” The plant is a partnership between Greys and the City of Edmonton, which contributed $5 million to build the two giant white domes housing the plant.
Global & China Dissolving Pulp Ind Rpt, 2012-2015
Dissolving pulp refers to the pulp with the cellulose
content above 90%, including wood pulp, bamboo pulp and cotton pulp. The report
touches on the first two categories. In the world, the dissolving pulp capacity concentrates in
regions with abundant forest resources such as North America, South Africa and
Brazil. Between 2011 and 2012, China’s intensive release of dissolving pulp
capacity made it possible to become one of the major producing regions of
dissolving pulp all across the globe. Major dissolving pulp producers worldwide
include Aditya Birla, Sappi, Sateri, Rayonier, Buckeye, and Lenzing, the
combined capacity of which in 2012 accounted for 61.4% of the world’s total. In 2010, the dissolving pulp capacity of China import dependence rate surpassing 80%.
The considerable demand for dissolving pulp encouraged many companies to build
new dissolving pulp projects, leading to the substantial rise in capacity to
937,500 tons by 2012. However, due to the bleak demand in global textile market
as well as the international low-priced dissolving pulp, China-made dissolving
pulp products took a nosedive in price, forcing most industrial players to slash
their output and even suspend their production in order to reduce losses. In
2012, China’s dissolving pulp output was just about 335,000 tons, with the
operating rate down to 35.7%. There were only 9 companies in China in the production of
dissolving pulp in 2012. Most of them are medium- and large-sized papermaking
and chemical fiber enterprises. Among the papermaking companies, they were
Yueyang Forest & Paper, Sun Paper and Fujian Qingshan Paper Industry which
were specialized in the production of wood dissolving pulp.
Japan Paper Shipments Rise-1st Time In 11 Mths
Shipments of paper products increased in Japan for the first
time in eleven months last month as the weaker yen made imported products more
expensive, enabling domestic paper producers to regain sales. Domestic
shipments of paper and paperboard, which includes everything from newsprint and
packaging to cardboard, increased 3.3 percent in April to 2.18 million metric
tons, the Japan Paper Association said today in a statement. Japanese exports
surged 43 percent to 83,000 tons last month, whereas imports dropped 33 percent
to 141,000 tons in March from a year earlier. Japan’s currency has fallen 19 percent since Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe’s election victory on Dec. 16, making domestic-made goods including
paper, vehicles and steel, more competitive than those from abroad.
Stephen King-No E-Book Ed Of New Novel
Don't expect to see an e-book edition any time soon of
Stephen King's new novel, "Joyland," which will be published next
month. Digital books pioneer Stephen King is holding onto the
e-book rights to his upcoming novel “Joyland” in hopes of driving people to
bookstores. Jeffrey Trachtenberg reports on Lunch Break. Mr. King, an e-book pioneer, held on to the novel's digital
rights in hopes of spurring his fans to buy the print edition in bookstores. He
said it is unclear when he will make the coming-of-age tale available
digitally. "Joyland" by Stephen King "I have no plans for a digital version," Mr. King
said. "Maybe at some point, but in the meantime, let people stir their
sticks and go to an actual bookstore rather than a digital one." Mr. King's decision to support traditional book retailing comes
at a time when many bookstores are struggling to compete with online retailers
that sharply discount physical books and services that sell low-cost e-books. Mr. King's latest move to make "Joyland" only
available as a physical book is essentially the reverse of what he did in 2000,
when he became one of the country's first writers to make a new work available
exclusively in a digital format. Then, CBS Corp.'s CBS -0.89% Simon &
Schuster publishing arm issued Mr. King's 16,000-word ghost story "Riding
the Bullet" as an e-book priced at $2.50. Mr. King's effort was treated as a potential turning point
for a small but growing digital-publishing industry. Digital books generated $3
billion in publisher revenue in 2012, up 44% over the prior year, according to
a recent study by BookStats, which tracks data from nearly 1,500 publishers.
Introducing Esquire Weekly
Today marks the launch of our latest venture: Esquire
Weekly, first-of-its-kind weekly tablet edition of a monthly magazine.
Featuring original stories by Esquire’s best writers, it's free to digital
subscribers, or available a la carte for just $0.99 at the App Store once you
download the free Esquire app.
Out-Of-The-Box Thinking
Out-of-the-Box Thinking: Think direct mail is old school? Think again.
When direct is in your name, it can set a pretty high expectation among customers and other constituents that your marketing will, in fact, be direct (i.e. relevant and targeted). DirecTV went the opposite way on purpose to get attention for its addressable TV advertising capabilities.Now, I don't know about you, but when I get a package at work, I open it immediately. I mean, hey, it could be chocolate or popcorn or a Harry & David fruit basket. Or, it could be a pretty cooldirect mail piece as was the case last week when I tore into the big, white box delivered by messenger from DirecTV. But not at first. I deftly sliced through the tape, lifted the cover, and “What?!” The box contained the biggest Slim Jim I've ever seen, a copy of GQ, an athletic supporter, and an “airplane” bottle of Chivas Regal. Considering I'm a 49-year-old woman, this wasn't exactly my speed (well, except for the Chivas). But that was the point. After ogling what should have been goodies, the following caught my eye: “Does this feel off target to you?” Um, yes. I was hooked. So of course I read on. I was directed to a URL. Intrigued, I spun around to my computer to check out the site. Direct mail pieces (or in this case, direct, hand-delivered pieces) often get the short shrift. They're expensive. Potentially labor-intensive. But in this age of digital obsession they stand out. And when done well, they drive meaningful response—especially among high-value customers. Maybe it's time to rethink your direct marketing mix and if you're not doing mail, add it back in. Sometimes thinking out of the box means thinking about the box, and what should go in it.
When direct is in your name, it can set a pretty high expectation among customers and other constituents that your marketing will, in fact, be direct (i.e. relevant and targeted). DirecTV went the opposite way on purpose to get attention for its addressable TV advertising capabilities.Now, I don't know about you, but when I get a package at work, I open it immediately. I mean, hey, it could be chocolate or popcorn or a Harry & David fruit basket. Or, it could be a pretty cooldirect mail piece as was the case last week when I tore into the big, white box delivered by messenger from DirecTV. But not at first. I deftly sliced through the tape, lifted the cover, and “What?!” The box contained the biggest Slim Jim I've ever seen, a copy of GQ, an athletic supporter, and an “airplane” bottle of Chivas Regal. Considering I'm a 49-year-old woman, this wasn't exactly my speed (well, except for the Chivas). But that was the point. After ogling what should have been goodies, the following caught my eye: “Does this feel off target to you?” Um, yes. I was hooked. So of course I read on. I was directed to a URL. Intrigued, I spun around to my computer to check out the site. Direct mail pieces (or in this case, direct, hand-delivered pieces) often get the short shrift. They're expensive. Potentially labor-intensive. But in this age of digital obsession they stand out. And when done well, they drive meaningful response—especially among high-value customers. Maybe it's time to rethink your direct marketing mix and if you're not doing mail, add it back in. Sometimes thinking out of the box means thinking about the box, and what should go in it.
Time Inc.'s Opportunity For Change
Time Inc.'s Opportunity for Change:
With its upcoming spin-off, Time Inc. has a chance to initiate some big ideas.
I’m not sure why there is so much confusion and mystery around charting a strategy that transforms the Time Inc. magazine brands into an even bigger powerhouse digital publishing empire. Everything that is being said in analyst reports and the media is old news. For years, we have witnessed the ongoing shift in media consumption patterns from legacy print media to the digital venue. Only the ignorant, arrogant or asleep could have missed this freight train. Let’s not over-complicate the components of the solution to Time Inc.’s problems. I refuse to believe that my thinking is “missing something” in terms of the challenges that Time Inc. and many other publishers face inside their businesses. So here’s my plan on rebuilding Time Inc. as it spins off into its own company. If you disagree with it, let’s argue. I am sure that investors are getting tired of this asset posting operating losses and are already in a feverish discussion about how to change the course of the company.The new company must create a new pivot point from the start. It should not abandon its print legacy—which, according to PIB numbers, still retains market dominance. But it should signal to the market that Time Inc. believes in building the widest network of new digital platforms in the media industry.
With its upcoming spin-off, Time Inc. has a chance to initiate some big ideas.
I’m not sure why there is so much confusion and mystery around charting a strategy that transforms the Time Inc. magazine brands into an even bigger powerhouse digital publishing empire. Everything that is being said in analyst reports and the media is old news. For years, we have witnessed the ongoing shift in media consumption patterns from legacy print media to the digital venue. Only the ignorant, arrogant or asleep could have missed this freight train. Let’s not over-complicate the components of the solution to Time Inc.’s problems. I refuse to believe that my thinking is “missing something” in terms of the challenges that Time Inc. and many other publishers face inside their businesses. So here’s my plan on rebuilding Time Inc. as it spins off into its own company. If you disagree with it, let’s argue. I am sure that investors are getting tired of this asset posting operating losses and are already in a feverish discussion about how to change the course of the company.The new company must create a new pivot point from the start. It should not abandon its print legacy—which, according to PIB numbers, still retains market dominance. But it should signal to the market that Time Inc. believes in building the widest network of new digital platforms in the media industry.
Friday, May 17, 2013
AF&PA April Statistics-Containerboard/Kraft/Paperboard
Containerboard production dropped 1.5 percent over March
2013 but rose 4.2 percent over the same month last year. The month-over-month average daily production
increased 1.8 percent. The
containerboard operating rate for April 2013 gained 1.5 points from March 2013,
from 92.8 percent to 94.3 percent.
Total Kraft paper shipments were 133 thousand tons, an
increase of less than 1 percent compared to the prior month. Bleached Kraft
paper shipments increased year-over-year 10.3 percent, but the 3.1 percent
year-over-year decline in the larger category of Unbleached Kraft paper
shipments was enough to bring overall Kraft paper shipments down 1.2 percent
year-over-year. Total month-end inventory decreased 7.1 percent to 66.5
thousand tons this month compared to March 2013 month-end inventories.
Total boxboard production increased by 1.7 percent compared
to April 2012 and increased 2 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft
Boxboard production decreased over the same month last year but increased
compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production
increased compared to April 2012 and increased compared to last month. The
production of Recycled Boxboard increased compared to April 2012 but decreased
when compared to last month.
Fortress Paper To Stop Dissolving Pulp Project
Fortress Paper to stop dissolving pulp project Due to changing market conditions
Fortress Paper plans to halt its dissolving pulp conversion project of a pulp mill in Québec (Lebel-sur-Quévillon), due to changing market conditions and higher capital expenditure. "Due to changing economics and market conditions, there is no assurance that the FGC mill project will proceed to completion as previously planned," Fortress Paper said in the presentation of its first quarter results. A decision on the final strategic direction of the FGC project is expected early in the third quarter. Fortress Paper purchased the idle 300,000 tpy NBSK Lebel-sur-Quévillon pulp mill from Domtar in June 2012. The goal was to convert the facility into a 250,000 tpy dissolving pulp mill. Estimated capital and start-up costs were CAD222m, with the Quebec Government financing CAD132.4m, according to Fortress Paper.
Norske Skog: New Long-Term Energy Contract
Norske Skog: New long-term energy contract for Saugbrugs: Norske Skog Saugbrugs AS has signed a long-term agreement with Statkraft for the supply of electricity for the paper mill in Halden.The new agreement with Statkraft secures an annual supply of 1.0 TWh up to 31 December 2020. The agreement shall enter into force on 1 May 2013. The new agreement ensures almost full energy coverage for Saugbrugs over the next few years.Norske Skogindustrier ASA has terminated its long-term group agreement from 1998 that applied to supply of energy in Southern Norway. Norske Skog Saugbrugs AS employs around 530 people. The mill has an annual production capacity of 530 000 tonnes of magazine paper (SC/super calendered), with Germany and the United States as the largest single markets.
Mohawk + DODOcase Launch DODOnotes
DODOcase Partners with Mohawk to Launch DODOnotes: The First iPhone Compatible Paper Notebook: Mohawk and DODOcase join forces and re-envision the relationship between paper and pixels. DODOcase today announced the launch of DODOnotes, an entirely new product category that for the first time re-envisions the notebook to include the iPhone. In partnership with Mohawk, North America’s largest privately-owned manufacturer of fine papers, DODOcase continues to take a unique approach to its product offerings by blending modern technology with traditional craftsmanship to meet practical modern needs. DODOnotes offers the classic DODOcase book-like exterior style and features a custom die-cut ‘nest’ on the cover with a colorful elastic strap to hold an iPhone in place. Inside, the DODOnotes interior notebook features 30 tear-out pages of Mohawk Superfine paper.Completely made in the USA, the paper in DODOnotes interior notebook is manufactured in Mohawk’s New York state paper mills, where generations of papermakers have honed their craft since 1931, with the book-bound exterior and all assembly taking place in DODOcase’s San Francisco bookbindery using traditional craft techniques. A true collaboration, DODOnotes innovative design introduces an entirely new type of paper notebook.
Hearst ELLE Now Offering Google Glass Apps
Hearst Corporation today introduced the ELLE Glassware created
exclusively for Google Glass at Google I/O 2013. Hearst is the first magazine
media company to develop and launch Glassware, with ELLE as the first Hearst
brand included in the device's initial gallery of services. The Glassware is
now available to early users as part of the device's Explorer launch. The teams from Hearst Corporation, ELLE and Google worked
together on this launch of the world's top fashion magazine as Glassware. The
partnership is a result of Hearst's ongoing research and development efforts,
many of which are focused on building new mobile experiences. The launch of the
ELLE Glassware is seen as an example of how Hearst plans to deliver content
across its diverse properties -- whether fresh, lifestyle perspectives from
magazine brands, breaking news from Hearst newspapers and TV stations or
essential business information from Hearst Business Media's financial,
healthcare and automotive companies -- in new ways on both emerging and
existing mobile devices.
Why Hearst Wants in on Google Glass
Google Glass has
already gotten a reputation as a geek-guy thing, but Hearst doesn’t think
that’s going to be the case in the long run. The publisher is the first magazine to have a Google Glass
app. Elle will join The New York Times, CNN and Mashable as the first
publishers to build for the wearable computer. The gamble is that Google Glass
will become a mainstream product, or at the very least, Hearst will learn
important lessons about the future direction of mobile content consumption. “It’s early and it’s experimentation, but it’s in line with
the overall approach to what Hearst is taking in mobile,” said Phil Wiser,
Hearst’s CTO. “To understand where tech and product and consumers are going,
you have to learn by doing, not researching. That’s where we are right now.”
Google Glass: No, You Can’t Read A Book On It
No, it's not “Augmented Reality” (at least most of the time)
and no it doesn’t record video of everything you see, nor can it be used to
play games or run apps. But it—that would be Google Glass, Google’s much
anticipated wearable computing headset—is still pretty cool. Along with a
number of media and digital publishing vendors, PW was invited to participate
in a hands-on demonstration of the new device organized by Layar, an augmented
reality firm whose technology can be used to embed interactive services into
print publications. Google Glass can take a photo or video, it can do a
Google search, it can send and receive messages (text or e-mail, though for
best results it should be connected to your cellphone like a blue-tooth though
it can work by itself), it can call up maps and give directions (it shows a GPS
map and talks to you) and it can be used with Google services like Google
Hangouts, which allows the user, for instance, to do live video chats. As most know, it’s a wearable device that fits on your head
like eyeware—which it is not. And while it accommodates eyeware—sort of, if you
don’t mind looking a little cock-eyed—the current model works best if the user
is not wearing glasses. Everything starts in a little screen situated just
above your right eye, offering a small and odd but fairly easy-to-decipher home
screen that sits suspended just out of the way of your general view. The device
can be turned on by tilting your head upwards; it responds to voice commands (saying
“OK Glass” will engage the device and show a menu of options) and a touchpad
mounted on the side allows the user to scroll through photos, see the time and
date, weather and a history of stuff you’ve already done on Google Glass. It
also talks to the user (to give directions for instance) via a tiny speaker set
near your ear.
The Economist Extends Print Contract
The Economist Extends Print Contract with Wyndeham:Wyndeham Group has continued to strengthen its market position by extending the print contract with The Economist for an additional three years and means that the title will continue to be produced by Wyndeham Peterborough until at least April 2017. The Economist has an ABC circulation of 210,386 copies and is printed weekly. Simon Maggs, Production Manager at The Economist Group, commented: “I’m very pleased to have been able to extend our contract with Wyndeham Group. The Economist demands high standards in print and production whilst achieving a very challenging distribution schedule. Our colleagues at Peterborough have an unrivalled understanding of our requirements and I expect they will continue to deliver to our high expectations.”
J.C.Penney Is Fighting For Survival
J.C.Penney just reported 1Q13 sales and earnings. They were
previewed in part on May 7, 2013. Now we know the facts – sales were lousy,
they dropped 16.4% over the previous year’s horrible figures when sales dropped
20.1%. The company now has an annual revenue run rate of $12.5 billion, a drop
of 36% since January 2012. A net loss of $348 Million ($1.58 a share) was
reported in the first quarter, a cumulative loss of $1.3 Billion since Ron
Johnson took over. Mike Ullman, who returned to save the company, has an
urgent need to preserve cash. In the first quarter the company burned through
$970 million in cash pursuing completion of some of the projects already
underway such as the home store (to be opened June 6 in 505 stores) and home
boutique shops like Michael Graves, Bodum and Design by Conran. I believe the company was not far from
declaring bankruptcy without the recent $1.75 Billion senior loan facility and
the revolving credit line that was drawn down, There is about $531 Million left
on the asset backed loan. It is Mike Ullman who is convincing investors,
suppliers, and associates that his plan will bring the company back to a
financially strong position. The need for a strong marketing program is evident. Ullman’s
first strategic step to beef up marketing and promotions can be seen in recent
ads that have a stronger promotional flavor and include coupons. Promotional circulars available in some
cities, like New York, communicate an urgent message to shop. One thing I do not understand is why some
large markets like Boston and Washington do not have these circulars inserted
in their leading newspapers. I assume
that eventually they will.
British Young People 'Prefer To Read On Screen'
Young people are now much more likely to prefer to read on a
computer screen rather than a printed book or magazine, according to a UK
survey. The National Literary Trust studied almost 35,000 eight- to
16-year-olds. Its findings suggest a picture of young people who are now
immersed in a screen-based culture. As well as social networking and browsing websites, the
study indicates almost a third of youngsters read fiction on online devices. Screen-agers, The study suggests high levels of access to mobile phones,
computers and tablet devices now mean that reading is an activity more likely
to be on screen than on the printed page. Of those surveyed, 52% preferred to read on screen compared
with 32% who preferred print, with the remainder having no opinion or
preferring not to read at all. "Not only are children and young people more likely to
read on electronic devices than they are to read paper-based materials but they
also do it more often," said the study. Researchers found that 39% of the young people read every
day on computers and screens, compared with 28% who read each day using printed
materials. Technology is central to the lives of these youngsters - 97%
reported having access to a computer and the internet at home, 77% said they
had their own computer. National Literacy Trust director Jonathan Douglas said:
"Our research confirms that technology is playing a central role in young
people's literacy development and reading choice. "While we welcome the positive impact which technology
has on bringing further reading opportunities to young people, it's crucial
that reading in print is not cast aside."
Book Pubs Discuss Digital-First And Digital-Only
http://paidcontent.org/2013/05/17/when-can-a-book-be-digital-only-and-when-does-it-need-to-be-print-too/ Book publishers are increasingly experimenting with
digital-first and digital-only initiatives, where they publish a book only as
an ebook and then publish a print edition later, or never. It’s a good way to
take a chance on unknown authors, but it also means that a book is not
available in all the formats that a customer might want it. At the Book
Industry Study Group’s Making Information Pay conference on Wednesday,
publishers discussed print versus digital — “p. versus e.” — strategy.Rachel Chou, the chief marketing officer at Open Road Media,
noted that the company only publishes between twelve and fifteen front-list
(new) titles per year; everything else is back-list. Most of the titles are
available only as ebooks, but Open Road makes some available through
print-on-demand (POD), and will do short print runs if a book is really taking
off. “There are certain books that really need to be in a [physical]
bookstore,” she told moderator Phil Olila, chief content officer at Ingram
Content Group. “They deserve that table up front, they have that reader that
really wants to hand out a gift.” Open Road starts print runs at 500 copies,
and the largest print run they have done is 15,000 copies. “If we’ve done a
print run and we find that it’s really taking awhile to get through the
inventory,” she said, “we can switch it back” to POD.
Group Launches Effort To Buy Tribune Co.
A nonprofit group called the Other 98% says it has launched a $660 million crowdfunding campaign to buy the Tribune Co., the corporate parent of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune and several other daily newspapers.The group says the move is designed to keep the newspapers “out of the hands of Rupert Murdoch and the Koch brothers.” If the group’s name didn’t clue you in to the group’s political leanings, that line should. Charles and David Koch, owners of Wichita-based Koch Industries Inc., have been rumored to be interested in buying Tribune Co., though the company has repeatedly said such talk is pure speculation. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. owns, among other things, Fox News, and he too has been rumored as a possible bidder. The Other 98% has launched its campaign on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo.com, and it says that if the efforts result in the purchase of Tribune that it would be run as a publicly owned nonprofit. As of late Thursday morning, it has raised $3,265 of its stated goal of $660 million. There has also been talk of what it could mean for the newsrooms at Tribune papers, given the Koch’s political advocacy. But Tribune Media Services columnist Cal Thomas wrote last week that a Koch purchase could not only revive the papers financially, but also win back some readership among more conservative-minded folks.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Condé Nast Traveler To Launch In Middle East
Condé Nast Traveler will launch in the Middle East in the next 12 months, said Jonathan Newhouse, chairman and chief executive of Condé Nast International. It will be the first Condé Nast brand available in the Middle Eastern market. Published under license agreement with Arab Publishing Partners (APP), a division of the ITP Group, the Gulf region’s largest consumer and business magazine publisher, it will be the eighth edition of Traveller available globally. "Following the recent launch of the magazine in China, it's a natural step for the number one travel title to enter the Middle East," Newhouse said in a statement Wednesday. Ali Akawi, managing director of APP & ITP Consumer, said: "Travel is an important part of the lives of people in the Gulf, whether for leisure or business. Testament to this is the fact we have three of the world’s leading airlines based here, and an abundance of international, five-star hotels.""The readers of Condé Nast Traveler are discerning, affluent and cultured. They expect a superior, memorable travel experience, and we look forward to showing them how and where they can receive this, both globally and within this region." Condé Nast Traveler currently has seven editions globally, with an international readership of over 1.1 million a month.
Bertelsmann Records Significant Profit In Q1
Bertelsmann recorded a positive business performance in the first three months of the year, increasing both its operating result and net profit to record levels. With consolidated revenues from continuing operations stable at €3.63 billion (previous year: €3.66 billion), first-quarter operating EBIT increased from €279 million in the previous year to €303 million in Q1/2013. The international media company thus achieved a return on sales of 8.3 percent (previous year: 7.6 percent). Net income improved by 43 percent to €207 million (previous year: €145 million). The increase in earnings was driven by increased profitability in almost all the core businesses, and gains from the acquisition of full ownership in the music rights company BMG, which was completed at the end of March. Thomas Rabe, Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “Bertelsmann made a successful start to the year. In a challenging market environment, our businesses again expanded their high profitability over the past few months. The results are at record levels. We also began the year with significant strides in implementing our growth strategy. In recent weeks, we have strengthened two growth platforms with the acquisition of full ownership in BMG and the takeover of the financial services provider Gothia. We are also confident that we will complete the combination of our book publishing group Random House with Penguin early in the second half of the year – since February, we have received important regulatory approvals in the U.S., Europe and other markets. These three transactions will result in considerable overall growth for Bertelsmann in 2013.”
Ahlstrom-Price Increases For Specialty Papers
Ahlstrom announces price increases for specialty papers worldwide: Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, announces price increases on its specialty paper materials produced by the Label and Processing business. The price increases will be made to compensate for the continued high cost of raw materials and energy. The price increases will affect all Label and Processing products worldwide and will be effective for all shipments made as of July 1, 2013. The increase will up to 7% and the amount and timing will depend on the markets served, the product and the agreements in place. Specific details will be discussed with each customer individually in the near future. Products manufactured by Ahlstrom's Label and Processing business include graphic, packaging, processing, release and label papers.
Successful Start For KBA At China Print
A Successful Start for KBA at China Print: China Print 2013 opened its doors in Beijing on 14 May. As a world leader in the printing industry, KBA is presenting a raft of presses on its 1050m² stand under the banner sprinting ahead. With a record-size stand at the trade show, KBA underscores the importance of the Chinese market and China Print as a key show for the printing industry this year. As the leader in offset packaging printing, KBA unveiled the new large-format Rapida 145 for the first time to the Chinese market in Beijing.
China Ends Anti-Dumping Probe-U.S.Ivory Cardboard
China's Ministry of Commerce on
Thursday ended an anti-dumping investigation into coated ivory cardboard
imported from the United States. The ministry canceled the probe at the request of Chinese
domestic paper manufacturers, including Ningbo Zhonghua Paper Co., Ningbo Asia
Pulp and Paper Co., Ltd., MCC Meili Paper Industry Co. and Shandong Chenming
Paper Group Co., the ministry said in an announcement. Those companies filed for the anti-dumping investigation
into U.S. coated ivory board makers in October 2011 and requested an end to the
probe on April 2, 2013. Coated ivory cardboard is mainly used in the production of
clothing tags, postcards and packaging for cigarettes, medicine, cosmetics and
other products.
Hearst Launches Digital Cross-Country Sales Div
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/hearst-launches-digital-cross-country-sales-division-149544
In the magazine business, buying and selling ads across
international editions has always presented its challenges. Most ad buying is
done locally, and magazines often aren't set up to execute cross-title buys.
Then there's the difficulty of coordinating across time zones. It's enough of a
hassle, in fact, that most advertisers don’t even attempt cross-country buys.
Yet demand for such deals is on the rise as brands try to reach consumers
globally while cutting their expenses. With the launch of a new division, Totally Global Media,
Hearst is hoping to solve many of those problems and bring efficiency to buying
and ad production, at least on the digital side. TGM, as it's being called,
will give brands a way to advertise across all Hearst Magazines' digital brands
worldwide, as well as licensees and related companies (such as Groupe Marie
Claire, which already partners with Hearst on French Cosmopolitan but will now
offer access to its entire women’s and men’s digital networks through TGM). The
division, with offices in New York and London, will reach 200 million monthly
unique visitors. "Before now, if an advertiser wanted to buy across
every edition of Cosmo, there was no way to do it," said Gina Garrubbo,
svp of Hearst Magazines International and now the svp of TGM. "There is a
need [for this type of service] in the marketplace and a number of clients who
want to buy multi-country from one source."
Wired Mag Launching New Video Series
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/05/15/wired-magazine-video-series/2160937/
Wired the magazine is expanding into Wired the channel. The techno-trend periodical, launched 20 years ago, has
three new series that go live today on Wired's video channel and on YouTube:The Window: an inside look at "extraordinary
construction projects, factories, labs and landmarks seen through the eyes of
people who work there." Angry Nerd: features Wired's Chris Baker and his tech-crazed
nerdish rants. Game/Life: Wired video game gurus Chris Kohler, Peter Rubin
and Chris Baker talk about games and industry news. More series, like the others sponsored by Microsoft Surface,
Windows Phone and Windows 8, are in the works including the outlet's first
scripted series Codefellas about the NSA, animated by Richard Linklater Studios
and starring John Hodgman (The Daily Show) and ReWired: The Documentary about
the magazine's redesign. This is not the first video endeavor for Conde Nast
Entertainment. About two months ago, it launched a new video series connected
to magazines Glamour, GQ and Vogue.
Chicago Tribune News Attract Suitors, 'Noise'
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-tribune-company-20130515,0,1793743.story
Seeking to tamp down “noise” over the possible sale of its
newspapers, Tribune Co. CEO Peter Liguori sent an email to employees Wednesday
calling speculation about a transaction premature.“A sale transaction is only one of our possible strategic
options, and there are many others,” Liguori said. Some 40 parties have
expressed interest in acquiring some or all of Tribune Co.’s newspapers,
according to sources close to the situation. The Chicago-based media company
hired investment bankers in February to manage inquiries for its eight daily
newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. The company is soon
expected to grant would-be buyers access to a “data room,” a secure Web site
containing detailed financial information about the company. Few suitors have
said publicly they are interested in exploring a potential purchase. One party that has
not confirmed interest is garnering nearly all of the attention: Koch
Industries, a Kansas-based energy and
manufacturing conglomerate headed by politically conservative brothers Charles
and David Koch. Their reported interest has generated backlash from unions,
political leaders and liberal advocacy groups. Several hundred
protesters demonstrated Tuesday outside the Los Angeles offices of Tribune
Co.’s largest shareholder, investment firm Oaktree Capital Management, which
owns about 23 percent of the media company. The protesters, which included
union workers, were seeking to dissuade Bruce Karsh, chairman of Tribune Co.
and president of Oaktree, from selling to Koch Industries, which they
characterized as anti-union.
PRIMIR-New Study On Printing Ind
PRIMIR Publishes New Study on Impact of Integrated Marketing on the Printing Industry: PRIMIR, the Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization, at NPES today announced that its latest study, "Impact of Integrated Marketing on the Printing Industry," has been released. The research, conducted by InfoTrends, provided exclusively to PRIMIR members, identifies marketing trends in integrating various media into marketing campaigns and discusses print's role in integrated marketing. The research report also identifies the key vertical markets where integrated marketing plays an essential role for promotion. The research report provides real-world insights into the ability of printers to transform themselves into providers and drivers of integrated marketing. It also outlines how manufacturers of equipment, software, consumables and supplies can provide support to their printer customer base. According to the PRIMIR study, integrated marketing spend in 2011 was $15 billion in the top five vertical markets: automotive, retail, food and beverage, financial services, and healthcare. Based on projected growth at an average of 11% CAGR, integrated marketing spend will reach $25 billion in 2016. The fastest growing market—financial services—is projected to increase at approximately 18% CAGR over the five-year timespan.
Commercial Printing Demographics
Latest Commercial Printing Demographics Show 1,200 Fewer Establishments (Dr. Joe):The Commerce Department recently released the latest edition of County Business Patterns data about the number of US business establishments in 2011. Those data indicated that commercial printing establishments declined -4.1% compared to 2010. The biggest percentage declines were in establishments with 500 to 999 employees (between about $90 million to $200 million in sales), which fell by -11.5%, and establishments with 10 to 19 employees (about $1.5 million to $3.5 million) which fell -6.7%. The reason for the declines are numerous, from outright closure, and also acquisition or merger. Establishments can shift sizes, of course. Usually, troubled printing establishments don’t die without a protracted downward spiral. They decrease in size over time, and then, even after production stops, they still may have a few employees on the books to handle final administrative tasks like final tax returns and official dissolution.
All Eyes On Native Advertising
Social networks, news sites, digital content aggregators and
streaming media services are rife with ads that are integrated into the content
experience. According to a new eMarketer report, “Native Advertising: An
Emerging Consensus for a New Kind of Ad,” these so-called “native ads” are
providing new ways for marketers to reach target audiences and new avenues of
monetization for content sites that are under intense revenue pressure. Although business prospects for native advertising are
positive, the medium has its detractors. Some media executives and marketers
are wary of the blurring of lines between content and advertising that occurs
with native ads, particularly in the context of news sites. Others question the
return on investment of these ads, arguing that native ads cannot scale for
multiple placements. And there is still the question of defining native
advertising. Most perceive native ads as purchased ads that mimic content in
the venues in which they appear. They are more entertaining and less interruptive than traditional ads, and hopefully popular enough to get shares. Common examples of native ads include Facebook Sponsored
Stories, Twitter Promoted Tweets, branded videos and other ads that appear in
the content streams of media sites such as Forbes.com and BuzzFeed.
Evening Sun Will Shift to 3-Day Printing
Digital First
Media today announced The Evening Sun in Hanover, Pa., will shift to a
three-day print schedule in 2014 and will continue to provide 7-day coverage of
the region on its website -- www.EveningSun.com -- as well as on its mobile and
tablet applications. "The Evening Sun is a vital part of our community. Our
commitment to a digitally focused future -- including our recent investment in
new equipment for our staff and the upcoming redesign of our website -- is part
of our strategy to ensure we continue to reach our audience and our customers.
The number of people we reach continues to grow through our digital
products," said Sara Glines, President of MediaOnePa and Publisher of the
Hanover Evening Sun. While the shift in printing schedule will take effect
January 1, 2014, the days of the week that the Evening Sun will print have not
been finalized. "We are going to use the time we have to work with our
readers and our advertisers to determine the days that make the most sense to
meet the needs of our community. It is important that our community has a voice
in this process," said Ms. Glines. Evening Sun subscribers who have paid past January 1 will
have their subscriptions extended to an adjusted renewal date that takes into
account the new print schedule. Newspaper prices in stores and vending boxes
will remain unchanged. Newspapers published on the three-day print schedule will
include more pages per edition. Prior to the print schedule changes, The
Evening Sun will also launch a new look. The redesigned newspaper will provide
a full week's worth of our puzzles, comics and television listings.
The Perpetual Passion for Paper
The Perpetual Passion for Paper: As routine communications have become largely electronic, paper’s role as a mark of status has only grown. Can an exclusively electronic diploma, passport, or military commission document even be imagined? Will the bride’s family announce a wedding with advertising-supported Evites, and will the photographer supply only digital files recording the event? The more important the gesture, the more imperative a handwritten note, in part precisely because people find handwriting more difficult now. Even a commercially produced card signals that the sender has taken the trouble to visit a shop, select the proper design, find a stamp, address it, and mail it. One recent European experiment showed that even for a high-technology job announcement, many more potential applicants replied to postcards than to email announcements. And America’s continued printing of one-dollar bills signals support for the U.S. note as a reserve currency. (At the other end of the range, the $3 billion in hundred-dollar bills printed last year are used mainly overseas.) In periodical publications, the web-only option often makes sense, but the e-book is far from taking the place of print. A printing signals the strength of a publisher’s belief in a book and its willingness to take a risk. Editors and reviewers increasingly rely on electronic proofs, but books issued only electronically are seldom reviewed in major media — web or print — and bought by surprisingly few libraries, at least in my experience
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