Pearson Changes Structure, Appoints Executives

http://www.pearson.com/news/2013/may/pearson--board-change-and-executive-appointments.html

Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, is today announcing a new organization structure and the appointment of a new leadership team. The changes are designed to accelerate Pearson’s push into digital learning, education services and emerging markets, which the company views as significant growth opportunities.

Under the new structure, Pearson will organize around three global lines of business – School, Higher Education and Professional – and three geographic market categories – North America, Growth and Core.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2013/may/23/financialtimes-pearson

The Financial Times is being subsumed into a new division by its parent company, Pearson. 
As part of the organisation's restructure, the FT Group will disappear and the newspaper will become part of a unit called "professional". Its chief executive will be John Ridding, who is currently CEO of the FT group.

Insights Into $7 Trillion Women's Purchasing Power

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/what-women-want-insights-into-7-trillion-womens-purchasing-power-209162721.html

Ginger's fifth annual "What Women Want" survey gathered insights from a nationally representative sample of U.S. women, ages 21 to 60. The survey findings highlight the best way to reach and sell to women, the world's great mega niche that is responsible for or influences $7 trillion in annual consumer and business purchases in the United States, influencing 85% of all products and services purchased. This powerful segment influences more than 85 percent of all products and services purchased, including 60 percent of automobile and 40 percent of stock purchases.

PEFC Publishes 2013 Chain of Custody Standard

http://www.pefc.org/news-a-media/general-sfm-news/1192-pefc-publishes-2013-chain-of-custody-standard-aligned-with-eutr

The 2013 PEFC Chain of Custody standard, published today, offers companies an efficient mechanism to demonstrate compliance with EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) requirements. The standard was revised over the past 18 month to satisfy the specific conditions of emerging and existing legislative and regulatory processes, with a particular focus on the EUTR. 
The EUTR, which entered into force in March 2013, prohibits illegally harvested timber from being placed on the EU market. It sets out mandatory procedures designed to minimise the risk of illegal timber being sold and applies to both imported and domestically produced timber and is therefore relevant for companies globally.
Complimentary Webinar: Chain-of-Custody - Introduction Date: June 20, 2013 (Thursday) Language: English Cost: No Charge https://sgseventcenter.webex.com/sgseventcenter/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=708378798 09:00 a.m. London 10:00 a.m. Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Amsterdam 04:00 p.m. Singapore, Kuala Lumpur.

Out-of-Home Advertising Viewed by 3 in 4

Out-of-Home Advertising Viewed by 3 in 4 U.S. Adults: According to Arbitron's 2013 “Out-of-Home Advertising Report,” three in 4 U.S adults report having noticed ads featured on billboards (traditional or digital), buses, subways, wrapped vehicles and airport (transit), or shopping malls and bus shelters (street-level advertising) in the past month. This number rises to 84% among those who have driven or ridden in a vehicle.  

A partial list of reported actions taken by consumers who viewed a billboard or other out-of-home (OOH) advertising in the past month:

40% visited an advertised restaurant
40% watched an advertised TV program
39% visited an advertised store
29% visited a store that week after seeing a sale or special advertised
26% immediately visited a store, business or restaurant
26% visited an advertised website

PPPC Reports NA April Paper Shipments

The Pulp and Paper Product Council reported North American coated mechanical paper shipments for April fell -8.8% as compared to the same month last year. Demand declined -2.8%. Imports jumped +27.2%. The operating rate was 83%. Coated woodfree shipments for the month were up +2.8%, demand increased +3.8% and imports rose +6.1%. The operating rate was 87%. Uncoated woodfree shipments fell -1%, demand declined -2% and imports were down -4.5%, The operating rate was 92%. SC-A/A+ paper shipments increased +30.8% and demand rose +19.1%. Imports declined -10.2%. SC-B/SNC+ shipments increased +5.1%, demand fell -2% and imports decreased -44.2%. The Supercalendered paper operating rate was 98%.

EURO-GRAPH Reports April Shipments

EURO-GRAPH has reported European coated mechanical paper shipments fell -3.2% in April as compared to the same month last year. Demand declined -3.8% and exports were down -1%. Coated woodfree shipments for the month decreased -5.1% and demand was down -9.9%. Exports increased 13%. Supercalendered paper shipments were up +0.2%, demand rose +1.8%, but exports fell -8.5%. Uncoated woodfree shipments increased +4.3%, demand was up +1.5% and exports rose +26.2%.

Resolute Announces Coated, SC Price Increase

Resolute Forest Products has announced an increase in coated and Supercalendered paper prices, effective with shipments on or after July 1. The following grades are included:
ResoluteGloss and ResoluteBrite 76 pricing will be increased by $40/short ton. ResoluteBrite 80 and ResoluteMax 84 pricing will go up $30/short ton. ResoluteSCA, RescoluteSCB and ResoluteSNC pricing will be raised $40/short ton.
All basis weights and finishes are affected by the change.

Domtar to Acquire Associated Hygienic Products

http://www.paperage.com/2013news/05_28_2013domtar_associated_hygienic_products.html

Domtar Corporation today announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the acquisition of privately-held Associated Hygienic Products ("AHP"), the largest manufacturer and supplier of store brand infant diapers in the United States, from DSG International for $272 million.

The closing of the transaction is expected by the end of the second quarter of 2013, subject to customary closing conditions.

Finch Paper CEO Resigns

CEO and president of Finch Paper resigns post:
Joseph F. Raccuia resigned as CEO and president, and will be replaced by Debabrata Mukherjee , who since 2008 has been vice president and general manager of specialty papers for worldwide paper manufacturer P.H. Glatfelter.

Catalyst Paper Sells Elk Falls

Catalyst Paper sells Elk Falls site to Quicksilver Resources Canada:
Catalyst Paper has sold its Elk Falls industrial site and related assets to Quicksilver Resources Canada Inc., a Calgary-based corporation with extensive natural gas holdings.
The $8.6 million sale was signed and closed today.
Sale of the approximate 1,200-acre parcel includes a fully serviced, 400-acre industrial site and adjacent property near Campbell River, British Columbia.

April Global Pulp Shipments Fall

April global pulp statistics: shipments dip to 3.687 million tonnes, ...:
Global pulp deliveries slid by 6.1% to 3.687 million tonnes in April, down from 3.926 million tonnes the previous month, according to Pulp and Paper Products Council (PPPC) data.
Shipments were 7.4% higher than the year-earlier period, up from 3.433 million tonnes in April 2012.

Nippon to Establish Energy Business

http://www.nipponpapergroup.com/e/news/news13052801.html

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce that as of June 27 it will establish its Energy Business Division and set up its Energy Business Department within the new division in an organizational reform of the company.

Nippon Paper Industries has been boosting development of businesses other than paper, and above all it has been promoting expansion of its energy business, in which it can leverage its strengths. Nippon Paper Industries had decided to newly introduce Japan's first biomass power generation project utilizing 100% unused woody materials at Yatsushiro mill (Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture), and Shikoku's largest mega-solar project in Komatsushima-shi, Tokushima (on land owned by Nippon Paper Industries) in fiscal year 2014.

Three Parties Interested in Stora Enso, Corbehem

French minister comments on Stora Enso Corbehem divestment
Stora Enso plans to sell its Corbehem mill in France. According to Euwid Pulp and Paper, citing the French Minister of Industrial Renewal Arnaud Montebourg, three companies have been identified as seriously interested in acquiring the mill.  The minister does not rule out a conversion of the mill. The French government might take over the mill and convert it to packaging paper production, according to him.
Stora Enso prefers not to leave any comment on the matter.

Resolute Inaugurates Green Energy Plant

Resolute Officially Inaugurates Power Island Producing Green Energy at Thunder ...:
Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) officially inaugurated a major power island producing green energy at its pulp and paper operation located in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The power island includes a refurbished and upgraded woodwaste boiler and a new 65-megawatt condensing turbine. Approved by Resolute in early 2011, the C$65 million project took just over 21 months to complete.

Wood Costs Down, Lowering Production Costs

Wood costs have declined
Prices for wood chips and pulplogs have fallen worldwide the past two years, resulting in lower production costs for the world’s pulp and paper industry, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. Both the HFPI and SFPI price indices have fallen by over ten percent from their peaks in 2011. The biggest declines in wood fiber prices have occurred in Brazil, Canada, the US and Japan.

Shop Talk: Catalog Circulation Strategies

http://www.retailonlineintegration.com/article/how-many-times-do-consumers-get-mailing-catalog-before-they-buy/1

Will catalog response improve over time to rented prospecting names based on sending the same prospect multiple catalogs? The answer is no. Lots of catalogers mail the same prospecting universe of names multiple times, so there's quite a bit of data out there on the results of multiple catalog mailings to the same households. The most typical response to mailing the same profitable universe of rented names multiple times is that the list either responds the same time after time or the list shows a softening in response as buyers are culled from the list. It's rare for a catalog list to show an increase in response rates over time.

B2B Revenues Rise

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/201146/b2b-revenues-rises-credits-events-digital-ads.html#axzz2UbyVQzvc

Overall, business-to-business media revenues are growing, due to an upward trend in B2B trade shows which, together with digital advertising, more than offset the continuing decline in print advertising.

The American Business Media’s Business Information Network reported that total revenues grew 3.4% from $24.6 billion in 2011 to $25.5 billion. Revenue from trade shows increased 4.4% from $11.2 billion to $11.7 billion, while print revenues fell 4.8% from $7.8 billion to $7.5 billion.
The print result is roughly in line with the consumer magazine industry, where total print advertising revenues fell 3% over the same period, according to the Publisher’s Information Bureau.

Bloomberg Businessweek Targeting Millennials

http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2013/05/22/Businessweek-Ahead-052213.aspx

Bloomberg Businessweek is targeting twenty-somethings with a campaign encouraging those ‘boomerang kids’ to head-out on their own with the lure of a one-year subscription to the magazine. The “Bloomberg Businessweek Gets You Ahead” campaign website offers 42 e-gift cards that parents and friends can send to Gen Y-ers still living at home for an added kick in the behind—and a good laugh. 
The cards are designed to be sent with 12 free issues of Bloomberg Businessweek, either in print or on the iPad, and physical renderings are available at stationery chain Papyrus.

MPA Makes Progress in Metric Standardization

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/mpa-makes-headway-tablet-metric-standardization-149743

MPA, the Association of Magazine Media, has finally released a game plan to implement its guidelines for standardizing digital magazine metrics, which it hopes will encourage advertisers to commit to the growing number of tablet editions.

Last spring, the MPA's Tablet Metrics Task Force released a list of voluntary guidelines for publishers to follow, include metrics like total consumer paid digital issues, and per-issue metrics like total number of tablet readers, total number of sessions, total time spent per reader and average number of sessions per reader. About 20 publishers are currently participating.

Hearst Jumps on Native Ad Trend

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/hearst-latest-publisher-jump-native-ad-trend-149790

Hearst Magazines is the latest publisher to join the native ad gold rush, with new products that will let advertisers run their messages into editorial real estate and, if desired, incorporate edit-produced content.

The five new units, now being rolled out to the market, are designed to let advertisers take advantage of the growth of mobile devices as well as social media and video.

Hanley Wood Announces Acquisition

Hanley Wood Acquires Conference and Expo from U.S. Green Building Council: Hanley Wood announced Thursday that it acquired the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo from the U.S. Green Building Council. Under terms of the deal, Hanley Wood will manage the exhibition while the USGBC will continue to produce the conference programming.

Tablet Owners Prefer Digital Magazines

Study: One-Quarter of Tablet Owners Prefer Digital Magazines Over Print: Digital publishing consultancy Mequoda Group released results of a recent survey that examined the usage and content consumption of tablet owners. According to the survey, the 1,293 respondents are fairly spendy and a significant portion engage with digital magazines on a monthly basis.

Sports Illustrated Launches Live Show

Sports Illustrated Launches Live Daily Show: Building on Time Inc.'s new digital video unit, Sports Illustrated is launching a live daily sports talk show next week.

USPS Offers 5% Discount on Samples

USPS to offer 5% postage discount on samples:
The U.S. Postal Service will offer product marketers a 5% upfront postage discount on samples mailed out in August and September.
The Postal Service's Product Samples promotion, for the mailing of trial-size samples, is intended to “re-invigorate product sampling” through the mail, the Postal Service said in a statement.
The promotion also is intended to raise awareness of the Postal Service's new Simple Samples standard mail program, which offers flat-rate pricing, volume discounts and less stringent mail-preparation requirements.

The U.S. Postal Service will offer product marketers a 5% upfront postage discount on samples mailed out in August and September.
The Postal Service's Product Samples promotion, for the mailing of trial-size samples, is intended to “re-invigorate product sampling” through the mail, the Postal Service said in a statement.
The promotion also is intended to raise awareness of the Postal Service's new Simple Samples standard mail program, which offers flat-rate pricing, volume discounts and less stringent mail-preparation requirements.
- See more at: http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/DIRECT0202/305249996/1581/rss03&rssfeed=rss03#sthash.LmNAylNz.dpuf

The U.S. Postal Service will offer product marketers a 5% upfront postage discount on samples mailed out in August and September.
The Postal Service's Product Samples promotion, for the mailing of trial-size samples, is intended to “re-invigorate product sampling” through the mail, the Postal Service said in a statement.
The promotion also is intended to raise awareness of the Postal Service's new Simple Samples standard mail program, which offers flat-rate pricing, volume discounts and less stringent mail-preparation requirements.
- See more at: http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/DIRECT0202/305249996/1581/rss03&rssfeed=rss03#sthash.LmNAylNz.dpuf

Warc's Global Marketing Index Up

Warc's global marketing index increases: Warc's Global Marketing Index rose to 54.3 this month, representing the highest value since Warc introduced the index in October 2011.

n the Americas, the index rose to 58.0—the highest regional index recorded so far and an increase of 3.2 points over April. - See more at: http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/ADVERTISING13/305239999/1728/rss01&rssfeed=rss01#sthash.ta4GcU84.dpuf

n the Americas, the index rose to 58.0—the highest regional index recorded so far and an increase of 3.2 points over April. - See more at: http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/ADVERTISING13/305239999/1728/rss01&rssfeed=rss01#sthash.ta4GcU84.dpuf

School Papers in Print Disappearing

At School Papers, the Ink Is Drying Up: T

The Clinton News used to be the source for everything that mattered to its readers in the northwest Bronx. It published 10,000 copies every other week in the 1930s and even circulated overseas among Bronx residents fighting in World War II.

It, like newspapers everywhere, has struggled to adapt as print costs soared, and Facebook and Twitter became the media of choice among younger generations.

The difference is that The Clinton News is a high school newspaper, written and read by the students of DeWitt Clinton High School. Now, as it marks its 100th year as one of New York City’s oldest student newspapers, The Clinton News stands as a testament to another ink-and-broadsheet legacy that is rapidly fading.

Please Note: Due to the Memorial Day Holiday, ATC & JSE Paper and Print Supply Chain News Will Not Publish Tomorrow Or Monday.

We will resume publication of the news on Tuesday May 28th.

Holmen To Build Wind Farm

Holmen to build wind farm
Together with investment fund Eurofideme 2, the Swedish pulp and paper company Holmen has decided to build a wind farm in the municipality of Norrtälje in a jointly-owned company. The annual production is an estimated 165 GWh and the wind farm is planned to commence operation in autumn 2014. Eurofideme 2, a renewable energy infrastructure fund of Mirova, has acquired half the shares in the company that Holmen founded to run wind power production on its own land in the municipality of Norrtälje near Hallsta Paper Mill. The decision now marks the start of installation of 17 wind turbines with an installed power capacity of a total 51 MW and an expected annual production of 165 GWh. An environmental permit has already been obtained. According to the plan, the turbines will be taken into operation in autumn 2014. “This project will exploit Holmen’s excellent opportunities to produce wind power on its own land,” says Holmen’s President and CEO Magnus Hall. “It is also an important element in our focus on renewable energy, set to increase our self-sufficiency in electricity.”

Brown Printing & Clear Lake Press Alliance

Brown Printing Company and Clear Lake Press Announce Strategic Alliance:
A strategic alliance between two well-known Waseca, MN printing companies was announced today. Brown Printing Company, the third largest magazine and catalog printer in the nation, and Clear Lake Press, a supplier of magazine, catalog and direct mail components for twenty five years, have agreed to commence a strategic alliance, pooling their respective strengths and resources in order to better serve their customers and prospects with a more comprehensive suite of printing solutions. Dan Nitz, President of Clear Lake Press, stated, “This alliance is important for both companies. Brown and Clear Lake Press will become stronger in their respective niches by working together and will be able to serve existing and prospective customers more efficiently.” Mike Amundson, CEO of Brown Printing added, “The ability for Brown Printing to continually improve and expand its array of print and marketing solutions is critical to our continued success in the very competitive markets we serve. Entering into an alliance with Clear Lake Press will allow us to better serve our customers and make it easier and more cost efficient for them to do business with us.” To facilitate expected alliance synergies, Dan Nitz will join Brown Printing in June as the Executive Vice President of Manufacturing and Distribution. Chris Waldron, current Director of Operations for Clear Lake Press, will assume Nitz’s leadership responsibilities at Clear Lake Press.

Hess Print Plan For Sale to Bang Prtg

Hess Print Solutions Announces Plan for Sale to Bang Printing: Hess Print Solutions and its subsidiaries, a provider of accountable print performance solutions and other value-added services for catalogs, books, publications and educational printed products announced today that HPS has entered into an agreement to sell substantially all of its assets to an affiliate of Bang Printing. The decision to sell to Bang Printing followed an extensive process of reviewing various strategic opportunities for HPS that was aimed at ensuring it will remain a viable long-term business partner for customers, vendors and employees. This sale will allow HPS and Bang Printing to combine their existing capabilities and provide customers with a more diversified suite of products and services. “The strategic decision to pursue a financial restructuring through a sale will allow us to proactively and quickly improve our financial position and ensure we have the resources to meet the needs of our clients, suppliers, employees and other business partners going forward," said Jerry Haywood, interim CEO of HPS. Bang Printing has over 100 years of experience in the book and commercial printing industry. Bang Printing, which has its corporate offices in Brainerd, MN, offers complete printing, binding and fulfillment services at a competitive price. Bang Printing has facilities in both Minnesota and California.

ABM BIN Numbers-Print Down, Digital Up

No Surprises: ABM BIN Numbers Show Print Declines, Digital Gains:  According to American Business Media’s latest Business Information Network report for full-year 2012, the b-to-b media and information industry is growing. From 2011 to 2012 b-to-b media revenue increased 3.4 percent from $24.66 billion to $25.49 billion. While there was a positive gain, the percentage increase after inflation was actually a growth of 1.3 percent. Additionally, the industry is still far from where it was five years ago—total 2008 b-to-b media revenue was $28.7 billion (adjusted for inflation in 2012 dollars). Driving the year-over-year growth for 2012 was tradeshows, which commanded 46 percent of b-to-b revenue—a number that has held steady since 2008. Print has seen the largest decline, both year-over-year and since 2008. Between 2011 and 2012 print advertising revenue decreased by 4.8 percent to $7.5 billion, down from $7.8 billion in 2011, but up from $7.2 billion in 2010. In 2008 print advertising revenue commanded about 37 percent of all b-to-b revenue, down to about 29 percent in 2012. But digital is a growing slice of the b-to-b revenue pie. In 2008, digital accounted for about 11 percent of total revenue and climbed to 16 percent in 2012. Similarly, data or business information grew from 6 percent in 2008 to 9 percent in 2012. “Looking at the revenue stream growth form 2011 to 2012, not including an adjustment for inflation, digital advertising grew the fastest at 15.9 percent,” the report says. “Data grew 7.3 percent, events grew 4.4 percent and print advertising fell 4.8 percent (with) a negative growth rate.”

European Consumer Pulp Inventories Fall

Consumer pulp inventories fall in April, consumption down as well: Consumption of pulp in Europe slid in April while consumer pulp inventories edged lower, according to the latest figures from UTIPULP. European consumer pulp inventories were down 0.9% month on month in April to 630,620 tonnes, while consumption fell by 3.8% to 971,427 tonnes.

Newsstand Drops 11 % In Q1

http://www.foliomag.com/2013/newsstand-drops-11-percent-q1-while-bookazines-see-gains#.UZ42dLXVB8E

On the second day of the MPA’s 10th annual Independent Magazine Media Conference (IMAG), industry publishers got a peek at first-quarter numbers for the newsstand, which showed a mix of declines and gains. In a mid-morning session Gil Brechtel, president and CEO of the Magazine Information Network, or MagNet, offered a picture of the current climate during his “Realities at Retail” session. On the whole, the newsstand continues to see significant drops, but he said that trends surrounding bookazines and special issues continue to fair well—proving that readers are still willing to buy print on the newsstand. “We just released our first quarter, 2013 numbers and the pain continues,” Brechtel said. “During the first quarter sales were down 11 percent in dollars and 14.5 percent in units sold. This is the largest quarterly sales decline we’ve ever seen when you compare period-to-period and year-over-year numbers.” The top 50 titles and titles ranked lower than 1,000 in retail sales dollars represented about 97 percent of the sales losses—around $96 million. Titles ranked 51-1,000, however, collectively performed fairly well and represent over 50 percent of the magazine business. 

US Comm Revises Printing Shipments

US Commerce Department Revises Last Two Years of Printing Shipments Up Slightly (Dr. Joe):
The US Commerce Department issued its annual update of manufacturing shipments data last Friday. The bottom line is that they increased each of the last two years by about $1 billion, but the increases were not enough to increase annual shipments after inflation. The revision process is constant. Every year, five historical years are revised, with the greatest changes to the most recent three years and the first three months of the current year. Last year, the reported data showed a new seasonality, with May becoming a more prominent month. This was quite a surprise for us, as March had become the most important month of the year. Years prior, the big retail printing season related to Christmas and holiday sales, had been the most important printing season, but it gradually diminished by 2008. This left March to be a big month, probably driven by projects started with new corporate projects in January. Last year’s revisions revised shipments down, even those of the beginning of the year, and the Commerce Department reported a big May, so much so that it became the best month of the year. This is still hard for us to understand, but from looking at the historical data it could just be that May sales have just declined at a lesser rate in recent years. It’s not May sales have been increasing, it’s that they’re just down slightly less than other months.

Coated Prices On The Rise In France

http://www.euwid-paper.com/news/singlenews/Artikel/coated-fine-paper-prices-on-the-rise-in-france.html

While producers of uncoated woodfree papers are reporting growing downward pressure on prices, coated fine papers have become more expensive in April and May. Stressing absolute necessity, manufacturers of coated woodfree paper have being calling for price increases in France, and have been successful in many cases. There were different price trends seen for sheets and reels in May, with coated reel papers seeing a somewhat lower price hike than coated sheets, EUWID sources say. Given high pulp prices and other cost factors, manufacturers are under a lot of pressure to raise their sales prices. However, a few producers consider it just as important to have enough orders to maintain satisfactory capacity utilisation rates. Some paper makers are accusing their competitors of having made too many compromises on price increases in order to keep their machines running. The general market condition in France is still shaped by a shrinking demand and overcapacity. In April, shipments of coated woodfree sheets were down by a high single-digit percentage against the same month last year, while the decline for coated woodfree reels was well into the double-digit range, it is learnt.

Businessweek's Offer To Millennials

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/businessweek-offers-12-free-issues-to-deadbeat-millennials_b83173

Bloomberg Businessweek is taking a creative approach to nabbing new readers: It’s calling them out for being deadbeats. The magazine has launched a minisite BBWgetsyouahead.com to get people interested. BBW jokes aside, the site offers digital gift cards, good for 12 free issues of Businessweek, that people can send to Millennials who are underemployed or unemployed and still living with the moms and pops. There are 42 different gift cards, each with a humorous tagline like “Even Snooki has a job.” The cards and the site are part of a larger ad campaign titled “Bloomberg Businessweek Gets You Ahead.” Free Businessweek is nice, but it probably won’t help any of those 18 to 34 year olds actually get a job or their own place. But hey, they might as well have a good magazine to peruse while deepening the dent in the living room couch.

Documenting The Value Of Paper

Documenting the Value of Paper (Digital Nirvana):The American Forest & Paper Association recently released a report entitle “Documenting the Value of Paper.” As more and more once-printed items move into the digital space, the future of printed materials remains in question. This report addresses that question by offering five distinct ways that paper enriches lives which will likely not diminish in the future. It got me thinking, maybe there is still a market for paper, and therefore and market for print, what do you think? Five Dimensions presented by AF&PA (and some interesting highlights from the report): Paper informs as a learning tool. Studies show that elementary aged students actually perform better at reading comprehension when reading from paper-based books compared to e-books. Students find it easier and more helpful to employ “active” reading habits (skimming, reading subtitles first, highlighting, underlining, annotating, etc.) in paper-based books. Paper reaches customers. Direct mail is still cited as the communication channel with the highest ROI for customer contact and retention in B2C marketing, followed by email. A Nielson survey found that respondent’s top three preferences for receiving advertising were paper-based – direct mail, newspapers, and in-store printed displays. Consumers who receive a printed catalog in the mail are more likely to shop online than those who do not receive the catalog. More and more people are “opting out” of email marketing lists. Paper is a permanent record for milestones in life. Paper is still used for official documents (birth certificates, graduation diplomas, titles to cars, etc.) Paper also preserves many of life’s meaningful personal moments – think family photos, baby books, childhood artwork, handwritten letters, greeting cards, etc.Paper is a secure form of documentation and communication. Information stored on paper is easily accessible over a long period of time and does not need to be continuously migrated to newer technologies. Paper is a sustainable choice. The paper industry supports sustainable forestry practices and is increasing its recovery of paper and use of recycled fiber. Recent lifecycle assessment studies show that environmental impact of paper and electronic text and communication are relatively similar.

85% Of Execs Find Social Media Important

Forrester: 85% of execs find social media important: Cambridge, Mass.—Eighty five percent of business decision-makers said at least one social media channel is very important or important when making technology purchase decisions, according to a new study by Forrester Research. The report, “How B2B Marketers Use Social Now,” was based on an online survey of 7,369 business decision-makers, conducted in the fourth quarter. When asked, “How important are the following sources when researching and evaluating technologies and services to purchase?” the top response was support forums or discussion forums (63%), followed by virtual events or virtual trade shows (47%); online videos (46%); LinkedIn (40%); blogs (36%); professional social networking sites, not including LinkedIn or Twitter (35%); Twitter (19%); and Facebook (19%).

FT Debuts Spanish Service

FT debuts Spanish-language service in Latin America: The Financial Times has launched a new service in Latin America through FT Syndication that provides top FT news and analysis translated into Spanish. The service will include two articles each weekday, including an opinion piece written by an FT columnist and a news story from the world news, global economy or companies section. Media organizations using the service are offered a variety of branding options, such as use of the FT logo, the right to republish a regular FT-branded page and the use of the FT brand in promotional materials.

Brick & Mortar Booksellers Gain Traffic

http://nreionline.com/retail/brick-and-mortar-booksellers-gained-shopper-traffic-first-three-months-2013

Brick-and-Mortar Booksellers Gained Shopper Traffic in First Three Months of 2013. Placed Insights, a Seattle-based ratings service for consumer behavior, has released its findings for consumer traffic patterns in the first quarter 2013 and the results may come as somewhat of a surprise. In spite of the intense competition from digital book sellers, bricks-and-mortar bookstores were among the top gaining categories in shopper traffic in the first three months of the year, behind financial planning shops and bars. Bookstores as a group experienced a 27 percent increase in shopper visits during the period and moved up six spots in Placed Insights’ ranking, to number 46. Barnes & Noble in particular moved up eight spots on the list of the most visited stores in the U.S., to number 17.

LexisNexis Buys Pubs from Thompson

LexisNexis buys Sheshunoff, A.S. Pratt from Thompson Media Group:LexisNexis Legal & Professional announced today that, together with Reed Elsevier Properties, it has acquired the publishing brands and businesses of Sheshunoff and A.S. Pratt from Thompson Media Group.Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Known for its “how-to” guides for compliance professionals, the Sheshunoff portfolio includes more than 100 publications aimed at the financial services industry, with a strong focus on federally regulated banking and credit union lending activities. A.S. Pratt provides analytical content for the banking and commercial practice areas; its portfolio includes 40 titles covering legal and regulatory issues, including the Banking Law Journal, Brady on Bank Checks and Pratt's Letter. Both the Sheshunoff and A.S. Pratt titles will continue to be offered in print. LexisNexis intends to also offer them through digital channels, including as eBooks and online.

New Inspection Solution For Paper

New inspection solution for paper  

Isra Vision – a provider of leading-edge optical inspection systems – is presenting its new solution in automated surface inspection for the paper industry: Paper Master. The key objective of Paper Master is to make manufacturing more productive and cost effective. Paper Master offers the advantages of Web Inspection (WIS) and Web Break Monitoring (WBM). Alternatively WIS and WBM can be installed as one unified, integrated system to determine where and how a defect occurred even faster with only one mouse click. Based on the new outstanding Paper Master, irregularities of the surface can be detected faster and easier than before – a decrease of quality defects of up to 70% can be reached. Paper Master - Web Inspection System (WIS) inspects the whole width of the sheet on the paper machine in order to provide excellent photographic images of each defect. 

Hearst Looking To Launch Mag With Dr. Oz

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/hearst_and_oz_may_be_off_to_see_jMyi6yXu75AQcgOSFR9JWI

Hearst executives are moving closer to launching a new self-help magazine with Dr. Mehmet Oz, according to reports from ad-agency honchos who have discussed the matter with the publisher. If the plans, now in the final talking stage, come to pass, the new title will debut with a January/February issue that will be one of the biggest launches in magazine history. One source said that the company is predicting a rate base of 800,000, with 350,000 from newsstand sales and the rest to selected subscribers. Madison Avenue sources say that corporate Executive Vice President of Sales Jeff Hamill has been talking to prospective media buyers. The project on the edit side is being overseen by Hearst Editorial Director Ellen Levine. “There was no creative or anything to look at, but a lifestyle approach different from the field,” said one source who was involved in the discussions. Oz will only give final approval if he is convinced the project will be a huge hit. Oz’s highly rated talk show is already carried by many Hearst- owned television stations. A joint venture with Hearst is expected to be constructed, similar to the deal the publishing house has with Oprah Winfrey and her Harpo Productions to publish O, the Oprah Magazine. Hearst has big hits with its last two joint ventures, HGTV magazine and the Food Network Magazine, both with Scripps.

Wired Completely Overhauls Print Magazine

http://mashable.com/2013/05/21/wired-redesign/

Wired is debuting a new look for its June issue, which hits newsstands Tuesday. The magazine has been completely made over by Scott Dadich, who before being named editor-in-chief last November worked as creative director of Wired from 2006 to 2010.There was something about the previous version of Wired the bright colors, bold fonts, perhaps the splashy photos and graphics that made it feel distinctly like a magazine about science and technology for men. Not so with the new edition of Wired, which feels more like Wired meets T: The New York Times Style Magazine meets The New Yorker. With its modern, almost muted aesthetic, it feels more like a lifestyle magazine and a rather sophisticated, thoughtful one at that. Wired's redesign began with an idea and a problem to solve, Claudia de Almeida, Wired's new deputy design director, recalled in a phone conversation with Mashable last week. "We asked ourselves what is technology, what kind of role does it play in our lives today, and how can that be communicated on the pages of Wired that people can connect to and that feels current?" "From my point of view, technology is not only your computer on your desk anymore, it's part of your life. It made sense to me to have a design that felt more accessible, that didn't make you feel all the time that you're just reading a tech magazine," de Almeida said. "It's not only a magazine about technology, it's also a magazine about people who make technology happen."

Magazines-More Popular Than Ever

Magazines are More Popular than Ever Among College Students, Says Shweiki Media:In a seemingly tech-oriented world, there's been constant speculation over the last few years that print is a dying medium—especially among the younger set, who had smartphones thrust into their hands years ago and haven't looked back since. Shweiki, in conjunction with Study Breaks College Media, wanted to test these suspicions, however, and see just how accurate the "print is dead" theory actually is. After surveying 387 college students, the answer is, it turns out, that it couldn't be further from the truth. Take a look at the results below, and you'll see that not only are students reading magazines, getting fashion ideas from magazines, visiting Websites they've discovered through magazines and buying things they've seen in magazines; they're also sharing publications among their friends. Check out the awesome results.
Of 387 Students Surveyed:

• 97 percent have read a free magazine
• 90 percent have read a magazine in the last month
• 84 percent keep magazines for at least a month
• 70 percent share magazines with friends and/or borrow them from friends
• 85 percent get fashion ideas from magazines
• 89 percent visit Websites they see in magazines
• 84 percent purchase an item after seeing it in a magazine
• 63 percent use coupons from magazines to make purchases
• 84 percent redeem specials and promotions they see in magazines

These results prove that not only is print not dying; it's flourishing. And with new innovations like augmented reality integrating technology into print and literally bringing it to life, the age-old medium shows no signs of slowing down.

MPA Rolls Out Digital Pilot Program

MPA Rolls Out Pilot Program For Digital Measurement Standardization:About 100 independent magazine media professionals descended on the Big Easy this week for the MPA’s 10th annual Independent Magazine Media Conference (IMAG). While the event was focused on strategies and tactics for the independent market, during the first full day of the conference the association announced a new pilot program that could stretch far across the entire magazine market. At a morning session on digital magazine measurement, Ethan Grey the association’s SVP of Digital Strategy and Initiatives, formally introduced a multi-industry pilot program that aims to provide consistent measurement and reporting of standardized metrics and data sets for magazine media across tablets and other digital platforms. “Digital editions are like having every international plug in front of you—they’re all different,” Grey said. "Every electrical outlet works exactly as designed, and all deliver power, but they're incompatible."The fundamental issue is two different publishers can both create a digital edition and have a single ad unit applied. Yet, depending on what platform the digital edition was built in, data sets from the same ad may vary widely—though both are equally accurate.

Swedish Paper & Paperboard Prod In Q1

http://www.lesprom.com/news/Swedish_Forest_Agency_Paper_and_paperboard_production_fell_by_2_4_in_1Q_56261/

Swedish production of paper and paperboard fell by 2.4% in the 1Q 2013, while wood pulp production decreased by 0.7% compared with the 1Q 2012, as the Swedish Forest Agency said in a press release. Production of paper and paperboard fell by 2.4% to 2.8 million tonnes in the 1Q 2013 compared with the same quarter in 2012. Production of newsprint decreased most by 12%. Printing paper fell by 3%, while other paper and paperboard grades increased slightly .Production of wood pulp in Sweden increased by 0.7% to 3 million tonnes in the 1Q 2013 compared to with the same quarter 2012. Production of sulphate pulp accounts for 64% of the total production of wood pulp was 0.7% higher in the 1Q 2013 compared with the same quarter 2012. Production of other grades of wood pulp decreased slightly.

Russia's Ilim Group Q1 Performance

http://www.lesprom.com/news/Ilim_Group_manufactures_362000_tons_of_pulp_and_paper_products_at_its_Siberian_mills_in_1Q_56250/

Over the first three months of 2013, Ilim Group’s mills in Siberia (the Bratsk and Ust-Ilimsk mills) manufactured about 362,000 tons of pulp and paper products. This almost equals to the performance in the similar period of the previous year, as the company said in a press release. The figures include about 309,000 tons of pulp, which is 2% less as compared to January-March 2012. Market containerboard production has gained 11%, reaching 54,000 tons in the 1Q 2013.

Own harvesting has decreased by 5% with 1,360,000 cubic meters of wood harvested in the same period of the previous year.

GP’s Parent Donates Paper Products To OK Relief

http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2013/05/21/2706806/koch-industries-inc-donates-to.html

Koch Industries, Inc. is making a $1 million donation to support relief efforts in Oklahoma following the tornadoes that devastated the cities of Moore and Shawnee, and affected other areas of the state this week. Half of that amount will be given to the OK Strong Disaster Relief Fund established by Governor Mary Fallin in coordination with the United Way of Central Oklahoma. The other half will go to the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army to help affected families with their most urgent needs, including housing, transportation, clothing and more. In addition, Georgia-Pacific, a Koch company, has donated six truckloads of products from its Muskogee, Okla., Fort Smith, Ark. and Naheola, Ala. facilities including Angel Soft® and Quilted Northern® bath tissue, Sparkle® paper towels, Dixie® cups and plates, and Mardi Gras® napkins. “Koch has deep roots in Oklahoma, and we want the communities of Moore, Shawnee and others throughout the state to know we stand with them and pray for them as they begin the difficult process of rebuilding their lives,” said Dave Robertson, president and COO of Koch Industries, Inc.

Domtar Rolls Out TAPPISAFE At Ashdown

Domtar’s Ashdown Facility Rolls Out TAPPISAFE Safety Program: Domtar will roll out the TAPPISAFE Safety Orientation Program at the integrated Ashdown, Arkansas pulp and paper facility. TAPPISAFE, a service of TAPPI offered in partnership with Alliance Safety Council, provides a standardized safety course program for contractors and is the only safety orientation program specifically designed for the pulp and paper industry, by the industry. “The TAPPISAFE program provides the Domtar facility in Ashdown with a proven safety orientation system that will ensure all contractors working at our facility have the same safety orientation,” states Terry Hughes, Safety Manager. “The safety of our employees and contractors working at our facility is of primary importance. 

PH Glatfelter Turns More Into Less

PH Glatfelter Turns More Into Less:
Margins matter. The more PH Glatfelter keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong PH Glatfelter's competitive position could be. Here's the current margin snapshot for PH Glatfelter over the trailing 12 months: Gross margin is 13.2%, while operating margin is 5.3% and net margin is 3.5%.Unfortunately, a look at the most recent numbers doesn't tell us much about where PH Glatfelter has been, or where it's going. A company with rising gross and operating margins often fuels its growth by increasing demand for its products. If it sells more units while keeping costs in check, its profitability increases. Conversely, a company with gross margins that inch downward over time is often losing out to competition, and possibly engaging in a race to the bottom on prices. If it can't make up for this problem by cutting costs -- and most companies can't -- then both the business and its shares face a decidedly bleak outlook.

SKG Sets Out Vision On Sustainability

SKG sets out vision on sustainability
Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) announces the publication of its vision on sustainability which establishes additional objectives for the business up to 2020 and which extends and builds on the range of sustainability initiatives which SKG  already has in place. The statement details SKG’s commitment to sustainable business practices and belief that profitable growth can be achieved by providing its customers with innovative packaging solutions while continuing to minimise product waste; optimising resource use and re-use through recycling; and, stimulating afforestation through sustainable forestry practices.

Peak Rock Capital Acquires Atlas Paper Mills

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/21/5437212/peak-rock-capital-acquires-atlas.html

Headquartered in Miami, FL, Atlas is a leading company in the manufacture of tissue products, utilizing 100% recycled fiber. The Company produces a complete line of tissue products; including bath tissue, towels and facial tissue, serving leading customers in both the away-from-home and retail channels. This strategic approach has allowed the Company to develop long-term relationships with an attractive customer base. The Company provides both branded ("Green Heritage") and private label products throughout North America. Anthony DiSimone, CEO of Peak Rock Capital, said, "Atlas is a great example of our interest in investing in middle market businesses that can benefit from our resources and expertise to enhance their growth and strategic position; it also highlights our continued interest in the manufacturing and consumer product sectors."Peter Leibman, Managing Director of Peak Rock Capital, added, "Atlas has a strong competitive position as a supplier of 'green' tissue products with long-standing customer relationships.  We believe Atlas is an excellent platform for expansion through organic growth and strategic add-on acquisitions and are excited to work with the Company's outstanding management team in pursuing these opportunities."

IP Receives EU Eco-Label

IP receives EU Eco-LabelFor its HP Everyday Paper range

International Paper, the world’s largest paper and packaging company, has achieved EU Eco-label status for its HP Everyday Papers range. The grade is manufactured at International Paper's paper mills, using virgin wood fibre from sustainable forests. International Paper's paper mills are the best in class in terms of environmental performance. Having the EU Eco-label accreditation now complements the HP Everyday Papers existing environmental accreditations, which include attainment of both the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Chain of Custody schemes, guaranteeing that a product is made from sustainably managed forests. The EU Eco-label is a voluntary environmental label created by the European Commission, established in 1992 to encouraged businesses to market products and services that are kinder to the environment. Products awarded the Eco-label carry the flower logo to allow consumers including public and private purchasers to identify them easily.