Domtar Raises NA NBSK Price

Domtar informed North American customers today that it will increase prices on northern bleached softwood kraft by $30/tonne, effective April 1.

Smart Paper Hamilton Mill Bought

http://www.oxfordpress.com/news/city-agrees-to-buy-smart-paper-complex-1343893.html

The city of Hamilton, Ohio will use taxpayer money to purchase the 42.9-acre SMART Paper complex in hopes of attracting another paper manufacturer, keeping valuable jobs in the area, officials said.

Law Keeps Duties on Chinese Coated Paper

NewPage Applauds Bill Passed That Will Apply Tariffs to China: President Obama signed the legislation passed by the U.S. House and Senate that will allow the Department of Commerce to continue to apply the countervailing duty law to non-market economy countries like China. This legislation will preserve intact the countervailing duty order in place covering coated paper.

Direct Mail Delivers Strongest ROI

Direct Mail Delivers Strongest ROI for B2C: Direct mail is the channel cited most by B2C direct response marketers as delivering the strongest ROI for customer contact, retention, and acquisition, according to a Target Marketing survey.

DMA Reports Q4 Growth

DMA: Marketers report growth in 2011 Q4: U.S. marketers reported positive results in both revenue and profits in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a report from the Direct Marketing Association.

Conde Nast Offers Metrics for Digital

Conde Nast to Issue Ten-Week Digital Edition Readership Metrics: While tablet editions clearly present a bright opportunity for magazine publishers and their advertisers alike, the value has been difficult to quantify. Now, Conde Nast will begin to offer its advertisers readership reports on a 10-week cycle, as first reported by Ad Age.

NA Ad Spending Forecast Up

North American advertising spend to increase in 2012: North American advertising spend is projected to increase 3.6% to $171 billion in 2012, said Jonathan Barnard, head of publications at ZenithOptimedia.

Encyclopedia Britannica Ends Print Version

Encyclopedia Britannica to Stop Printing Books: Encyclopedia Britannica will cease production of its iconic multi-volume book sets after 244 years. Britannica usually prints a new set of the tomes every two years, but 2010's 32-volume set will be its last. Instead, the company will focus solely on its digital encyclopedia and education tools.

NewPage Reports 2011 Results

http://investors.newpagecorp.com/index.php?s=43&item=211

Net sales for 2011 were $3,502 million compared to $3,596 million for 2010, a decrease of $94 million or 3%. Net sales were affected primarily by higher paper prices, more than offset by lower sales volume. Net income (loss) was $(524) million in 2011 compared to $(693) million in 2010.

Strong Support for UFS Price Increase

Suppliers accounting for more than 80% of North American uncoated freesheet (UFS) paper capacity have set $30-60/ton price increases mainly on offset rolls and envelope paper effective in April.

AF&PA Reports February P&W Shipments

According to the American Forest & Paper Association's February 2012 Printing-Writing Preliminary Shipments Report, total printing-writing paper shipments increased 2% in February compared to February 2011. Coated mechanical paper shipments increased the most out of the four grades, up 4% compared to last February.

2011 U.S. Ad Spending Up 0.8%

U.S. ad spending increased 0.8% in 2011: Advertising spending in the U.S. totaled $144.0 billion last year, an increase of 0.8% over the previous year, according to data released by Kantar Media. Ad spending declined in the fourth quarter, dipping 1.0%, Kantar said.

The Return of Collier's

Collier’s Attempts Comeback: Despite a perilous publishing environment, John Elduff purchased shuttered print property Collier’s Magazine at an auction two years ago. The magazine returned with a February/March 2012 edition.

Transcontinental Reports Q1 Results

Transcontinental Releases First Quarter Results: MONTREAL—March 13, 2012—Transcontinental’s Inc. revenues decreased by four percent in the first quarter, from $514.8 million to $495.9 million.

Flint Announces Price Increase

Flint Group Raises Prices on Coldset Black Inks: Flint Group North America has announced a price increase on black coldset inks, effective April 1, 2012, subject to existing contracts. Prices will increase by US$0.04 per pound (CAD$0.09 per kilo) for black coldset inks used to print newspapers, directories, books and web-coldset commercial applications.

CMOs See Rebound

CMOs: U.S. Economy on the Rebound: Chief marketing officers are overwhelmingly optimistic about the U.S. economy's outlook with the optimists outweighing the pessimists 8 to 1.

Fibrek/Resolute Forest Product Update

Fibrek wins appeal, Resolute extends its offer for Fibrek:

The Court of Québec has overturned on appeal the decision of the Bureau de décision et de révision (Québec) granting an order to cease trade the proposed private placement of 32,320,000 special warrants to purchase common shares of Fibrek Inc. to Mercer International Inc. further to an application filed by AbitibiBowater Inc.

Meanwhile, AbitibiBowater Inc., doing business as Resolute Forest Products, has announced that it has applied for leave to appeal the Court of Québec’s decision reversing the cease trade order on Fibrek Inc.’s private placement. Resolute has extended its offer date to March 19.

Catalyst Paper Reports Agreement

Catalyst Paper enters into Restructuring and Support Agreement:
Catalyst Paper Corporation has announced that the company has entered into an agreement with certain holders of its 11% senior secured notes due 2016 (Senior Secured Notes) and 7 3/8% senior notes due 2014 (Senior Notes) with respect to a plan of arrangement under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).

Flint Group Lends Insight on Costs

Flint Group provides insight into expected raw material cost: “There is a misplaced view that raw material costs for the graphic art industry are coming down” says Jan Paul van der Velde, SVP Procurement of Flint Group. Jan Paul continues: “The reality is that, with the exception of Gum Rosin which dropped a bit in Q4 and Q1 but is now already on the way back up, hardly any materials dropped significantly in price.

Manroland Web Systems Buys UK Business

Manroland Web Systems acquires Manroland's UK web business: Possehl-owned Manroland Web Systems has acquired the Manroland GB web business out of administration.