Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Files for Bankruptcy

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Officially Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers Inc filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday after the struggling textbook publisher agreed with its creditors to eliminate about $3.1 billion of debt.

Monday, May 21, 2012

NA April Coated Mechanical Demand Up

As reported by the Pulp & Paper Products Council, April North American coated mechanical shipments fell -1.1%, demand was up +3.6% and imports declined -8.8%. The operating rate was 86%. Coated woodfree shipments decreased -1.4%, demand was down -1.1% and imports rose +6.5%. The operating rate was 84%. North American SC-A/SC-A+ shipments fell -16.3%, demand declined -22.3% and imports decreased -38.3%. The operating rate for all Supercalendered paper was 100%.

St. Mary's Fate


A month ago St Mary’s Paper mill has been officially purchased by Ontario-based Riversedge Development Inc. through an Ontario court approved receivership process.
Over the course of this year, the Riversedge team will be undertaking a number of activities to prepare the former St. Marys Paper property for redevelopment.
The first step will be the decommissioning of the mill.


 

Port Hawkesbury Update; Lawsuit & Power Agreement


Amec Americas Ltd. of Dartmouth is suing NewPage Port Hawkesbury Corp. and Nova Scotia Power Inc. for $1,522,490.72 it alleges it is owed for unpaid design, engineering and construction management work on a controversial $208-million biomass project.

Under a proposed arrangement with Nova Scotia Power, the mill will pay for all incremental costs associated with the mill being on the NSP system, and contribute to the utility’s fixed costs.
The private utility would also take a stake in the mill and be paid for electricity via dividends.
Marc Dube, the mill’s proposed restructuring manager said that 315 people will be hired for the mill, including some who will carry out capital improvements at the mill.




FPAC; Vision 2020 for Forest Product Industry


The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) is today unveiling a new industry-led vision that outlines where the forest industry sees itself by the year 2020.  Through its accompanying goals, the vision will challenge companies, governments and other partners to find innovative ways to further transform the sector to reach its potential.
Under the brand of "Canada's Natural Advantage", the FPAC vision states that "by 2020, the Canadian forest products industry will power Canada's new economy by being green, innovative and open to the world.  It is a place to grow and prosper."

WE Paper Demand Declines

Paper demand falls across Western Europe:
Using latest figures from IMF, Eurograph and ZenithOptimedia the report shows demand for coated, wood-containing paper used in books and newsprint fell by 8% in Q1 of 2012 compared with the same period last year. Total European demand for magazine paper also declined by 4%.
Magazine SC paper was the only product to experience a rise in demand, increasing by 3%, while Western Europe deliveries showed a slight increase of 1%.

USPS Offering Summer Discounts


For the second summer in a row, the U.S. Postal Service is offering discounts for summer mailings that use QR codes.
The postal service giving mailers a 2% discount, down from the 3% offered to participating mailers for the past two years.
During July and August, the discounts will apply to standard and first class letters, flats and cards that include a two-dimensional barcode or other media that can be read or scanned by a mobile device, according to the USPS. These codes can go directly to smartphone users’ personal URLS, according to the USPS.

Standard Register Receives NYSE Notice

Standard Register Receives Continued Listing Standards Notice from NYSE: Standard Register today announced that on May 14, 2012, the Company was notified by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) that it was not in compliance with the NYSE’s continued listing standard that requires that the average closing price of a listed company’s common stock not fall below $1.00 per share for any consecutive 30-trading-day period.

Friday, May 18, 2012

NewPage Sheet Increase

Effective with deliveries 7/1/12, NewPage is increasing the price for coated sheet products, Anthem/Fortune/Gusto the following: 60# & 70# text weight $3.00 cwt, all cover stock and greater than 70# text weights $2.00 cwt.

Resolute Now Owns 74.56% of Fibrek

Resolute now owns 74.56% of Fibrek:
Resolute is planning to carry out a second step transaction to acquire the Fibrek shares not deposited in the offer. 

Kruger To Reassess Viability of Corner Brook P&P

Kruger to reassess viability of Corner Brook operation after vote doesn’t go their way:
One of the four pension plan groups at Corner Brook Pulp and Paper voted against giving Kruger 10 years, instead of 5, to repay the shortfall in their pension plans. The pension relief measures were a crucial element in Kruger’s strategy for the mill to improve its competitiveness and secure its future.

EU Ecolabel Awarded to UPM Mill

EU Ecolabel awarded to UPM Plattling mill
All UPM paper products produced at UPM Plattling mill in Germany have now been granted the EU Ecolabel. "The EU Ecolabel is a proof of our products’ excellent overall environmental performance and thus low environmental impact,” says Päivi Rissanen, UPM's Environmental Director for Paper Business Group.

USPS Details Mobile Incentive Program

USPS details mobile promotion for direct mailers: The U.S. Postal Service's upcoming 2-D barcode incentive program for direct mailers has been simplified from last summer's inaugural promotion, with new marketer requirements based on mobile best practices.

USPS Moves Ahead With Consolidation Plan

Postal Service Moves Forward with Location Consolidation Plan: Despite a bill partially designed to stop this effort, the United States Post Service will move forward with its 9-month modified consolidation plan. The first step will consolidate 48 locations this summer, with larger-scale consolidation to follow at the start of 2013.

70% of Consumers Welcome Mobile Ads

Study: 70% of consumers welcome mobile ads: Convenience and mobile advertising are key drivers of mobile shopping, said Joe Laszlo, senior director of the Interactive Advertising Bureau's Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence.

April Industrial Production Rebounds

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-05-16/u-dot-s-dot-april-industrial-production-and-capacity-report-text
Industrial production increased 1.1 percent in April. Output is now reported to have fallen 0.6 percent in March and to have moved up 0.4 percent in February; previously, industrial production was estimated to have been unchanged in both months.


Thursday, May 17, 2012

IP Sets Lofty Sustainability Goals

International Paper sets lofty sustainability goals:
International Paper Co. has set a group of voluntary goals that it hopes will help the company become more sustainable by 2020.

Finland's P&B Production Down in Q1 2012

http://www.paperage.com/2012news/05_16_2012finland_pulp_paper_production.html


The Finnish forest industry's production environment was difficult in the first quarter and demand for several product categories was sluggish in the main market areas.,


Fairchild Acquires Fashion Blogger

Fairchild acquires fashion blogger network: Condé Nast's Fairchild Fashion Media, which publishes WWD, has acquired Fashion Networks International, which publishes NowManifest, a blog portal.

Buffett Acquires 63 Media General Newspapers

Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Makes Print Play, Acquires 63 Media General Newspapers: Media General has signed agreements with Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway investment firm for the purchase of newspapers and new financing.