Monday, June 25, 2012

CEP Votes ‘Yes’ on Kruger’s Offer

CEP Locals vote ‘yes’ to Kruger’s latest offer in Corner Brook:
The CEP Locals at Corner Brook Pulp and Paper have voted in favour of Kruger‘s latest contract offer. CEP Local 96, the electrician’s local, was the only one of the five CEP locals to reject the offer.  Lodge 1567 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers also vote against the offer earlier in the week. The new collective agreement will be effective immediately.

The RISI Top 50 Power List 2012

The RISI Top 50 Power List 2012: Now into its fifth incarnation of the movers and shakers of the global pulp and paper industry, the Power List continues to name the well known, not-so-well known and the offbeat who (or which) all contribute to our industry. Moving into the top spot in 2012 is Domtar's John Williams. Thus far, most of what the company touches turns, if not to gold, then to "green". It is in the forefront of much of the innovation going on today within the industry. Staying in the Number 2 position is Teguh Ganda Wijaya of APP. Constantly in the headlines, good and bad, APP has a knack for making waves around the world and has been very active on the acquisition scene.
International Paper's John Faraci is a perennial selection, always near the top for his business acumen. UPM's Jussi Pesonen is another pioneer who has moved up a few rungs on the ladder for his leadership in bringing UPM more into the "bio" sphere.

Penton Buys Highline

Penton Buys U.K.-Based Highline: Penton announced today that it has acquired Highline LP, a company based outside of London that provides data and sales information for the business and commercial aviation markets. The two companies have been partners for about sixteen years, with Highline providing its data for Penton's AC-U-KWIK brand, a directory of airports, fixed-base operators (FBOs) and the various suppliers that support the aviation market—fuel suppliers, maintenance, catering and so on.

Response to Catalogues & Direct Mail 30 X Email


Despite all the hype about its impending death, direct mail still pulls, even if the medium is not quite as big as it once was. According to the Direct Marketing Association’s annual response rate report,  response rates for direct mail sent to house files ranges from 3.4% for letters up to nearly 4.3% for catalogs. And that’s more than 30 times the rate of email (0.12%).

IDC:80% Say Reduced Supply Chain Costs Top Goal


IDC Manufacturing Insights today announced the results of the 2012 US Supply Chain Survey, which examines the state of the supply chain, how manufacturers are adapting and improving their supply chains, and how technology plays a role in enabling manufacturers to be more successful. Based on a survey of 350 US manufacturers, a new report, 80% of respondents rate reducing overall supply chain costs as the number one supply chain priority in the coming year. Nearly 55% suggest supply chain agility is second and 52% suggest improving product quality and safety is the third most important priority.

Houghton Mifflin Emerges from Bankruptcy


Global education leader Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) today announced that it has completed its financial restructuring and emerged from its chapter 11 reorganization, 32 days after its initial “pre‐packaged” filing on May 21, 2012.

Wired & The New Yorker Off Flipboard


Wired and The New Yorker are suspending efforts to sell ads on the platform and replacing their robust Flipboard feeds next month with spartan versions that summon their own websites if readers want whole articles.

Top 5 Reasons to Personalize in Print Over Email

Top 5 Reasons to Personalize in Print Over Email (Digital Nirvana):
Reason # 5. People like to go to the mailbox. 
Reason # 4. People change email addresses a lot more frequently than home addresses.
Reason # 3. Print is more likely to get personalization right.
Reason # 2. Print supports the forest products industry rather than the electricity-hogging, mountaintop-removing e-media industry.
Reason # 1. You can’t pin a computer to the wall.

Friday, June 22, 2012

North American Coated Shipments Up

As reported by the Pulp & Paper Products Council, North American May shipments of coated mechanical paper rose 3.4% as compared to the same month last year. Demand jumped 5.4% and imports increased 19.3%. The operating rate was 88%. Coated woodfree May shipments rose 3.7%, demand grew 2.3% and imports were up 6.3%. The operating rate was 88%. Supercalendered paper shipments fell -22.4% in May, demand declined by -23.3% and imports decreased -23.7%. The operating rate was 92%.

AF&PA Reports Increased Shipments of Coated Paper

Increase in Shipments of Coated Printing-Writing Paper Reverses Trend: According to the American Forest & Paper Assn.’s May 2012 “Printing-Writing Paper Report,” total U.S. printing-writing paper shipments increased 1% in May compared to May 2011.
Shipments of coated free sheet (CFS) papers increased the most among the four printing-writing grades year-over-year. The increase is the largest since September 2010.
Shipments of coated mechanical (CM) papers also increased the largest year-over-year since September 2010.

Toshiba Admits Mistake, Cancels Day


In a letter to its members, Printing Industry of America (PIA) president Michael Makin announced: “Toshiba has agreed to abort its National No Print Day!”
Makin’s letter went on to describe his conversation with Toshiba USA senior vice president of marketing, services and solutions, Bill Melo, regarding Toshiba’s “ill-conceived initiative”.

Third Pulp Producer Lowers Price


Canfor Pulp informed customers in the USA today that its northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp price would decrease $20/tonne, effective July 1 until further notice.
Canfor Pulp's $20/tonne decline would bring its NBSK list price to $880/tonne, industry contacts said.

Hokuetsu Negotiating for Stake in Daio


Japanese paper and board manufacturer Hokuetsu Kishu has been reported to be negotiating for a 20% stake in the operations of Daio Paper. Both companies declined to comment on reports in the Nikkei that Hokuetsu Kishu was looking to acquire the stake from the Ikawa family.

Valpak Owner Cox Media Adds Savings.com

Cox Target Media Acquires Savings.com as Complement to Valpak: Cox Target Media has completed its acquisition of Savings.com, including its sister site, London-based Savoo.co.uk as a wholly owned subsidiary. Savings.com joins Valpak as a Cox Target Media company.

SmartMoney Stops Print Edition

SmartMoney Shuts Down Print Mag, Expands Digital: SmartMoney, published by Dow Jones, is making a full transition to digital, ceasing publication of the print magazine. Twenty-five staffers will be cut as a result of the magazine shutting down. 

The Economist Reviews Digital Strategy

A Peek at The Economist's Digital Strategy:
The Economist Group this week released its annual financials, ending March 31, and the numbers looked good, with revenue and profits up (4 percent and 6 percent), as well as circulation. But while the overall circulation of The Economist is at 1.6 million, says the company, only 123,000 subscribe digitally.

80% of U.S. Companies on Facebook

Survey finds 80% of U.S. companies on Facebook: Eighty percent of U.S. companies have a presence on Facebook and 48% have a LinkedIn presence, according to a survey by InSites Consulting. Also, 45% of U.S. companies have a presence on Twitter and 31% use YouTube, according to the survey.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Second Pulp Producer Lowers Price, Global Deliveries Up


West Fraser informed customers in North America today that its price for northern bleached softwood kraft (NSBK) would decrease by $20/tonne, effective July 1 until further notice, industry contacts told RISI.
Separately, the PPPC reported that global pulp deliveries edged up by 2.9% to 3.537 million tonnes in May, up from 3.436 million tonnes the previous month.

St. Mary's Auctions Equipment


St. Marys Paper Corp.’s assets in Sault St. Marie, Ontario, will be sold via auction on June 20-21 by auction and appraisal firm Hilco Industrial LLC,.
Hilco is holding a pre-sale for some equipment and will accept online bids during the live onsite auction.

First Union Rejects Kruger Offer

The first of the union locals at Corner Brook Pulp and Paper to vote on Kruger‘s final offer has voted ‘no’.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2012/06/20/nl-kruger-randell-620.html
Joseph Kruger wrote workers, telling them that the fate of the mill in western Newfoundland is in their hands.
A local Communications Energy and Paperworkers union leader said he’s concerned it might push some people to reject the Kruger’s contract offer.