Maine Mill Executives: Industry Viable

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/09/26/business/mill-executives-say-maine-paper-industry-viable-but-there-are-challenges/ 
Executives from three of Maine’s paper mills told 50 businesspeople that reports of the demise of Maine’s pulp and paper industry have been greatly exaggerated.

“Maine is 92 percent forested,” said Keith Van Scotter, president and CEO of Lincoln Paper and Tissue. “If paper and pulp is going to be made anywhere, it’ll be made in this state, so it’s not a dying industry. It’s a viable industry.”
Van Scotter; Bill Cohen, director of communications for Verso Paper Corp. in Bucksport; and George McLaughlin, manager of manufacturing for Great Northern Paper in East Millinocket, were the main speakers at Wednesday morning’s Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce Early Bird Breakfast.

Strike at UPM Stracel Ends

Employees returned to work at UPM's Stracel mill in northeastern France this morning. After a meeting with the management yesterday, employees voted to end the industrial action which started on the morning of September 19.

Sappi Converting Alfeld PM 2 from CFS to Specialties

Sappi Alfeld Mill to refocus production to one-sided coated paper

Sappi Fine Paper Europe has started the process of converting the coated woodfree (CWF) paper machine PM 2 at its Alfeld mill in central Germany to make specialty paper. The project will be completed in one year.

PM 2 has a capacity of 150,000 tonnes/yr of single and double coated paper mainly for sheets in the basis weights of 80-225 g/m². The machine will be rebuilt to make some 135,000 tonnes/yr of one-side coated grades for packaging and technical purposes as well as liner and label applications in the basis weights of 40-180-g/m².

Domtar & First Book Team Up for Literacy

Domtar Partners with First Book for Children's Literacy: Domtar Corporation today announced that it is teaming up with the Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization First Book to put over 20,000 new books in the hands of children in need. Domtar will be providing a total of $25,000 in grants among ten schools and community programs located near Domtar facilities across the United States.

Quad/Graphics Starts New Press in Oklahoma City

Quad/Graphics rolls out new press, creates jobs in Oklahoma City:
With the press of a button Tuesday, Gov. Mary Fallin fired up the newest printing press at Quad/Graphics' Oklahoma City plant and essentially created 120 jobs.

Attending a ceremony at the 1 million-square-foot printing facility at 6801 S Sunnylane Road, Fallin congratulated the company on the addition of its 12th press. The new press has created more than two dozen new jobs already, and Quad/Graphics has nearly 120 full- and part-time openings to fill.

"M" Magazine's Debuts New Design

A Look at the Design and Influences on Fairchild’s New M Cover:
The first issue of M magazine, luxury men’s magazine last seen in 1992 and being revived by Fairchild Fashion Media, came out on Monday with a very distinctive and unusual cover. It’s not the cover subject, Bradley Cooper (People magazine’s Sexiest Man in the World of 2011), but the design, format, and photographic style that makes M very different from the usual newsstand fare.

VSS: Overall Communications Spending to Grow 5.2%

VSS predicts b-to-b media will grow 4.9% this year: New York—The b-to-b media sector will grow 4.9% to $26.60 billion this year, according to the “VSS Communications Industry Forecast” released by Veronis Suhler Stevenson.
Overall communications industry spending in the U.S. is expected to rise 5.2% this year to $1.18 trillion. It will grow at a 5.2% CAGR from 2011 to 2016.
VSS said the Business & Professional Information & Services sector will grow 7.2% to $204.40 billion this year. The sector will post a 7% CAGR from 2011 to 2016, fueled by growth in business and professional services related to economic, financial, marketing, and scientific and technical Information, as well as technology services, VSS said.

"T" Magazine Names Editor-in-Chief

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/t-magazine-names-deborah-needleman-editor-chief-144010
Looks like the rumors were true: The New York Times Co. has announced that the new editor in chief of T magazine will be Deborah Needleman—currently the editor of T’s four-year-old rival publication, WSJ. Amid reports [1] earlier this month that Needleman had twice been offered the top position at T, which has been vacant since Sally Singer’s departure [2] in August, Needleman vehemently denied that she had accepted the job, telling WWD, “That is just not true!” But in T's case, the third time may have really been the charm.

UBM to Sell Data Services

http://www.foliomag.com/2012/ubm-exploring-sale-data-business-not-magazines
Despite reports earlier today indicating that UBM has put some of its print magazines up for sale the company is saying that it's the data services business that's actually up for review. Included in that group are the Techinsights, Aviation, Global Trade and other related data services operations.
The strategic review of UBM's data services business was announced back in July during the company's 2012 interim results presentation.
According to a spokesperson, there are one or two print titles associated with these groups, but the bulk of any print products included in the review are directories. "This is purely about the data services business, it does not touch the magazine business," says the spokesperson.
Earlier report: 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/9563659/UBM-puts-data-services-up-for-sale-for-250m.html

The company appointed Credit Suisse to carry out a strategic review of the so-called data services division in July. However, UBM chief executive David Levin is understood to have made it clear internally that he favours a sell-off. “It is effectively up for sale,” a senior source said. 

The expected sale would fit with UBM’s ongoing strategy to scale back its magazines business and instead focus investment on major tradeshows and conferences, particularly in emerging territories like China.

US News & World Report Releases E-Book

http://www.pubexec.com/article/us-news-world-report-releases-first-e-book-how-live-100/1

U.S. News & World Report today unveiled its first ebook, a guide on how to live to 100, featuring chapters on health, happiness, and personal finance. 
Featuring chapters on the latest scientific advances, the best exercises for every age, longevity diets, happiness secrets, and how to save enough money, How to Live to 100 gives readers a personalized guide to their own longevity.

Ennis Reports Q3 Results

Ennis Net Sales Increase 2.7% in Q3: Ennis, Inc., today reported financial results for the three and six months ended August 31, 2012.Financial OverviewOur consolidated net sales were $138.3 million for the second quarter ended August 31, 2012 compared to $130.4 million for the second quarter ended August 31, 2011, or an increase of 6.1%. Print sales increased 24.3% for the quarter, from $69.2 million to $86.0 million.

Fortune Relaunches iPad App

Fortune Relaunches iPad App With Free, Paid Content Mix: In an effort to gain subscribers, Fortune has relaunched its iPad app with a mix of free and paid content.
Fortune.com managing editor Megan Barnett says the previous version of the app-which offered single-copy or subscription options for the magazine but no free content or access to the website-was frequently downloaded, but left many users wanting. The immediate goal is to bring those people back.

Port Hawkesbury Gears Up For Restart

Port Hawkesbury Paper gears up for restart:
Opinions are mixed in Nova Scotia after the roller coaster weekend experienced in Port Hawkesbury when the mill deal fell through and then was back on again a day later.There are a lot of concerns that the province of Nova Scotia is giving too much money to the mill, and many people are convinced that history will soon repeat itself and the mill will be back looking for more money.

Tembec Follows With NBSK Increase

Following Domtar's announcement yesterday, Tembec Inc. has announced a US$20/ton NBSK pulp list price increase for North America, to $850/ton, effective Oct 1st.

Quad Adds New Press In Oklahoma City

Quad/Graphics rolls out new press, creates jobs in Oklahoma City:
With the press of a button Tuesday, Gov. Mary Fallin fired up the newest printing press at Quad/Graphics' Oklahoma City plant and essentially created 120 jobs.Quad/Graphics, based in Wisconsin, also marked the 10th anniversary of the groundbreaking on its Oklahoma City plant, which occurred Oct. 14, 2002. “It was a big deal,” Fallin recalled.It opened in 2003 with 100 employees and two presses and has since more than quadrupled in size. Quad/Graphics now employs more than 600 workers in Oklahoma and has “a vast need for additional employees,” company spokeswoman Claire Ho said.

Mags To See Positive Ad Growth in 2012

http://www.emarketer.com/newsroom/index.php/emarketer-magazines-positive-ad-spending-growth-2012/ Although both newspaper and magazine publishers are encouraged by positive trends in device adoption and consumer behavior, the continued growth of digital ad revenues has not yet made up for declines in print ad revenue for newspapers. But it has for magazines. According to new estimates from eMarketer, US ad revenue growth at magazines is expected to increase from 1.9% in 2011 to 2.6% this year, as revenue reaches $18.33 billion. Print ad revenues at magazines will increase marginally to $15.19 billion in 2012 from $15.15 billion in 2011, according to eMarketer. In the same period, digital ad revenues are expected to grow to $3.14 billion from $2.72 billion.

AF&PA Aug '12 P/W Shipments Down 5%

AF&PA Release Aug 2012 Printing-Writing Paper Report: The American Forest & Paper Association has released its August 2012 Printing-Writing Paper Report. According to the report, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 5 percent in August compared to August 2011.  All four major printing-writing grades posted single-digit decreases compared to last August. U.S. purchases of printing-writing papers also decreased, down 6 percent in August.  Total printing-writing paper inventory levels decreased 5 percent from last month, primarily due to double-digit decreases in mechanical-grade paper inventories.

PIA Report: Printing Industry Profits Increase

PIA Report: Printing Industry Profits Increase Again: The printing industry sees its second increase in profits in the last three years.
The average printer’s before-tax profit on sales was 1.8% over this past year. This was an increase compared to 1.4% in the 2011 survey (2010 fiscal year-end numbers) and -1.4% in 2009. This is the second increase in profits in the last three years. Printing Industries of America (PIA) notes that at this rate, the industry earned approximately $1.5 billion in total profits in 2011, which is above the $1.2 billion profit from the prior year.ndustry sees its second increase in profits in the last three years.

Sandra Lee Launching New Lifestyle Mag

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/lifestyle_mag_for_sandra_lee_PR3KdGknZsojpvljoTQ35N

Sandra Lee, is making a comeback on the mag scene with Sandra Lee, the Magazine. Lee, who will be editor-in-chief, told Media Ink that the new publication will be a lot broader than her previous venture, a simple cooking magazine that last appeared in January.
The print version will be available on newsstands only. No subscriptions will be sold. Avoiding subs means circulation will be lower, but it also avoids the costly direct-mail efforts needed to sustain a rate base.

NYM Tries Hand-Delivery In Manhattan

 http://adage.com/article/media/york-hand-delivery-counter-postal-cutbacks/237430/
New York Magazine is trying to remedy rising postal costs and slower postal deliveries by distributing many subscriber copies by hand -- at least for Manhattan subscribers with doormen. After a test than began in May, sparked by concerns that post-office cutbacks would only continue to worsen, New York is now rolling out hand delivery to doorman buildings and commercial addresses in Manhattan. "Hand delivery means you'll get New York on Monday mornings -- earlier than is possible by U.S. Mail," New York explained in a letter to some subscribers.
The cost is competitive with the post office or cheaper, a New York spokeswoman said in an email. "It also gives us experience in this arena, in preparation for future USPS changes that may be more onerous."