Domtar forms converting plant in South Carolina part of strategy to adjust to lower demand, new markets for pulp, paper [From the web]: Appropriately, Domtar's Rock Hill converting center in the Tech Park off Dave Lyle Boulevard is hidden by trees. Historically, trees are what Domtar is all about.
At one time, the Rock Hill operation was one of seven Domtar-owned plants making forms for businesses such banks, insurance companies and credit card companies. A plant staple was the pin-wheel form used in large dot-matrix printers. The pin-wheel forms still come off the line, but in less quantity.
Now, because of the push to go paperless, the Rock Hill plant is one of three Domtar converting centers. It ships forms mostly to businesses east of the Mississippi River, but some forms make the cross-country trip.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Hearst's Carey on '12 &'13 + 800M Digital Subscribers
In his annual company-wide start of the year email, Hearst Magazines president David Carey applauded the publisher’s success during 2012 while dropping a few hints about what’s to come in 2013.
While 2012 may have been all about digital expansion, print is far from dead, to hear Carey's plans for 2013. The coming year will see more brand extensions, following the launches of Cosmopolitan for Latinas and Delish, and the relaunched Elle Accessories. (All three will also increase their frequencies in 2013.) Internationally, 12 more magazines are set to debut this year. And Carey said that with continuing interest from outside media companies looking to partner with Hearst, the company might test another new magazine before the year's end.
Hearst Digital Subscriptions Now Generating Profits: Hearst added 800,000 paid monthly subscribers at end of 2012, 80 percent new to file.While 2012 may have been all about digital expansion, print is far from dead, to hear Carey's plans for 2013. The coming year will see more brand extensions, following the launches of Cosmopolitan for Latinas and Delish, and the relaunched Elle Accessories. (All three will also increase their frequencies in 2013.) Internationally, 12 more magazines are set to debut this year. And Carey said that with continuing interest from outside media companies looking to partner with Hearst, the company might test another new magazine before the year's end.
Hearst Magazines now has the highest number of paid monthly digital subscriptions across tablet devices in the industry—at nearly 800,000. The subscriptions are generating profits and 80 percent of the subscribers are new to the file.
Hearst Magazines had "nearly 800,000" individually paid monthly digital subscriptions by the end of 2012, the company said Wednesday, apparently more than any competitor but well shy of the 1 million that Hearst had long anticipated.
Bobit Media Acquires Auto Dealer Monthly
Bobit Business Mediahas acquired
the print and digital properties of Auto Dealer Monthly, the company
announced.
Included in the sale were print magazine Auto
Dealer Monthly, three websites including AutoDealerMonthly.com and two weekly
e-newsletters.
Pearson Invests $89.5 Million in NOOK
Pearson, the world's leading learning
company, is today announcing a strategic investment in NOOK Media, LLC, a new
company consisting of Barnes & Noble's digital businesses including its
NOOK e-reader and tablets, the NOOK digital bookstore and its 674 college
bookstores across America.
For Traditional Media, Digital Elusive Promise
For over a decade, traditional media companies
have pointed to digital media as a promising source of revenue growth -- but as
2012 draws to an end, it’s clear that this promise is still more theoretical
than real, while ad dollars continue to migrate away from traditional channels.
This is particularly true for broadcast radio groups and newspaper publishers,
whose 2012 results have (so far) offered little in the way of digital cheer.
Q3 B-to-B Digital Ad Revenue Up 16%
Business-to-business media revenue shows a
continued migration to digital advertising, according to ABM’s 2012
third-quarter BIN Report. Compared to the corresponding quarter in 2011,
print ad revenue dipped by $121 million, but over the same periods, online ad
sales more than made up the loss, rising $161 million. With event revenue
basically flat for the quarter, the entire industry seems to be holding steady
compared to last year.
USPS Picks UM as Media Agency
The
U.S. Postal Service has selected Interpublic Group of Cos' UM as
its media agency, Ad Age has learned.
A USPS spokeswoman confirmed the UM
appointment but declined to provide additional details at this time. Campbell-Ewald
and UM didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
USPS Taps Pitney Bowes
USPS Taps Pitney Bowes Automated Services Technology:
Pitney Bowes technology was selected by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to begin providing support and maintenance of its network of postal meters. A 6-year contract valued at up to $32 million for meters and meter supplies will enable the Postal Service to nationally standardize its meter needs using a single leading edge design. The contract also includes the provision of systems and support to meet the U.S.
Pitney Bowes technology was selected by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to begin providing support and maintenance of its network of postal meters. A 6-year contract valued at up to $32 million for meters and meter supplies will enable the Postal Service to nationally standardize its meter needs using a single leading edge design. The contract also includes the provision of systems and support to meet the U.S.
Tribune Emerges from Bankruptcy
Tribune Company, the big broadcasting and
newspaper group, emerged from bankruptcy protection Monday -- and is seemingly
ready to be sold off to a number of potential media buyers.
With a new board of directors composed mostly of entertainment-industry veterans, the company has now exited bankruptcy after four years -- one of the longest in U.S. corporate history.
With a new board of directors composed mostly of entertainment-industry veterans, the company has now exited bankruptcy after four years -- one of the longest in U.S. corporate history.
Hometown News Closes Six Papers
Hometown News closed six newspapers in the Upstate - The Boiling Springs
Sentry, The Blacksburg Times, The Middle Tyger Times, The Inman Times, The
Whitmire News and The Woodruff News. Employees worked their last day on
Wednesday.
Car & Driver Sent to Spin Subscribers
The
world may not be ending today, but Spin’s
existence as a print magazine is. The Buzzmedia-owned indie music title, which reduced
its frequency earlier this year before dropping
its November/December issue, announced
that it would stop publishing a print edition with the September/October 2012
issue and serve out subscribers' orders with, oddly, Car and Driver.
The
substitution of Hearst’s automotive title for an indie music magazine seems
like a head scratcher, to say the least.
Deluxe Launches Multimillion-Dollar Ad Campaign
Deluxe Will Rely on Multimillion-Dollar Advertising Campaign:
Deluxe Corp. is so set on revamping its stodgy image as a check maker that it’s launching a major ad blitz to show all small businesses that it is ready to serve them. The goal is to replace Deluxe’s stale image as the purveyor of paper checks with the fresh impression that it’s a solution genie for small businesses needing forms, logo and graphic designs, digital printing, software or Web and marketing services.
Deluxe Corp. is so set on revamping its stodgy image as a check maker that it’s launching a major ad blitz to show all small businesses that it is ready to serve them. The goal is to replace Deluxe’s stale image as the purveyor of paper checks with the fresh impression that it’s a solution genie for small businesses needing forms, logo and graphic designs, digital printing, software or Web and marketing services.
New Year Predictions: Print Research International's Charnock
New Year predictions - Print Research International's John Charnock:
What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in 2013 and why?
For many printers there are almost too many opportunities. Large format, 3D, digital, multi-channel communication, etc. The secret is choosing which ones to pursue and which ones not to. The consolidation of our industry is well underway and printers need to become entrepreneurial in their outlook and leverage some of those opportunities to their advantage. That does not mean do it all, however; printers must focus on what their customers require and deliver appropriate solutions.
What do you think will represent the single biggest threat for printers in 2013 and why?
Over-leverage, lack of resources and doing many things half-heartedly instead of fewer things really well...
What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in 2013 and why?
For many printers there are almost too many opportunities. Large format, 3D, digital, multi-channel communication, etc. The secret is choosing which ones to pursue and which ones not to. The consolidation of our industry is well underway and printers need to become entrepreneurial in their outlook and leverage some of those opportunities to their advantage. That does not mean do it all, however; printers must focus on what their customers require and deliver appropriate solutions.
What do you think will represent the single biggest threat for printers in 2013 and why?
Over-leverage, lack of resources and doing many things half-heartedly instead of fewer things really well...
New Year Predictions: HP's Zioni
New Year predictions - HP's Ronen Zioni:
What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in 2013 and why?
The opportunity for diversification. Digital printing technologies and economic conditions are fostering a softening of the traditional areas of operation in the graphic arts - but clearly, there are markets where digital print has started to make its presence known like never before, including labels and packaging and newspapers. More and more general commercial printers are expanding - via digital printing technologies - into the consumer photo-specialty market, or into large format printing, and other areas that a general commercial printer would never have approached before...
What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in 2013 and why?
The opportunity for diversification. Digital printing technologies and economic conditions are fostering a softening of the traditional areas of operation in the graphic arts - but clearly, there are markets where digital print has started to make its presence known like never before, including labels and packaging and newspapers. More and more general commercial printers are expanding - via digital printing technologies - into the consumer photo-specialty market, or into large format printing, and other areas that a general commercial printer would never have approached before...
New Year Predictions: Roland DG's Newman
New Year predictions - Roland DG's Brett Newman:
What trend do you think 2012 will remembered for?
I think it will be the year when digital printing in all its forms truly cames of age. There was no better representation of this than at Drupa 2012. Digital was everywhere - it was where the buzz was and where the innovation was. I think it was a major milestone in the evolution of digital printing, and digital - whether wide format or cut-sheet - really dominated the show. Across the wide format sector, we saw printers really start to embrace the broad range of applications wide format printers can offer. We also witnessed a strong drive from printers towards purchasing a complete solution sourced from a single, trusted provider as printers sought to have the edge in terms of quality, consistency and continuity with their wide format machines...
What trend do you think 2012 will remembered for?
I think it will be the year when digital printing in all its forms truly cames of age. There was no better representation of this than at Drupa 2012. Digital was everywhere - it was where the buzz was and where the innovation was. I think it was a major milestone in the evolution of digital printing, and digital - whether wide format or cut-sheet - really dominated the show. Across the wide format sector, we saw printers really start to embrace the broad range of applications wide format printers can offer. We also witnessed a strong drive from printers towards purchasing a complete solution sourced from a single, trusted provider as printers sought to have the edge in terms of quality, consistency and continuity with their wide format machines...
Friday, December 28, 2012
East Coast Port Strike Averted
The “container cliff” has been averted.
On Friday, the dock workers’ union reached a
tentative agreement with shippers and port operators on the East Coast, federal
mediators said.
The breakthrough in talks means that the country won’t have to go through a
strike by 14,500 dock workers from Houston to Boston — a move that could
have been quite disruptive to the U.S. economy.For months, the International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance have been battling over the issue of “container royalties,” a fee paid by shipping companies that is used to augment worker wages and benefits. That issue now appears to be resolved in principle, mediators said.
The union and the shipping companies will now extend the deadline another 30 days while they hash out the remaining issues on a new collective bargaining agreement.
S&P Raises NewPage Credit Rating
U.S.
coated paper manufacturer NewPage Corp. announced that it has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
and closed on its exit financing. We (Standard & Poor's) are raising the corporate credit
rating to 'B+' from 'D'. We are
also assigning our 'BB' issue-level rating to the company's six-year, $500 million senior secured term
loan. The term loan has a recovery
rating of '1'. The stable
outlook reflects the lower post-emergence leverage and good prospects for meaningful free cash flow
generation over the upcoming 12 to 18
months despite the significant challenges in declining North American
coated paper end markets. In addition,
the outlook incorporates our view of the
company's strong liquidity position given the lack of financial
maintenance covenants and no significant
debt maturities over the next five years.
Oji Turns to Biomass
Oji Holdings Corp, which is
now focusing on selling biomass power to take advantage of government subsidies
for renewable energy and to address the slide in paper sales.
-->
According to Shoji Fujiwara, chairman of Oji Green Resources Co, they are planning to build biomass power plants fueled by wood on the northern island of Hokkaido and the southern island of Kyushu. The company, the world’s largest corporate user of renewable energy, will spend 20 billion yen (approx. $233.5 million) to construct the plants and after three years, plans to sell the electricity to be generated by the units. Potential customers for this particular project are Kyushu Electric Power Co. and Hokkaido Electric Power Co. with a potential 2 billion income per year for each utility. Oji is investing around 60 billion yen ($700 million) for solar, geothermal and hydro energy projects.
According to Shoji Fujiwara, chairman of Oji Green Resources Co, they are planning to build biomass power plants fueled by wood on the northern island of Hokkaido and the southern island of Kyushu. The company, the world’s largest corporate user of renewable energy, will spend 20 billion yen (approx. $233.5 million) to construct the plants and after three years, plans to sell the electricity to be generated by the units. Potential customers for this particular project are Kyushu Electric Power Co. and Hokkaido Electric Power Co. with a potential 2 billion income per year for each utility. Oji is investing around 60 billion yen ($700 million) for solar, geothermal and hydro energy projects.
Top Five DM News Stories
It's been a long year and a busy one for
direct marketers. The USPS topped the headlines and mobile marketing continued
to mature. Just in case you missed any of the action, we've pulled together the
top Direct Marketing News content of 2012 for you, both web and print.
So, pour yourself a glass of early champagne and have a scroll.
Top five 2012 stories on
dmnews.comUSPS expects Senate action on postal bill: Political gridlock in Congress was a big problem for the USPS in 2012.
DMA: Direct mail response rates beat digital: The Direct Marketing Association found that direct mail boasts a 4.4% rate, compared to email's average response rate of 0.12%.
JCPenney overhauls marketing, promo strategy: JCPenney got a new logo and completely revamped its pricing, branding, promotions, as well as refreshing its stores.
Google finally opts for a 'Do Not Track' option: Analysts speculated the reasoning behind Google's 'Do Not Track' addition to Chrome, and questioned whether legislation will ensue nonetheless.
USPS officially announces gopost pilot: The USPS officially announced the pilot program of its gopost parcel delivery lockers, which the USPS began implementing in Northern Virginia in February.
2012 Top Magazine Launches
The two “most notable” magazine launches of 2012 were
(in this order) a magazine aimed at the kind of extreme gun enthusiasts who
covet assault weapons, and a magazine aimed at young children,
according to an annual list published by consumer magazine trend follower,
Samir Husni, a professor at the University of Mississippi, who is also known as
the “Magazine Guy.”
The aptly named Recoil ranked No. 1, Husni explained to online business news service CommPRO.biz, because it is “an artfully-done, gun-lifestyle magazine that is selling for as much as $125 an issue on eBay.”
No. 2 Highlight’s Hello, a spinoff of the long-running children’s magazine, which Husni says is aimed at ages 0-2, although its readership likely skews on the higher end.
No. 3: Dujour (targets the $5 million net-worth crowd)
No. 4: Howler (aimed at soccer enthusiasts)
No. 5: Cosmopolitan for Latinas (for Latinas, of course)
The aptly named Recoil ranked No. 1, Husni explained to online business news service CommPRO.biz, because it is “an artfully-done, gun-lifestyle magazine that is selling for as much as $125 an issue on eBay.”
No. 2 Highlight’s Hello, a spinoff of the long-running children’s magazine, which Husni says is aimed at ages 0-2, although its readership likely skews on the higher end.
No. 3: Dujour (targets the $5 million net-worth crowd)
No. 4: Howler (aimed at soccer enthusiasts)
No. 5: Cosmopolitan for Latinas (for Latinas, of course)
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