Don't Give Up Your Order Form Just Yet

http://www.retailonlineintegration.com/blog/dont-give-up-your-order-form-just-yet

With the help of The Dingley Press, we conducted a study to determine how many catalogs it prints that still include some type of order form. We found that almost half of our fairly large sample size have no inside ink-jet or order form insert, but they do have an order form printed on-page in the catalog. Another 18.5 percent use a bind-in order form. In summary, 71.5 percent of the catalogs we reviewed use an order form; only 28.5 percent of the catalogs eliminated the order form entirely.
Often the consumer completes the order form by listing the items they wish to purchase, making it easy for them to place their order by phone or online. Yes, the order form does take up valuable selling space in the catalog, however, it's a very necessary part of any catalog.

Don’t Abandon Outbound Marketing Just Yet

http://www.chiefmarketer.com/direct-marketing/dont-abandon-outbound-marketing-just-yet-23072013

Inbound marketing has gotten a reputation for being the sexier, less intrusive marketing solution that brings about magic results. Sure, it’s exciting to see how many people have “liked” your hilarious YouTube video, but traditional marketing is still around, and it continues to be effective. 
Before you give up on TV, email, and direct mail to throw all your resources into creating the next viral dancing cat sensation, consider using a combination of inbound and outbound marketing tactics.

Direct Business Media Launches New Print Title

http://www.foliomag.com/2013/direct-business-media-launches-new-print-title#.Ue7iwFOYyKw
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin-based b-to-b media company Direct Business Media is launching a new print title called Pro Contractor Rentals. The 6x frequency title will debut in January 2014, but the brand's website and an email newsletter will launch this fall.
"We feel that by developing our e-newsletter and website first we will educate our audience faster on what Pro Contractor Rentals' mission will be," says publisher Rick Monogue. "And it will allow us to start building our brand as soon as possible."
Direct Business Media already has two titles serving similar markets—Industrial Supply and Contractor Supply—and publishes directories for the Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Association and the Industrial Supply Association.

Time Inc. May Look at Further Spinoffs

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/time-incs-new-ceo-says-hes-open-selling-titles-151364
Time Warner decided earlier this year to spin off its publishing arm, but Joe Ripp, Time Inc.’s newly named CEO, hinted at more possible deals by the publisher of Time and People.
Ripp said the company needed to stay open to the possibility of whether its titles could be worth more to a buyer.
“That’s a question we should all be asking ourselves,” he said.
Earlier this year, Time Warner was in talks with women-aimed media company Meredith Corp. to merge their publishing units. Those talks fell apart, though, and Time Warner subsequently announced it would spin off its publishing division. But Time Inc.’s Lifestyle division, which includes titles like Real Simple and Cooking Light, have long been seen as a sale target, and Meredith CEO Stephen Lacy has said he remains interested in the chance for the two companies to work together.

Departures Ups Frequency of Home + Design

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/departures-increases-frequency-home-design-supplement-151355
If the fashion’s record-breaking September issue paging is any indication, the luxury wave is still booming. So it makes sense that uber-luxury Departures, the tony magazine sent to American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders, is taking full advantage of that boom in high-end advertising by increasing the frequency of its shelter spinoff Departures Home + Design to twice a year in 2014.
Home + Design launched in May as a supplement to Departures’ annual Culture Issue, covering everything from one-of-a-kind furnishings to entertaining to luxurious homes in far-flung locations. The launch issue, distributed to 500,000 readers, contained 40 ad pages—29 of which were from brands new to Departures. Next year, the supplement will be sent to readers along with the May/June and October issues of Departures.

Hearst. Dr. Oz Launch New Magazine

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/204900/the-doctor-is-inthe-magazine-business.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mediadailynews+%28MediaPost+|+MediaDailyNews%29&utm_content=Netvibes#axzz2ZoAoXDmX

According to the pundits, the magazine industry has been in critical condition…supposedly. So why did Dr. Oz -- whose good sense and business savvy few would doubt -- announce recently that he is launching a new lifestyle magazine with Hearst?

Every report of the demise of magazines inevitably cites a decline in newsstand sales, a metric which remains the most quoted industry barometer, despite the fact that it’s not an accurate reflection of consumer demand. Today, newsstand sales account for less than 10% of total paid circulation. Decreases in that area are largely the byproduct of secular brick-and-mortar retail trends, as well as a shift in consumer preference in where and how they purchase their magazines.

Consumer demand for magazine media -- across all platforms -- isn’t just holding steady, it’s growing. The audience in print and on tablets is up 2% (GfK MRI S’ 2013 v. S’ 2012). The readership for print rose 2% this spring, and tablet audiences alone grew 72.9% since last year. There are nearly 312 million print magazines in circulation in the U.S., where the total population is just under 314 million. So in print copies alone, magazines have the country covered.

Postal Service Looks to End At-Your-Door Mail

http://money.cnn.com/2013/07/23/news/economy/postal-home-delivery/index.html?iid=HP_LNMark

If you're moving to a newly built house, say goodbye to mail delivery at your door.

And if some House Republicans get their way, all door-to-door mail delivery will go away.
The U.S. Postal Service is marching towards a more "centralized delivery," where residents pick up their own mail from clusters of mail boxes located in their neighborhood. Local postmasters are sending hundreds of letters to fast-growing communities, warning that cluster boxes will be the way mail will be delivered to new developments.
In the past year, the cash-strapped Postal Service has been asking companies in industrial parks and shopping malls to also adopt this form of mail delivery.
But Rep. Darrell Issa, the California Republican leading the House effort to save the postal service, wants more. He has made doing away with doorstep delivery a key part of his bill, which would require everyone to get mail at a curbside box or from a cluster box.

Gannett Reports Q2 Results

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/205045/gannetts-tv-digital-revenue-up-print-still-suff.html#axzz2ZoAoXDmX

 With the agreement to buy the big Belo Corp. TV group, Gannett will become more of a TV company, and less dependent on print. It could not come sooner for Gannett’s quarterly results.
Overall revenues were basically flat at $1.3 billion for the second quarter of 2013, with net income down 6.5% to $126.7 million. Broadcast revenues were up 3.2% to $212 million, with digital revenues some 2.9% higher to $186.5 million during the period. But publishing revenues -- Gannett’s big revenue generator -- were down 5.3% to 562.5 million.

Domtar to Sell Ariva to Central National-Gottesman

http://www.paperage.com/2013news/07_22_2013domtar_ariva_cng.html

Domtar Corporation today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its Ariva business in the United States to privately-held Central National-Gottesman Inc. The business will be integrated into Lindenmeyr Munroe ("Lindenmeyr"), a division of Central National-Gottesman, and the transaction is expected to close at the end of July 2013, subject to customary closing conditions. 
http://www.piworld.com/article/central-national-gottesman-acquires-domtar-s-ariva-operations-in-the-us/1

Central National-Gottesman (CNG) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Domtar Corp. pursuant to which Lindenmeyr Munroe, a division of CNG, will acquire the U.S. operations of Domtar's Ariva paper distribution business.
Ariva, headquartered in Covington, KY, is a major U.S. paper distributor, with 15 locations in the East and Midwest. The closing is expected to take place by the end of July 2013. Immediately after the closing, CNG has agreed to sell the Midwest locations of Ariva, located in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, OH, Dayton, OH, Fort Wayne, IN, and Indianapolis, to The Millcraft Paper Co., a long-established and highly regarded paper merchant headquartered in Cleveland.

AF&PA Reports Kraft Shipments

http://www.afandpa.org/

The American Forest & Paper Association released its June 2013 Kraft Paper Report.

Total Kraft paper shipments were 131.4 thousand tons, an increase of 2.3 percent compared to the prior month. Bleached Kraft paper shipments increased year-over-year 5.7 percent, and the 2.8 percent year-over-year decline in unbleached Kraft paper shipments were enough to bring overall Kraft paper shipments down 1.5 percent year-over-year. Total month-end inventory increased 0.7 percent to 71.2 thousand tons this month compared to May 2013 month-end inventories.

US Paper Mills Reduce Energy and Improve Profits

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/07/17/cutting-carbon-through-industrial-energy-efficiency-case-midwest-pulp-and-paper-mills

While manufacturing is a critical part of the U.S. economy, it's struggled over the last several years, both financially and environmentally. Overall U.S. manufacturing employment has dropped by more than one-third since 2000. Meanwhile, U.S. industry -- of which manufacturing is the largest component -- still uses more energy than any other sector and serves as the largest source of U.S. and global greenhouse gas emissions.

The good news is that energy efficiency can help U.S. manufacturing increase profits, protect jobs and lead the development of a low-carbon economy. The Midwest's pulp and paper industry is a case in point.

Verso Facing NYSE Delisting Deadline

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/07/19/business/verso-paper-faces-boot-from-new-york-stock-exchange/?ref=latest

Verso Paper Corp., which operates two paper mills in Maine, is trying to save itself from being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

The NYSE on June 25 said it had commenced proceedings to delist Verso's common stock, traded under the ticker symbol VRS, because the company's market capitalization - the market value of the company's outstanding shares - had fallen below the required threshold.
Specifically, the company, which is majority owned by private equity firm Apollo Global Management, had failed to maintain a market capitalization of at least $75 million over 30 consecutive trading days. Verso's market cap was $52.4 million as of the end of trading on July 18.

Verso Seeks Extension for Bucksport

http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=81877:verso-seeks-third-extension-to-fix-faulty-boiler&Itemid=938

Time is running out on Verso Paper Corp.'s attempt at fixing a boiler in its Bucksport mill. Verso requested a third extension recently from the state Department of Environmental Protection to correct an emissions problem with its No. 8 boiler.

Verso officials asked the department's Bureau of Air Quality Control to extend the Aug. 15 compliance deadline to Feb. 15 for monitoring the boiler's most efficient operating level.

Companies May Spend $1 Billion to Assure Access

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/07/22/nb-irving-forestry-investments-233.html

J.D. Irving Ltd. and other forest companies are willing to spend $1 billion on mill upgrades and silviculture if the provincial government will guarantee the companies enough long-term access to Crown land, according to an official.

Mary Keith, the vice-president of communications with J.D. Irving, said the Saint John-based company and "other partners" have assembled plans for possible investments in the forest sector, which could add up to $1 billion.
"That amount is not exclusively with our company, although we do represent a significant amount of what will be potentially invested," she said.

Print Catalogs Remain Key in B-to-B World

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20130721/SUB1/307219986

It may be a digital world, but there still is a place for the good ol' print catalog in business-to-business sales. Just ask CJ Milo, a sales consultant at Today's Business Products, a distributor of office furniture and supplies on Snow Road in Middleburg Heights.
When he first started at Today's, Mr. Milo accompanied an experienced salesman on calls. At a routine appointment at Notre Dame College in Euclid, the pair felt the wrath of disgruntled secretaries, who heckled the empty-handed salesmen and demanded the newest edition of Today's catalog.
Fortunately, the veteran salesman kept four cases of catalogs in the trunk at all times so that he could hand out the books at a moment's notice.
That experience taught a valuable lesson to Mr. Milo, who said print catalogs continue to help him in his career.

Time Inc. Names Joe Ripp CEO

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/new-time-inc-ceo-joe-ripp-familiar-face-151356

The waiting game is finally over. Today, Time Warner said former CFO Joseph Ripp will succeed Laura Lang as the CEO of its soon-to-be spun off publishing division Time Inc. He starts in September.

Ripp, currently the CEO of OneSource Information Services, has a long history at Time Inc. and Time Warner. He joined the company in 1985 as assistant comptroller of Time Inc., and eventually became its svp, CFO and treasurer. Subsequently, he was evp, CFO of Time Warner and held executive positions at America Online before leaving the company in 2004. 

http://www.foliomag.com/2013/time-inc-names-joe-ripp-ceo#.Ue2T71OYyKw

Time Inc. has found its new CEO. Time Warner's Jeff Bewkes announced today that Joe Ripp, a former CFO of Time Inc., Time Warner and AOL has been named to the top spot as Time Inc. gets ready to spin off as an independent, publicly-traded company.
In a sense, Time Inc. has in its new CEO both an insider and an outsider. Ripp spent almost 20 years at the company, leaving Time Warner in 2004.

Retailers with Catalogs Can Learn from Music Industry

http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/blog/2013/07/17/what-retailers-with-catalogs-should-learn-from-the-music-industry/

When a new technology comes along there are two kinds of companies - those who adapt and those that strive to cling to a more comfortable model for short term financial gains.
This is the impasse faced by retailers who rely on printed catalogs instead of expanding their efforts on platforms such as Pinterest. For these brands the time to take notice of the platform is now. Pinterest recently launched Rich Pins, which are specifically designed to drive ecommerce through the platform.

Catalog Doctor: Prescriptions for Profitable Pagination

http://www.retailonlineintegration.com/article/prescriptions-profitable-pagination/1

"Doc, my old print catalog staff have retired, and the new young staff don't know catalog techniques like pagination. Can you give me a road map for pagination to share with my staff?"
"I'd be glad to. Pagination is the science of which products go where in the catalog, how to group them and how much space to allocate to each. The goal of pagination is to help guide your customers and prospects to a buying decision. Therefore, keeping your customer in mind while you're building your pagination is crucial, and will help maximize your catalog's sales. Here are definitions and prescriptions for different types of catalogs."