OpenGate Capital Buys PenneySaver from Harte-Hanks

http://www.opengatecapital.com/2013/09/27/opengate-capital-completes-acquisition-of-pennysaver-usa/

OpenGate Capital, a global private buyout firm, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of PennySaver USA comprised of the Shoppers and PennySaver assets from Harte-Hanks, Inc., (NYSE: HHS) just one week after announcing it had signed an agreement to acquire the business.  PennySaver USA, headquartered in Brea, California, represents the first California-based acquisition for OpenGate Capital, and it joins a portfolio of 12 other leading enterprises with operations throughout North America, Latin America and Europe.

UPM Changes to Business Structure, Reorganize Head Office

http://www.paperage.com/2013news/09_27_2013upm_headquarters_reorganization.html

Following the changes in UPM business structure announced on August 6 of this year, UPM Paper ENA (Europe & North America) and UPM Paper Asia Business Areas will adopt a new organization structure as of November 1, 2013.

The new UPM Paper ENA will consist of the following three strategic business units (SBU):

Magazine Publishing & Advertising 
Merchants, Home & Office 
Newspaper Publishing

UPM Paper Asia will consist of two strategic business units (SBU): Fine Papers APAC and Label Papers.

Resolute Forest Products Announces Increase

Resolute Forest Products has announced a $40/short ton price increase, effective on shipments on or after November 1, on the following grades: Resolute Select 75, ResoluteBook 75, 85, ResoluteText 80, Resolute Text Cream, Resolute Hybrid Smooth and Hybrid Vellum, Alternative Offset, Alternative Opaque, Alternative Book, Alternative Book Cream, Equal Offset, Equal Book, Ecopaque Offset, Ecopaque Laser and Ecopaque Jet.

More Firms Announce Pulp Price Increases

Weyerhaeuser (Weyco) informed North American and European customers that it would increase fluff pulp prices $20/tonne, effective October 1 until further notice, RISI has learned.

Weyco slated a new list price of $960/tonne in the USA and Europe, up the $20/tonne, industry contacts said.

Weyco is the second known producer of fluff pulp to announce a $20/tonne fluff price increase in key markets.

Mercer International informed North American customers that it will increase northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp prices $20/tonne, effective October 1, according to industry contacts.

Vancouver-headquartered Mercer told domestic customers its US NBSK list price would increase to $970/tonne.

Mercer International has begun informing customers that it will increase its price for northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp to $900/tonne for deliveries from October 1.

The firm cited "prevailing market conditions" as the reason for the increase. 
Due to improved market fundaments Södra will increase its market price for NBSK in Europe to USD 900, effective from October 1st 2013.

ME Gas Line Will Soon Serve Sappi, UPM

http://www.pressherald.com/news/pipeline-work-revs-up-to-24_7_2013-09-26.html

The company laying a section of the Summit Natural Gas pipeline will begin working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, starting Thursday to link Sappi Fine Paper Co. to the main gas line under construction in Fairfield.

Sappi, one of the state's largest employers, is among a handful of anchor tenants that made the $350 million gas pipeline possible in the Kennebec Valley.

NewPage Releases '12 Sustainable Development Facts and Figures

http://www.newpagecorp.com/wps/portal/corporate/papers

NewPage Corporation, the leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America, announced today the release of its Sustainable Development Facts and Figures 2012 report.

"At NewPage, we work hard every day to make sustainable practices a part of what we do," said George Martin, president and chief executive officer for NewPage. "We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and securing the long-term health of our company through a variety of environmental, social and economic programs."
NewPage produces an annual sustainable development report to provide its stakeholders a look at the company's performance and activities designed to improve the way it manages human, natural and financial resources.

Catalog Mailers May See 5.9%-6.1% Postal Rate Increase

http://multichannelmerchant.com/opsandfulfillment/catalog-mailers-may-see-5-9-6-1-postal-rate-increase-26092013/#_

Catalog mailers may see, on average, a 5.9% postal rate increase based on price changes the U.S. Postal Service has proposed to the Postal Regulatory Commission, according to a statement emailed to Multichannel Merchant by the American Catalog Mailers Association.
Hamilton Davison, president and director of the ACMA, said various mailers will see slight variations in the amount imposed. The 5.9% incorporates an annual Consumer Price Index increase of 1.6% plus an additional exigent increase of 4.3% over the rate of inflation.
Davison added, they are told to expect standard flats will be subjected to an overall 6.1% increase.

Next Issue Media Expands into Canada

http://www.foliomag.com/2013/next-issue-media-partners-rogers-communications#.UkXhrLyYyKw

Next Issue Media, the multi-title subscription service backed by Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp. and Time Inc., has announced a strategic agreement with Rogers Media, a division of Canadian media conglomerate, Rogers Communications.
Next Issue sold an undisclosed equity stake to Rogers and will expand its services into Canada beginning next month. The partnership also brings several Rogers titles to Next Issue's growing portfolio.

Hearst's Dr. Oz Magazine Takes Shape

http://adage.com/article/media/hearst-s-dr-oz-magazine-takes-shape-good-life/244435/ 
Hearst is likely to call its forthcoming Dr. Mehmet Oz magazine "The Good Life," according to two people familiar with the matter. The title will likely also include the celebrity physician's name, though it's unclear precisely how that will be presented. A Hearst spokeswoman declined to comment.
Hearst, the publisher of Esquire and Cosmopolitan, plans to announce the magazine's name on Oct. 15 as part of an event it's calling a magazine upfront, a reference to the TV industry's annual presentations to ad buyers and negotiations for ad inventory. Two pilot issues of the Dr. Oz venture are due starting early next year, the company has said.

Start-Up Magazines Are ‘Latest Status Symbols’

http://ipdahome.org/newsstand/?cat=296

For a handful of well-connected New Yorkers, glossy, start-up magazines are the latest status symbols. Veteran Vanity Fair writer Kevin Sessums launched a magazine for gay readers, FourTwoNine (Sarah Jessica Parker and Andy Cohen on first cover). Others have launched travel and photography magazines. WSJ explains what’s driving these start-ups. 

WSJ

MediaPost Mag Bag

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/210101/mag-bag-esquire-unveils-article-pins-on-pintere.html#axzz2g259RgXb

'Esquire' Unveils Article Pins On Pinterest
Hearst Magazine’s Esquire recently launched new, enhanced article pins to make it easier to discover and save the magazine’s online content, extending its longevity and providing more visual components along the way. The new pins pull in more information about the content, allowing users to preview text before clicking. The links never actually “fall off” the page, keeping content accessible for longer.
Condé Nast Traveler Cuts Editorial Staff
  Condé Nast Traveler is laying off half of its editorial staff, or 14 employees, including five editors and the entire photo desk and graphics department, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the news.
Price To EIC, EatingWell
Meredith Corp. has promoted Jessie Price to the position of editor in chief for EatingWell magazine, where she will be responsible for all the brand’s media platforms, including books and digital extensions.
PopularScience.com Nixes Comments
The editors of PopularScience.com, citing the negative effect of trolls, spambots and ad hominem attacks, have decided to stop allowing readers to comment on articles online. And more...

Flint Warns Ink Prices to Rise

http://www.printweek.com/news/login/1213718/

Senior vice president of procurement Jan Paul van der Velde told PrintWeek: "Certain raw materials prices are increasing fast. How this will impact the current commercial agreements will differ case by case. What is key is the impact will ultimately flow through into the market.
"Different cost drivers are having different effects in different market segments. The key issues revolve around publication inks, given the situation of rising prices for gum rosin and crude oil based products."
He said despite hopes prices would fall this year, the price of crude went up. In the first half of this year as many raw materials went up in price as came down. Crude today trades at around $110 per barrel, significantly above any level that people had forecast at the end of 2012.

EUROGRAPH Reports August P&W Ships

EUROGRAPH has announced European shipments of coated mechanical paper in August fell -11%, demand declined -11.1% and exports were down -10.7%.
Coated woodfree shipments for the month decreased -8.9%, demand fell -7.4% and exports were down -16.5%.
Supercalendered paper shipments declined -6.8%, demand decreased -5.3% and exports fell -12%.
Uncoated woodfree shipments were down -8%, demand fell -5.7% and exports declined -14.3% for the month.

Evergreen Follows Suit

Evergreen Packaging has announced an increase of $3.00 cwt, effective with orders shipping on or after October 23, on the following grades: Skyland Offset and Skyland Reply Card.

Port Hawkesbury Reaches Timber Harvesting Agreement

http://thechronicleherald.ca/other/1156513-mill-mi-kmaq-sign-forestry-deal

The five Mi'kmaq bands in Cape Breton have signed their first forestry agreement with Port Hawkesbury Paper.

The agreement with the new owner of the Point Tupper paper mill gives Crown land harvest quotas to harvesters from the First Nation communities.

Lisa Young, executive director with the Unima'ki Institute for Natural Resources in Eskasoni, said she couldn't put an exact number on how much the quotas could mean for the individual harvesters.

Postal Rate Hikes Disappoint Mailing Industry

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/postal-rate-hikes-disappoint-mailing-industry-152735

Magazines, newspapers and marketing businesses that depend on the U.S. mail suffered a setback in the fight to ward off an exigent rate hike on top of the annual rate that's tied to the consumer price index.

Citing its "precarious financial condition," the Postal Board of Governors proposed a rate increase of 5.9 percent on top of the annual CPI increase of 1.6 percent. If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the rates would go into effect Jan. 26, 2014.

http://www.dmnews.com/postal-board-asks-for-43-exigent-increase/article/313438/

In a letter to mailers today, Postal Board of Governors Chairman Mickey Barnett announced that the U.S. Postal Service will file a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) for a 4.3% increase in Standard Mail. If approved, the exigent increase will come in addition to the standard Consumer Price Index hike of 1.6%, totaling a 5.9% rise in rates for mailers.

Folio: People on the Move

http://www.foliomag.com/2013/people-move-9-26-13#.UkSU3byYyKw

Jessie Price promoted to editor-in-chief of Meredith’s EatingWell from her previous role as deputy editor of food. Price started working for the magazine in 2003.
James Taylor promoted to senior editor of Private Equity and will manage online and print for Private Equity International and PE Manager. His appointment replaces Amanda Janis who was promoted to director-specialist investment networks and will help launch a new business line for the company. And more...

Hearst's New Magazine Add Ins

http://adage.com/article/media/magazines-include-bottles-perfume-november-issue/244389/

Some subscribers of four Hearst magazines will soon get perfume samples in an apparently new fashion for the industry: via sample vials of Marc Jacobs Daisy and Eau So Fresh.
The two-and-a-half milliliter tubes will come poly-bagged to 100,000 copies of the November issues of Elle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and Seventeen, for a total of 400,000 subscribers, according to Hearst Magazines. Affixing sample-size bottles of perfume to magazines is believed to be a first. "The technology just didn't exist," said Michael Clinton, president-marketing and publishing director of Hearst Magazines.
For magazine publishers, it could serve as yet another way to attract dollars from beauty advertisers, which has been among a handful of persistent bright spots for the industry.

More Cuts at Condé Nast Traveler

http://ipdahome.org/newsstand/?cat=296

NY Post: A second round of cuts hit Condé Nast Traveler on Wednesday as new editor-in-chief Pilar Guzman continues to reshape her staff. Guzman is said to have let go executive editor Kevin Doyle and senior editors Alison Humes and Dinda Elliott. Separately, WWD reports that Brides magazine seems to be benefiting from editor Keija Minor (its EIC for a year) having used executive coaching services offered at Condé–as well as from guidance from Anna Wintour, in her role as corporate artistic director.  

NY Post (Traveler)

WWD (Brides)

One Publisher’s “Radical” Proposal

http://ipdahome.org/newsstand/?cat=296

During PBAA Canada, veteran consumer marketer-turned publishing entrepreneur Michael J. Fox presented a “radical” proposal for changing the structure and dynamics of the magazine category’s current economics and dynamics. Goal: Funneling resources and costs away from returns copies and into more flexible, effective marketing practices.  

PBAA