Marubeni, Oji & JK Paper in Joint Venture

http://www.marubeni-usa.com/

As already announced, we ("Oji") had incorporated an Indian subsidiary Oji India Packaging Pvt Ltd ("Oji India Packaging"), effective June 20, 2012, for the purpose of starting Corrugated Container Business in India. We are pleased to announce that the Business Plan for Oji India Packaging has recently been approved.

It has now been decided to conduct the business under a Joint Venture to be formed by Oji, JK Paper Ltd. ("JK"), who is a leading manufacturer of pulp and paper in India, and Marubeni Corporation in Japan. Three parties have executed a Joint Venture Agreement effective today.

UPM Reports Q3 Finances

SUMMARY - UPM INTERIM REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2012: UPM'S Cash flow continued to be strong in Q3 in challenging operating environment.
•Earnings per share excluding special items were EUR 0.15 (0.19), and reported EUR 0.06 (-0.21)
•EBITDA was EUR 305 million, 11.8% of sales (331 million, 12.7% of sales)
•EBITDA was affected by temporary production disruptions in Pulp
•Net debt decreased by EUR 246 million to EUR 3,139 million

International Paper Reports Q3 Earnings

International Paper 3Q 2012 results: operating profit down 6% from year ago to $539 million:
International Paper today reported third quarter 2012 net earnings from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders totaling $223 million , compared with net earnings of $118 million in the second quarter of 2012 and $468 million in the third quarter of 2011.

Domtar Reports Q3 Financial Results

Domtar posts net earnings of $66 million in Q3, 2012:
Domtar is reporting net earnings of $66 million for its third quarter of 2012 on sales of $1.4 billion.
These results can be compared to net earnings of $59 million for the second quarter of 2012 and net earnings of $117 for the third quarter of 2011.

IP and Grupo Orsa Form Joint Venture

International Paper and Grupo Orsa to Form Joint Venture: IP to Expand Global Corrugated Packaging Platform In BrazilMEMPHIS, Tenn., - International Paper and Brazilian corrugated packaging producer Jari Celulose, Embalagens e Papel S/A, a Grupo Orsa company, have entered into an agreement to form a joint venture which will support IP's strategy of growing its global packaging presence and better serving its global customer base.

West Fraser, Domtar Increase Pulp Price

West Fraser announced that its North American list price for northern bleached softwood kraft (NSBK) will increase $20/tonne, effective November 1 until further notice.

Domtar has informed North American customers that its northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) and southern bleached softwood kraft (SBSK) market pulp prices will increase $20/tonne, effective November 1 until further notice.

Forbes Launches New Campaign

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/185898/forbes-launches-new-tagline-brand-campaign.html

Forbes is launching a new brand advertising campaign this month -- its first in five years.

The print and online campaign will feature mini-profiles of entrepreneurs recently featured on Forbes covers who “exemplify what it takes to be truly successful today.” The campaign also introduces a new positioning tagline for the 95-year-old publication -- “Change The World” -- that will appear across Forbes’ print and digital properties.

Meredith Reports Ad Revenues Up 12%

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/185948/meredith-ad-revs-up-across-board-tv-rises-26.html

Meredith Corp. says advertising revenue climbed by double digits in its first fiscal quarter 2013, with big gains coming from its TV properties.
Total company advertising revenues climbed 12% to $207 million, with local media (its TV-related businesses) up 26% to $87.2 million. It had 7% advertising gains from its national media group (its print and magazine-based brands) to $132.6 million.
Overall magazine businesses grew 3% to $267 million. While magazines did see rising advertising revenue, it was the result of acquisitions. Without those new revenues, total advertising revenues declined 9%.

Power of Print in a Digital Age

http://www.pubexec.com/article/oprah-take-notice-linda-magazine-wants-you/1

Also full, this week, of lots of magazine folk in town for Mr. Magazine and Publishing Executive columnist Samir Husni’s annual ACT conference, this year with the theme: “Never Underestimate the Power of Print in a Digital Age.”
Today’s presentations began with a Rebecca Darwin, President and CEO of Garden & Gun magazine, who started out by quipping “I feel like I’m at an AA Meeting: ‘I’m Rebecca and I believe in print." Darwin was followed by a bevy of fascinating presentations.

7 Reasons to Rethink Print

http://www.contentmarketinginstitute.com/2012/10/print-content-strategy/

Most prognosticators say that by 2020 most printed media will be gone. I think anyone who makes those types of comments doesn’t understand history...

The evolution of the internet doesn’t kill off these channels… it makes us look at them differently because they are used differently by consumers.

We are releasing our third annual content marketing study next week. Among the findings, the usage of EVERY channel is flat or up. After years of seeing the usage of print magazines on the downside, we saw no change year-over-year. 

1. It grabs attention

2. Its focus on customer retention: 

3. There are no audience development costs:

4. What’s old is new again:

5. Customers still need to know what questions to ask

6. Print still excites people

7. Print lets people unplug

Newsweek’s CEO: Digital Transition

Newsweek’s Rob Gregory on Its Digital Transition:
Here, FOLIO: catches up with Rob Gregory, president of the Newsweek-Daily Beast Company, to get some insight on the decision to ditch print and what the brand will look like going forward.

US Questions Canadian Port Hawk Aid at WTO

USA questions Canada at WTO meeting over aid given to Port Hawkesbury Paper:
The USA told a World Trade Organization (WTO) subsidies committee this week that it is concerned that China, India, and Canada are paying illegal subsidies that distort trade.
At question for Canada is the $162 million in aid Nova Scotia has given to Port Hawkesbury Paper.
The EU is also concerned about this aid and is asking for more information.
A Canadian official told the meeting that Canada was already working with the provincial authorities to answer U.S. questions and had started a dialogue with the United States which the EU was welcome to join.

Port Hawkesbury Agreement with 2 Sawmills

Port Hawkesbury Paper signs new service agreement with 2 local sawmills:
M.R. MacDonald Holdings Ltd. of Pictou County, Nova Scotia, has signed a new service agreement with Port Hawkesbury Paper.
The deal will see hardwood logs from the Port Hawkesbury Paper mill be exchanged for chips and softwood from M.R. MacDonald Holdings’s mill.

Stora Enso Announces Restructuring Plans

Stora Enso plans profitability improvement actions across all Business Areas: Stora Enso plans restructuring of its operations through the permanent shutdown of paper machine 1 at Hylte Mill in Sweden and the permanent closure of the corrugated packaging plant at Ruovesi in Finland. In addition, Stora Enso plans efficiency improvements at several other mills. The profitability improvement actions are planned to reduce annual costs by EUR 36 million and reduce the number of employees by approximately 520 altogether. Stora Enso will record a restructuring provision and a fixed asset and working capital write-down as non-recurring items totalling approximately EUR 42 million related to the restructuring plans in the fourth quarter 2012 operating profit.

FutureMark Names VP Sales & Marketing

http://www.futuremarkpaper.com/

FutureMark® Paper Group, North America's leading provider of responsibly made, high‐recycled paper, named respected paper industry veteran Paul E. Bradshaw Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the group's uncoated paper products.

JD Irving: 7 Day Maintenance Shut Down

http://www.jdirving.com/article.aspx?id=3656

Over 1,200 trades people with 45 contractor companies, in addition to the 340 mill employees, will be on the job this week at Irving Pulp & Paper in Saint John.  It’s part of a week-long, world-class maintenance and refurbishment shutdown that happens every 18 months.  The $10-million maintenance work ensures the mill is as productive and efficient as possible.

IP Agrees to Pay FDIC $42 Million

http://professional.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203630604578074753866411758.html

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is about to receive a $42 million legal settlement that will rank among the agency's largest recoveries in the financial crisis—from a paper company that played no role in the bank failure that spurred the lawsuit.

International Paper Co. has agreed to pay the FDIC to settle a year-old lawsuit stemming from the 2009 collapse of Guaranty Financial Group, an Austin, Texas, company that ranks as the fifth-biggest U.S. bank failure. As part of the agreement, the failed bank's creditors will get an added $38 million, bringing the total settlement to $80 million.

Georgia Co. Accused of Dumping Chinese Paper

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/Gwinnett-company-under-fire-dodging-duties/nSkP2/

A paper supply company formerly located in Gwinnett County, Georgia is accused of flooding the U.S. with cheap Chinese paper and dodging more than $20 million in duties.

Apego Inc. was operating out of Lilburn in May 2006 when the U.S. Department of Commerce began investigating whether Chinese paper manufacturers were dumping their products in the American market.

Study: P & P Mills and Water Availability

New study of water issues at mills around the world
Since water has become an increasingly important strategic issue in the pulp and paper industry, potentially affecting the ability of a large number of the world’s mills to operate at capacity, Fisher International conducted a study of the topic and has published its findings in a study titled “The 2012 Global PPI Water Benchmark Report.”
The report is intended to help environmental managers understand how water issues are affecting pulp and paper mills around the world as they benchmark their own positions and evaluate their policies.

AF&PA Releases Boxboard Report

AF&PA Releases September 2012 Boxboard Report: The American Forest & Paper Association has released its September 2012 U.S. Paperboard Report. Total boxboard production decreased by 2.1 percent compared to September 2011 and decreased 6.9 percent from last month.  Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production increased over the same month last year but decreased compared to last month.  Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production decreased compared to September 2011 and decreased compared to last month.