Paperclips Blog | AFPA Reports Results

  • 03.15.2012

    Study: Consumers becoming more aware of packaging

    Give consumers the option to buy a more eco-friendly product and they will take it; just don´t give confusing messaging about its environmental benefits, according to a recently released study.

    Perception Research Services found that 36% of shoppers in 2011 said they would choose environmentally friendly packaging compared with 28% in 2010, according to a news release.

    Half of the shoppers said they were willing to pay more, which was more prevalent with those under the age of 40. About 59% said seeing environmental claims on packaging positively impacts their behavior to either buy more of their usual brands or switch to others.

    But a significant amount of shoppers said they are frustrated with the way companies promote environmental claims. At least 26% said there isn’t enough environmental information; 20% are confused by all the different environmental claims; and 22% don’t know which packages are best for the environment.

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  • 03.15.2012

    Casual Male Retail Group, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2011 Results

    Casual Male Retail Group, Inc., the largest retailer of big & tall men's apparel and accessories, today reported operating results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 ("fiscal 2011").

    Fourth Quarter Highlights (4QFY11 vs. 4QFY10)
    •Comparable sales increased 0.8% and total sales of $111.5 million were flat to last year.
    •Gross margin decreased 70 basis points to 44.7%.
    •Net income increased to $33.5 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, from net income of $5.3 million, or $0.11 per diluted share.

    Fiscal 2011 Highlights (FY11 vs. FY10)
    •Comparable sales increased 2.1% and total sales increased 1.0% to $397.7 million.
    •Gross margin improved 40 basis points to 46.2%.
    •Net income increased to $42.7 million, or $0.89 per diluted share, from $15.4 million, or $0.32 per diluted share last year.

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  • 03.15.2012

    Presstek Reports Better Than Expected Q4 Financial Results; 2012 Outlook Positive

    Presstek, Inc., a leading supplier of digital offset printing solutions to the printing and communications industries, today reported financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2011. In the quarter, the Company reported total revenue of $29.8 million compared to $31.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2010, and adjusted EBITDA of negative $0.9 million compared to $0.6 million in the prior year fourth quarter. For 2011, the Company reported total revenue of $120.0 million compared to $128.6 million for 2010, and adjusted EBITDA of negative $1.4 million compared to $4.0 million for the prior year. (See "Information Regarding Non-GAAP Measures")
     
    In the fourth quarter of 2011 the Company had a net loss of $3.8 million, or $0.10 per share, compared to a net loss of $6.7 million, or $0.18 per share, in the prior year quarter. The fourth quarter of 2010 included a $2.7 million valuation allowance against certain deferred tax assets outside the U.S., as well as a $1.9 million expense related to a bad debt reserve established for a single customer. For 2011 the Company had a net loss of $12.4 million, or $0.33 per share. The Company's 2010 net loss from continuing operations was $10.6 million, or $0.29 per share.
     
    "Presstek faced another challenging year in 2011, as adverse economic and industry conditions continued to negatively impact print volumes," said Stanley E. Freimuth, Presstek's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "However, we were pleased with activity in the fourth quarter. We had previously reported that we expected fourth quarter revenue and gross margin dollars to be flat relative to third quarter numbers, and our results were better than expected. With the significant cost reductions that we implemented at the end of 2011, we expect adjusted EBITDA to be positive for 2012."
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  • 03.15.2012

    dELiA*s, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2011 Results

    dELiA*s, Inc., a multi-channel retail company comprised of two lifestyle brands primarily targeting teenage girls and young women, today announced the results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 28, 2012.

    Total revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 decreased 2.0% to $65.6 million from $66.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010. Revenue from the retail segment decreased 3.6% to $33.6 million, or 51.3% of total revenue. Revenue from the direct segment was flat at $32.0 million, or 48.7% of total revenue.

    Total gross margin decreased to 32.3% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, compared to 36.8% in the prior year quarter, predominantly reflecting reduced merchandise margins related to markdowns and the deleveraging of occupancy costs.

    Total revenue for the retail segment for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 decreased 3.6% to $33.6 million from $34.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010. Retail comparable store sales decreased 3.6% for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to a decrease of 2.3% for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010.

    Gross margin for the retail segment, which includes distribution, occupancy and merchandising costs, was 20.5% for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to 27.0% in the prior year period. The decrease in gross margin resulted primarily from lower merchandise margins and the deleveraging of occupancy costs.

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  • 03.15.2012

    International Paper announces price increase for envelope papers

    Effective with shipments April 2, 2012, International Paper will increase the price of the following grades by $3.00/cwt:
    • Postmark® White Envelope • Postmark® White Envelope FSC • Postmark® White Envelope Recycled • Postmark® White Envelope Recycled FSC • Postmark® Plus • Postmark® Premium • DRM® Offset • DRM® Recycled Offset • DRM® Opaque • Reply Card • Tablet • Add Roll • Coin Wrap

    All other standard differentials, upcharges, and shipping policies for all products will apply.

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  • 03.15.2012

    Domtar Announces price increase for envelope papers

    Effective with shipments April 9, 2012, Domtar will increase prices by $3.00/cwt in the U. S. and Canada on the following Domtar Envelope papers:
    • White Wove Envelope • Brown Kraft Envelope • ci2000®

    All current standard differentials remain in effect.

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  • 03.15.2012

    NewPage Applauds Bill Passed to Apply Tariffs on Illegally Subsidized Goods From China

    NewPage is pleased that President Obama signed the legislation passed by the U.S. House and Senate that will allow the Department of Commerce to continue to apply the countervailing duty law to non-market economy countries like China. This legislation will preserve intact the countervailing duty order in place covering coated paper, as well as other countervailing duty orders covering other products from China.

    "We applaud the remarkable effort of Congress in passing this important legislation, and would like to especially thank Republican Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Susan Collins (R-ME) for their leadership roles," stated George Martin, president and chief executive officer for NewPage. "Keeping these duties in place helps to level the playing field and allow our world-class operations and workforce to continue to service our customers with high quality, competitive products," added Martin.

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  • 03.15.2012

    How to Deal with Misleading Environmental Claims Related to Print and Paper

    Many corporations are promoting electronic communications (ex: e-billing) as a more environmentally-friendly method of communication, and in doing such they are spreading erroneous facts and messages about print and paper.  As a result, the public is being flooded with messages that portray print and paper as a “bad” product with “destructive” environmental impacts relative to other communication methods.  

    This presentation will outline some of the unique environmental and social features of print and paper products which make it a sustainable way of communicating.   The (often ignored) environmental and social impacts of electronic communications will also be reviewed, as well as environmental marketing rules and guidelines that companies should respect when making environmental claims (ex: US Federal Trade Commission Green Guides).   Print and electronic media will co-exist for many decades and we need to reduce the environmental impacts of both.  It’s not a question of one versus the other, but rather which combination is the most sustainable. The initiatives taken by Two Sides to challenge misleading claims will also be presented.

    Click on the link below to listen to the webinar.

    http://www.tappi.org/Events/Upcoming-Events/Virtual-Seminars/Webinars/misleading-claims.aspxp

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  • 03.15.2012

    Encyclopedia Britannica to stop printing books

    After 244 years, Encyclopedia Britannica will cease production of its iconic multi-volume book sets.

    Britannica usually prints a new set of the tomes every two years, but 2010's 32-volume set will be its last. Instead, the company will focus solely on its digital encyclopedia and education tools.

    The news is sure to sadden champions of the printed word, but Britannica president Jorge Cauz said the move is a natural part of his company's evolution.

    "Everyone will want to call this the end of an era, and I understand that," Cauz says. "But there's no sad moment for us. I think outsiders are more nostalgic about the books than I am."

    In truth, Cauz says, the death knell sounded long ago. Though the name "Britannica" calls the print sets to mind, Cauz says they represent less than 1% of the company's total sales.

    "The print set is an icon. But it's an icon that doesn't do justice to how much we've changed over the years," Cauz says.

    The online version of the encyclopedia, which was first published in 1994, represents only 15% of Britannica's revenue. The other 85% is sales of education products: online learning tools, curriculum products and more.

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  • 03.14.2012

    Appleton Coated introduces Utopia Inkjet Gloss

    Appleton Coated, working jointly with HP, has developed a gloss coated product for use on the HP® Inkjet Web Press family. With the introduction of Utopia® Inkjet Gloss, Appleton Coated leads the industry as the only North American manufacturer with a full line of papers for this digital technology, meeting the needs of early adopters in direct marketing and publishing applications.
     
    Appleton Coated’s complete Utopia Inkjet product offering includes:
    • Utopia Book Inkjet matte coated products for book publishing applications;
    • Utopia Inkjet Dull and Gloss for publishing, commercial printing and direct mail applications; and
    • Utopia Uncoated Inkjet with ColorPRO Technology

    “Appleton Coated’s introduction of this gloss product propels high speed inkjet printing into a whole new spectrum, blurring the lines with offset and traditional digital platforms,” says Steve Franzino, vice president of technology for Courier Corporation in Chelmsford, Mass. “We have had success with the Utopia Book Inkjet matte product in the educational textbook business, and now, the gloss product opens up an excellent opportunity in the four-color trade book market. Image quality and surface gloss on the Utopia printed sheet are superior to anything else we have seen, and both the wet-rub and dry-rub durability are very good.”

    “Utopia Inkjet Gloss is excellent for high-end publishing and direct mail. This paper, along with HPs inkjet technology, will bring digital inkjet printing quality exceptionally close to toner platforms,” said Chris Greene, president of CGX Publishing Solutions in Aurora, Colo. “I would expect in the very near future we will look at the relationship between sheet toner and inkjet web the same as we currently look at sheet fed and heat set web offset.”

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  • 03.14.2012

    Marketers still buy print, but their strategy is changing

    The value of print advertising has steadily decreased with the rise of digital media in the last five years. According to a report from eMarketer.com, online advertising is expected to generate $39.5 billion in sales this year — a 23.3 percent increase from 2011 — compared to a sum of $33.8 billion on print.
     
    Still, print an important outlet for many marketers. Randal Rozin, global director-brand management and marketing communications for Dow Corning Corp. tells BtoB magazine, “There is no doubt that digital media investments outpace our investments in print media. However, we continue to leverage print media as a strategic part of our marketing communications mix as [they] provide us with a solid avenue to control the time, place and delivery of our messaging. The locations of our deployment of print media continue to evolve as well. We're leveraging print more in specialized b2b trade verticals in emerging and developing economies — more so than in more mature markets. The allocation of digital is definitely growing for us, yet print still has its role to play in our overall mix.”

    Business executives say that periodical print advertising is still useful. For example, George Stenitzer, vp of marketing and corporate communications for Tellabs Inc., also tells BtoB magazine, “Tellabs' print vehicle is our quarterly magazine, Insight. To the media that distribute it in print, it's a 16-page ad that polybags with their magazines. About one-third of our Insight distribution is in print, and two-thirds is electronic. From our viewpoint, Insight is one engine of our content marketing strategy, with 15 pages of editorial plus a back-cover ad that points to a white paper on our website. Several of our media partners have shifted from print to electronic editions, so they carry the magazine on their website, with their iPad apps and in their newsletters. Beyond that, Tellabs' print ads are tactical, in support of a specific event or campaign. Most ads are electronic rather than print.”

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  • 03.14.2012

    Catalogs find a home of their own in Apple’s app store

    Just as a sign by the road makes it easier to find an attraction, Apple Inc.’s decision last week to debut a separate Catalog category in its iTunes app store should make it easier for consumers to find retailers’ catalog apps.
     
    Apple, No. 2 in the Internet Retailer Mobile Commerce Top 300, previously placed catalog apps for its popular iPad tablet and iPhone smartphone in the Lifestyle category. Creating the Catalog section could be a boon for retailers and companies providing catalog apps.
     
    “Many more thousands of consumers will see the category,” says Joaquin Ruiz, CEO and founder of Padopolis Inc., which created the Catalog Spree app. That means more awareness of the catalog apps and the retailers they serve, he says. In the two and a half days following the release of the Catalog category, the number of Catalog Spree downloads in the iTunes app store increased by 15% over similar periods, Ruiz says.

    Creation of the category signals Apple’s recognition that consumers are shopping on tablets, says Peri Kadaster, vice president of marketing at CoffeeTable, an app that aggregates retail catalogs. “Catalogs on the iPad present not only a rich, visual experience, but also a source of inspiration and product discovery,” Kadaster says. “Tablets are best suited for a lean-back experience. Whereas most e-commerce experiences on the web are intent-driven, as in ‘I need to buy a flight, I want a specific book,’ catalog shopping centers on discovering new products. And catalog shopping on the tablet offers an ideal leisurely context for this discovery shopping experience.”

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  • 03.14.2012

    Retail container traffic to increase 10% in March

    A report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 10% in March compared with the same month last year. And, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker, year-over-year gains should continue through mid-summer.
     
    “Retailers are still watching all the economic indicators very carefully, but there are enough signs of improvement that stores are carefully stocking up,” NRF VP for supply chain and customs policy Jonathan Gold said. “Retailers only import more if they expect to sell more, so these numbers are a sign that optimism is growing.”
     
    U.S. ports followed by Global Port Tracker handled 1.22 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in January, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was up 4.4% from December and 1.3% from January 2011. One TEU is one 20-foot cargo container or its equivalent.
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  • 03.14.2012

    Safeway Announces Commitment to Responsibly Sourced Paper Products

    Safeway Inc. today furthered its commitment to sustainability and the preservation of global forests by announcing that its consumer brand Softly bath and facial tissue and Ultra Thirsty paper towels are now produced to the high environmental and social responsibility standards of the Forest Stewardship Council(TM) (FSC®) and the Rainforest Alliance. Shoppers can identify FSC-certified and Rainforest Alliance-certified(TM) products by the respective FSC logos and seals on every package.

    Safeway strives to source raw materials that are responsibly produced and that have a certified chain of custody.  The Forest Stewardship Council uses third-party experts to verify forest management practices and track materials as they are selectively harvested from the forest and become products downstream.  Incoming paper fiber is classified into two groups, certified fiber and controlled wood fiber.  FSC-certified paper products are produced with fiber sourced from suppliers who have been independently certified to follow the strictest standards in sustainable, ethical forestry management and production chain controls. 

    "With forest resources under stress, it is important we lead by walking the talk in our environmental specifications for paper and help drive meaningful sustainability improvements in the supply chain," said Don Davidson, Safeway Vice President, Strategic Sourcing.

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  • 03.14.2012

    Royal Paper Box Installs KBA 41-Inch Press

    KBA North America announces that Royal Paper Box, a leading Montebello, CA folding carton converter, has made an impressive new addition to its pressroom: a new KBA 41-inch sheetfed press. The prestigious firm caters to a globally diverse customer base including high-end cosmetics and demanding bio-medical packaging.

    “We feel the addition of the KBA press has significantly enhanced and complemented our pressroom,” says Jim Hodges, president of Royal Paper Box, who recently won the 2011 Robert T. Gair Award from the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), its highest distinction. The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a lifetime of significant and lasting contributions to the paperboard packaging industry.

    For Royal Paper Box, which is a global leader in the packaging field, the new KBA brings numerous advantages. With its powerful ability to print at high speeds, its automation brings efficiency gains in makeready and running speeds and it will improve production scheduling while reducing costs.

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  • 03.14.2012

    SCA launches new sustainability targets

    SCA is one of the world’s most sustainable companies – environmentally, socially and financially. The company is now further raising its ambitions through the introduction of a number of new targets. According to a recent SCA survey, sustainability activities are significant for the business operation.

    “Sustainability activities are business-critical for SCA and give us an edge over competitors. Our ambitious work makes us more attractive for customers, consumers and investors, while it also contributes to lower costs,” said Jan Johansson, SCA’s President and CEO, at a press meeting in Stockholm today where the new targets were presented.
     
    SCA recently performed a survey which showed that sustainability activities play an important role in relationships with customers. As many as 41% of respondents said that they had participated in contract negotiations in which sustainability was the deciding factor for the outcome.
     
    Measurability and access to relevant key performance indicators are crucial factors in ensuring successful sustainability programs. Systematic preparatory work has resulted in a number of specific new targets:
     Triple production of biofuels from SCA’s forests by 2020
     Increase wind power production on SCA forest land to 5 TWh by 2020
     Set aside at least 5% of SCA’s productive forestland from forestry in the ecological landscape plans and a further 5% for nature conservation purposes
     Decrease the accident frequency rate by 25% between 2011 and 2016
     Make SCA’s hygiene knowledge base available to customers and consumers and ensure access to affordable, sustainable hygiene solutions
     Deliver better, safe and environmentally sound solutions to customers through sustainable innovation.

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  • 03.14.2012

    Smurfit Kappa Announces £98 M Investment in Townsend Hook Paper Mill

    Smurfit Kappa has announced a three-year £98 M investment plan in its Townsend Hook, Kent, paper-making facility. The installation and commissioning of a custom designed, five metre, lightweight recycled container board machine is due to be completed and operational by the end of 2014. This will secure the supply of paper for all of Smurfit Kappa’s packaging operations in the UK and Ireland.

    The new machine will produce lightweight corrugated papers, for use in Smurfit Kappa integrated plants meeting market requirements for high efficiency and sustainable, recycled paper-making .The cost associated with the project will be phased over 3 years and will be within the scope of SKG’s stated annual capital expenditure guidance. The outlay represents one of the largest investments by an established UK paper manufacturer and is a significant sign of Smurfit Kappa’s commitment to its customers.

    The equipment sourced from Cartiera di Cadidavid will replace two existing container board machines, increasing Townsend Hook’s capacity of FSC certified, recycled paper per annum by over 8% from 240,000 to 260,000 tonnes.

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  • 03.14.2012

    OPEC Output Rises to Three-Year High on Saudi Arabia, IEA Says

    OPEC’s crude oil production rose for a fifth month to the highest in more than three years as Saudi Arabia and Libya boosted supply, according to the International Energy Agency.

    The 12 members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries produced 31.42 million barrels a day of crude last month, the most since October 2008, the Paris-based agency said today in its monthly oil market report. That compares with a revised 31.11 million in January and exceeds the group’s 30 million output ceiling set at its December meeting.

    The IEA’s production figure differs from OPEC’s own estimate of 30.97 million in its monthly report on March 9, which is based on secondary sources.

    Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter, pumped near a three-decade peak at 10 million barrels a day last month, up from 9.85 million in January, the agency said.

    “The increased Saudi volumes in February were heading to Europe and Africa, tanker data indicate, rather than Asia as might be expected,” the IEA said.

    Saudi will probably produce 9.8 million barrels a day this month, roughly matching last month’s level, a person with knowledge of the kingdom’s oil policy said today. According to OPEC’s monthly report, Saudi output fell to 9.66 million barrels a day in February.

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  • 03.14.2012

    NewPage Reports Year-End 2011 Financial Results

    Net sales for 2011 were $3,502 million compared to $3,596 million for 2010, a decrease of $94 million or 3%. Net sales were affected primarily by higher paper prices, more than offset by lower sales volume. Average paper prices increased to $886 per ton in 2011 compared to $823 per ton in 2010. Sales volume decreased to 3,954,000 tons in 2011 compared to 4,370,000 tons in 2010 as a result of the shutdown of the Whiting mill in February 2011 and the Port Hawkesbury mill in September 2011.

    Net income (loss) was $(524) million in 2011 compared to $(693) million in 2010. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, as defined by the DIP Credit Agreement, was $324 million in 2011 compared to $284 million in 2010.

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  • 03.14.2012

    Magazines' Newsstand Slide Smaller in Canada

    Magazines have long blamed their continuing newsstand declines on everything from gas prices to store layouts -- everything but demand for magazines themselves.
     
    But there's something interesting happening over the border to the north: Newsstand sales aren't falling anywhere near as much.
     
    While U.S. magazines' newsstand sales were down 10% in second half-2011 year-over-year, for example, Canadian titles slipped 2.4% at newsstands, according to publishers' reports with the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
     
    Smaller declines for Canada have been the newsstand norm in recent years -- except in the second half of 2010, when U.S. magazines fell 7.3% year-over-year, while their Canadian peers grew 6.1%. U.S. magazines haven't turned in a year-over-year newsstand increase for at least a decade, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
     
    If all of this seems like just another frustration for U.S. publishers, it isn't. Several of the reasons that Canadian newsstands are doing better support U.S. publishers' argument that long-term reader demand is only part of the problem. Some of the other problems are temporary, unrelated to magazines, or both.

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  • 03.14.2012

    Transcontinental’s Inc. first quarter: Closes Quad/Graphics Canada, Inc. acquisition and increases dividend by 7%

    Transcontinental’s Inc. revenues decreased by 4% in the first quarter, from $514.8 million to $495.9 million, driven primarily by the sale of its black and white book printing business, destined for U.S. exports, completed last September, which was part of the asset swap transaction in which it acquired Quad/Graphics Canada on March 1st. Revenues were also impacted by lower volume from the non-recurring revenue from the printing contract for the Canadian Census last year and to a lesser extent, the printing of magazines and books. This first quarter decrease was mitigated by the Media sector, most notably from the growth of its digital media and community newspaper businesses, as a result of recent investments. Consolidated revenues are expected to return on a growth path over the next year given the contribution from the Quad/Graphics Canada acquisition as well as other contracts such as Canadian Tire.

    For this same period, adjusted operating income decreased 12%, from $48.7 million to $43.0 million, driven primarily by the Media sector due to a softer advertising environment coupled with continued competitive pressures in the local solutions marketplace and to a lesser extent by lower first quarter volume in the Printing sector. Net income applicable to participating shares decreased from $25.7 million, or $0.32 per share, to a loss of $33.3 million, or $0.41 per share. This decrease is mainly due to a tax provision of $58.0 million related to notices of re-assessment, which the Corporation intends to contest, pertaining to deductions on investments in capital assets made by the Corporation, as well as interprovincial allocation of income. Excluding unusual items, adjusted net income applicable to participating shares decreased 6%, from $28.8 million, or $0.36 per share, to $27.1 million, or $0.33 per share.

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  • 03.14.2012

    Pacific Sunwear Announces Fourth Quarter Operating Results

    Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc., announced today that net sales from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 ended January 28, 2012, were $234.2 million versus net sales of $237.6 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 ended January 29, 2011. Total Company same-store sales were flat during the period. The Company ended fiscal 2011 with 733 stores, as compared to 852 as of the end of fiscal 2010. The Company closed 87 stores in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011.
     
    Fourth Quarter Results: On a GAAP basis, the Company reported a net loss of $38.1 million, or $(0.56) per share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, compared to a net loss of $35.2 million, or $(0.53) per share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010. The net loss for the Company's fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 also included a non-cash loss of $5.0 million, or $0.08 per share, related to a derivative liability that resulted from the issuance of the Convertible Series B Preferred Stock (the "Series B Preferred") in connection with the term loan financing the Company completed in December 2011 which was not reflected in its prior guidance.
     
    On a non-GAAP basis, excluding store closure charges of $7.2 million and the non-cash loss on derivative liability of $5.0 million (net of tax effects), and using a normalized annual income tax rate of approximately 37%, the Company's net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 would have been $13.1 million, or $(0.19) per share, as compared to a net loss of $20.6 million, or $(0.31) per share, for the same period a year ago.
     
    "Our sales trends improved as we moved further into the Holiday Season resulting in flat comparable store sales for the quarter and an improvement in merchandise margins, compared to the fourth quarter last year," said Gary H. Schoenfeld, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We similarly finished the fiscal year with nearly flat same-store sales and remain focused on the key merchandising, in-store and digital initiatives that we believe are critical to successfully rebuilding the PacSun brand and our position in the marketplace."
     
    Full Year Results: Total net sales from continuing operations for fiscal 2011 were $833.8 million versus net sales of $837.1 million for fiscal 2010. Total Company same-store sales declined 1% during fiscal 2011.
     
    On a GAAP basis, the Company reported a net loss of $106.4 million, or $(1.60) per share, for the 2011 fiscal year, compared to a net loss of $96.6 million, or $(1.46) per share, for the 2010 fiscal year.
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  • 03.13.2012

    AEP Industries Inc. Reports Fiscal 2012 First Quarter Results

    AEP Industries Inc. today reported financial results for its first quarter ended January 31, 2012.

    Net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 increased $50.0 million, or 23%, to $267.7 million from $217.7 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2011. The increase was the result of an increase in average selling prices primarily attributable to the pass-through of higher resin costs to customers during the comparable periods, combined with a 5% increase in sales volume excluding Webster. The acquisition of Webster added $29.7 million in net sales and 19.4 million pounds sold during the first quarter of fiscal 2012.

    Gross profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 was $34.7 million, an increase of $5.1 million, or 17.4 percent, compared to the comparable period in the prior fiscal year. The Company experienced a $3.3 million increase in the LIFO reserve during the first quarter of 2012 versus a $4.1 million increase in the LIFO reserve during the first quarter of 2011. Excluding the impact of the LIFO reserve change during the periods and $2.4 million in gross profit contributed from Webster, gross profit increased $1.9 million primarily due to increased sales volumes and improved plant utilization.

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  • 03.13.2012

    Amcor Flexibles wins Overall Excellence and Product Preservation Alufoil Trophies

    Amcor Flexibles is proud to announce winning two Alufoil Trophies from the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA). The company received the Overall Excellence Award won with Amcor Canny in recognition of high scores in four of five categories - Marketing + Design, Consumer Convenience, Technical Innovation and Resource Efficiency - and the Product Preservation Award won with Amcor Formpack DessiflexTM Plus.
     
    Amcor Canny is the fantastic result of over two years of development by Amcor Flexibles to produce the first wrinkle-free aluminium thin wall bowl. Primarily aimed at premium or indulgence food markets, it is designed to meet the needs of customer convenience for products which appeal to all ages.
     
    Among the many practical and attractive product features, the bowl is smooth and pleasant to touch. With its easy peelable membrane it makes opening child's play and reduces spillage. The absence of sharp edges removes any risk of injury and makes Amcor Canny ideal for taking the food directly out of the bowl with the spoon or simply with fingers. The inside coating of Amcor Canny is BPA free formulated, unlike traditional food cans, which will undoubtedly be a major factor for companies currently concerned about the latest legislation developments in Europe. Furthermore, empty units are unestable, which can save up to 90% on space during transportation and storage.
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  • 03.13.2012

    U.S. ad spending increased 0.8% in 2011

    Advertising spending in the U.S. totaled $144.0 billion last year, an increase of 0.8% over the previous year, according to data released by Kantar Media. Ad spending declined in the fourth quarter, dipping 1.0%, Kantar said.

    Ad spending in b2b magazines also increased 0.8% last year, even with a drop of 0.8% in the fourth quarter of the year. Internet advertising, which has been the engine powering advertising growth in recent years, increased just 0.4% and declined 6.2% in the fourth quarter. Paid search fell 2.8%, a decline that accelerated to 6.4% in the fourth quarter. Online display advertising increased 5.5%, but declined in the fourth quarter, falling 5.9%

    Overall, television advertising remained steady, posting an increase of 2.4% last year and an increase of 3.1% in the fourth quarter.

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  • 03.13.2012

    Flint Group North America Raises Prices on Coldset Black Inks

    Flint Group North America has announced a price increase on black coldset inks, effective April 1, 2012, subject to existing contracts. Prices will increase by US$0.04 per pound (CAD$0.09 per kilo) for black coldset inks used to print newspapers, directories, books and web-coldset commercial applications.                                                                                                           

    Increased global demand for certain petroleum-derived raw materials, coupled with the increased price of crude oil, has raised the costs of the primary materials used to produce black coldset inks. Specifically, costs of refined naphthenic oils and carbon black have sharply increased.
     
    The number of naphthenic oil refiners has decreased over time. A few remaining North American refiners now supply the majority of worldwide demand, exporting a significant amount of their production overseas.

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  • 03.13.2012

    Oil Gains From One-Week Low on Speculation Economy to Boost Fuel Demand

    Oil rebounded from the lowest price in almost a week as investors bet that fuel demand may increase amid signs the U.S. and Chinese economies are strengthening.

    Futures gained as much as 0.7 percent in New York after losing 1 percent yesterday. U.S. retail sales rose in February by the most in five months, according to a Bloomberg News survey before today’s Commerce Department report. China’s industrial output growth will pick up in March and April, a former industry minister said. Oil has climbed this year on concern tension with Iran may lead to military conflict in the Middle East, where more than half the world’s oil reserves are located.

    “Oil prices have been bolstered by better-than-expected leading indicators and ample liquidity,” said Hannes Loacker, an analyst at Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) in Vienna who predicts U.S. futures will average $104 a barrel this year. “Chinese economic growth should be strong enough to prevent the oil price from falling too sharply.”

    Oil for April delivery rose as much as 79 cents to $107.13 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $106.82 at 10:28 a.m. London time. The contract yesterday fell $1.06 to $106.34, the lowest settlement since March 7.

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  • 03.13.2012

    SI Golf Group Launches “Supervertical” with Sports Illustrated At the Majors

    The Sports Illustrated Golf Group [SIGG] expands its live event coverage this spring with a “supervertical” dubbed Sports Illustrated At the Majors. This multi-platform editorial campaign, which will produce content for SI.com, Golf.com and adjacent print properties, will go live at four events (the Masters, US Open, PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup) beginning in April.
     
    “The efforts are all about trying to find new ways to give our editorial team a chance to directly engage with golf fans and consumers,” says Dick Raskopf, SIGG publisher. “For the advertisers, many of them see this as a one-on-one opportunity to engage with consumers as well.”
     
    SI will set up an editorial studio at each event, a host tent for writer round tables, live broadcasts and mini individual golf lessons from Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers (a group of the nation’s best golf pros, as voted by their peers). Jim Herre, managing editor of SIGG, says SI’s video production cycle will be tripled during these events.

    “We thought we should build our own studio, particularly at the Masters, as they limit the amount of videographers that are allowed on the grounds,’” says Herre. “We’re also opening the studio to anyone who wanders in.”

    Those who do end up in the pop-up studio will be offered a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) wristband. After consumers register with the ID system, the bracelet will automatically update the user’s Facebook account with news, status changes and personalized Sports Illustrated covers fans will be encouraged to pose for.

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  • 03.13.2012

    Top 5 Group Publishers of 2011: Source Interlink, Intermedia Outdoors and AmEx Show Enthusiast Ad-Power

    Which three group publishers produced the highest ad-page gains overall in 2011? Perhaps not what you expect. Compared with 2010, where the big winners were the marquee mass-market group publishers Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines and Time Inc (see the 2010 chart below), the 2011 leaders have fewer titles in their magazine repertoires. Source Interlink Media (+3.85%—thanks to Power & Motoryacht, which was sold to Active Interest Media) and two smaller groups, American Express (+6.01%—with the help of the huge percentage gain from the bimonthly Departures) and Intermedia Outdoors (+7.58%—largely due to the success of Handguns) led group publishers for the year. 

    Source Interlink Media in 2012: With Power & Motoryacht out of the picture, it is full speed ahead for Source Interlink Media's auto enthusiast group. Case in point is the launch of the Motor Trend Channel, which is available on YouTube. The channel will provide original programming in conjunction with SIM brands: Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Diesel Power, 4Wheeler, Motorcyclist, Truckin’, Import Tuner and Lowrider. Talk about branding! The new channel extends the print mags through video, web and mobile.
     
    American Express Publishing:  “I’m proud of the performance of our luxury lifestyle-focused brands during what proved to be a very successful 2011 for us, said AmEx Publishing president/CEO (since June 2000)  Ed Kelly. "This year [2012], we’re continuing to reach our affluent consumer base with greater frequency and new products in the digital, mobile and social media space. It’s about getting our authoritative and trusted content into the hands of our customers when, where and how they want it.” 

    Intermedia Outdoors: IM Outdoors CEO Jeff Paro told min, "In today’s media world, page growth is one barometer of magazine brand success. In 2011 IMO’s 15 enthusiast magazine brands continued aggressive diversification beyond the pages. IMO re-launched a 16-site digital network and developed rich media products for the iPhone, iPad, and the Web. [Included is] Guns & Ammo Point of Impact, a sponsored interactive game with over 2.8 million downloads to date."

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  • 03.13.2012

    Arandell Corporation Receives Web Offset Association Awards

    Arandell, announced today that they received 1st and 3rd place in the 2011/2012 Web Offset Association’s Print Awards, held annually by the Printing Industries of America.
     
    Arandell’s 1st place award was for producing Brooks Brothers Gift Guide 2011, using heatset printing 4/color on coated paper (perfect bound). Arandell was also commended for Zingerman’s 2011 Fall Buyers Guide which was produced using heatset printing 4/color on uncoated paper. The catalogs were assessed on registration, level of difficulty, folding / binding / finishing and overall craftsmanship of product.
     
    Jim Treis, Arandell Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, stated, “The WOA Print Awards demonstrate the hard work and tireless effort our teams put forth to create a flawless artistic marketing piece. Having the opportunity to win a category is not an easy challenge and something to be very proud of.”
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  • 03.13.2012

    Brand owners want more digital printing

    The brand-owning Consumer Packaged Goods companies of the world are looking to digital printing as a way to shorten package design cycles and reduce inventory of packaging materials.

    That was a key message delivered this morning at the HP Pre-drupa 2012 event in Tel Aviv, Israel.
     
    “The pull from brands is stronger than ever,” said Alon Bar-Shany, vp/general manager of the Indigo Digital Press Division, in a coffee break following this morning’s opening session in Tel Aviv. Other conversations at the HP event last night and this morning confirm this keen interest in digital printing on the part of CPG companies. It has everyone anticipating a strong showing by brand owners at drupa 2012 May 3-16 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
     
    In response to this growing brand-owner interest in digital printing, HP Indigo is unveiling two new presses designed specifically to make digital printing more suitable for folding cartons and flexible packaging. This is significant because to this point digital printing’s applications in the packaging arena have been primarily in labels. By introducing the web-fed HP Indigo 20000 for flexible packaging and the sheet-fed HP Indigo 30000 for folding cartons, HP Indigo seeks to move more firmly into the mainstream flexible packaging and folding carton markets.

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  • 03.13.2012

    HP to Unveil 10 Digital Presses, Including 29" HP Indigo at drupa

    HP will introduce 10 digital printing systems at drupa that offer print service providers (PSPs) greater versatility, productivity and quality, including the first 29" HP Indigo press and higher-speed HP Inkjet Web Presses. 

    The improved performance of the new portfolio helps PSPs extend the advantages of digital even further into traditional analog print markets and produce more high-value personalized or custom materials for their clients. The 10 new systems include: • Three next-generation 29-inch-format HP Indigo presses capable of producing almost any commercial print job and a much broader range of packaging applications. • Three updated models of the current HP Indigo portfolio with higher speeds in Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM). • Three higher-speed HP Inkjet Web Press models featuring advanced ink and printhead technology. * A new HP high-speed imprinting solution for adding monochrome or full-color content to preprinted offset materials.

    New offerings also include: • A white ink kit, automatic loader and HP SmartStream Production Analyzer monitoring solution for HP Scitex industrial presses. • A range of new HP SmartStream workflow and finishing solutions, HP Hiflex management information systems (MIS) and web-to-print solutions, and an expanded services organization. • New media for the HP Inkjet Web Press systems, including the first coated glossy paper with ColorPRO technology available from Appleton Coated. • New HP Indigo preferred media partner agreements with Sappi, Avery Dennison, Mitsubishi and ArjoWiggins Graphics. 

    HP will display the new solutions May 3-16 at drupa 2012 in Düsseldorf, Germany, where HP will be the largest digital printing exhibitor and will have the second-largest booth at the show.

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  • 03.13.2012

    Court of Quebec Rules in Favor of Mercer in Fibrek Deal

    Mercer International on Friday announced that, on appeal, the Court of Quebec has ruled in favour of Mercer and Fibrek Inc., reversing the decision of the Bureau de decision et de revision (Quebec) (the "Bureau") dated February 23, 2012.

    As previously announced, on February 23, 2012, the Bureau issued a cease trade order against the private placement by Fibrek of 32,320,000 special warrants to Mercer at a price of C$1.00 per special warrant (the "Private Placement").

    Jimmy S.H. Lee, Mercer's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: "We are very pleased with the result of this appeal, believing the Court of Quebec's decision properly reflects applicable securities and corporate law principles. We now look forward to effecting our offer to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Fibrek, which was mailed to Fibrek shareholders on February 29, 2012 (the "Offer") and completing the Private Placement."

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  • 03.13.2012

    Catalyst enters into Restructuring and Support Agreement

    Catalyst Paper Corporation announced today that the company has entered into an agreement (the Agreement) with certain holders of its 11% senior secured notes due 2016 (Senior Secured Notes) and 7 3/8% senior notes due 2014 (Senior Notes) with respect to a plan of arrangement under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). The company filed for protection under the CCAA on January 31, 2012.

    Catalyst Paper and its Board of Directors believe that entering into the Agreement and the restructuring transactions set out in the Agreement that will form the basis of Catalyst’s plan of arrangement are the best alternative available to the company and its noteholders, shareholders and other stakeholders. The proposed plan of arrangement will address Catalyst’s current debt level, preserve jobs and preserve Catalyst’s business as a going concern for the benefit of all stakeholders and the communities in which Catalyst operates.

    “The proposed plan of arrangement provides the opportunity to reposition Catalyst Paper for the future at this very challenging time for the entire paper and pulp industry,” said Kevin J. Clarke, President and Chief Executive Officer. “There are many interested parties involved and we are continuing to work hard to address the requirements that will enable us to finalize this transaction in a timely and effective manner.”

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  • 03.13.2012

    Vision Integrated Graphics Acquires Point Imaging

    Vision Integrated Graphics, a leading full-service marketing solutions provider with locations in the Chicago area, has acquired Point Imaging, a national provider of grand-format sign and display imaging and installation services. Point Imaging President Kevin Huseman will assume the role of chief strategy officer for the combined companies, initially focusing on driving increased business volume in the grand-format area.

    Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. However, Vision’s management has said that Point Imaging’s 60,000-square-foot facility and all of its employees will be retained. The combined organization now has three locations in the Chicago area and about 235 employees.

    “We have been partnering with Point Imaging for about a decade,” said Doug Powell, CEO of Vision Integrated Graphics. “By acquiring them at this time, we have taken a quantum leap in our production mix, adding Point Imaging’s high-volume point-of-purchase/point-of-sale/out-of-home capabilities to our streamlined workflow, digital and conventional printing services, Web-to-print and cross-media expertise.

    “The acquisition expands our wide-format presence beyond our current roll-to-roll capabilities, including the ability to print direct to rigid substrates and a more robust array of grand-format print options. With this enhanced service offering, clients of both Vision and Point will benefit from this full range of services provided by a single highly responsive source. Our expectation is that this acquisition will be quickly integrated and accretive, due to our long-standing relationship and similar cultures,” Powell added

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  • 03.13.2012

    Urban Outfitters Reports 4th Quarter Operating Results

    Urban Outfitters, Inc., a leading lifestyle specialty retail company operating under the Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People, Terrain and Urban Outfitters brands today announced net income of $39.3 million and $185.3 million for the fourth quarter and the year ended January 31, 2012, respectively. Earnings per diluted share were $0.27 for the quarter and $1.19 for the year.

    For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, total company net sales increased 9% over the same quarter last year to $731 million. Comparable retail segment net sales, which include the Direct-to-Consumer channels, increased 2% for the quarter, while comparable store net sales decreased 1% for the quarter. Comparable retail segment net sales at Urban Outfitters, Free People and Anthropologie increased 3%, 9% and 1%, respectively. Direct-to-Consumer comparable net sales increased 14% and wholesale segment net sales rose 3% for the quarter.

    For the year ended January 31, 2012, total Company net sales increased to $2.5 billion, or 9%, over the prior year. Comparable retail segment net sales were flat while comparable store net sales decreased 4%. Direct-to-Consumer comparable net sales rose 14% for the year and wholesale segment net sales increased 11%.

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  • 03.13.2012

    Cascades announces price increase effective April 2, 2012

    Effective with shipments on or after April 2nd, Cascades Fine Papers Group will adjust its North American prices of the following products and their product derivatives. Transaction pricing will increase $3.00/cwt on rolls and list pricing will increase $1.50/cwt on sheets, folio/cut size.
     
    Rolland Enviro100 Print; Rolland Enviro100 Satin; Rolland Enviro100 Digital; Rolland Enviro100 Book and Schoolbook; Cascades Enviro Kraft Print; Rolland Opaque50; Rolland Hitech50; All Envelopes grades.
     
    All orders entered prior to March 12th, 2012, will be invoiced at the acknowledged price.
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  • 03.12.2012

    Grainger Reports February 2012 Sales Results

    Grainger today reported sales results for the month of February 2012.  Daily sales increased 18 percent versus February 2011.  Results for the month included a 5 percentage point contribution from acquisitions.  Excluding acquisitions, organic sales increased 13 percent, including 12 percentage points from volume and 3 percentage points from price, partially offset by a 2 percentage point decline from lower sales of seasonal products.  February 2012 had 21 selling days, one more than February 2011.  The 2012 first quarter will have the same number of selling days as the 2011 first quarter (64 days).
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  • 03.12.2012

    Uncoated papermaker American Eagle announces US$30-US$60/ton roll price increases for U.S., effective with shipments April 9

    (Industry Intelligence) Uncoated papermaker American Eagle Paper Mills today announced roll price increases for the U.S. of US$30-US$60 per ton (US$1.50-US$3.00 per cwt), effective with April 9 shipments.
     
    The affected “Eagle” grades are offset; PCW offset; converting grades; reply card 7pt.; white wove envelope; recycled/PCW white wove envelope; and kraft envelope.
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  • 03.12.2012

    Resolute Updates Status and Extends its Offer for Fibrek to March 19

    AbitibiBowater Inc., doing business as Resolute Forest Products, today announced that it has applied for leave to appeal the Court of Québec's decision reversing the cease trade order on Fibrek Inc.'s private placement of 32,320,000 special warrants to Mercer International Inc. The cease trade order was issued on February 23 in a decision of the Bureau de décision et de révision (Québec). The appeal, if leave is granted, will be heard by the Québec Court of Appeal.

    Resolute also announced that it has received a "no-action" letter from Canada's Commissioner of Competition, confirming that the Commissioner does not intend to challenge Resolute's acquisition of the Fibrek shares pursuant to its offer or any related subsequent transaction.

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  • 03.12.2012

    Oil Drops From Highest Price in a Week as China’s Exports Miss Forecasts

    Oil fell from the highest price in more than a week after exports grew more slowly than forecast in China, the world’s second-largest crude consumer, signaling an economic slowdown.

    Futures in New York slid as much as 0.9 percent, erasing last week’s gain. China had its biggest trade deficit last month in at least 22 years as Europe’s sovereign debt crisis damped exports, a March 10 report by the customs bureau showed. Overseas shipments increased 18 percent, less than a median estimate of 31 percent in a Bloomberg News survey. Hedge funds reduced bullish bets on oil for the first time in five weeks, according to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

    “It’s a risk-off day,” said Carsten Fritsch, an analyst at Commerzbank Bank AG in Frankfurt who forecasts prices will decline further. “People have focused on the Chinese export numbers today, though given last month’s imports were super- strong we’re still expecting continued strong economic activity in China.”

    Crude for April delivery fell as much as $1.02 to $106.38 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $106.49 at 10:46 a.m. London time. The contract rose 82 cents to $107.40 a barrel on March 9, the highest settlement since March 1.

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  • 03.12.2012

    Media websites increasingly charging for content

    R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co.'s Press+ released statistics highlighting growth in the efforts of media websites to begin charging for content.

    “There are now 285 Press+ Affiliates deploying all kinds of digital subscription models. That's a revolutionary change in the last six months, and it's where the action is,” said Steven Brill, co-CEO of Press+, in a statement.

    Press+ has added 265 of those sites within the past 12 months. Press+ said it has more than 200 companies with pending installations of the paywall platform.

    Gordon Crovitz, Press+ co-CEO said, on average, users of the Press+ system allow readers 14 free page views per month before they begin charging. The average monthly price for digital-only users is $6.50 per month. For print subscribers, the average monthly price for digital access is $2.

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  • 03.12.2012

    The New Republic Sold to Facebook Co-Founder

    The New Republic has been sold again. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes has taken a majority stake in the almost 100-year-old magazine, reports the New York Times' Media Decoder. The deal comes three years after Martin Peretz bought it back from Canada's CanWest Global Communications, which bought the magazine from its owners, including Peretz, in 2007.

    Rumors of a potential sale of the title broke out in January when the ownership group, which includes TNR Advisory Board chair Laurence Graftsein, Peretz, Pershing Square Capital Management's William Ackman, and Alter Group president Michael Alter, reportedly hired the Blackstone Group to put the magazine on the block.

    Peretz was the magazine's part owner for more than 30 years and was editor-in-chief until January 2011 when he stepped down to become editor-in-chief emeritus.

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  • 03.12.2012

    Consumers like search, but shy away from personalized results and ads

    More than two-thirds, or 68%, of U.S. Internet users say they dislike receiving ads targeted to them based on their prior online behavior because they don’t want their behavior tracked and analyzed, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project.
     
    The study also revealed that 65% of Americans think it’s a bad idea for search engines like Google to serve them search results based on their individual search histories, as consumers  believe doing so may limit the information they see. Consumers also don’t want search engines collecting and analyzing their search behavior; 73% say they consider doing so an invasion of privacy.
     
    Pew collected the data via phone interviews conducted in January and February with 2,253 adults.  The survey found that search engines play an increasingly larger role in everyday life. 54% of survey respondents say they used a search engine yesterday, up from 35% who said the same in 2004. Consumers most likely to have used search within a day of the survey are young, college-educated and have household incomes of at least $50,000.
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  • 03.12.2012

    Will The New iPad Display Put Digital Mags On A Crash Diet?

    For magazine publishers the next-gen iPad’s “Retina Display” raises an interesting math problem. The doubling of resolution and pixel density opens up worlds of opportunity for crafting even more luscious visual experiences. But at what cost to consumers already frustrated with the massive files size of many digital editions? A posting last week by publishing and design consultant David Sleight ran the numbers and showed that since most magazine apps are based on sizable PDF and JPG files in order to optimize workflows with the print side, they result even in text pages that can be 150 to 350 kB in size. Optimizing such files for the big bump in resolution offered by the new iPad and he estimates we are talking about 2MB file sizes just for a single page.

    Even if consumers don’t recoil at the download times associated with exponentially larger issue sizes, their iPads will. Apple has not increased the flash storage capacity of the new models. They still top off at 64GB at the high end.

    Sleight says in his post:
     
    “The question now before platform makers is whether they will begin exploring alternatives or will pass the pain along to users in the form of unsustainably large issue sizes. The three likely options on the table for them are: 1) Do nothing; 2) Start building dynamic layout and text rendering engines; or 3) Begin basing their platforms on Web technologies.”
     

    This issue has become a new point of concern among several Web and app designers online. But according to magazine professionals we consulted, Apple’s move to higher resolutions, while not directly shared with publishers in advance, was not exactly an industry secret. And according to Gregg Hano, SVP corporate sales and technology group, Bonnier, “We would say those estimates are severely high.” Bonnier publishes titles like PopSci+ and Saveur on iPad and also provides its Mag+ tablet publishing platform to other publishers. “On Mag+ we do not anticipate 6x or 7x by any means.” He tells minonline that many adjustments can be made to compression and page quality, dynamic downloading of images to ease the load. But he also warns that moving exclusively to an HTML5-based approach would lose some of the higher quality text and image features many publishers and app consumers expect from their titles. The app environment still offers publishers a richer layout and design tool set. “Look at any HTML magazine and you will see that - it's lowest common denominator,” says Hano. “You don't have as many font choices, or nearly the text setting control.”

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  • 03.12.2012

    Short-term global pulp supply restrictions pushing up prices in March

    Pulp producers are generally seeing increased list and spot prices in March and prices could rise a bit more in the second quarter, sources said.
     
    Some mill shuts and operational problems in recent months have curbed supply, and upcoming scheduled spring Northern Hemisphere maintenance shuts will also further restrict it.

    After that, with production back to full swing and going into the seasonally slower Northern summer for a paper side that is less than robust for various sectors, pulp pricing momentum is likely to be flat, sources say.
     
    Sources continue to fret about global economic conditions, with Europe still struggling and slowed growth in China.
     
    In China, northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp list prices have moved up in March. It is not yet clear whether or how much NBSK list prices will increase in Europe this month. There was no effort to increase NBSK list pricing in North America.

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  • 03.12.2012

    Nippon Paper Papylia Launches New Thermal Water-Soluble Paper

    Nippon Paper Papylia Co., Ltd. (President: Masahiro Hirakawa), part of the Nippon Paper Group, and Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (President: Yoshio Haga) have jointly developed Thermal Water- Soluble Paper, a paper that can be used in thermal printers and dissolves in water instantly. Nippon Paper Papylia has commenced sales of this product.
     
    Thermal Water-Soluble Paper is a high-performance paper created in response to the need of customers for a paper that can be printed using a thermal printer and that can be removed with water when used for printed labels. Utilizing the collective strength of the Nippon Paper Group, the product was developed by combining Nippon Paper Papylia's technology for paper that rapidly dissolves in water with the thermal paper technology possessed by Nippon Paper Industries. Thermal Water-Soluble Paper is already being used in the food industry overseas.
     
    As a manufacturer of specialized papers, Nippon Paper Papylia has been offering paper with a range of added functions in response to the needs of the market. The company will market Thermal Water-Soluble Paper in addition to its existing range of water-soluble papers, cultivating markets for the product as a thermal material that can be used for new applications, such as for distribution labels that will be removed with water.
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  • 03.12.2012

    Appleton to Implement Supply Agreement With Domtar

    Appleton will begin to implement the 15-year supply agreement with Domtar previously announced on February 23. Under terms of that agreement, Domtar will supply Appleton with most of the uncoated base paper the Company needs to produce its thermal, carbonless, and other specialty paper products.

    The agreement was considered tentative at the time of the announcement. Since the agreement will result in a reduction of approximately 330 jobs at Appleton's West Carrollton mill, Appleton's management team wanted to conduct discussions with leaders of Local 266 of the United Steelworkers regarding the reasons the Company chose to pursue the agreement before implementing it. Those discussions have been completed.

    On March 12, Company officials will start negotiations with the mill's union leaders to address transition issues and terms of separation packages for union employees who will lose their jobs as a result of the permanent shutdown of papermaking operations at the mill. Affected salaried employees have been notified that they will receive benefits in accordance with the Company's severance pay plan for salaried employees.

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  • 03.12.2012

    Tempt In-Store Productions Delivers Customized and Impactful In-Store Shopper Experiences

    Tempt In-Store Productions, a Quad/Graphics company, reports that its recent investments in new digital presses are paying off for a growing list of retail customers. With one of North America’s largest installed bases of large-format digital UV flatbed press equipment, Tempt’s new 100,000-square-foot facility in New Berlin, Wis., has become a leader in the technology revolution that is changing how retailers market in-store.

    “Our new Inca Onset S-70 digital UV press -along with our original S-70 press -give us two of the fastest large-format digital UV presses in the world,” said Michael Draver, President of Tempt In-Store Productions. “These presses can produce a 5-foot-by-10-foot image at speeds up to 130 sheets per hour on a wide range of flexible and rigid substrates. We have a growing list of national retail customers who are enjoying the many benefits this technology offers such as greater flexibility, faster turnaround and quality that rivals offset.”

    Tempt’s investment in the Inca presses is complemented by a new, large-format UV offset press, also installed in 2011. This press supports customer needs for more conventional signage and display printing on projects with higher quantities on heavier substrates, including non-paper projects. “There is a clear direction in the industry away from traditional screen printing and Tempt is leading that industry transformation,” Draver said. “We also invested in a new HP TJ8550 UV Digital Press, which offers our customers yet another option through a unique ‘roll-to-sheet’ digital print and integrated cutting system that makes for infinite formatting options up to 65 inches by 144 inches.”

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  • 03.12.2012

    John Wiley & Sons Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2012 Results

    John Wiley and Sons, Inc., a global provider of content and workflow solutions in areas of scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly research; professional and personal development; and education today announced results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2012:
     
    Revenue growth of 1% including and excluding foreign exchange (or "FX")
    Revenue by segment, including FX:  STMS +3%, P/T -6% and Education +2%
    Adjusted EPS grew 8% to $0.91, or 6% excluding FX.  Growth was driven by top-line results, prudent expense management and lower interest expense and income taxes.
    Shared Services and Administrative Costs excluding FX, were up 3% to $91 million, driven principally by technology spending to support investments in digital products and infrastructure.  
    Outlook:  Reaffirming FY12 revenue guidance of low single-digit growth excluding FX and EPS guidance in a range from $3.15 to $3.20 including the effect of FX and excluding the unusual tax benefits. 
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