Paperclips Blog | International Paper Results

  • 04.03.2012

    Sappi Fine Paper North America's eQ Journal 004: Taking the Guilt Out of Paper Sets the Facts Straight

    Sappi Fine Paper North America today announced the release of eQ Journal 004, an in-depth, myth-busting look at sustainable forestry. Grounded in facts and science, this edition of eQ Journal presents how sustainable forestry protects air and water quality, supports biodiversity of plants and wildlife and results in healthier forests.

    This edition also challenges the assumption that the best thing for a forest is to leave it in its natural state. It illustrates that in fact, sustainable forest management creates biodiversity in age classes which helps support a wide variety of bird and animal species, as well as the long-term vitality of the forest. To examine the true benefits of a well-managed forest, eQ Journal 004 draws on thought-provoking expertise from Sappi foresters, an academician, a conservationist and a third-generation logger. This edition also shares insights from Hans Wegner, chief sustainability officer of National Geographic Society, regarding how his organization is supporting sustainable forestry.

    "As a global leader in the forest products industry, we want consumers to understand the environmental, social and economic benefits of working forests," said Laura Thompson, Ph.D., director of technical marketing and sustainable development, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "Sustainable forest management practices are utilized to help deliver on society's demands for wood products while preserving forest health and biodiversity," added Thompson.

    eQ Journal 004 also reveals details about Sappi's best practices at its mills in Cloquet, Minn. and Skowhegan, Maine, including routine visits to harvest sites to ensure plans comply with Best Management Practices- criteria essential to securing chain of custody certification for the company's products. To learn more about sustainable forestry initiatives at Sappi's Cloquet Mill, watch "Taking the Guilt out of Paper."

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  • 04.03.2012

    UK paper recycling rate reaches 78.7% in 2011

    The rise from 75.1% in 2010 to 78.7% last year ensures that the UK surpasses the target set in the revised ‘European Declaration on Paper Recycling (2011-2015)’ to “maintain current high levels in countries where it already reached levels of above 70%”. However, CPI sounded a note of caution by highlighting that the rise in the recycling rate could be attributed more to a decrease in paper consumption than a signifcant increase in the amount of paper collected for recycling.
     
    Stuart Pohler, CPI Recovered Paper Sector Manager, commented, “Whilst the increase in the recycling rate is welcomed in principle, it is important to qualify the apparent performance improvement. UK collection of used recovered paper in 2011 was just over 8 million tonnes - an increase of 0.4% on 2010 - whereas consumption of paper and board products which entered the UK waste stream reduced by 4.2% compared to 2010. With lower volumes available for collection, and only a modest increase in tonnage collected for recycling from existing sources, ensuring recycling performance is maintained in future will mean additional sources will be required. This will have a significant knock-on effect for cost and quality control for collectors, and may become increasingly difficult if demand from global paper mills falls; further suppressing collectors income”.
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  • 04.03.2012

    Ripon Printers Acquires Sells Printing

    Ripon Printers, a leading printer of catalogs, publications, manuals and soft-cover educational products, has acquired certain business interests and assets of Sells Printing (New Berlin, WI). The combined annual sales of the two companies total approximately $55 million (Printing Impressions 2011 Top 400 ranking: Ripon - #134, $36.59 million; Sells - #168, $29.1 million).

    This acquisition unites two market leaders, bringing greater resources and a broader range of services to both companies’ clients. The name of the combined companies will be Ripon Printers and Andy Lyke, president and CEO of Ripon, will continue serving in that role.

    “This is an exciting time for our customers and for Ripon Printers,” Lyke said. “Sells Printing is well respected in the Milwaukee market and beyond. It’s commitment to meeting and exceeding it’s customers’ expectations makes it a perfect match for Ripon Printers. We look forward to continuing this fine tradition—providing customer delight to all of our customers.

    “We anticipate the synergy created by the combining of these two companies will create more employment opportunities, particularly at our main plant in Ripon. This is good news for our employees, company and the Ripon community.”

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  • 04.02.2012

    UPM’s sale of RFID business to SMARTRAC concluded

    UPM's sale of RFID business to SMARTRAC N.V. was completed on 31 March 2012 following clearance by all competent authorities. The RFID business consisting of three companies in Finland, the United States and China, has been transferred to the new owner. The deal was published on 22 December 2011.

    UPM will become an indirect shareholder of SMARTRAC with a 10.6 percent economic interest through the company OEP Technologie B.V., a holding company controlled by One Equity Partners and one of the major shareholders of SMARTRAC.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Ahlstrom's ownership in Jujo Thermal to increase to 50%

    Ahlstrom, a high performance materials company, announces that its ownership in associated company Jujo Thermal Ltd. will increase to 50% from the current 41.7%. 

    Jujo Thermal has decided to redeem the shares of its minority shareholder Mitsui & Co. Ltd. As a result, Jujo Thermal's remaining shareholders Nippon Paper Group and Ahlstrom Corporation each own 50% of the company. Ahlstrom will continue to include Jujo Thermal's financial figures in its consolidated financial statements as an associated company.  

    Jujo Thermal is one of the world's leading suppliers of durable direct thermal papers for label, tickets and tags and point-of-sales use. The company is based in Kauttua, Finland.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Resolute Reduces Minimum Tender Condition and Extends its Offer for Fibrek to April 11

    AbitibiBowater Inc., doing business as Resolute Forest Products, today announced that it has reduced to 59,502,822 shares the minimum tender condition of its offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fibrek Inc.  Presently, 59,502,822 Fibrek shares are committed to Resolute's offer pursuant to the previously disclosed lock-up agreements, representing approximately 45.7% of shares currently outstanding.  The Company also announced that it has extended the expiry time of its offer to 11:59 p.m. on April 11. 

    As of the close of business on March 30, approximately 60.3 million common shares of Fibrek had been deposited to Resolute's offer, representing approximately 46.4% of the currently outstanding shares.

    In the event that the cease trade order imposed by the Bureau de décision et de révision (Québec) relating to the special warrants is not in full force and effect at the expiry time, the minimum tender condition will instead be 81,197,780 Fibrek shares.  "Special warrants" refers to the Fibrek securities issuable to Mercer International Inc., as disclosed by Fibrek and Mercer on February 10.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Crude Declines in New York Amid European Growth

    Oil declined in New York as economic contraction in Europe countered signs of growth in the U.S. and China, the world’s largest consumers of crude.

    West Texas Intermediate fell as much as 0.6 percent, erasing an earlier gain of 0.5 percent. Euro-region manufacturing contracted for an eighth month in March, London- based Markit Economics said today. China’s Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to a one-year high of 53.1 in March, according to a government report yesterday.

    “High oil prices, while superficially benefiting producers, may yet be a curse for the economic recovery,” said Christopher Bellew, a senior broker at Jefferies Bache Ltd. in London, who correctly predicted Brent crude’s rise to more than $120 a barrel this year. “It’s far from clear in which direction the market will break out of this range, but right now it looks as if people are betting on a move lower.”

    Oil for May delivery slipped as much as 62 cents to $102.40 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $102.43 at 11:28 a.m. London time. It dropped to $102.13 on March 29, the lowest since Feb. 16. Prices fell 3.8 percent in March.

    Brent oil for May settlement fell 48 cents to $122.40 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The European benchmark contract’s premium to New York-traded WTI was at $19.97, having settled at $19.86 on March 30, the most since Oct. 24.

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  • 04.02.2012

    AF&PA Releases 52nd Annual Survey of Paper, Paperboard, and Pulp Capacity

    The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) today released the 52nd Annual Survey of Paper, Paperboard and Pulp Capacity, reporting that U.S. paper and paperboard capacity decline slowed to 1.4% in 2011 to a level of 89.7 million short tons. 

    Last year's decrease was smaller than the 3.1% reduction recorded in 2010.  Total paper and paperboard capacity is expected to decline 1.0% in 2012 and then register increases of 0.6% and 0.5% in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

    Containerboard and tissue paper capacity expanded in 2011, while the packaging & industrial convertingand boxboard categories held approximately stable.  Newsprint and printing-writing papers registered the largest 2011 capacity declines.

    Several mills and machines were removed from the survey base during the 2011-2014 period because they have closed, plan to close, or have been idled for some time with few indications they will be restarted in the near future.  However, several new tissue paper machines either started operating or will start operating by 2014, and a new recycled linerboard mill is scheduled to come on line in mid-2013.

    The survey reports U.S. industry capacity data for 2011 through 2014 for all major grades of paper, paperboard, and pulp, based on a comprehensive survey of all U.S. pulp and paper mills.  Survey respondents represent about 90% of the U.S industry capacity.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Euro-Graph Publishes European Mechanical Paper Statistics

    Total European shipments of newsprint fell 1.5% vs. Feb 2011 and are down 3.6% year-to-date.  Total European shipments of SC-Magazine grades increased 0.9% vs. Feb 2011 and are up 4.7% year-to-date. Total shipments of Coated Mechanical reels fell 2.5% vs. Feb 2011 and are down 0.7% year-to-date.  Total European shipments of Uncoated Mechanical (Improved and Others) fell 4.3% and are down 4.0% year-to-date.
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  • 04.02.2012

    SCA Achieves First Zero-Waste-To-Landfill Manufacturing Plant in North America

    SCA announced its first zero-waste-to-landfill manufacturing plant in North America. The plant, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, manufactures SCA’s Tena line of incontinence products.
     
    The facility, which opened in 1988, had programs in place to recycle about 90 percent of its waste. In 2011, SCA reviewed waste streams left over from its existing programs to find additional efficiencies. In September 2011, the plant implemented plans for the zero-waste-to-landfill program, the company said.
     
    The zero-waste-to-landfill recycling program consists of segregating manufacturing, office, distribution and maintenance waste into three basic categories; combined recyclable materials, compostable materials and engineered fuel.
     
    The zero-waste facility comes as SCA updated its global sustainability targets. SCA said it will reduce CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and from purchased electricity and heating by 20 percent by the year 2020, from 2005 levels, and SCA will increase wind power production on its forest land to 5 TWh by 2020. The company said it will triple production of biofuels from the forests by 2020 from 2010 levels.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Flint Group North America Raises Prices on Spot Color Inks, Varnishes and Pressroom Chemistry for the Print Media Market

    Flint Group North America has announced an 8% price increase on spot color inks and overprint varnishes used in sheetfed and heatset applications. In addition, they announced price increases of US/CAD$0.75 - $1.25 on press washes used in sheeted and offset web applications. The increases take effect April 1, 2012, subject to existing contracts.

    “The global raw material market continues to suffer from an imbalance in supply and demand,” explains Doug Labertew, Vice President, Sheetfed. “This is continuing to drive up costs of key raw materials and oils used to manufacture and deliver inks and pressroom chemicals.”

    In 2011, raw material costs were greater than their peak in 2008. This upward trend has continued in 2012, with crude’s rising and volatile cost a key factor. “The cumulative effect of all this cost pressure,” notes Michael Kellen, Business Director, Pressroom Chemicals, “has had a tremendous impact.”

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  • 04.02.2012

    Euro-Graph Publishes European Fine Paper Statistics

    Total European shipments of Coated Woodfree papers fell 5.3% vs. Feb 2011 and are down 5.8% year-to-date.  Total European shipments of Uncoated woodfree papers fell 0.2% vs. Feb 2011 and are down 2.3% year-to-date.
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  • 04.02.2012

    Hudson News Takes Minority Stake in Comag

    According to several sources, Hudson News president James Cohen is taking a minority stake in Comag Marketing Group.

    The deal is effective today and along with his stake in Comag, Cohen will become vice chairman of CMG's board. Michael Korenberg, managing director and vice chairman of the Jim Pattison Group, which bought Comag from Condé Nast and Hearst in January, will remain chairman. Comag president Jay Felts will remain in his position as well.

    The deal signals another major shift in the magagzine newsstand supply chain, bringing once disparate players closer together. The Jim Pattison Group already owns wholesaler The News Group and with Cohen's minority buy-in, that puts two wholesalers in much closer proximity with each other and a national distributor—effectively closing the middleman gap.

    While the Comag/Pattison arrangement is said to remain operationally separate, there's likely to be some degree of an "opening of the books" between the groups. And now Hudson News appears to be gaining from that arrangement as well.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Hearst Corporation Acquires 20% Stake in Stylus Media Group

    Hearst Corporation today announced that it has acquired a 20 percent stake in Stylus Media Group, which provides business intelligence to consumer companies. The announcement was made jointly by Frank A. Bennack, Jr., CEO of Hearst Corporation, and Marc Worth, CEO and founder of Stylus. Financial terms were not disclosed.
     
    Stylus tracks consumer behavior and cultural shifts across consumer industries, including automotive, technology, media, retail, fashion and hospitality. Stylus (Stylus.com) is used by design, marketing, branding and business development departments inside companies to stimulate new ideas about consumer products and services.
     
    As part of the agreement, Kenneth A. Bronfin, president of Hearst Interactive Media, will join the Board of Directors of Stylus. The Interactive Media group will manage Hearst’s stake in Stylus as it does with its numerous portfolio businesses.
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  • 04.02.2012

    Fry Family Network Member Godengo, Inc. Acquires Texterity

    Fry Communications is pleased to announce that Godengo, Inc., the largest provider of content management systems for magazine publishers and a member of the Fry Family Network™, has acquired Texterity, a leading provider of digital magazines, mobile applications, and a virtual newsstand.
     
    “Together Godengo and Texterity will provide a next-generation unified platform for Web, mobile, and app publishing,” said David Fry, Chief Technology Officer of Fry Communications. “This is exactly why we invested in the Fry Family Network™ - to provide the best available technology and services to our customers. The welcome addition of Texterity to the Fry Family Network™ extends the digital publishing options available to our customers, to meet the full spectrum of workflow and functionality requirements.”
     
    “The publishing industry has been looking for a true partner that can meet the full scope of needs in cross-platform digital and mobile integration, and now it has one,” said Peter Stilson, Godengo’s President and CEO, who will lead the combined company as CEO.

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  • 04.02.2012

    MM Packaging announces closure of Liverpool plant

    Mayr-Melnhof Packaging today announced that it is to close its packaging plant in Liverpool.
     
    In recent years, the team in Liverpool has worked hard to improve the plant’s competitiveness, in order to keep production at the site. However, the economic situation, latest market developments and the demands of MM-Packaging’s customers have finally led to this difficult decision.
     
    The factory in Liverpool has most recently employed a total of 109 employees.

    Customers are not affected by this measure as they are now being supplied by other parts of the European MMP production network.

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  • 04.02.2012

    IWCO Direct Invests in Production Platform Reset to Enhance Efficiency and Cost Structure

    IWCO Direct, a leading national provider of direct marketing solutions, will invest $4 million to reset its production platform during the next 60-120 days. This reset is driven by opportunities presented with the company’s recent $13 million purchase of high-speed equipment from DGI Services, LLC combined with response to market strategy shifts within the financial services and insurance sectors. Certain customer service and production functions will be relocated to its Chanhassen, Minn., and Hamburg, Pa., facilities which will reduce cost structure and provide greater postal benefits for customers. Once the reset is complete, IWCO Direct will be positioned to produce up to 385 million direct mail packages per month, an increase of nearly 30 percent.

    “Resetting our production platform with facility consolidations and the higher speed equipment we recently acquired allows us to strategically incorporate greater efficiencies,” said Jim Andersen, IWCO Direct chief executive officer. “This will result in additional advantages for our customers, such as better net cost from enhanced postal solutions.”

    As part of its reset plan, IWCO Direct will consolidate leaseholds to take advantage of available space at its Hamburg locations and a 150,000 sq. ft. facility adjacent to its Chanhassen headquarters.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Consumer spending rose 0.8% in February

    Consumer spending rose 0.8% in February, the Commerce Department said Friday. It was the biggest increase since July. However, the increase came as Americans' income barely grew, and the saving rate fell to its lowest point in more than two years.
     
    Some of the higher spending last month reflected rising gas prices. But even after excluding inflation, which was due mainly to gas prices, spending rose a solid 0.5%.
     
    The report led economists to upwardly revise their economic growth estimates for the January-March quarter. Paul Dales, an economist at Capital Economics, now expects annual growth for the first quarter to be around 2.5%, compared with earlier estimates of about 2%, the Associated Press reported.
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  • 04.02.2012

    Norske Skog sells Follum to Viken Skog

    Norske Skog has entered into an agreement to sell the Follum site to Viken Skog, which has ambitious, future plans.
    After the decision to close the mill at Follum, Norske Skog has worked to find relevant stakeholders to create new activities on the site. Norske Skog considers it a good solution that others can now take over the further development.

    Norske Skog is very pleased that Viken Skog will now take over the work to create new activities at Follum. It has been important for us to find a buyer with ambitions for the future, with support from Buskerud county Council, Ringerike municipality Council and regional businesses, and not least from the trade unions at Follum. I wish Viken Skog and the Ringerike region luck with the exciting development work, says president and CEO in Norske Skog, Sven Ombudstvedt.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Norske Skog divests its operations in Chile

    Norske Skog has agreed to sell Norske Skog Bio Bio in Chile to Group BO, a consortium of Chilean investors, for USD 56 million. Group BO plans to continue producing newsprint at the mill.

    The divestment is a part of our strategy to improve Norske Skog's cash flow and financial position. We are very pleased to be able to sell the Chilean operations to an industrial player with long-term plans for the mill, says Sven Ombudstvedt, president and CEO of Norske Skog.

    The Bio Bio mill has a total newsprint production of approximately 125 000 tons, and is one of total four newsprint mills in South America.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Magazines' Digital Circulation More Than Doubles -- But Remains Small

    Magazines more than doubled their paid digital circulation in the most recent reporting period, but print remains the overwhelming majority of their business, according to a new analysis by the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

    Digital circulation soared to an estimated 3.29 million in the second half of 2011 from 1.46 million in the year-earlier period, a 125% increase, according to publishers' reports with the Audit Bureau.
     
    Despite all that growth, however, digital remains about 1% of magazines' total paid and verified circulation.
     
    Digital circulation is an increasing focus for magazines and for the Audit Bureau, whose board of directors earlier this month endorsed an expanded publisher's statement giving ad buyers additional information about digital. But two years after the Apple iPad created the tablet market, pulling Barnes & Noble and Amazon devices in after, it appears that print will remain publishers' core business for some time to come.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Sun Chemical Europe announces a new price increase for all products containing Titanium Dioxide

    Sun Chemical today announces an additional price increase for its European customers of at least 6% on all Sun Chemical inks containing Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). The percentage price increase will depend on the product composition and TiO2 grade and is effective immediately.
     
    TiO2 is a pigment used in most white inks across several print applications, most significantly flexible packaging. This price increase is a consequence of the increased raw material cost of Ti02, which has risen more than 70% since the start of 2010 as a result of high demand.
     
    Felipe Mellado, Sun Chemical’s Chief Marketing Officer said: “The continued raw material price increases make it necessary for us to keep our ink prices under review. We work proactively with our supply chain partners to control costs, but it is an economic reality that they are passing on significant TiO2 price increases to the inks and coatings industry, and this is reflected in our product pricing.”
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  • 04.02.2012

    Quad Enters Strategic Partnership with India-Based Manipal Technologies

    Quad/Graphics, Inc., a global provider of print and related multichannel solutions, has entered into a strategic partnership with Manipal Technologies Ltd. (ManipalTech), India’s largest print services and end-to-end business solutions provider. Under the agreement, Quad/Graphics has purchased a minority interest in Manipal Technologies, expanding Quad/Graphics’ geographic reach to Asia, and broadening its product and service scope.

    “This investment expands our global presence, giving us a strong foothold in another emerging market with a large and growing middle class that is attractive to marketers and publishers,” said Joel Quadracci, Chairman, President & CEO of Quad/Graphics. “Additionally, this partnership supports a key component of our growth strategy, which is to invest in geographies and segments where we can be a market leader through a diverse product offering, and a superior and efficient operating platform. We are proud to partner with a reputable, forward-thinking company like ManipalTech, which shares our commitment to advancing the effectiveness of print in a multichannel media world.”

    ManipalTech is a leading printer of security products, such as debit and credit cards, bank checks and drafts, high-security revenue-assurance labels, pre-paid phone cards, gift vouchers and personalized holograms, as well as marketing, branding and communications products,including magazines, catalogs, books, brochures, annual reports, consumer goods packaging, point-of-purchase displays, envelopes and stationery, manuals and labels. The company performs work for customers in a variety of industries, including Publishing, Banking, Financial Services, Insurance, Telecommunications, Education, Consumer Goods and Retail, Aviation and Transportation, and the Government. The company is committed to advancing its product and service offering through research and development. Currently, it is developing products with embedded technology; biometrics such as fingerprints and iris recognition; printed electronics; and interactive print features such as near field communication (NFC).

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  • 04.02.2012

    Publishing Industry Has Strong January

    The US publishing industry saw dynamic net sales revenue growth in Adult, Children’s, Young Adult and Religious categories in January 2012 as compared to January 2011, according to the monthly industry snapshot report produced by the Association of American Publishers.
     
    Publishers attributed the near-total across-the-board percentage increases in both print and digital formats to general economic improvement, particularly evident during the holiday season and for brick-and-mortar booksellers. This period also saw a number of successful new titles released by publishers for the adult and youth markets. Several also noted that the overall growth in revenue for print-format books in January 2012 was partly due to the returns from the Borders chain that had occurred last January.
     
    These figures are part of a significant expansion of the AAP monthly new sales revenue report also launching this month. The report now has a name — AAP Monthly StatShot — and now includes a considerably larger base of participating publishers (from an average 75-90 in the past to 1149 this month) and additional categories including eBook data for Children/Young Adults and Hardcover, Paperback and eBook data for Religious Presses.

    The full monthly report is provided free to AAP member organizations and can be purchased on a subscription basis for non-members. For subscription rates and purchasing forms, contact info@publishers.org.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Charming Shoppes Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2011 Results

    Charming Shoppes, Inc., a leading apparel retailer specializing in women's plus-size apparel, today reported sales and operating results for the three and twelve months ended January 28, 2012.

    Fourth Quarter Consolidated Results: Net sales were $559.1 million for the fourth quarter ended January 28, 2012, a decrease of 2.9% compared to $575.8 million for the prior year period. The $16.7 million decrease includes the impact of operating 207 fewer stores than in the prior year period, partially offset by a consolidated comparable store sales increase of 1%. This included a 2% comparable store sales increase for Lane Bryant, a 5% comparable store sales increase for Catherines, a 2% comparable store sale decrease for Fashion Bug, and an increase of 17% in e-commerce sales. The inclusion of e-commerce sales with the bricks and mortar comparable store sales would result in a comparable sales increase of 3% for the quarter.

    Gross profit was $235.1 million or 42.0% of sales in the quarter, compared to $247.6 million or 43.0% of sales in the same quarter last year. The gross margin was negatively impacted by deeper-than-planned promotional activity at Lane Bryant, partially offset by improvements at Catherines and Fashion Bug.

    Fiscal Year 2011 Consolidated Results: Net sales were $1.992 billion for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012, a decrease of 3.4% compared to $2.062 billion for the prior year. Comparable store sales for the year were flat compared to the prior year and included a 3% comparable store sales increase for Lane Bryant and an increase of 16% in e-commerce sales. The inclusion of e-commerce sales with the bricks and mortar comparable store sales would result in a comparable sales increase of 1% for the year.

    On a non-GAAP basis, adjusted income from operations improved $42.9 million or 210 basis points as a percent of sales to $24.7 million. This compares to an adjusted loss from operations of $(18.2) million for the prior year. Both periods excluded restructuring and other items.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Resolute Updates Status of its Offer for Fibrek

    AbitibiBowater Inc., doing business as Resolute Forest Products, today announced that the Québec Court of Appeal has reinstated the cease trade order on Fibrek Inc.'s (TSX: FBK) private placement of 32,320,000 special warrants to Mercer International Inc. (Nasdaq: MERC) (TSX: MRI.U), an order issued by the Bureau de décision et de révision (Québec) on February 23. The Court of Appeal's decision reverses the March 16 decision of the Court of Québec.  The Bureau is the administrative tribunal with statutory jurisdiction in securities law and regulatory matters in Québec.
     
    The offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fibrek made by Resolute, together with RFP Acquisition Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, is more fully described in the offer circular and other ancillary documentation that Resolute filed on December 15, 2011, on the "SEDAR" website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators, as varied and extended. The offer will expire at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on April 2, 2012, unless it is extended or withdrawn by Resolute.
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  • 04.02.2012

    JoS. A. Bank Clothiers Reports Fiscal Year 2011 Results; Profits Increase 13.6%

    JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. announces today record results for its fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 ("fiscal year 2011").
     
    Net income for fiscal year 2011 increased 13.6% to a record $97.5 million, as compared with net income of $85.8 million for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2011 ("fiscal year 2010"). Earnings per share for fiscal year 2011 increased 13.3% to $3.49 as compared with earnings per share of $3.08 for fiscal year 2010.
     
    Net sales reached a record of $979.9 million in fiscal year 2011, representing a 14.2% gain as compared with net sales of $858.1 million in fiscal year 2010. Comparable store sales increased 7.6% during fiscal year 2011, while Direct Marketing sales increased 14.7%.
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  • 04.02.2012

    UPM Tervasaari mill’s rebuilt paper machine 8 starts after renewal

    UPM Tervasaari mill’s paper machine 8, producing label release base papers, has been started-up after major renovation. Modifications have been made throughout the paper machine line in order to increase speed and further improve paper quality.

    The renewal will increase the capacity of the paper machine by 30,000 tonnes.

    "The investment is UPM's way of meeting the increasing demand for label papers. The company wants to secure its market leader position in label papers and support customer growth," says Pentti Putkinen, General Manager of the Tervasaari Mill.

    “The new technology enables us to produce even thinner high quality papers. The better efficiency of the paper production and material usage also improves the competitiveness of label papers. This strengthens the position of paper based labelstock in competition with other materials and alternative product decoration techniques in the market”, Antti Heimola, Product Manager of UPM Label Paper explains.

    PM 8 was built in 1996. It underwent major renovations in 2006.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Coupon Facts Report Provides Comprehensive Look at Marketers' Tactics and Consumer Response

    Valassis, one of the nation's leading media and marketing services companies, released today a comprehensive coupon report that provides insights into the scope and scale of the use of coupons in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry as a vehicle to promote their brands and consumer response results.

    In total, $470 billion of coupon value was offered by CPG marketers to U.S. consumers last year – a 26% increase over the pre-recession period of 2007. The last three years represent the highest annual volumes of coupons distributed since the pre-recession period, according to the 2012 Coupon Facts Report, issued by NCH Marketing Services. NCH is a Valassis company.

    Marketers are controlling and altering their tactics to accomplish their own unique, strategic objectives. The report, which includes reference tables and five-year trend graphs, also illustrates the different strategies employed in 2011 in the grocery and health and beauty care (HBC) segments. In 2011, grocery product marketers reduced the total quantity of coupons in the marketplace, while HBC marketers maintained a steady volume of coupons to promote their products to frugal-minded shoppers.

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  • 04.02.2012

    Best Buy Reports Fiscal Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2012 Results

    Best Buy Co., Inc. today reported a GAAP net loss of ($1.7) billion, or ($4.89) per share, for its fourth quarter ended March 3, 2012 compared to net income of $651 million, or $1.62 per diluted share for the prior-year period. The fiscal fourth quarter 2012 results include $2.6 billion of charges primarily related to the actions announced on November 7, 2011, which consist of the purchase of Carphone Warehouse Group plc's (CPW) share of the Best Buy Mobile profit share agreement and related costs, a non-cash impairment charge to reflect the write-off of Best Buy Europe goodwill, and restructuring charges (primarily associated with U.K. big box pilot store closures).

    Excluding the above charges, adjusted (non-GAAP) diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter were $2.47, an increase of 25 percent when compared to adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.98 for the prior-year period. Comparable store sales for the quarter declined 2.4 percent compared to a decline of 4.7 percent for the prior-year period. 

    For the fiscal year ended March 3, 2012, GAAP loss per share totaled ($3.36) compared to diluted earnings per share of $3.08 in fiscal 2011. Adjusted (non-GAAP) diluted earnings per share for the fiscal year totaled $3.64, an increase of 6 percent when compared to the previous year's adjusted diluted earnings per share of $3.43. Comparable store sales for the fiscal year declined 1.7 percent compared to a decline of 1.8 percent for the prior-year period.

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  • 04.02.2012

    R.R. Donnelley to close Mendota plant

    R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co.will close its Mendota printing plant at the end of May in a move that will affect 207 employees.

    The pending closure will be devastating for the city, Mayor David Boelk said Thursday. Boelk said the company's announcement caught him off guard, adding that he learned about the closing on Wednesday when an employee called him in tears.

    "I feel for all (the workers). There are quite a few families where both spouses work at the plant," Boelk said.

    R.R. Donnelley is one of the largest employers in the city of 7,340 residents. As such, the closing will affect other businesses, including the local post office, which Boelk said was spared in the latest round of Postal Service closings because of the volume of mail generated by the plant. Boelk said he hopes to find a buyer for the plant that could rehire the workers.

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  • 03.30.2012

    Verso Paper Corp. Announces Exchange Offer for Outstanding Debt and Related Consent Solicitation

    MEMPHIS, Tenn., Mar 29, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Verso Paper Corp. VRS +4.63% announced today that two of its wholly owned subsidiaries, Verso Paper Holdings LLC and Verso Paper Inc. (collectively, the “Issuers”), have launched an offer to issue up to $180.2 million aggregate principal amount of a new series of 9.75% secured notes due 2019 (the “New Notes”) in exchange for any and all of the Issuers’ outstanding $180.2 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured floating-rate notes due 2014 (the “Old Notes”).
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  • 03.30.2012

    Winners of the third SCA Packaging Design Challenge Announced

    This year’s challenge for the LEGO category was to create an innovative packaging storage system for the LEGO® Bricks & More set. The participants of the Tempo category, meanwhile, had to re-think the Tempo standard tissue box. Over 1000 registrations were received from design students and non-professional designers from 43 countries around the world.

    After extensive deliberations, the jury members chose Chan Chi Kwan & Chang Nga Man’s “H Cube” concept for LEGO and Ilias Chronopoulos’s “Tempo Pyramids” concept for Tempo as they best fulfilled the criteria of consumer experience, novelty factor, sustainability and feasibility.

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  • 03.30.2012

    Air Techniques Announces a New Packaging Design for PSP Cleaning Wipes

    MELVILLE, N.Y., Mar 29, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Air Techniques, Inc., a leading dental equipment manufacturer, announced today a major redesign for their merchandise line of PSP Cleaning Wipes. PSP Cleaning wipes from Air Techniques are disposable, lightweight wipes that effectively and safely remove surface debris from Phosphor Storage Plates and Plate Protectors. This new design includes an improved, compact packaging of the individual wipes.

    “To improve the look and functionality of our PSP Cleaning Wipes, we have updated the packaging of this product,” said Nicole Miller, Air Techniques Merchandise Product Manager. “Since PSP Cleaning Wipes are used daily, we wanted to increase the quantity of wipes per box to better serve the practice utilizing this product.”

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  • 03.30.2012

    International Paper opens HQ at Madhapur

    HYDERABAD: International Paper and Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Ltd.announced the opening of its new headquarters office in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
    Situated in Madhapur, the 24,000 sq ft office will house about 100 employees.
    International Paper took over Andhra Paper last year through the acquisition of a 75 percent stake in the company. With the opening of its new headquarters office, International Paper has reinforced the company’s commitment towards India.
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  • 03.30.2012

    Boise CEO Elected Chairman of AF&PA

    WASHINGTON – Boise Inc. Chairman and CEO Alexander Toeldte has been elected chairman of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) Board of Directors.

    Toeldte, who joined Boise Inc in February 2008, has been an active member of the board, serving in leadership positions within the AF&PA's CEO Task Force and committee structure.

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  • 03.29.2012

    Sappi selects construction manager for $170 million conversion project

    Sappi Fine Paper North America has announced the selection of CR Meyer as the construction management (CM) firm to oversee the $170 million project to convert its pulp mill in Cloquet to chemical cellulose production.

    In a prepared statement last week, Project Director Mike Schultz said Sappi chose to award the construction management contract to CR Meyer as the result of “an extensive process.”

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  • 03.29.2012

    Albea's Packaging Designed In SolidWorks

    Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp., the world leader in 3D solutions, recently announced that Albéa chose SolidWorks® Sustainability software to incorporate eco-design as a core part of its new product development. With experience in Life Cycle Assessment, Albéa wanted to invest in new tools to allow it to better respond to the sustainable product development needs of the packaging industry while preserving its competitive and technical leadership.

    A major player in the packaging industry, with a wide range of products for the cosmetic, perfume, health and dental care markets, Albéa adopted Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools in 2003.

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  • 03.28.2012

    Fire At International Paper Co. Causes Minimal Damage

    The Solon Fire Department had a busy day Monday with five emergency calls coming in at roughly the same time.

    Solon Fire Rescue was sent to International Paper Company, located at 6225 Camp Industrial, at about 8:50 a.m. on a report of a fire, according to Chief Bill Shaw.

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  • 03.28.2012

    Jobs drive boomers to seek new skills

    March 26--David McCarty feels fortunate to be hauling hazardous chemicals cross-country in a big 18-wheeler, but the work and pay are far removed from the life he used to have as a well-paid telecommunications executive.

    In Butler County, Deane Kennedy, 58, who expected to retire as an insurance broker for a Cincinnati company, has been unemployed for nearly four months and there are no prospects for employment.

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  • 03.28.2012

    3M Aerospace Introduces Polyurethane Protective Tapes for Aircraft Interior Corrosion Protection

    ST. PAUL, Minn., Mar 27, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Substructure corrosion in aircraft areas exposed to recurring moisture, such as lavatories, galleys and doorways, is a major industry challenge. Replacing floor panels and beams in the substructure extends downtime and can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000 per aircraft, making protection a high priority.

    3M Aerospace is responding to this need by making the protection of these “wet areas” easier with the introduction of improved 3M™ Polyurethane Protective Tapes that cover the seams in floor panel joints and wide-area tapes to protect larger areas exposed to moisture.

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  • 03.28.2012

    Apollo, Graham-backed Berry Plastics files for $500m IPO

    Berry Plastics, a maker of plastic packaging backed by Apollo Global Management and US mid-market investor Graham Partners, has filed to raise $500m through an initial public offering of its common stock.

    Apollo and Graham bought the business from Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan for $2.25bn in June 2006, when the company served a client base of 12,000 customers and generated pro forma annual sales of $1.3bn. That figure has since increased to $4.66bn as of 31 December 2011, according to a recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

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  • 03.28.2012

    NEW PRODUCT FLASH: Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaners by Clorox

    A new line of non-bleach disinfecting cleaners from Clorox Professional Products Company uses a patented activated hydrogen peroxide formula that is able to eliminate a variety of bacteria and viruses on surfaces in as quickly as 30 seconds to one minute.

    The Clorox Commercial Solutions® Clorox® Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfecting Cleaners are available in a spray and as wipes and are registered by the U.S. EPA to kill health threats that include MRSA, influenza, and rhinovirus. These new disinfecting products offer the fastest non-bleach contact times on the market (versus leading competition based on Federal EPA Master Label comparison, as of Nov. 2011).

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  • 03.28.2012

    Dart container corp. signs an agreement to acquire Solo Cup

    Plastics packaging company Dart Container Corp., Mason, Mich., has signed an agreement to acquire Solo Cup in a transaction valued at around $1 billion. Both companies are involved in the consumer and food service disposable packaging business. The acquisition is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2012.

    “Our acquisition of Solo will allow us to provide even greater value to our customers in the future,” says Robert Dart, Dart Container’s CEO. “It will enable customers to purchase a wider range of products, made from a greater variety of materials with varying functional and environmental attributes, all from a single vendor.”

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  • 03.28.2012

    China's packaging presence growing

    President Obama's late-March trip to the Far East put China in the media spotlight as a potential partner in pressuring North Korea on matters of international security. But for those of us in the packaging community, China was, is, and will continue to be a major factor.

    Case in point: "China is aiming to become the world's largest packaging producer by the end of 2012, according to research by financial advisory firm Catalyst Corporate Finance," said a Sept. 11, 2011 Packaging News article.

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  • 03.27.2012

    NZ urged to build $1b mill for wood pulp

    A United States forestry expert is recommending New Zealand build a $1 billion "mega-mill" to meet China's hunger for wood pulp.

    Richard Phillips, of North Carolina State University, and a former career executive with International Paper, told a forestry conference in Wellington last week that China's demand for logs and wood pulp would continue to soar.

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  • 03.27.2012

    Domtar Uses ‘Mad Men’ Season Premiere To Promote The Benefits Of Reading On Paper

    Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) today announced  that with Newsweek planning a retro edition to promote the new season of “Mad Men,” Domtar will run a 1960s-style ad that shows while we live in a more digital age, people still read faster on paper.
    “We’ve seen studies that show whether you’re an executive or a millennial, people prefer to read on paper, and it’s faster to read on paper,” said Lewis Fix, Domtar’s Vice-President of Sustainable Business and Brand Management. “Whether you are learning or sharing important information, there are good reasons to make sure people still read the material on paper.”
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  • 03.27.2012

    Seeing packaging as more than a throwaway

    Brushing your teeth with a yogurt container? Wiping your mouth with a coffee cup?

    You might be doing both, as a result of a new trend in recycling, courtesy of the manufacturers who make the original products. A growing number of large food and beverage companies in the United States are assuming the costs of recycling their packaging after consumers are finished with it, a responsibility long imposed on packaged goods companies in Europe and more recently in parts of Asia, Latin America and Canada.

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  • 03.27.2012

    Tetra Pak works on smart milk cartons

    High quality global journalism requires investment. Milk cartons that change colour when left out of the fridge too long are to go on sale courtesy of Tetra Pak, the world’s biggest packaging company.
    Smart cartons are an example of growing innovation in the $400bn packaging industry, which has been forced to reinvent itself alongside the consumer sector it serves.

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  • 03.27.2012

    Wal-Mart Brand Ranked #1 for Value by Hard-Hit US Consumers

    NEW YORK: The financial and economic crisis is having a significant impact on how consumers perceive brand value, reports a survey carried out by YouGovPolimetrix through September 1 - October 27. That slot was chosen specifically to examine the impact of the current crisis on brand perceptions.

    Budget brands like Wal-Mart and Old Navy were ranked highest by consumers; conversely upscale brands and financial services firms ranked lowest – the latter especially hit by lack of consumer confidence.

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