Paperclips Blog | Mercer International Results

  • 12.20.2012

    American Forest & Paper Association Releases November 2012 Paperboard Statistics Report

    The American Forest & Paper Association released its November 2012 U.S. Paperboard Report.

    Total boxboard production increased by 2.1 percent compared to November 2011 and increased 1.7 percent from last month.  Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production increased over the same month last year and increased compared to last month.  Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production increased compared to November 2011 and increased compared to last month.  The production of Recycled Boxboard increased compared to November 2011 but decreased when compared to last month.

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  • 12.20.2012

    American Forest & Paper Association Releases November 2012 Recovered Fiber Monthly Statistics Report

    The American Forest & Paper Association released its November 2012 U.S. Recovered Fiber Monthly Report on Dec. 19.

    According to the report, total U.S. industry consumption of recovered paper in November was 2.36 million tons, 5 percent lower than in October 2012. Inventories increased for most grades. Year-to-date total consumption in 2012 is 4 percent lower than during the same period last year. 

    U.S. exports of recovered paper showed strong gains across all grades, except for High Grade Deinking.  Corrugated exports increased to levels not seen since April 2011.  Year-to-date exports of recovered paper in 2012 are 6 percent lower than during the same period in 2011.

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  • 12.19.2012

    SCA launches efficiency program at Forest Products

    Against the backdrop of the prevailing economic and currency situation, SCA is introducing a comprehensive program to enhance the efficiency of its forest products operation. The program will generate annual earnings improvements of SEK 1,300m with full effect from 2015.

    The total cost of the program is SEK 370m, of which SEK 250m is cash flow impacting and SEK 120m comprises impairment losses. Of the total costs, SEK 175m will be charged to profit for the fourth quarter and will be recognized as items affecting comparability. The remaining SEK 195m will be charged to profit for the first six months of 2013.
     
    Actions include the previously announced closures of the sawmills in Vilhelmina and Holmsund, and cutbacks at Ortviken paper mill, SCA Transforest’s terminals in Sundsvall and Umeå, and at SCA’s R&D Center. About 200 positions are affected, the majority of which have already been announced. 
     
    The program includes a structured plan to reduce fixed and variable costs, income improvements by way of increased production and streamlining activities, and a changed product and market mix. This will be achieved through improved raw material yield at the sawmills, higher productivity in harvesting activities, an increased share of value-added publication papers and a larger share of container transportation.

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  • 12.19.2012

    SCA divests publication paper mill in Laakirchen

    SCA is divesting its Austrian publication paper mill in Laakirchen to Heinzel Group. In conjunction with the divestment, SCA and Heinzel Group have concluded a sales cooperation agreement.

    In 2011 Laakirchen reported totaled sales of EUR 335m and had just over 500 employees. The annual capacity amounts to more than 500,000 tons.
     
    The initial purchase consideration is EUR 100m with a possible maximum additional purchase price of EUR 100m based on a two-year profit-sharing model. In conjunction with the transaction, an impairment of EUR 50m has been recognized, which will be charged to profit in the fourth quarter of 2012.
     
    The transaction is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2013 following approval by the relevant authorities.

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  • 12.19.2012

    Penguin Settles with DoJ; Terms Will Apply to Merged Company

    In a move that had been expected since the announcement of the Penguin-Random House merger, Penguin Group (USA) has reached a settlement with the Department of Justice in the government's e-book price fixing lawsuit. Terms are identical to agreements reached with Simon & Schuster, Hachette and HarperCollins, but according to the government, if the Random House-Penguin merger is approved the newly formed company must abide by the agreement.

    “The department is currently reviewing the proposed joint venture announced by Penguin and Random House Inc., the largest U.S. book publisher. Should the proposed joint venture proceed to consummation, the terms of Penguin’s settlement will apply to it,” the DoJ said in its press release.

    In a prepared statement, Penguin said it maintains that is has “done nothing wrong,” but that it is “in everyone's interests that the proposed Penguin Random House company should begin life with a clean sheet of paper.”

    Under the proposed agreement, which still must be approved by the court after a 60-day comment period, Penguin will terminate its agreements with Apple and other e-books retailers and will be prohibited for two years from entering into new agreements that constrain retailers’ ability to offer discounts or other promotions to consumers. The proposed settlement agreement also will impose an antitrust compliance program on Penguin, which will include a requirement that it provide advance notification to the department of any e-book ventures it plans to undertake jointly with other publishers and that it regularly report to the department on any communications it has with other publishers. Also for five years, Penguin will be forbidden from agreeing to any kind of most favored nation agreement that could undermine the effectiveness of the settlement.

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  • 12.19.2012

    Gap Inc. Announces Plans to Open First Gap Stores in Brazil

    Today, Gap Inc. announced plans for the first stand-alone Gap stores in Brazil as part of the company’s continuing global expansion strategy. Gap Inc. signed an agreement with Tudo Bom Comércio Ltda. for the planned opening of the first stores in the fall of 2013.
     
    Gap Inc. plans to expand its store base in the country over the next five years, part of its strong platform of growth in the Brazilian retail market.
     
    “Brazil is a critical next step in our global expansion strategy and we are excited to introduce our store experience to customers,” said Stefan Laban, Managing Director of Strategic Alliances, Gap Inc. “Given that Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and the largest Latin American economy, we feel that this market provides us with an incredible growth opportunity.”
     
    Previously, Gap offered its products solely through duty-free channels throughout Brazil. The first Gap stores will open in Sao Paulo, the country’s largest city followed by Rio de Janerio. The stores will house Gap, GapKids and babyGap collections.
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  • 12.19.2012

    Fortress Paper Announces Launch of First Durasafe® Banknote

    Fortress Paper Ltd. is pleased to announce the launch of the world's first banknote printed on the Company’s new Durasafe® substrate, an innovative paper-polymer-paper composite produced at its Landqart mill.

    With the issuance of the new Moroccan 25 Dirhams scheduled for this month, Bank al Maghrib, Morocco's central bank, will become the first in the world to issue a banknote printed on Durasafe®.

    The front of the banknote features an Intaglio vignette and a watermark of King Mohammed VI, and a magenta/green colourshift security thread developed by the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Fortress Optical Features Ltd. ("FOF"). The thread, like the watermark, is embedded inside the banknote yet visible behind a one-sided polymer window. It also has a fully transparent polymer window embossed with the King's royal crest. The back of the note carries a print vignette commemorating 25 years of banknote printing at the Moroccan State Printing Works, Dar As Sikkah.

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  • 12.19.2012

    B-to-B Content Marketing Spend Is Up, Despite Mixed Effectiveness

    If content is king, then content marketing is a king’s trade.

    According to new research from the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs, b-to-b marketers, on average, are spending 33 percent of their marketing budgets on content marketing—a 7 percent jump since 2011. About 54 percent say they plan on increasing content marketing spending next year.
     
    While more and more b-to-b marketers are turning to content marketing, just 36 percent of respondents say they believe they are effective at content marketing. The data saw a total of 1,416 respondents from North American companies and represented a full rage of industries, functional areas and company sizes.
     
    B-to-b marketers continue to rate in-person events as the most effective tactic they use, with 67 percent believing so. About 64 percent of respondents said case studies are an effective marketing tactic, which inched slightly past Webinars and Webcasting at 61 percent.
     
    In all, 91 percent of b-to-b respondents use content marketing and, in general, the larger the company the more tactics used. Articles on a website ranks among the most popular content marketing tactic at 83 percent followed by newsletters at 78 percent. Print magazine use, the study finds, stayed the same at 31 percent.

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  • 12.19.2012

    Catalyst Paper accepts bid for Snowflake mill assets

    Catalyst Paper announced that it has accepted, subject to US Court approval, a binding bid from an acquisition vehicle organized by Hackman Capital and its affiliates to purchase the assets of the closed Snowflake facility and the shares of Apache Railway for US$13,460,000 and other non-monetary consideration. The buyer intends to continue to operate the Apache Railway as a going concern, and the transaction is supported by the Town of Snowflake and various local interests.
     
    “We are pleased that this transaction has progressed efficiently and that the community’s interests have been considered through the process and in the successful bid,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin J. Clarke. “While paper manufacturing is part of Snowflake’s past, this transaction puts the asset on a path to a new future that can continue to bring value to the region.”
     
    The winning bid was made at the auction held on December 17, 2012 under the US Court-approved sale and investor solicitation procedures. The sale is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2013 and is subject to various closing conditions.  A hearing in the US Court is scheduled for December 19, 2012 to consider approval of the sale.
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  • 12.19.2012

    Arctic Paper gets boost from HarperCollins' bumper Hobbit print run

    HarperCollins has published the Visual Companion and Official Movie Guide for The Hobbit, as well as children's books The Movie Story Book and The World of Hobbits to coincide with the cinema release of the first of three films based on the prequel to JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy.

    Arctic Paper delivered 404 tonnes of Arctic Silk 130gsm to Italian book printer Rotolito Lombarda Spa for the 740,000 books that made up the initial print runs of the four titles, reprints of which are already in the pipeline.

    Adrian Sutcliffe, group production and purchasing manager of HarperCollins, said: "The books had to be produced on a silk coated with FSC accreditation, and they had to give excellent quality of print.
     
    "At HarperCollins we particularly look for smoothness on both sides and excellent bulk to make our books really stand out and look like prestigious. Arctic Silk is our standard silk coated grade used by HarperCollins across Europe.
     
    "It gives bulk and thickness to the pages without compromising on smoothness which some coated sheets lack. This gives us a superb printing surface every time and automatically gave The Hobbit books the high-end appeal we are looking for as a publisher."

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  • 12.19.2012

    Brent Crude Gains for Second Day as U.S. Stockpiles Decline

    Brent crude rose for a second day in London after an industry report showed stockpiles fell the most in more than three months in the U.S., the world’s biggest oil consumer.

    Futures gained as much as 0.9 percent after closing $1.20 a barrel higher yesterday. U.S. crude supplies dropped by 4.1 million barrels in the seven days ended Dec. 14, the most since the week to Aug. 31, data from the American Petroleum Institute showed. A government report today may say inventories fell by 1.75 million barrels, according to a Bloomberg News survey. Oil has advanced this week amid speculation that U.S. lawmakers will agree on steps to avert tax increases and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff.

    “Any kind of progress in the fiscal-cliff debate will drive prices up,” Thina Saltvedt, an analyst at Nordea Bank AB, said today by telephone. “That’s been the main driver in the last few days, and in the short term the inventory report today could have an impact.”

    Brent for February settlement on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange was up 84 cents at $109.68 a barrel at 10:45 a.m. local time. The European benchmark crude was at a premium of $20.89 to the corresponding WTI contract, from $20.44 yesterday.

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  • 12.19.2012

    New DriBulk™ Container Liners from Berry Plastics Offer Optimal Solution for Transporting and Storing Bulk Products

    Berry Plastics Group, Inc., a leading global manufacturer and marketer of value-added plastic packaging and engineered materials, introduces its latest product line of Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBC) - DriBulk&rade; Container Liners. New DriBulk Container Liners offer an easy, economical, and efficient solution for storing, shipping, and transporting dry bulk goods for a variety of industries, including agriculture, minerals, chemicals, food, and more.

    "As one of North America's largest FIBC manufacturers, we believe Berry Plastics has set the global standard for top-quality flexible intermediate bulk containers," explained Ernie Giordano, Director Sales and Marketing for Berry Plastics' FIBC Group. "We are very excited to introduce DriBulk Container Liners which will serve as an innovative solution to assist our customers with maximizing their efficiencies."

    "DriBulk Container Liners are inserted into and secured in an empty trailer, allowing the transporter to directly load the product to maximize container space," added Giordano. "As we like to explain, there are super sacks, and then there are SUPER SACKS. DriBulk Container Liners allow you to place a truckload of dry bulk goods, such as agricultural items, chemicals, minerals, foods, plastics, and more, into one 'super sack,' protecting the load and minimizing post delivery trailer cleaning."

    Available in standard 20-foot and 40-foot container sizes, DriBulk Container Liners can also be made in custom dimensions. With optional features including industrial fasteners, buckles, closures, and top- or side-spouts, DriBulk Container Liners can be customized in endless ways to suit the needs of virtually any application.

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  • 12.19.2012

    Clearwater Paper Adds New TAD Paper-Making Capabilities in Shelby, N.C., Upgrades in Las Vegas

    Clearwater Paper Corporation today announced the completion of the next phase of the company's newest facility at Shelby, N.C., culminating in the start-up of the company's new through-air-dried (TAD) paper machine. The machine produced its first finished ton and converted product on December 13.

    "Construction of all phases to date of the nearly one-million-square-foot facility came in on-time and on-budget," said Gordon Jones, chairman and CEO. "The dedication and support of Clearwater Paper's 200 Shelby employees have already made this facility a huge success."

    Upgrades to a second Clearwater Paper TAD paper machine, located at the company's facility in North Las Vegas, have also been completed. The enhancements enable the facility to produce TAD ultra-bathroom tissue and household towels.

    New production and distribution capability at Shelby is expected to increase the company's ultra and premium offerings to existing southern and East Coast customers. Collectively, the two TAD machines will create new opportunities to expand the company's private label consumer tissue business around a national manufacturing footprint, supplying these key products to customers across the United States.

    "The completion of the flagship facility in Shelby fulfills one of Clearwater Paper's primary business strategies — to focus on growing the consumer products segment of the company," said Linda Massman, president and COO. "Combined with the recent upgrade at our North Las Vegas facility, these two important projects have helped Clearwater Paper achieve our goal of a coast-to-coast manufacturing footprint focused on best serving our private label customers."

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  • 12.19.2012

    Stora Enso and Chalmers enter collaboration in intelligent pharmaceutical packaging

    Stora Enso and Chalmers’ Encubator have reached a co-operation agreement under which Stora Enso will act as a partner to Encubator. The focus of the collaboration is an innovation project developing intelligent pharmaceutical packaging. The idea comes from Stora Enso, and Encubator will run the business development together with Chalmers School of Entrepreneurship.

    “This gives us a new approach to innovations supporting our packaging business. Forming a dedicated team will create an environment that can enable successful market entry and create a growth company,” says Mats Nordlander, Executive Vice President, Stora Enso Renewable Packaging.

    The innovation project will develop intelligent pharmaceutical packaging to address the problem of poor adherence to prescription instructions by patients, a problem which in Sweden alone causes costs of over SEK 20 billion annually. The package simplifies communication between patient and doctor by registering when pills are removed from the package. If the medication is missed, a reminder is sent wirelessly to, for example, a mobile phone. Information may also be shared with family members to increase support.

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  • 12.18.2012

    Priority Plastics, Inc. Expands National Footprint and Product Offerings With Acquisition of CCW Products, Inc.

    Priority Plastics, Inc., a national plastics manufacturer of custom and stock plastic containers, announced today the acquisition of CCW Products, Inc. The acquisition expands Priority Plastics' footprint across the US and increases its product offerings. The two combined companies will exceed $70 million in sales with over 350 employees.

    CCW Products, Inc. is a manufacturer of FDA approved food grade PVC and PET plastic containers in a variety of shapes, sizes and fluid capacities. CCW specializes in wide mouth PVC and PET plastic containers providing over 300 SKUs for more than 500 customers with annual sales exceeding $19 million. CCW's 80,000 square foot Denver facility and close proximity to three interstate highways will amplify product and shipping options for Priority customers.

    "CCW is a great fit for Priority. With a similar culture and 30 year business history, our two companies will meld together well," says Andrew Srenco, President & CEO, Priority Plastics, Inc. "We are continuing to make investments for our customers and we will now be able to offer more products and increased shipping efficiencies to meet customer priorities. We look forward to working with the 103 employees of CCW Products as we integrate our two companies," said Srenco.

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  • 12.18.2012

    Metso to supply grade conversion rebuild from newsprint to lightweight coated grades for Norske Skog in Australia

    Metso will supply Norske Skog with a grade conversion rebuild from newsprint to lightweight coated (LWC) grades of their PM 2 machine at their Boyer mill in Tasmania, Australia. The rebuilt production line will be fully operational after several phases of rebuild during the first quarter of 2014. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

    The main target of the rebuild is to convert the newsprint machine into a competitive lightweight coated paper (LWC) production line. The delivery also includes a cooperation agreement aimed at achieving key objectives of the conversion.

    The future capacity of the PM 2 machine after the rebuild will be 140,000 tonnes per year of lightweight coated grades.

    Metso’s delivery will include a rebuild of the existing machine calender and a new ValSizer sizing section, a coating preparation and supply system, a TurnDry Compact air dryer, an OptiLoad calender, a ValReel reeler, a WinBelt C winder and parent roll handling equipment.

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  • 12.18.2012

    87% Of Newspaper, Mag Publishers Have iPad Apps

    A large majority of newspaper and magazine publishers have introduced iPad apps for their publications, with 87% offering content to Apple’s popular tablet computer this way, according to a new survey by the Alliance for Audited Media (the newly rebranded Audit Bureau of Circulations). And that’s just the tip of the iceberg: the AAM survey found that publishers are bullish on tablets across the board.
     
    Most notably, 63% of publishers surveyed by the AAM said they believe “tablets are the most important digital channel for their publication’s future.” And they’re looking beyond Apple: the proportion of publishers developing apps for Amazon’s Kindle devices jumped from 24% in 2011 to 67% this year, while the proportion developing for Nook soared from 14% to 57% over the same period.
     
    In terms of delivery mechanism, native and Web-based apps are both still popular, with 70% of publishers producing native apps, and 67% producing Web-based apps. The proportions vary noticeably between magazine and newspaper publishers: magazine publisher favor native apps over Web-based apps by 80% to 50%, while 69% of newspaper publishers use native apps, compared to 74% using Web apps. Looking ahead, 31% said they plan to continue using native apps next year, while 41% said they will experiment with HTML 5, and 44% said they are undecided.
     
    Most publishers are also developing multiple apps for each device, producing an average 3.4 apps for the iPad and iPhone, three apps for the Kindle, and 2.4 apps for the Nook.
     
    Turning to the all-important question of monetization, 77% of publishers surveyed said their mobile businesses will have to rely on both circulation and advertising revenue; that’s up from 52% in 2009.
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  • 12.18.2012

    Oil Advances After Progress on U.S. Budget Agreement

    Oil rose for a third day in New York on speculation that an agreement will be reached to avert a U.S. budget impasse that would trigger automatic spending cuts and tax increases next year, sapping demand for fuels.

    West Texas Intermediate futures gained as much as 0.8 percent following yesterday’s close at the highest level in almost two weeks. In discussions on the so-called fiscal cliff, President Barack Obama made a new offer after House Speaker John Boehner dropped his opposition to raising tax rates for some top earners. Crude supplies shrank last week while fuel stockpiles rose, according to a Bloomberg News survey before an Energy Department report tomorrow.

    “It seems highly like that an acceptable compromise to avert the fiscal cliff will emerge in time,” said Christopher Bellew, a senior broker at Jefferies Bache Ltd. in London.

    Crude for January delivery climbed as much as 70 cents to $87.90 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $87.71 at 11:59 a.m. London time.

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  • 12.18.2012

    U.S. ad spending increases 7.1% in Q3

    Third-quarter advertising expenditures totaled $34.5 billion, up 7.1% from the year-earlier period, according to marketing information company Kantar Media. Spending for the first nine months of the year grew 3.8% year-over-year, to $101.3 billion.

    Political campaigns and the Summer Olympics dominated the ad market in the third quarter, with TV advertising showing the largest gains. Network TV spending jumped 29.9%, with the London Games generating approximately $1.0 billion for the sector, Kantar said. Spot TV spending grew 19.8% with the expected flood of money from political ads. Spanish-language TV budgets increased 17.8%.

    However, Internet display advertising fell 4.3% in the third quarter, Kantar said. Spending totals, which do not include video or mobile ad formats, were dragged down by weaker results from midsize websites, the company said. Magazine advertising overall fell 2.9% for the quarter, with b2b magazines dropping 4.2%. National newspaper advertising dropped 17.2% for the quarter.

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  • 12.18.2012

    American Forest & Paper Association Voices Concern Over East Coast Port Strike

    Despite last week’s successful negotiations between the West Coast International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 63 Office Clerical Unit and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the USMX on the East Coast remain unresolved.  As a major import/export business, the U.S. forest products industry has a significant interest in swift resolution to avoid strike. 

    “If the ILA and the USMX are not able to negotiate an agreement, any impending strike and subsequent shutdown of major East Coast port would have far-reaching, costly, and disruptive implications for not only the U.S. forest products industry, but for manufacturers and distributers across the supply chain,” said American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman.

    “On behalf of the more than 900,000 men and women employed by the forest products industry, we urge negotiators to work together to develop a long-term labor agreement to avoid further strain on our already fragile economy.”

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  • 12.18.2012

    Canadian Fair Rail Freight Service Act is a Step in the Right Direction - Resolute Forest Products

    Resolute Forest Products welcomes the Government of Canada's introduction of Bill C-52, the Fair Rail Freight Service Act, which will provide a framework to make railways more accountable to their customers for providing acceptable levels of service. The bill is expected to be voted into law in spring 2013.

    Bill C-52 is an important first step in the process of rebalancing the commercial relationship between the railways and their customers, the companies that depend on rail services to bring their products to market. The legislation gives shippers the right to negotiate Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with railways, and sets up a dispute resolution process if negotiations fail, as well as penalties for non-performance by the rail service providers.

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  • 12.18.2012

    Grainger Announces Intent To Acquire Techni-Tool, Inc.

    Grainger, the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products serving businesses and institutions, today announced its intent to acquire Techni-Tool, Inc., and its affiliate Wassco Inc., leading specialist distributors serving manufacturing customers with 2011 sales of $88 million.  Grainger expects the transaction to close by December 31, 2012, subject to standard conditions, and be neutral to 2013 earnings per share.  Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. 

    Founded in 1959 and based in Worcester, Pa., Techni-Tool, along with Wassco, employs approximately 200 people and provides nearly 25,000 products and related services to manufacturers in the electronics, telecommunications and medical services industries.

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  • 12.18.2012

    Cenveo Announces Refinancing

    Cenveo Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cenveo, Inc., today announced that it had completed the steps necessary to refinance the remainder of its 7.875% senior subordinated notes due 2013 ("7.875% Notes").  The Company received the necessary consents to amend and supplement its existing senior secured credit agreement to, among other things, (i) allow for up to $50 million of a new unsecured loan to be prepaid on substantially similar terms as its currently outstanding 7.875% Notes, and (ii) modify certain financial covenants for increased financial flexibility.  Simultaneously, the Company raised an additional $15 million of secured term loans due 2016 ("Additional Term Loan") under its senior secured credit agreement.  The Company also announced that it secured a commitment from Macquarie Capital for a $50 million unsecured term loan due 2017 ("Unsecured Loan"), subject to customary terms and conditions.  Together with the company's revolving credit facility, proceeds of the Unsecured Loan will be used to fund the redemption of the 7.875% Notes. Lastly, the Company announced that it has initiated a mandatory and irrevocable redemption of the 7.875% Notes.  The 7.875% Notes will be repaid at par plus accrued and unpaid interest on January 22, 2013. 

    Robert G. Burton, Sr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated:
    "We are pleased to complete the process of putting the 2013 maturity behind us, and we can now focus 100% of our efforts back on operating and growing the business.  We appreciate the strong support of our lender group, in particular Macquarie, to allow us to get this process completed as we expected.  We will continue to use our cash flow to repay debt, reduce our leverage, and reinvest in the business. We remain focused on executing our game plan and are excited about opportunities ahead of us in 2013 and beyond."

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  • 12.17.2012

    TC Media and TC Transcontinental Printing win Canopy 2012 Ancient Forest Friendly Awards

    TC Transcontinental is pleased to announce that TC Media and TC Transcontinental Printing were recently awarded 2012 Ancient Forest Friendly Awards by Canopy, a leading organization that seeks to protect forests and the environment through the transformation of business practices.

    TC Media won for their continued progress in forest protection and significant increase in the use of ecopapers between 2011 and 2012 across all their publications. TC Transcontinental Printing won the Best in Class (Printers over 250,000 tonnes) award.
     
    "TC Transcontinental is proud to see that the efforts of management and employees are having a tangible impact," said François Olivier, President and Chief Executive Officer. "By making informed choices, led by vision and through a concerted effort as a corporation, we are leading the way in our industry. We thank Canopy for drawing attention to our process by naming us for these awards; we share this honour with our customers and advertisers."
     
    To earn a place among the 2012 winners, TC Media and TC Transcontinental Printing, like all applicants, had to complete a rigorous survey and go through a full evaluation by Canopy, formerly known as Markets Initiative. For details about the Ancient Forest FriendlyTM Awards, visit the Canopy site at http://canopyplanet.org/business/ancient-forest-friendly/aff-awards/.

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  • 12.17.2012

    Valassis Announces Full-Year 2013 Financial Guidance

    Valassis today provided financial guidance for full-year 2013, expecting diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.50, which is calculated based on an estimated 39.7 million in weighted average fully diluted shares outstanding for the year ending Dec. 31, 2013. Additionally, our 2013 guidance includes the expectation of adjusted EBITDA* of approximately $315.0 million and capital expenditures of approximately $25 million, primarily for our digital business and process improvements. 

    "We are confident that the actions we have taken throughout 2012 have set the stage for growth of both revenue and diluted EPS in 2013," said Rob Mason, Valassis President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our commitment to driving shareholder value will be enhanced through an expected combination of improved earnings, continued stock repurchases, a thoughtful approach to capital expenditures and the adoption of a cash dividend policy."

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  • 12.17.2012

    AD Communications to support Two Sides and Print Power with PR services

    AD Communications, the specialist agency with long term experience of the Graphic Media industries has announced that it will be assisting the UK Two Sides and Print Power organisation to develop its communication channels and spread the story of print media’s effectiveness and sustainability. Two Sides seeks to foster better understanding of print and paper as a sustainable communications medium, and to dispel some of the negative myths that surround paper-based products in the digital age.

    Print Power UK is the representative of a European initiative dedicated to strengthening the position of print media in a multi-media world. The organisation comprises a wide range of companies representing the entire print media value chain—production, distribution, printing, content and delivery.

    AD Communications will be acting on a pro bono basis to lend its communications expertise to these not-for-profit organisations.
    For Two Sides UK, in addition to contributing strategically and creatively as a member of the marketing committee, AD Communications will support the Two Sides team with the creation and distribution of press materials. Chair and Director of Two Sides Martyn Eustace will continue to be the principal point of media contact for the organisation.

    For Print Power UK, AD Communications will create and distribute press materials and will participate in the committee responsible for the definition of content for the regular Print Power magazine. This bi-annual printed publication carries the message of print’s role in the contemporary marketing mix to a UK-wide community of senior marketing decision makers.

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  • 12.17.2012

    PaperWorks Invests Across Packaging Facilities

    PaperWorks Industries, a leading North American integrated full-service packaging provider, has committed substantial resources to enhance printing capabilities, with several packaging projects underway at locations across North America. The addition of advanced printing equipment, a major facility expansion, and new printing capabilities will allow PaperWorks to meet growing demand, expand customer offerings, and maximize packaging manufacturing efficiency.
     
    “We are strongly committed to investing in the future of PaperWorks and its customers,” according to Lisa Pruett, senior vice president, sales, PaperWorks Packaging Group. “With a focus on acquiring the latest in packaging technology, expansion, and enhanced product offerings, we can exceed customer expectations and meet increased demand as we continue to grow.”

    Going operational in the spring of 2012, PaperWorks installed one large-format Flexo press, to help increase production speed, enhance print quality and reduce waste. In addition, a second large-format sheetfed offset press was brought online to provide new printing options, decrease lead times and improve color quality.

    A new 240,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art line expansion was added at the Baldwinsville, NY facility, greatly increasing PaperWorks’ printing capacity. In addition, more than doubling in size from 45,000- to 105,000-square-feet, PaperWorks’ Greensboro, NC facility underwent a major expansion to meet customer demand and increase the range of customer packaging options. Finally, a new air handling system was installed to support PaperWorks’ sheeting capabilities at a separate facility.

    “New packaging technology and expansion projects are underway as part of our continued efforts to provide our customers with increased manufacturing efficiency,” says John Hartwell, executive vice president, PaperWorks Packaging Group. “These ongoing customer-specific efforts will establish PaperWorks as a leading supplier of streamlined, cost-effective packaging options for a variety of applications.”

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  • 12.17.2012

    Nearly half of SMBs expect business conditions to improve in six months

    Nearly half (49%) of small- and midsize-business leaders said they expect business conditions to be slightly or much better in six months, according to a report by cloud computing company Cbeyond.

    The report, “Winter 2012 Cbeyond Business Leader Snapshot,” was based on an online survey of 435 senior executives at small and medium businesses, conducted in November.

    Only 27% of SMB executives said they expect business conditions will be slightly or much worse in six months.

    Despite the optimism, 45% of SMB leaders said hiring next year will fall short of this year's hiring levels.

    The top concerns that were cited as threats to their business next year are taxes (51%), government regulations (41%), labor costs (34%) and the federal deficit (32%).

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  • 12.17.2012

    American Forest & Paper Association Statement Regarding EPA’s Final PM NAAQS Standards

    American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman released the following statement today following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of its final National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM).

    “We are disappointed that EPA chose to lower the annual PM standard, imposing burdensome new restrictions on economic growth and ignoring the significant uncertainty in the underlying science.  This lower annual PM standard means that businesses seeking air quality permits to construct new equipment or modify existing plants even in rural areas will find it very difficult to model compliance.  We are concerned that manufacturing facilities may be forced to look at pollution controls that are technically infeasible or cost prohibitive, preventing expanded production and job growth.  In setting this new PM NAAQS standard, EPA apparently relied on a few selected studies to support their hypothesis of health effects resulting from PM exposure, while discounting studies that showed no association.

    “This is yet another example of where regulation by consent decree creates costly rules with huge scientific uncertainty and, in this case, at a time when the economy is struggling.”

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  • 12.17.2012

    U.S. Bankruptcy Court Confirms NewPage Chapter 11 Plan

    NewPage Corporation announced today that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in Wilmington has confirmed the Company's Chapter 11 Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan was accepted by the overwhelming majority of NewPage creditors entitled to vote. The Company will now proceed to close on the restructuring transactions contemplated by the Plan.

    "We are pleased that the Court has confirmed our Chapter 11 Plan, clearing the way for us to officially exit bankruptcy, hopefully by the end of this year," said George Martin, president and chief executive officer for NewPage. "We will exit bankruptcy with substantially less debt and new financing at lower interest rates. NewPage will be well positioned to serve the needs of our customers and compete successfully in the North American paper industry."

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  • 12.17.2012

    Brent Crude Declines Amid Disagreement Over U.S. Budget

    Brent crude fell for a second time in three days amid concern that deadlock in U.S. budget talks may threaten to curb economic growth and fuel demand.

    The North Sea benchmark dropped as much as 45 cents, reversing earlier gains. European stocks declined for a third day on concern U.S. lawmakers won’t agree to a budget before more than $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff start taking effect in January. The Stoxx Europe 600 (SXXP) slid 0.3 percent to 278.53, while indexes in the U.K., Germany and France slumped.

    “Debt reduction negotiations in the U.S. congress continue to cloud the macro outlook going into 2013,” Andrey Kryuchenkov, an analyst at VTB Capital in London, said in a note. “Oil investors would prefer to wait on the sidelines until this is resolved before placing large bets.”

    Brent for February settlement fell 25 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $107.91 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange as of 12:30 p.m. local time. The January contract settled $1.24 higher at $109.15 when it expired Dec. 14.

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  • 12.14.2012

    Twin Rivers Paper Company Honors Technicote

    Twin Rivers Paper Company, a leader in lightweight specialty packaging, label and publishing papers, honors Technicote, Inc. with the Twin Rivers Label Recognition. This Label Recognition honors the leadership of key customers, suppliers as well as employees who have helped to drive innovation in the industry.

    “We value the strong relationship we have had with Technicote in the last two decades and admire the perseverance that they have shown in the face of challenging events. They are a true innovator in the label market,” says Jim Gehrman, President, Twin Rivers Paper Company.

    “We appreciate this recognition by Twin Rivers. As one of Twin Rivers’ first customers of release liners, we have had a long relationship that has been good for both companies. We value their outstanding technical support and service,” says Doug O’Connell, President, Technicote, Inc.

    Twin Rivers is a label supplier of choice for release-liner products, as well as label-face papers and wet-strength labels. Our highly engineered label papers are engineered to meet stringent customer requirements and are optimized to perform through the rigors of the supply chain.

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  • 12.14.2012

    Harper and Rainforest Action Network Collide Over New Warning

    HarperCollins is challenging the methodology behind the newest advisory from the Rainforest Action Network that some of its children’s books contain paper harvested from vulnerable Indonesian rainforests. According to RAN, a test conducted in November of seven HC titles found three with “significant” quantities of acacia fiber that is mainly sourced from Indonesian rainforest and trace amounts in “several” others. At least one of those books, Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas, was printed before February 2012 when, according to HC, they began sourcing paper from certified mills.

    RAN officials acknowledged that its tests of Fancy Nancy could have been on a book not produced by new paper sources. Still said RAN’s Robin Averbeck, "the fact that acacia was found in several other books raises questions about what they mean when they say they switched paper sources and points to a high likelihood that they are still sourcing from [paper companies] APP and/or APRIL and affiliates." But the deeper problem is that RAN has had no communication with HC about its paper policies. That is the way HC also sees it. A spokesperson acknowledged that HC has not answered RAN’s questionnaire about its paper policy and added that RAN has refused to provide HC with details about their test results. “We have requested information from RAN including the results of their testing and they have refused to share the information which would help us address their issues,” HC said in a statement. “ We call on RAN to share its data and findings with us so we can address any anomalies in our supply chain if they exist and we are instituting a testing regime with an independent lab to ensure our that our books are meeting our policy goals.”

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  • 12.14.2012

    Green light for revised USPS Standard Mail Flats rate rise

    US postal regulators have finally approved controversial new Standard Mail Flats prices at the US Postal Service.
     
    USPS had suggested the Postal Regulatory Commission was going a little further than its remit when it rejected its original proposals last month, and demanded an above-average price rise for the rate category that includes items like catalogues.
     
    Under protest, USPS went away and proposed a fresh rate increase, which yesterday was approved by the regulators.
     
    As approved, Standard Mail Flats rates will increase by an average of 2.617% as of 27th January, 2013.
     
    This compares to a 2.61% increase for Standard Mail Letters, a 3.081% increase for Standard Mail Parcels, a 2.059% increase for Standard Mail High Density Letters and a 2.092% increase for Standard Mail High Density Flats and Parcels.
     
    USPS is changing other prices as well from next month, as approved by the Commission earlier this month.
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  • 12.14.2012

    Domtar to close one pulp machine at Kamloops, British Columbia pulp facility

    Domtar Corporation announced today that it will permanently shut down one pulp machine at its Kamloops, British Columbia facility.  This decision will result in a permanent curtailment of Domtar's annual pulp production by approximately 120,000 air-dried metric tons of sawdust softwood pulp and will affect approximately 125 employees.
     
    The pulp machine, known at the mill as the "A-Line" is expected to be closed by the end of March 2013.
     
    "Prevailing economic conditions in the global pulp markets and the deteriorated competitiveness of this small pulp manufacturing line, coupled with unforeseen boiler repair costs, have forced us to rationalize this pulp production capacity.  We will focus our energy and resources on optimizing the larger, more competitive, 'B' pulp manufacturing line which will continue to operate," said Mike Edwards , Senior Vice-President, Pulp and Paper Manufacturing. "Employees affected by this change have earned our appreciation and we thank them for their contributions to the Kamloops Mill."
     
    The Kamloops pulp operation will continue to operate its remaining pulp manufacturing line with an annual capacity of approximately 350,000 air-dried metric tons of softwood kraft pulp and employ approximately 300 people.
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  • 12.14.2012

    Mondi Syktyvkar Mill Earns EU Ecolabel for All Its Paper Products

    Mondi Syktyvkar in Komi, Russia was recently awarded the EU Ecolabel for all papers produced at the mill.

    The EU Ecolabel is a certificate issued by the European Union, which verifies the environmental profile of a product or service. Products and services bearing the EU Ecolabel are certified as having a lower impact on the environment than other products in the same product group. The EU Ecolabel is a purely voluntary scheme enacted to encourage the purchasing of green products and services.

    According to Mondi, the main criteria examined by the EU Ecolabel are emissions to air and water, energy use, sustainable forest management, the presence of hazardous chemical substances, waste management, information on packaging, fitness-for use/performance, and information provided about the EU Ecolabel. Specific for paper products, the EU Ecolabel stipulates the use of recycled fibres or virgin fibres from sustainably managed forests.

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  • 12.14.2012

    Kruger Inc. to Take Downtime at its Corner Brook Mill

    Kruger Inc. today announced that it will shut down Paper Machine No. 2 at its Corner Brook newsprint mill for a period of two weeks, starting December 23, 2012. Production is scheduled to resume on January 7, 2013.

    This 15-day curtailment will result in a 4,000 metric tonne reduction in newsprint output and will affect 110 employees.

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  • 12.14.2012

    AAA Fuel Gage & Exchange Rates

    AAA’s Fuel Gage Report as of 12/14/12
    National Unleaded Regular:
    Current Average - $3.286/gallon
    Month Ago Average - $3.443/gallon
    Year Ago Average - $3.264/gallon
    Highest Recorded Average - $4.114/gallon on 7/17/08
    Diesel:
    Current Average - $3.953/gallon
    Month Ago Average - $3.999/gallon
    Year Ago Average - $3.896/gallon
    Highest Recorded Average - $4.845/gallon on 7/17/08

    Current Exchange Rates as of 12/14/12
    American Dollar to Canadian Dollar = 1.015603
    American Dollar to Chinese Yuan = 0.160003
    American Dollar to Euro = 1.308787
    American Dollar to Japanese Yen = 0.011937
    American Dollar to Mexican Peso = 0.078025

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  • 12.14.2012

    Oil Heads for Weekly Gain on China, U.S. Manufacturing Outlook

    Oil rose in London, heading for a weekly gain as a report signaled manufacturing may expand at a faster pace this month in China, the world’s second-largest crude consumer.

    Futures advanced as much as 0.9 percent and headed for the first weekly increase in three. A preliminary purchasing managers’ index for China by HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics showed a reading of 50.9, higher than a median estimate of 50.8 in a Bloomberg News survey. A figure above 50 indicates an expansion. U.S. industrial production probably climbed 0.3 percent in November, according to a separate Bloomberg survey before Federal Reserve data today.

    “China has been showing decent economic progress lately and so has the U.S.,” said Andrey Kryuchenkov, an analyst at VTB Capital in London who predicts Brent crude will trade from $104 to $114 a barrel this month. “The market is comfortable with supplies, and this will keep volatility down next year.”

    Brent for January settlement, which expires today, advanced as much as $1.01 to $108.92 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. It was at $108.50 at 11:06 a.m. London time.

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  • 12.14.2012

    Adobe Reports Record Quarterly and Annual Revenue

    Adobe Systems Incorporated today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended Nov. 30, 2012.

    Adobe achieved revenue in Q4 FY2012 of $1.153 billion, exceeding its targeted range of $1.075 billion to $1.125 billion.  During the quarter, the Company continued to accelerate adoption of Adobe® Creative Cloud™ as it migrates to a subscription model.  Adobe also achieved record Adobe Marketing Cloud and Document Services revenue during the fourth quarter.

    For fiscal year 2012, Adobe achieved record revenue of $4.4 billion.

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  • 12.14.2012

    October US Commercial Printing Shipments Increase, and Balance Much of September’s Decline

    October 2012 US commercial printing shipments were up +$251 million, or +3.6% versus 2011, the first positive October since 2010. “On an inflation-adjusted basis, shipments were up +$100 million, or +1.4%,” said Dr. Joe Webb, Director of the WhatTheyThink Economics & Research Center. The latest report of shipments has been released by Dr. Webb and Strategies for Management, Inc.
     
    Dr. Webb also reported that the contraction in September’s shipments were revised down by another $49 million. “September was a difficult month. Shipments were down -3.9% on a current dollar basis and down -5.8% after adjusting for inflation compared to 2011,” he explained.
     
    Profits adjusted for inflation improved on a short-term basis. For Q3-2012 were $1.45 billion compared to $1.29 billion in Q2. Dr. Webb believes that despite the long-term downward trend in shipments, profits are no longer being dragged down by poor-performing print businesses. “In a bad economy, being a poor performing business means you have little access to capital, and almost no freedom of action, so it is easy to get pushed out of the marketplace.”
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  • 12.14.2012

    International Paper Reaches Agreement to Sell Temple-Inland Building Products Division for $750 Million

    International Paper today announced that it has reached an agreement to sell its Temple-Inland Building Products division to Georgia-Pacific LLC for $750 million in cash, subject to certain pre-and post-closing adjustments. The assets to be sold include 16 manufacturing facilities - five solid wood mills, four particleboard plants, two medium-density fiberboard plants, one fiberboard plant and four gypsum wallboard plants.

    "While not core to IP's strategy, Temple-Inland Building Products is an industry leader," said John Faraci, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "I am pleased to have reached a deal that recognizes the strength of the business and provides excellent value for IP shareowners."

    Temple-Inland Building Products facilities are located across eight states, primarily in the southeastern and eastern portions of the United States, with access to five of the top 12 housing markets.

    The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2013, subject to satisfaction of various closing conditions, including obtaining required governmental approvals.  IP intends to use the proceeds from the sale to reduce its debt.

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  • 12.14.2012

    MWV Specialty Chemicals Completes Acquisition of Resitec Industria Quimica, Ltda.

    MWV Specialty Chemicals, a division of MeadWestvaco Corporation, announced the completion of the purchase of Resitec Industria Quimica, Ltda., a Brazilian company that serves the Latin American Pine Chemicals industry. The transaction was completed on Dec. 11, 2012, following government approvals. Financial results for Resitec will now be reported as part of MWV’s Specialty Chemicals division.

    With approximately 115 employees, Resitec currently provides chemical products for the rubber, lubricants, food and adhesives markets. Its operations include a manufacturing facility located in the city of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, an administrative office located in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, and a tall oil refinery in the city of Palmeira, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

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  • 12.13.2012

    John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2013 Results

    John Wiley & Sons, Inc., a global provider of content and knowledge-based services in areas of scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly research (STMS); professional development (PD); and global education (GEd) today announced results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2013:
     
    U.S. GAAP:
    Revenue fell 3% due to difficult market conditions for higher education textbooks, softness in global bookstore channels, and continued tight library budgets in STMS. 
    Revenue change by segment:  STMS -0.5%, PD -8%, and GEd -6%.
    U.S. GAAP earnings per share (EPS) fell 14% to $0.71. 
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  • 12.13.2012

    Hachette Updates Environmental Progress

    In its annual report on the progress it has made in hitting various environmental goals, Hachette Book Group said today that it is ahead of pace in two key areas but behind in a third. HBG has already surpassed its target for reducing total greenhouse gas emissions as well as for the use of Forest Stewardship Council paper, but is behind its goal in increasing the use of recycled paper.

    HBG had hoped to increase its recycled fiber usage from 3% in its benchmark year of 2008 to 30% by 2012, but was at only 8% in 2011 due to what HBG said is the scarcity and poor quality of recycled fiber as well as the closing of de-inking facilities. Its new goal is to increase to 20% post-consumer recycled fiber usage for its products through 2016 and the publisher said it will continue to explore alternate sources of supply to meet the challenge of securing adequate recycled fiber for its books.

    The news on reducing overall climate impacts was much better. In 2009, HBG committed to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions linked to publishing operations--including paper-- by 20% by 2020, from 2008 and has already cut emissions levels by 40%. Given the “rapid pace of marketplace changes,” HBG said it will aim to reduce its total carbon footprint by an average of 5% annually from 2013 – 2015, for a cumulative 50% reduction in the six years since announcing our environmental policy.

    In terms of use of FSC certified paper, HBG estimates that its usage will exceed 80% at the end of 2012, far ahead of its original goal of at least 20% certified by this year. By 2015, HBG’s goal is to have 90% of the company’s paper FSC certified.

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  • 12.13.2012

    InfoTrends Calculates the True Cost of Printed Business Communications

    Producing and distributing documents involves many processes and includes a combination of tangible, “hard” costs (printing, shipping, storing materials, etc.) and other less tangible, “soft” costs (composition, design, editing, project management, etc.). Companies of all sizes need to understand all these related costs to manage their businesses effectively.

    InfoTrends’ new study, titled “The True Cost of Business Communications,” compares and examines the costs associated with outsourcing and doing the work internally, along with providing key considerations for what the outsourced print should be.

    InfoTrends has found that non-print costs are typically higher than actual print costs in environments where older methods are used for producing, purchasing, creating and managing printed documents. However, the ratio of print costs to non-print costs varies dramatically, depending on the quantity that is being printed.

    The research firm recommends that companies conduct a thorough analysis of internal work processes that are involved for the most common documents produced. They should then quantify the internal and external expenses to create, produce and distribute these documents on an annual basis.

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  • 12.13.2012

    Bellona and Norske Skog are working for a better environment

    Norske Skog and the environmental foundation Bellona have signed a partnership agreement to create a more environmentally-friendly supply chain. During the last 20 years, Norske Skog has made significant investments to rationalise energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For many years, the company has received recognition from the international Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for social responsibility through its reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and targets for emission reductions.
     
    The collaboration aims to reduce the environmental impact of current production, utilising logs in a better way and finding the right commercial environmental solutions for production of bio-energy and bio-waste.
     
    Paper is environmentally friendly. It is based on a renewable resource, and paper is recycled to a large extent. Bark and other waste products are used for bio-energy. We want a partnership to examine possibilities for creating better commercial environmental solutions than we have today. A concrete example of the cooperation is that we hope to find good and environmentally friendly uses of ash that occurs as a by-product at Norske Skog's mills in Skogn and Halden, says President and CEO in Norske Skog, Sven Ombudstvedt.
     
    Bellona acknowledges that environmental organisations can not drive forward environmental solutions on their own. Therefore, the environmental foundation has had a cooperation programme with industrial companies since 1998. The reason for this is that Bellona would like to team up with the players in the industry who take the environment seriously, so that we can develop tomorrow's environmental solutions together. To realise these environmental ambitions, great emphasis is placed on the long term. This partnership agreement gives the parties room to develop shared visions and strengthen each other's expertise. In addition, the company will contribute an agreed annual amount to Bellona.
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  • 12.13.2012

    Sporting News Ends Its 126-Year Print Run

    Sporting News, the so-called "baseball bible" during much of its 126-year history, is ending its print edition with the December issue and go digital only in January 2013.
     
    The announcement, as reported Tuesday (Dec. 11) in adage.com, was no surprise because SN has been heading in that direction since Sept. 2008, when the frequency was pared from weekly to biweekly.  It was further reduced to monthly in Nov. 2011.
     
    Obviously, the decision is economic, and with much of the online editorial being free, the challenge for SN president/publisher Jeff Price is producing enough advertising revenues in the digital format (includes apps) .
     
    Although Sporting News going digital lacks the attention given to Newsweek for doing the same, it was at one time America's longest continuously published weekly. For much of its history, it was St. Louis-based and owned by the Spink family, and baseball statistics including boxscores were a staple at a time when little data from out-of-town teams could be found in local newspapers.
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  • 12.13.2012

    Amazon signs another tax deal

    Amazon.com Inc.. will begin to collect sales tax on Nov. 1, 2013, from customers in Massachusetts, the retailer and state officials announced yesterday.
     
    As part of the agreement, Amazon, No. 1 in the Internet Retailer Top 500, has promised to create hundreds of jobs in the state and to work with state officials in support of pending federal legislation designed to produce states with more sales tax revenue from online and catalog purchases. In return, Amazon gets another year to avoid sales tax collection even though its acquisition earlier this year of warehouse robotics company Kiva Systems Inc., which is based in Massachusetts, requires it to collect sales tax in the state under existing law.
     
    “We look forward to creating hundreds of high-tech jobs in Massachusetts and continuing to work with Gov. Patrick, state leaders and Congress to pass federal legislation permitting interstate sales tax collection,” says Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice president of global public policy. “Federal legislation is the only way to level the playing field for all sellers, the only way for states to obtain more than a fraction of the sales tax revenue that is already owed, and the only way to fully protect states’ rights.”
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  • 12.13.2012

    Freedom Communications acquires Churm Media

    Freedom Communications announced today that it has reached agreement to acquire Newport Beach, Calif.-based Churm Media, publisher of OC METRO, OC Family, OC Menus and Southland Golf magazines and websites and as well as Ripe Orange, a marketing, design and events firm. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

    "Steve Churm and the entire Churm Media team has done a fabulous job over multiple decades building a wealth of relationships and a portfolio of publications, websites, events and services that are robust, engaging and invaluable for Orange County," said Aaron Kushner, owner and CEO at Freedom. "We're excited to have the entire Churm Media team join with our own at the Orange County Register. We are looking forward to growing these terrific brands for the next generation, with an eye on how the Register can increase what we are providing to our subscribers, advertisers and Orange County as a whole."

    "We could not be more energized to join forces with Orange County’s most trusted information source,” said Steve Churm, CEO of Churm Media and Publisher of OC METRO. "We share the same business philosophy and vision for success, which starts with a strong commitment to deliver valuable content to improve the lives of people who live and work in this great county. This acquisition will significantly enhance the foundation we’ve built with readers and advertisers and help us reach our full growth potential. It’s a tremendous opportunity and we can’t wait to get started."

    The transaction does not affect Churm Media’s existing business operations, and all employees will continue in their respective roles under Freedom ownership.

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