Blog Keyword - Midland PaperClips - fine paper, packaging and supply systems distributor

01.25.2012

The American Accounting Association Selects Allen Press As Online Publishing Provider

Allen Press, Inc., printer and publishing services provider, has recently entered into an agreement with the American Accounting Association (AAA) to provide online publishing on the Pinnacle platform for fifteen of the association’s journals in addition to services currently being provided.

Since 1916, AAA has attracted the largest community of accountants in academia. The Association is committed to collaboration and innovation through teaching and research. Consisting of seven regions and specialty sections publishing a variety of journals and educational material, AAA is the principal professional association of accounting academics in the United States.

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01.25.2012

Oil Trades Below $100 as Rising U.S. Stockpiles Counter Gasoline Demand

Oil declined a second day in New York as rising U.S. crude inventories countered data showing gasoline demand increased last week in the world’s largest oil consumer.

Futures fell as much as 0.9 percent after dropping 0.6 percent yesterday. Crude stockpiles probably rose last week as imports rebounded, according to a Bloomberg News survey before an Energy Department report today. U.S. gasoline demand grew for a second week, MasterCard Inc. data showed yesterday. The European Union embargo on Iranian oil supplies will “bear bitter fruit,” Iran’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said this week.

“Downward pressure on crude futures could we remain until the end of the week,” said Andrey Kryuchenkov, an analyst at VTB Capital in London, who predicts prices will struggle to rise above $102 a barrel. “Demand numbers could well see extra attention” in today’s Energy Department data.

Crude for March delivery fell as much as 85 cents to $98.10 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $98.14 at 11:49 a.m. London time. Yesterday, the contract fell 63 cents to $98.95, the lowest settlement since Jan. 20. Prices have climbed 14 percent in the past year.

Brent oil for March settlement on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange was at $109.62 a barrel, down 41 cents.

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01.25.2012

MagnaGlobal revises U.S. ad forecast up to 3.7% growth this year

U.S. ad revenue will grow by 3.7% this year over last year, according to a revised forecast by MagnaGlobal, the global media unit of IPG's Mediabrands. This forecast is up from a 2.9% growth projection issued by MagnaGlobal in October.

MagnaGlobal said the quadrennial effect of U.S. political advertising and the Summer Olympics will help increase ad revenue this year.

Internet advertising will be the fastest-growing media category this year, increasing 10.9%. Other categories that will see increases include broadcast television (up 8.5%), which will benefit from political and Olympic advertising, and outdoor (up 4.0%).

All other major media categories will suffer this year, MagnaGlobal projects. Newspapers will be down 6.0%, magazines will be down 5.2%, and radio will be down 0.8%, according to the report.

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01.25.2012

Fry Communications Adds to Production Workflow Toolbox Through Affiliation With SendMyAd

Fry Communications recently entered into an Affiliate Agreement with Blanchard Systems to offer the SendMyAd ad portal as part of Fry’s growing selection of production workflow tools.

SendMyAd is a “cloud based” ad portal, which is accessed using a standard web browser to simplify the process of print, web and tablet ad submission. With SendMyAd, ad materials can be uploaded, preflighted, approved, and delivered to the publisher or their printer all within a simple-to-use portal. It provides both the publisher and advertiser an interactive preflight report highlighting the results of preflight tests performed against the publisher’s ad specifications. With an easy to use trim-editing tool, ads can be repositioned and trimmed to match ad specifications without resubmitting or leaving the ad portal. SendMyAd creates a PDF/X-1a and retains all job ticket and history as metadata. The ad is then delivered to the publisher or printer ready for placement in the magazine.

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01.25.2012

GTREE Set to Revolutionize Sustainable Label Offerings

Following years of research, testing and development, G3 Enterprises is now offering GTREE™ – an environmentally sustainable, high-performance wine label paper which was developed for use on all bottling lines, including those utilizing high-speed and mobile bottling application equipment.

Manufactured from 100% post-consumer recycled fiber (100% PCW), GTREE™ has one of the greenest environmental footprints of any label stock currently offered. The GTREE™ label contains true recycled fiber consisting of sorted office paper that has had at least one useful life before being recycled. G3 Enterprises teamed with family-owned Monadnock Paper Mills, which is also known as a global environmental steward, to research and develop a 100% PCW label stock that could meet the rigors of bottling including tensile and tear strength, brightness, embossing and scuff resistance that is equal to or better than current paper stocks. Additionally, the GTREE™ label paper is specially designed with a unique formulation which results in increased resistance to water absorption allowing GTREE™ to maintain its premium appearance and high quality print aesthetics even when exposed to ice bucket conditions for prolonged periods.

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01.25.2012

Wary but Determined, Publishers are Preparing for the Digital Future

The transition to digitization continues in book publishing, an industry that is both susceptible to digital disruption, but also positioned to benefit tremendously from it, according to Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey who kicked off this year's Digital Book World conference. That said, a survey conducted by Forrester in collaboration with Digital Book World found that while 82% of publishers were optimistic about digital, the number was down from 89% last year. Indeed only 28% of those thought their own company would be stronger in the future, down from 51% last year.

The decline has a lot to do with a realization of hard work ahead for publishers to adapt to the new digital environment, according to McQuivey. He also offered these figures: 25 million people in the U.S. own an e-reader; 34 million people own tablets and eight million homes have at least two tablets. While publishers may be a bit daunted, they are rapidly organizing their firms for digital: 75% of publishers have an executive level person responsible for digital; 63% report that digital skills are formally integrated into all departments; 69% of the publishers expect to increase digital staffiing in 2012, while 22% expect overall company staffing to go down in 2012.

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01.25.2012

Xerox Reports Fourth-Quarter 2011 Earnings

Xerox Corporation announced today fourth-quarter 2011 results that include adjusted earnings per share of 33 cents, up 14 percent from fourth-quarter 2010, and $1.3 billion in operating cash flow. Adjusted EPS excludes 7 cents related to amortization of intangibles, resulting in GAAP EPS of 26 cents.

In the fourth quarter, total revenue of $6 billion was flat; revenue from the company’s services business was up 6 percent, and revenue from its technology business was down 5 percent. Growth in services was driven by an 8 percent increase in both business process outsourcing and document outsourcing. Technology revenue, which represents the sale of document systems, supplies, technical service and financing of products, was significantly impacted by economic weakness in Europe.

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01.25.2012

MWV Reports Fourth Quarter and Record Full-Year 2011 Results

MeadWestvaco Corporation today reported a loss from continuing operations of $9 million, or $0.05 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2011. Excluding special items, principally charges related to the forthcoming spinoff of the Consumer & Office Products business, income from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $44 million, or $0.26 per share, versus $71 million, or $0.41 per share in 2010 on the same basis. The decline was primarily due to lower volume across certain U.S. and European packaging markets as customers aggressively responded to uncertain demand trends caused by ongoing global macroeconomic developments.

Total sales in the fourth quarter of 2011 were unchanged compared to 2010. Growth in global markets for food, beverage and healthcare packaging, and higher sales of performance chemicals for inks, adhesives, and oilfield drilling markets were offset primarily by lower demand in home and garden, beauty and personal care packaging, particularly in Europe, and in general paperboard packaging.

Total sales for full-year 2011 increased 6 percent compared to 2010. Full-year 2011 pre-tax income from the company’s business segments (before Corporate and Other) increased 15 percent to $840 million led by significant profit improvements in Packaging Resources of 25 percent and Specialty Chemicals of 44 percent. Growth in global markets for food, beverage and tobacco, as well as in performance chemicals for adhesives, inks and oilfield markets drove the company’s improved full-year 2011 results.

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01.25.2012

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper to implement rationalization plan

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper announced today that it will implement a rationalization plan to improve its competitiveness in an increasingly demanding market. Starting in the first quarter of 2012, the plan will cover all sectors of the mill.

To ensure the mill's long-term viability, the Company must reduce its labour costs which are significantly higher than the Canadian industry average.

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01.25.2012

Meredith Significantly Increases Its Digital Scale With Acquisition of Allrecipes.com

Meredith Corporation and The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. announced today that Meredith, the leading media and marketing company serving American women, has agreed to purchase Allrecipes.com, the world's No. 1 digital food site.

"The acquisition of Allrecipes.com, the market leader in the digital food space, significantly enhances our leading consumer and advertiser proposition," said Meredith Chairman and CEO Steve Lacy. "It more than doubles the scale of the Meredith Women's Digital Network, and is expected to drive incremental revenue and profit growth, adding to our already strong free cash flow over time."

The acquisition of a digital brand of scale aligns well with Meredith's Total Shareholder Return (TSR) financial strategy, which was announced on October 25, 2011. The TSR strategy includes (1) An increase in its annual stock dividend by 50 percent to $1.53 per share; (2) A new $100 million share repurchase authorization; and (3) Strategic investments to drive incremental revenue and profit growth.

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01.25.2012

Meredith Corporation Reports Fiscal 2012 Second Quarter Results

Meredith Corporation, the leading media and marketing company serving American women, today reported fiscal 2012 second quarter earnings per share of $0.70, compared to $0.88 in the year-ago period. Revenues were $329 million, compared to $366 million. Meredith recorded $21 million, or $0.28 per share, less of political advertising revenues in the second quarter of fiscal 2012 than in the year-ago period, which is expected in an off-election year.

Fiscal 2012 second quarter Local Media Group operating profit was $27 million, compared to $39 million in the year-ago period. Total revenues were $84 million, compared to $97 million. Meredith recorded $21 million less of political advertising revenue in the second quarter of fiscal 2012 than in the year ago period, which is expected in an off-election year. Expenses declined 3 percent, helping drive an EBITDA margin of nearly 40 percent.

Fiscal 2012 second quarter National Media Group operating profit was $36 million, compared to $42 million in the year-ago period. Revenues were $244 million, compared to $268 million. Expenses decreased 8 percent.

Fiscal 2012 second quarter advertising revenues were $107 million, compared to $122 million in the year-ago period. Fiscal 2012 second-quarter weighted average net advertising revenues per magazine page increased 8 percent, due primarily to a change in mix and stronger pricing.

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01.25.2012

EFI Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Results

Electronics For Imaging, Inc., a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, today announced its results for the fourth quarter of 2011.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2011, the Company reported record revenue of $163.1 million, up 12% year-over-year compared to fourth quarter 2010 revenue of $145.0 million. Fourth quarter 2011 non-GAAP net income was $16.6 million or $0.36 per diluted share, including $0.03 of unfavorable non-operational currency impact, compared to non-GAAP net income of $13.3 million or $0.28 per diluted share for the same period in 2010. GAAP net income was $11.5 million or $0.25 per diluted share, compared to $8.1 million or $0.17 per diluted share for the same period in 2010.

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2011, the Company reported revenue of $591.6 million, up 17% year-over-year compared to 2010 revenue of $504.0 million. Non-GAAP net income for the year was $53.1 million or $1.12 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $27.8 million or $0.59 per diluted share for the same period in 2010. GAAP net income for the year was $27.5 million or $0.58 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $7.5 million or $0.16 per diluted share for the same period in 2010.

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01.24.2012

RR Donnelley Signs a Multi-Year Multi-Million Dollar Print Management Agreement With Metro Inc.

R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company today announced that it has been awarded a multi-year multi-million dollar agreement by Metro Inc., a leading grocery and pharmacy chain in Quebec and Ontario with more than 65,000 employees. Under the terms of the agreement, which renews and expands the companies' relationship, Metro will draw upon RR Donnelley's Canadian production, distribution and technology platform for its administrative and operational documents.

"RR Donnelley has been a strategic business provider for Metro for 10 years," stated Richard Dufresne, Metro's Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. "We are pleased to continue this long-term relationship in a new agreement. We believe that RR Donnelley's production capabilities and its technology-based solutions are fully aligned with Metro's Customer First Strategy, to help support a better shopping experience for our customers."

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01.24.2012

Rayonier Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Results

Rayonier today reported fourth quarter net income of $56 million, or 45 cents per share, compared to $59 million, or 48 cents per share, in the prior year period. Full year 2011 net income totaled $276 million, or $2.20 per share, compared to $218 million, or $1.79 per share, in 2010.

Forest Resources: Fourth quarter sales of $52 million were $19 million above the prior year period, while operating income of $14 million increased $7 million, reflecting strong export demand in the Northwest and slightly improved pulpwood markets in the Atlantic region.

Performance Fibers: Fourth quarter sales of $281 million were $48 million above the prior year period, while operating income of $76 million was $14 million higher. The impact of stronger cellulose specialties markets more than offset a price decline in absorbent materials and higher input and transportation costs. As expected, the quarter was also impacted by a $6 million write-off related to process equipment changes needed for the cellulose specialties expansion project.

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01.24.2012

Packaging Corporation of America Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Results

Packaging Corporation of America today reported fourth quarter 2011 net income of $39 million, or $0.40 per share. Reported results for the fourth quarter of 2010 were $53 million, or $0.52 per share, excluding income from biofuel tax credits and asset disposal charges.

Lower earnings per share, compared to last year’s fourth quarter, were driven by cost inflation ($0.10), lower containerboard export prices ($0.03), increased depreciation ($0.02) and other items ($0.02). These items were partially offset by lower energy and chemical usage ($0.03) and higher corrugated products volume ($0.03).

Excluding special items, full year earnings were $162 million, or $1.61 per share, compared to 2010 earnings of $166 million, or $1.62 per share. Price and mix ($0.38), higher volume ($0.17) and cost reduction benefits ($0.06) improved earnings per share, but was offset by cost inflation ($0.56) and higher depreciation expense ($0.05).

Net sales in the fourth quarter were $654 million, up 4% compared to fourth quarter 2010 net sales of $627 million, and full year net sales were a record $2.6 billion, up 8% over 2010.

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01.24.2012

Oil Fluctuates in New York as Iran Responds to Europe Crude Oil Embargo

Oil swung between gains and losses in New York as Iran criticized a European embargo on its crude exports without repeating threats to disrupt shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Futures rose as much as 0.6 percent before dropping 0.7 percent. While a statement from Iran’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said yesterday’s European Union decision to ban supplies from the nation will “bear bitter fruits,” it stopped short of warning it would close the Strait of Hormuz. An Energy Department report tomorrow may show U.S. crude stockpiles rose last week. The American Petroleum is due to publish its weekly supply report today.

“The Iranian crisis is masking underlying weakness in market fundamentals,” said Andy Sommer, a senior trader at EGL AG in Dietikon, Switzerland, who says the price of Brent crude should be $5 a barrel lower. “We have increasing supply from places like Libya, while U.S. oil demand numbers look pretty weak, and Europe is the weakest link.”

Crude for March delivery rose as much as 60 cents to $100.18 a barrel and was down 46 cents at $99.12 at 11:51 a.m. London time. It settled at 99.58 yesterday, the highest since Jan. 19. Brent oil for March settlement was at $110.03 a barrel, down 55 cents, on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

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01.24.2012

Domtar's 'PAPERbecause' Print Campaign Touts the Value and Sustainability of Paper

Domtar Corporation is extending its award-winning PAPERbecause campaign with a series of new print ads that show why paper still plays a vital role in everything from today's business meetings to educating tomorrow's business leaders.

The print ads will start to appear in January in leading paper, graphic design and printing trade publications. The campaign will expand in the first quarter to include prominent consumer publications such as Fast Company, National Geographic and The New York Times. The print campaign shows how using paper responsibly makes sense in our homes and professional lives, and how it's also an environmentally sound choice. The print ads will join a series of videos and banner ads appearing on a variety of websites.

"The PAPERbecause print campaign gives Domtar a platform to show how paper - a sustainable, renewable and recyclable product - fits so nicely into our lives," said Lewis Fix, Vice-President of Sustainable Business and Brand Management at Domtar. "Domtar is a leader in sustainable paper production, and we promote the responsible use of paper. PAPERbecause reminds people of why paper is so vital today."

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01.24.2012

EFI Ships Next-Generation, 3.2 Meter Dye-Sublimation Soft Signage Printer

EFI™, a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, today announces commercial availability of the EFI VUTEk® TX3250r fabric printer, enabling customers to take advantage of the demands and requirements of the growing soft signage markets. The VUTEk TX3250r printer is a new 3.2-meter, production-level solution that evolved from the first EFI industrial inkjet textile system, the VUTEk FabriVu, introduced in 2002.

An early adopter for the VUTEk TX3250r, Indy Imaging of Indianapolis, IN already had two VUTEk GS3200 hybrid printers. According to Robbie Gordon, president, "In our market, it's about reliability, quality and turnaround and all of that must happen consistently. Our customers have noticed differences in all three areas. What used to take us hours now takes minutes, and the quality that was not there at 300 dpi with other printers, is abundantly there at 1080 dpi on the new VUTEk TX3250r. The speed and quality of this new printer outpaces the competition. We can now print 10-foot wide banners with no seams, opening up another market for larger sizes in flags and banners."

With the ability to print direct to textile and transfer paper, the VUTEk TX3250r is an ideal solution if you are looking to grow your soft signage business with a production-level printer, or if you want to diversify your offering by converting traditional vinyl signage to a product with lower shipping costs, a greener footprint, easier installation and higher margins.

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01.24.2012

G7-Certified Expert’s Unique Knowledge Puts Finch on the A List

Finch Paper customers are looking to the company’s newest G7 Expert, Mary Schilling, to provide value-add G7 services for color management, process and quality control for electrophotography (EP), lithography, and high-speed inkjet printing equipment. Schilling works with the Finch digital team to analyze color, ink/toner, machinery, paper and other print-related issues to bring systems into compliance with clients’ preferred processes, including the G7 methodology.

Schilling, who joined Finch in early 2011, is in an industry veteran with a broad and deep understanding of the entire production process, from design software to press delivery. In 2012 she will present at the IMI Ink Jet Conference on February 1-3, the Xplor conference on March 27-29, and the CGX Emerge conference on April 17-19.

“Digital printers, especially those using production inkjet presses, have quickly realized that the paper ink/toner relationship is critical,” explains Finch Paper Director of Product Marketing, Phil Hart. “Paper is a significant part of the print equation, and has tremendous impact on every job. We’re helping our clients optimize press performance and print quality with experts like Mary, who combine their knowledge of fluid and substrate interactions with leading process methods, such as G7.”

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01.24.2012

Topspin LBO Buys Stagnito Media

Stagnito Media, a b-to-b media company serving the grocery and convenience store markets, has been acquired by Topspin LBO, a Long-Island-based private equity firm.

The deal will give Stagnito the resources it needs to continue its growth, says CEO Harry Stagnito, particularly in marketing services and data and information products. While he wouldn't reveal the terms of the deal, the company grew 26 percent in revenues during 2011, with print representing 60 percent of overall revenues, digital 20 percent and marketing services and events at 20 percent.

"Print is growing, it's not going backwards," clarifies Stagnito. "Our whole pie is getting bigger as these other areas continue to grow. I believe very strongly in print as we increase our share of market."

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01.24.2012

Forest Industry Welcomes Renewed Softwood Lumber Agreement

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) is pleased that the Minister of International Trade, Ed Fast, has today announced a two-year extension of the Softwood Lumber Agreement along with the US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk.

“The softwood agreement does provide stability and predictability in terms of getting access to our most important market, the United States,” says the President and CEO of FPAC, Avrim Lazar. “The industry is of the view that at a time of ongoing market uncertainty, it is a good idea to extend the deal by another two years to provide a degree of certainty in market access to the U.S.”

Lazar notes that Canadian forest companies have gone through an economically challenging time with mill closures and the job loss in the face of the global recession and the changing marketplace. The sector has had significant success in diversifying their markets especially in Asia. Wood exports to China have increased by 46 times since 2000 and the sector is now the largest Canadian exporting industry to both India and China. However the U.S. still accounts for about two-thirds of the exports of Canadian forest products.

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01.24.2012

Millar Western achieves new forest and environmental certifications under SFI and ISO 14001

Following successful audits in late 2011, Millar Western's Boyle woodlands group recently received confirmation that their operations had been certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and ISO 14001 standards, joining the company's Whitecourt/Fox Creek operations. The certification of all its woodlands operations under these internationally-recognized, third-party-audited forest certification and environmental management programs marks a significant milestone for the company, providing stakeholders with further confirmation of Millar Western's commitment to manage natural resources in a responsible and sustainable manner.

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01.24.2012

M-real launches two new double-coated Kemiart kraftliners giving POS displays and retail-ready packaging richer colours and enhanced gloss

M-real, the global market leader in coated white top kraftliners, has launched two new double-coated grades: Kemiart Graph+ and Kemiart Lite+. The double coating provides a smoother and glossier surface, enhancing printability with improved ink laydown, brighter colours and more accurate detail. The new grades are
ideal for retail-ready packaging, point-of-sale and promotional displays and other high-end packaging applications.

Kemiart Graph+ has been developed for flexo preprint, as well as offset, screen and water-based inkjet printing; Kemiart Lite+ is designed for flexo postprint. They join Kemiart Ultra and Kemiart Brite in a range that has a linerboard suitable for every application.

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01.24.2012

Kimberly-Clark Announces Year-End 2011 Results and 2012 Outlook

Kimberly-Clark Corporation today reported year-end 2011 results and provided its 2012 outlook and related key planning assumptions.

Fourth quarter 2011 net sales were $5.2 billion and increased 2 percent. Organic sales rose 3 percent, driven by higher net selling prices and sales volumes. The organic growth was highlighted by a 7 percent increase in K-C International.

Diluted net income per share for the quarter was $1.01 compared with $1.20 in the year-ago period. Fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share were $1.28 in 2011, up 7 percent compared to diluted net income per share in the prior year. Fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share benefited from sales growth, cost savings and a lower share count, partially offset by input cost inflation, a higher effective tax rate and lower net income from equity companies.

Diluted net income per share for full-year 2011 was $3.99. Adjusted earnings per share were $4.80 compared to the company's previous guidance of $4.80 to $4.90. Adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter and full-year 2011 exclude costs for pulp and tissue restructuring actions. In addition, adjusted earnings per share for the full year exclude a business tax charge related to a law change in Colombia.

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01.24.2012

Standard Register Announces Strategic Restructuring

Standard Register, a leader in the management and execution of mission-critical communications, today announced a strategic restructuring program to better align the Company’s resources in support of its growing core solutions business and to reduce costs to offset the impact of declining revenue in its legacy operations. The restructuring is expected to result in an estimated $45 million in annual savings and the elimination of 12% to 15% of its workforce over the next 6 to 9 months. Costs associated with the restructuring program are expected to reduce fourth quarter 2011 earnings by approximately $5.5 million, or $0.11 per share, net of tax. The balance of the costs will reduce 2012 earnings by approximately $1.5 million, or $0.03 per share, net of tax.

The Company will also record a non-cash charge to tax expense of $70 to $90 million to establish a valuation allowance against certain deferred tax assets, which will reduce earnings per share by $2.40 to $3.10 in the fourth quarter. The action is necessary under accounting standards that require recording a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that a portion of the asset will not be realized. The valuation allowance will be maintained until sufficient evidence exists to support its reversal.

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01.24.2012

APP China commits to lead efforts in advancing Chinese paper industry’s sustainable development

This initiative calls for collective efforts to advance the industry's sustainable development by committing to accomplishing the energy-saving and emission-reduction targets set by the Chinese central government in its 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015).

Being a prominent player in China's pulp and paper industry, APP will make major contributions in leading the entire industry to collaboratively stepping up efforts on green development and achieving the goals outlined in the 12th Five Year Plan as part of its commitment to the initiative.

According to the initiative, both the industry's average comprehensive energy consumption and average water consumption per ton of pulp/paper should see a decrease of 18% by 2015. Emissions of chemical oxygen demand (COD) needs to be reduced by 10%. Additionally, the percentage of bio-energy should rise to 20% in the industry's overall energy consumption.

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01.23.2012

Resolute Extending Offer for Fibrek to February 13

AbitibiBowater Inc., doing business as Resolute Forest Products, today announced that it extended to February 13 the expiry date for its offer to acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Fibrek Inc. The extension is intended to allow the Canadian Competition Bureau to complete its review of the proposed acquisition following its request for supplementary information and the Bureau de révision et décision (Québec) to hear Resolute's application for an order to cease trade the Fibrek shareholder rights plan.

"A supplementary information request is a normal part of the regulatory process," said Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We will continue to work with the Canadian competition authority and provide it with the responsive information." He added: "We're pleased to see that over 57% of Fibrek shares have been tendered as of today. The success of our bid should be up to shareholders, unimpeded by management entrenchment maneuvers like the tactical poison pill."

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01.23.2012

James C. Tyrone Returns to NewPage as Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations & Business Development

NewPage announced today that James C. Tyrone has accepted the role of executive vice president, Commercial Operations and Business Development, effective February 1, 2012. Mr. Tyrone will report to George F. Martin, president and chief executive officer.

Effective with Mr. Tyrone's return, the Sales and Marketing, Order Management and Strategy groups will be realigned under his direction. Barry Nelson, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing will report directly to Tyrone and retain his current roles and responsibilities, as will Linda McClinchy, vice president, Order Management and Curtis Short, vice president, Strategy.

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01.23.2012

Catalyst provides update regarding recapitalization

Catalyst Paper Corporation announces, in accordance with an interim order from the British Columbia Superior Court (the Court) dated January 17, 2012, that a hearing (the Hearing) is scheduled to be held on February 3, 2012 with respect to its previously announced recapitalization transaction. Full details of the recapitalization agreement (the Agreement) and the transaction will be provided in a management information circular (the Circular) expected to be distributed to shareholders, holders of its 11% senior secured notes due 2016 (the Senior Secured Notes) and holders of its 7 3/8% senior notes due 2014 (Senior Notes and together with the Senior Secured Notes, the Noteholders) in February 2012. At the Hearing, Catalyst Paper will apply for the following orders and declarations: an order that the Circular of Catalyst Paper be deemed to represent sufficient and adequate disclosure, including for the purpose of section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA), and Catalyst Paper shall not be required to send to Noteholders any other or additional statement pursuant to section 192 of the CBCA; an order approving a form of proxy that Catalyst Paper is authorized to use in connection with the Noteholders’ meetings; an order approving January 27, 2012, or such other date as disclosed by Catalyst Paper in a press release, as the early consent date for the purposes of the proposed arrangement and consideration allocated thereunder; more at:

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01.23.2012

U.S. Recovered Paper Consumption Drops 5% in 2011

According to the December 2011 Recovered Paper Monthly Report published today by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), total U.S. industry consumption of recovered paper was 2.3 million tons, 7.5% lower than December of last year, and 3% lower than November 2011. Decreases compared to last month were observed across most grades of recovered paper except Pulp Substitutes and High Grade Deinking, which recorded small gains. These gains, however, did little to offset the more precipitous drops in Mixed, Newspapers and Corrugated. Overall, consumption of recovered paper in 2011 was 5% lower than in 2010. Inventories increased to their highest level for 2011, bringing days of supply up one day to 12, though they still fell short of the 922 thousand tons of ending stocks for December 2010.

U.S. exports of recovered paper dropped 6% in November, marking the lowest export volume in 2011 since February. The volume drop was accompanied by noticeable decreases in average $/ton values for Mixed, Newspapers and Pulp Substitutes. Year-to-date exports in 2011 are 13% higher than last year by volume. Import tons were flat in November, keeping year-to-date volumes 29% higher than in 2010, but they also suffered a significant decrease in average $/ton values.

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01.23.2012

Crude Oil Advances After European Union Agrees on Sanctions Against Iran

Oil rose as the European Union announced a phased-in embargo of Iranian (OPCRIRAN) crude in an effort to contain the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

The ban will be implemented in stages by July 1, Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal told reporters today in Brussels. The region bought 450,000 barrels a day of Iran’s oil in the first half of 2011, U.S. Energy Department data show. EU finance heads are meeting to craft a long-term plan to tackle the area’s debt crisis.

“It remains to be seen how the embargo will be implemented and therefore how prices will react,” said Christopher Bellew, a senior broker at Jefferies Bache Ltd. in London. “Sanctions would of course be more effective if the EU can persuade other buyers to join them. And full implementation has been delayed to July 1. A lot can happen in five months.”

Brent oil for March settlement gained as much as 92 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $110.78 a barrel and was at $110.67 a barrel at 11 a.m. on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London.

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01.23.2012

Why the Postal Service Must Survive

Over the past several months we’ve had dozens of meetings with major mailers, compilers and list brokers. The overall consensus is that business is improving, and looking good for 2012. Our company can attest to that. Sales in 2011 are up substantially compared to the past three years. We’re not up to 2007 levels, but we think we might get close to that goal in 2012.

In the third quarter of 2011, the USPS reported the following volumes:

* First Class: 17.7 billion pieces.
* Standard Mail: 19.7 billion pieces.
* Periodicals: 1.8 billion pieces.
* Package Services: 143 million packages.

The USPS has 574,000 employees, making them the second largest employer in the country. Their fleet has 218,000 vehicles, the largest fleet in the world. This is a massive enterprise. They will probably lose $9 billion in 2011, and that rate of loss cannot be sustained. Something must be done.

The USPS has 461 mail processing centers. They want to shut down 252 of them. The postal service also wants to shut down 3700 local post offices. They want to get rid of 220,000 employees – 100,000 through attrition and 120,000 through layoffs.

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01.23.2012

Mercer International Inc. Announces Expansion Project At Its Stendal Mill

Mercer International Inc. today announced a project to increase production and efficiency through debottlenecking initiatives including the installation of an additional 40 MW steam turbine at its Stendal mill. The debottlenecking which, among other things, requires the new turbine in order to enhance and efficiently utilize steam production, is designed to increase the mill's annual pulp production capacity by 30,000 ADMTs to approximately 675,000 ADMTs. The new turbine is also expected to initially produce an additional 109,000 MWh of surplus renewable energy for sale at premium pricing.

"We are very pleased with this project", said Jimmy Lee, President and CEO. "The project allows us to maximize the value from the wood that we process at Stendal, increase production and efficiency, provide a backup generator on the first turbine and reduce energy costs during maintenance periods and expand power generation. We currently expect the project, in addition to enhancing mill operating results, to deliver approximately €7.5 million (U.S. $9.8 million) of additional annual power revenues."

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01.23.2012

Pew Says Ownership of Tablets and E-Readers Doubled Over the Holidays

The Pew Internet and American Life Project today released a "mini-report" on the adoption of tablets and e-readers that found the number of Americans owning tablets and e-readers nearly doubled over the holidays. The bottom line numbers represent unprecedented, phenomenal growth in consumer device adoption: from mid-December 2011 to early January 2012, the number of Americans owning a tablet computer rose to 19% from 10%, and the growth in e-book readers jumped an identical amount, to 19% from 10%. Overall, the number of Americans owning either one of these devices jumped from 18% to 29%, meaning that nearly 1 in 3 Americans now owns a device.

“These findings are striking because they come after a period from mid-2011 into the autumn in which there was not much change in the ownership of tablets and e-book readers,” the report notes. “However, as the holiday gift-giving season approached, the marketplace for both
devices dramatically shifted. In the tablet world, Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble’s Nook Tablet were introduced at considerably cheaper prices than other tablets. In the e-book reader world, some versions of the Kindle and Nook and other readers fell well below $100.”

The research findings were conducted among a sample of nearly 3000 individuals in the pre-holiday season, and two separate surveys of 1000 people each post-holiday; the margin of error for the combined surveys is +/- 2.4 percentage points. The survey work was funded in part by the Bill& Melinda Gates Foundation.

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01.23.2012

Sappi Fine Paper North America Announces New Leadership at its Cloquet and Somerset Mills

Today Sappi Fine Paper North America announced that Rick Dwyer and Mike Haws have been appointed as the new managing directors of the Cloquet Mill in Cloquet, Minn. and Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, Maine, respectively. As managing directors, each will be responsible for overseeing the safety performance, productivity and cost management of the integrated pulp and coated fine paper mills. Sappi also announced the appointment of Mike Schultz as managing director of the upcoming $170M capital project to convert Cloquet's pulp mill from hardwood kraft pulp to produce chemical cellulose, the largest capital investment in Cloquet since the 1990's.

"We are very excited to announce the appointments of Rick Dwyer and Mike Haws as managing directors of our Cloquet and Somerset Mills and Mike Schultz as managing director of the pulp mill conversion," said John Donahue, vice president of manufacturing, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "Dwyer, Haws and Schultz bring an expertise and leadership that is critical to operating our world-class coated fine paper and pulp mills safely and sustainably. Managing a large-scale manufacturing site like Cloquet and Somerset is no easy task. I am confident our mills, under their direction, will maintain the highest standard of performance," added Donahue.

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01.23.2012

EU new rules add to the ‘paper versus electronic’ debate

The argument over whether the electronic devices are more environmentally friendly than print media has always been overshadowed by the increasing mountain of electronic waste that is making its way into the municipal waste stream.Additionally, electronic devices, at the end of their life, are being exported to third world countries often under licences which state they are fit for re-use. In reality, these items are disposed of in very unsustainable ways.

See a fascinating video on the disposal of electronic waste here: http://www.twosides.info/the-digital-dump

A report on the European Parliament legislation, kindly reproduced from www.euractiv.com follows.

The European Parliament approved legislation to strengthen the recovery of computers and other electronic and electrical waste while tightening exports of used goods to developing countries, ending months of hard-fought negotiations. MEPs adopted the revamped Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment(WEEE) Directive after months of pitched battles over how ambitious the binding law would be.
“We have reached an agreement and it has not been easy,” German MEP Karl-Heinz Florenz (European People's Party), the parliamentary rapporteur, said before the vote.

The legislation obliges EU countries to collect up to 85% of junked refrigerators, mobile phones, computers and other electronic products by 2019 for recycling, replacing a current system based on weight. The Commission had recommended a 65% target. Only about one-third of electronic waste is recycled today, and half is exported, according to the Parliament.

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01.23.2012

UPM Improves Efficiency and Curtails Its Production in Timber and Further Processing Businesses

UPM has concluded its co-operation negotiations that began in December to curtail its sawn timber and further processing production in Finland.

As a result of the negotiations UPM has decided to carry out the planned rationalization measures at Aureskoski and Lappeenranta, in Finland, and at Pestovo in Russia. The number of employees will be reduced by three at Aureskoski further processing mill, 11 at Kaukas sawmill in Lappeenranta and 34 people at Pestovo mills.

The production curtailments of the first quarter of 2012 concern all Finnish sawmills and further processing mills apart from the Heinola further processing mill. The length of the temporary lay-off periods caused by production curtailments will vary by unit, but they will not last longer than 90 days.

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01.23.2012

USPS Labor Contract Negotiations with Two Major Unions Reach Impasse

Separate contract negotiations with the National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO (NALC) and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, AFL-CIO (NPMHU) have come to an impasse. Under the statutory procedures that apply to postal labor negotiations, if both sides agree, the parties may first engage in mediation and, if unsuccessful, go to interest arbitration. The parties currently are discussing how they will proceed.

Contracts with both unions expired at midnight, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011. All parties agreed to extend negotiations until midnight, Dec. 16, 2011, and again until Jan. 20, 2012. The existing contracts will be followed until terms of a new contract are resolved.

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01.23.2012

Standard Register Meets Customer Demands for Consistent Brand Look with Eight New Xerox iGen4 EXP Presses

Maintaining brand consistency is more important than ever as companies design marketing collateral for various sales channels – including local and regional offices, agents, franchisees, dealers and resellers. Standard Register purchased eight iGen4® EXP Presses from Xerox Corporation to help deliver high-quality critical communication materials for their customers.

The Xerox presses are located in five Standard Register print centers across the U.S.

“It is one thing to say you can deliver high-quality, color-critical documents, but it is quite another to build a national footprint to ensure repeatable, sustainable, color-critical documents as Standard Register has done,” said Steve McDonell, vice president of manufacturing and sustainability, Standard Register. “We take our customers’ brand reputation seriously. With Xerox’s color technology, we can maintain the look they’ve invested in.”

To maximize its technology investment, Standard Register worked with Xerox to develop a marketing strategy, which included color sales training and educational seminars – opening new ways for the sales force to engage customers on the benefits of digital printing. Xerox also assisted Standard Register in selecting color management software and developing color management processes.

Through its partnership with Xerox, Standard Register earned the G7 Master Printer Qualification – a stringent process that recognizes the company’s ability to deliver high-quality, consistent color print.

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01.23.2012

AF&PA Final US Printing & Writing Data (AF&PA, UBS)

AF&PA final US printing and writing stats were fairly weak. Shipments fell 7.3% y/y (-5.5% full year) – a steeper decline than in November. Inventories rose sharply, 5% month over month. Ending inventories were the highest since July and nearly 1% above year-end 2010. Net trade was a relative bright spot. Net imports fell slightly both month over month and year over year.

The free sheet grades continue to post somewhat more modest shipment declines. Uncoated free shipments fell 5.5% m/m (-3.0% all 2011). But inventories rose 8% m/m (10-month high); inventories were still 2.5% below Dec-10. Coated free had the best shipment trend, falling only 1.4% y/y (-4.3% all 2011). Inventories rose about 6.5% m/m (much more than normal). Net imports rose m/m, but fell y/y.

Coated groundwood shipments fell 13.3% y/y (-8.3% all 2011). Inventories fell slightly more than normal to 12-month low (but still up 20% y/y). Net trade was unfavorable. Uncoated groundwood shipments fell 11.3% y/y (-6.5% all 2011) – but faced a particularly tough comp. Inventories rose slightly more than normal.

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01.20.2012

Pearson trading update

Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, is today providing its regular January trading update. We will report preliminary results for 2011 on 27 February 2012.

In the context of significant structural industry change and generally weak market conditions, Pearson performed well competitively through the important year-end selling season. We continue to benefit from rapid growth in digital services, our expanding position in developing economies and the continuing transformation of our business portfolio. For the year as a whole, Pearson generated approximately £2bn ($3bn) of digital revenues and approximately £600m ($1bn) of revenues in emerging markets. We now expect to report 2011 adjusted earnings per share growth of approximately 10% (compared to 77.5p per share reported in 2010), ahead of our previous guidance of approximately 83p per share.

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01.20.2012

Online Ad Spending to Pass Print for the First Time, Forecast Says

Online advertising spending will cruise past print in the United States this year for the first time, according to a new forecast by eMarketer.

Online ad spending in the U.S. grew 23% to $32.03 billion in 2011 and will grow 23.3% more to $39.5 billion in 2012, eMarketer said. That will put it above total U.S. magazine and newspaper spending, which will fall 6.1% to $36 billion this year, said the report.

Print ad spending in magazines will actually tick up to $15.4 billion from $15.3 billion, according to eMarketer. Magazine and newspaper publishers themselves enjoy rising digital ad revenue, which isn't included in the "print" total being surpassed in this forecast. And marketers and agencies are starting to resist paying for online ads that many people never see.

But online advertising's eclipse of a traditional media pillar -- one that remains the dominant revenue source for magazine and newspaper publishers -- would still represent a watershed in the media business.

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01.20.2012

Crude Futures Trim Weekly Gain as Greek Risk Offsets U.S. Rebound Hopes

Oil declined in New York, trimming a weekly advance, as protracted negotiations to resolve Greece’s debt crisis fanned concern that the region’s turmoil will harm fuel consumption.

West Texas Intermediate futures dropped as much as 0.9 percent as talks in Athens on debt swaps entered a third day, with Greek officials and private creditors struggling to agree on a plan. Still, prices are up 1.1 percent this week on signs of recovery in U.S. employment and manufacturing, and concern that tensions between Iran and Western nations will lead to a disruption in Middle East exports.

“The correlation between oil and the dollar is high this morning as the market awaits news about the fate of Greece,” said Olivier Jakob, managing director at Petromatrix GmbH in Zug, Switzerland.

Crude for February delivery fell as much as 95 cents to $99.44 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $99.77 at 11:08 a.m. London time. The contract, which expires today, fell 20 cents yesterday to $100.39, the lowest settlement since Jan. 13. The more-active March contract lost 68 cents to $99.86 today.

Brent oil for March settlement declined 19 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $111.36 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

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01.20.2012

31 Percent of Delivered Digital Ads Not Seen By Consumers

In a new study undertaken by comScore to support the release of a new digital ad measurement solution, the company found that 31 percent of ads are delivered, but not seen by consumers. The vCE (short for Validated Campaign Essentials) Charter Study, which focused on 12 national brands like Allstate, Chrystler and Ford, finds “in many cases, ads are delivered but not in-view or on target and therefore never had a chance to make an impact”.

“The display advertising market today is characterized by an overabundance of inventory, often residing on parts of a web page that are never viewed by the user. This dilutes the impact of campaigns for advertisers and represents a drag on prices to publishers,” says comScore president and CEO Dr. Magid Abraham in a company statement. “Conversely, some ads below the fold are quite visible and deserve more credit.”

The Charter Study found that 69 percent of ad impressions were considered “in-view” (requiring at least 50 percent of the ad to be visible by consumers for at least one second). The remaining 31 percent were delivered, “but never seen by a consumer”, due to slow load times or scrolling behaviors.

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01.20.2012

Fitness Mag Comes to Cheerios Boxes

Back in the day, one of the crowning achievements in a sports career was seeing that star’s face on a Wheaties cereal box. It is a different era now, when people’s own physical state is of greater concern than athlete hero worship. But cereal boxes remain one of the major platforms from which to grab consumer attention. And so Fitness magazine partners with Cheerios for the next six months on a project that brings the magazine brand to millions of breakfast tables. Multigrain Cheerios boxes, 7.5 million of them, will feature the magazine as part of a joint free weight-loss plan offered to consumers.

The Fitness logo on the boxes includes an access code that lets the user enter a special site at MultigrainCheerios.com/Fitness. The weight-loss plan includes two four-week workouts created by Fitness magazine’s advisory board member and fitness author Joe Dowdell. There are online videos for each routine. Recipes and snack ideas have been generated by Fitness contributor Natalie Hancock. In addition to the logo exposure, the diet plan itself links to the FitnessMagazine.com site. As part of a multi-faceted marketing package with the cereal brand, Meredith Studios is also crafting online videos that track the progress of three girlfriends. The series will air on Meredith’s The Better Show.

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01.20.2012

Sonoco Releases Preliminary 2011 Base Earnings Results

Sonoco today released preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2011.

The Company expects fourth quarter 2011 base earnings per diluted share to be $.45 to $.47 and full-year base earnings per diluted share to be $2.28 to $2.30. This compares with the Company’s previously announced guidance of $.59 to $.63 per diluted share in the fourth quarter and $2.41 to $2.46 per diluted share for 2011. The revision was primarily due to lower than expected fourth quarter results from the Company’s Tube and Cores/Paper segment and a higher effective tax rate.

Base earnings and base earnings per diluted share are non-GAAP financial measures adjusted to remove restructuring charges, asset impairment charges, acquisition-related expenses and other items, if any, the exclusion of which the Company believes improves comparability and analysis of the underlying financial performance of the business. The financial results provided in this press release are preliminary and subject to completion and review of 2011 financial statements by the Company.

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01.19.2012

Research Shows Americans Still Prefer Print and Paper Communications

If you prefer to read from paper instead of an electronic screen, you're not alone. According to a recent survey commissioned by Two Sides, the fast-growing non-profit organization created to promote the responsible production, use and sustainability of print and paper, 70 percent of Americans, including 69 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds, say they prefer to read print and paper communications compared toreading off a screen.

Most of those surveyed also believe that paper records are more sustainable than electronic record storage (68 percent) and that paper is more pleasant to handle and touch than other media (67 percent). But survey results also show that many Americans still have misconceptions about the environmental impacts of print and paper.

"Even though most Americans still prefer print over electronic communications, they also have misconceptions about the effects of paper-based communications on the environment," says Two Sides President Phil Riebel. "In fact, print and paper have a great environmental story to tell, and Two Sides is committed to setting the record straight using factual information from well-known, credible sources."

The Two Sides survey indicates a majority of respondents are concerned about the effect of print and paper production on forests and believe that there is a connection between the loss of tropical rainforests and the manufacture of paper, but data from a variety of sources show these beliefs to be unfounded.

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01.19.2012

St.Marys sales process begins

The fate of bankrupt St. Marys Paper Corp. will likely begin unfolding in a Toronto courtroom late Wednesday morning.

Ernst & Young, court-appointed receivers for the cash-strapped Sault Ste. Marie specialty papermaker, will seek Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial Division) approval to move forward on a sales process.

Lawyers for International Forest Products LLC, formerly International Forest Products Corp., which launched legal action late last month that put the 117-year-old mill into receivership, supports the receiver's recommendation.

The receiver is proposing a six-week process from court approval of the sale process to the March 2 closing of the sale.

Key dates will include: Jan. 30 (submission of non-binding letters of intent); Feb. 10 (submission of offers with $250,000 deposit); Feb. 21 (waiving all conditions related to sale); Feb. 29 (court approval of accepted offer) and March 2 (closing date).

Marketing materials, as well as a potential buyer list, including strategic buyers, distressed private equity funds and decommissioning, scrap dealers and liquidators, have been developed prior to the court appearance.

St Marys, rescued from bankruptcy in the summer of 2007, saw only limited production the past two years and was completely idle the past 10 months, since a four-month limited relaunch was aborted in March 2011.

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01.19.2012

November 2011 US Commercial Printing Shipments Down -1.4% Compared to November 2010

November 2011 printing shipments were $7.1 billion in current dollars, -$104 million (-1.4%) compared to November 2010. On an inflation-adjusted basis, shipments were down -$349 million (-4.7%). For January through November, shipments were $76.7 billion, -$181 million for the same period in 2010; on an inflation-adjusted basis, they are down -$2.6 billion.

For all of 2011, it is likely that December’s shipments will bring the year in at $84.0 billion, just short of our forecast of $85 billion. Our forecast for 2012 is $81 billion.

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01.19.2012

Buckeye Announces Sale of Non-Core Merfin Systems Converting Business

Buckeye Technologies Inc. today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell the assets and ongoing operations of its Merfin Systems converting business to National Tissue Company, LLC. Merfin Systems, located in King, North Carolina, is a converter of towels, tissue and napkins which it sells along with proprietary paper product dispensers into the away from home market. It sells these products through selected distributors concentrated in the eastern U.S. and Canada. National Tissue is a privately owned converter located in Cudahy, Wisconsin. National Tissue markets and sells its broad product line primarily through small and mid-sized distributors located in the Midwest.

National Tissue’s President, Mike Graverson, said, “Merfin is an excellent fit and will complement National Tissue’s core business. Merfin brings their proprietary dispensing systems and other product extensions to our basic offering. Adding a second and expandable operating location is a big step in our strategic roadmap.”

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