February 2015 - Page 5 of 16

Smurfit Kappa launches Shelf-Facer, boosting brand visibility by up to 50%

Rigorous testing and extensive shopper insight data have confirmed the benefits of the unique solution, which pulls products to the front of shelf-ready packaging, significantly improving shelf presentation and allowing brands to take full advantage of in-store marketing opportunities. The announcement of the Shelf-Facer follows the recent release of Smurfit Kappa’s shopper marketing white paper – Marketing on the Shelf - exactly how in control are you? – which found that, despite 76% of purchase decisions being made by shoppers in-store, brands often fail to seize upon the powerful marketing opportunity it represents, particularly at point of purchase and on the shelf.

Why digital natives prefer reading in print. Yes, you read that right.

Textbook makers, bookstore owners and college student surveys all say millennials still strongly prefer print for pleasure and learning, a bias that surprises reading experts given the same group’s proclivity to consume most other content digitally. A University of Washington pilot study of digital textbooks found that a quarter of students still bought print versions of e-textbooks that they were given for free. “These are people who aren’t supposed to remember what it’s like to even smell books,” said Naomi S. Baron, an American University linguist who studies digital communication. “It’s quite astounding.”

Xerox Propels Inkjet Accessibility with First-Ever, Fully-Integrated Roll-to-Cut Sheet Press

February 24, 2015
Midland Paper Clips
Printer News

The world’s only fully-integrated roll-to-cut sheet, narrow web inkjet press is designed for print providers who produce 1.5 to 5 million impressions per month. It has the smallest footprint of any inkjet press on the market – 11.9 x 5.1 feet/ 3.58 x 1.55 meters (including the press tower) – a cost-effective option for various production environments. To help lower the entry point into production inkjet technology, the Rialto 900 prints duplex jobs, one-up on the smallest, narrow web (9.84 inches/250 millimeters) on the market.

Quad/Graphics Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2014 Results

February 24, 2015
Midland Paper Clips
Printer News

Net sales for the fourth quarter 2014 were $1.4 billion, an increase of 5.5% over the same period in 2013, which was driven by the Brown Printing acquisition. Fourth quarter 2014 Adjusted EBITDA was $183 million compared to $198 million for the same period in 2013, and Adjusted EBITDA margin was 12.8% compared to 14.7%. The Adjusted EBITDA margin variance primarily reflects the impacts of ongoing volume and pricing pressures, and the margin dilution impact of the Brown Printing acquisition, which has a historically lower margin profile. For full-year 2014, net sales were $4.9 billion versus net sales of $4.8 billion for the previous year. Full-year 2014 Adjusted EBITDA was $543 million compared to $577 million for fiscal 2013, and Adjusted EBITDA margin was 11.2% compared to 12.0% for the previous year. Free Cash Flow was $154 million compared to $292 million for the previous year. The variance in Free Cash Flow was primarily due to an estimated $90 million one-time benefit in 2013 from the restoration of normalized working capital levels following the Vertis acquisition. Also contributing to the variance was increased working capital, including a working capital increase from the Brown Printing acquisition and lower Adjusted EBITDA.

UK Poll Finds Shoppers Prefer Paper-Based Packaging

The research revealed that over half of the 2,289 people surveyed in the nationwide poll, (some 57%) said they preferred their grocery and food packaging in paper-based material, whilst some 31% expressed no preference and just 8% preferred plastic containers. The consumers surveyed were also asked how likely they were to purchase a product from a retailer using paper-based containers as opposed to plastic containers. Some 46% said they were more likely to purchase an item if the packaging was paper-based, compared to 47% who said it would make no difference.

Readerlink Buys B&T Publishing, Warehouse Units

the agreement, which closed late Friday, Readerlink takes ownership of B&T’s 504,000 sq. ft. Indianapolis distribution center, as well as BTPG’s general offices in San Diego and its editorial offices in Ashland, Ore The publishing operations include the imprints Silver Dolphin, Thunder Bay, Canterbury Classics and Portable Press. Those imprints,which publish about 500 titles annually, will continue, though Readerlink said it will soon re-brand the publishing operation as Printers Row Publishing Group. The services arm, BTMS which specializes in distribution to warehouse clubs, will be changed to Readerlink Marketing Services.

Norske Skog: Refinancing successfully completed

Norske Skog has extended the maturities on a significant portion of its indebtedness, with new notes maturing in 2019, 2021 and 2023. The new EUR 290 million SSN mature in December 2019 and will be structurally senior to all remaining existing notes and notes issued in the exchange offer. The exchange notes will be structurally junior to the SSN, but structurally senior to remaining existing notes and mature in 2021 and 2023. The remaining existing notes will be structurally junior to the SSN and exchange notes. For further information on the exchange offers outcome, please see the separate announcement related to the Exchanges Offers and Consent Solicitations released today. More than 75% of the existing bond holders consented to the transactions, and approximately 45% of the existing bonds participated in the exchange offer. Immediate de-leveraging of around NOK 500 million was realized in the refinancing. This leads to a significant improvement in the group's total liquidity, despite a short-term increase in the cost of borrowings. The final settlement of the transactions is scheduled for 24 February 2015.

Kimberly-Clark Signs Agreements To Purchase Pension Annuity Contracts

Kimberly-Clark today announced it has entered into purchase agreements with The Prudential Insurance Company of America (Prudential) and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) for group annuity contracts that will transfer payment responsibility for retirement pension benefits owed to approximately 21,000 Kimberly-Clark retirees in the U.S. to the two insurers. "The group annuity contracts from Prudential and MassMutual, both highly rated insurance companies and experts in this field, provide excellent benefit security for our retirees, while further reducing non-core financial risk for Kimberly-Clark," said Chief Financial Officer Mark Buthman.

Oil Trades Near 2-Week Low as U.S Supply Seen Rising From Record

February 24, 2015
Midland Paper Clips
Misc

Brent for April settlement advanced 67 cents to $59.57 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The contract fell $1.32 to $58.90 on Monday, the lowest close since Feb. 12. The European benchmark crude traded at a premium of $9.79 to WTI. The spread reached $10.24 yesterday, the widest since March. U.S. crude stockpiles have climbed almost 20 percent above the five-year average level for this time of the year, according to the EIA. Production surged to 9.28 million barrels a day through Feb. 13, the highest in weekly data compiled by the Energy Department’s statistical arm since January 1983.

American Forest and Paper Association Releases January 2015 Paperboard Statistics Report

Total boxboard production decreased 0.2 percent when compared to January 2014 but increased 3.9 percent from last month. Unbleached Kraft Boxboard production decreased over the same month last year and decreased compared to last month. Total Solid Bleached Boxboard & Liner production increased when compared to January 2014 and increased compared to last month. The production of Recycled Boxboard increased compared to January 2014 and increased when compared to last month.