Average Delivery Time Across Postal Service Network Remains Steady

FY23 third quarter service performance scores covering April 1 through June 23, included: *First-Class Mail: 92.4% of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.4 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter. *Marketing Mail: 95.8% of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.3 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter. *Periodicals: 88.8% of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 2.3 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter.
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HMH’s Math 180 Endorsed by Council of Administrators of Special Education

Learning technology company HMH today announced that Math 180, its intensive math intervention solution, has received an endorsement from the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE). CASE is an international professional organization that provides leadership to advance the field of special education through professional learning, policy and advocacy. Math 180, known for its proven, research-based intervention that works in core and dedicated intervention classrooms, received the official CASE endorsement after following an extensive review process by its Product Review Committee (PRC). The PRC uses an in-depth rubric to ensure that the solution meets or exceeds criteria that includes the fidelity of the product, professional development support, accessibility, organizational/technical requirements, evidence of the research base, product, and quality of the research along with satisfaction data advocated by CASE.
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Stora Enso collaborates to make 100% fossil-free construction boards and elements

Today, binders are largely based on components of fossil origin. Stora Enso has created a binder, NeoLigno® by Stora Enso - Bio-based materials | Stora Enso NeoLigno® by Stora Enso, which is made of bio-based materials. Stora Enso together with RISE, IsoTimber, and Moelven, have proven that the bio-based binder works in construction elements on industrial scale, making them 100% fossil-free. NeoLigno® by Stora Enso is a binder made from lignin, which is an organic polymer present in all land-living plants, such as trees. Lignin is the natural binder in wood, it keeps the fibers together and protects the material from rotting. NeoLigno® is bio-based and free from formaldehyde and isocyanate. For two and a half years, Stora Enso, RISE, IsoTimber, and Moelven have worked together in a project with the aim to produce fossil-free construction boards and elements.
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Berry Commits to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions Across its Global Operations and Value Chain by 2050

“Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 is critical to avoiding the most catastrophic environmental, social, and economic impacts of climate change,” said Tom Salmon, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Berry Global. “As a global plastic packaging leader, we have a responsibility to protect the environment by minimizing the impact of our products, operations, and value chain as well as our business by limiting the exposure of our operations and supply chain to climate risk.” Achieving net-zero GHG emissions will require a range of solutions across Berry’s broad geographic footprint and diverse portfolio of converting and decorating technologies. Emissions reduction strategies primarily fall under three categories: *Circular plastics: drive circularity and reduce GHG emissions by moving away from virgin, fossil fuel-based plastic and using lighter weight, less carbon-intensive, circular materials, including recycled plastics and bio-based plastics made from renewable resources, like used cooking oil *Value-chain engagement: because most of the company’s value-chain emissions come from purchased goods and services, work with customers to develop lower-carbon solutions and suppliers to provide lower-carbon materials and services *Cleaner energy: increase investment in renewable energy to decrease use of fossil fuels, minimize the environmental impact of energy sources vital to manufacturing, continually improve energy efficiency to reduce overall energy dependence, and take steps to electrify processes within operations that consume gas and fuel
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USA TODAY Best-selling Booklist Returns

USA TODAY announced the return of its Best-selling Booklist featuring expanded content, the ability to filter by genre, updated tools to enable data collection as well as new partnerships that support independent booksellers across the country in USA TODAY Network markets. “USA TODAY Best-selling Booklist is back, and we couldn’t be more thrilled because this content is important to our vast audience and uniquely supports the communities we serve,” said Kristin Roberts, Gannett Media Chief Content Officer. “Readers, authors, publishers, booksellers and those who cherish books can experience our data driven best-sellers list again.” USA TODAY's Best-selling Booklist, a leading force in the market since 1993, ranks the 150 top-selling book titles weekly based exclusively on sales analysis from U.S. booksellers including bookstore chains, independent bookstores, mass merchandisers and online retailers.
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Search Under Fire: Publishers Eye Coalition To Address Generative AI (mediapost.com)

Search engines are once again under fire from some of the top news publishers. The New York Times, News Corp, and IAC are among the companies that are discussing the formation of a coalition to address how generative artificial intelligence (GAI) will impact advertising, websites, search, content, and more. Other publishing giants involved include Vox Media, Advance, and Axel Springer, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the matter. And while a coalition might not be formed, the challenge is on the mind of publishing executives and company lawyers attempting to secure copyrights and intellectual property rights for content.
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PRC Analyzes USPS FY 2022 Performance Report and FY 2023 Performance Plan

Overall, the Commission’s report provides an in-depth analysis and several recommendations regarding each of the Postal Service’s four performance goals: *The Postal Service partially met the High-Quality Service performance goal because it met seven of the eight targets for the High-Quality Service performance indicators. In FY 2022, the Postal Service failed to meet its target for Single-Piece First-Class Mail, 3-5-Day. *The Postal Service partially met the Excellent Customer Experience performance goal because it exceeded targets for three performance indicators (Business Service Network, Customer Care Center, and usps.com) but missed targets for five other performance indicators. *The Postal Service partially met the Safe Workplace and Engaged Workforce performance goal because it exceeded the FY 2022 Total Accident Rate target but missed the FY 2022 Grand Mean Engagement Score target. *The Postal Service met the Financial Health performance goal because the FY 2022 Controllable Income (Loss) result was better than the target.
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The EUDR is a reality

The landmark EU anti-deforestation Regulation (EUDR) enters into force. The EUDR provisions will become applicable as of 30 December 2024. FSC has supported the development of the EUDR since the beginning, and is now ready to work together with the EU Commission, EU Competent Authorities, NGOs, and businesses to make it a success. The EUDR prohibits placing or exporting products in/from the EU market that do not comply with its legality and sustainability requirements. Companies must conduct due diligence to ensure that the products they source are legal and are not linked to land that has been deforested or degraded after 31 December 2020. The EUDR's main goal is to reduce the EU's impact on global deforestation by promoting the consumption of ‘deforestation-free’ products.
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Advertisers Printing Celebrates 100 Years (piworld.com)

Last week, Advertisers Printing, a commercial shop in St. Louis, Missouri, celebrated an impressive milestone: 100 years in business. Alex Fechner, the fourth generation of the family to be stepping into the business, noted that since 1923, the company has seen "one Great Depression, two world wars, a booming economy, two recessions and last but not least…. COVID. In other words, lots of ups downs and everything in between." Bill Fechner, the third generation and Alex's father, noted at the event as the next generation begins to truly make its mark that, "There’s a saying that even a blind squirrel finds a nut eventually. After 44 and one-half years on the Advertisers' team, my title has officially changed from CEO to blind squirrel."
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Domtar, Industry Advocate for Clear Green Guides

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces Truth in Advertising laws that require marketing claims be truthful and substantiated by appropriate evidence. These are designed to protect consumers, including when they look to buy products promoted as being environmentally responsible. The commission issues guidance specifically focused on sustainability, or “green,” marketing claims, commonly referred to as the FTC Green Guides to help marketers avoid making unfair or deceptive environmental promises. These laws apply whether the marketing claim appears on paper, online or on the side of a bus. Ensuring believable claims helps build trust between buyers and sellers, which in turn facilitates efficient markets. “Meeting customer needs without misrepresenting Domtar’s offerings is critical,” says Katie Zorn, Domtar’s vice president of marketing, product management & strategic planning. “The Green Guides are an essential resource that we reference before making any sustainability-related claims.”
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Mondi’s IQ GRASS + PACKAGING gives luxury packaging a special touch

Trendy unboxing videos are being shared widely across YouTube and social media. The anticipation of a new product, the look and feel of the packaging and the unpacking experience are playing an increasingly important role. This trend contrasts sharply with the dominating habit of throwing things away. The value of a product is already conveyed by the packaging and customers judge the content by the noble luxury packaging. The look and feel of said luxury packaging conveys a feeling of value. Rough and natural-looking surfaces imply an impression of quality, craftsmanship and sustainability. The choice of the optimal packaging material in terms of appearance and haptics therefore plays a major role for companies. It must be carefully coordinated with the corporate identity and should pick up on current trends. With an expanded range of IQ GRASS + PACKAGING papers, Mondi is now serving these trends even better. What is special about IQ GRASS + PACKAGING is the mixture of up to 30 percent grass fibre and 70 percent FSC™ or PEFC-certified fresh fibre pulp. There are around 14,000 different types of grass on our planet – one fifth of all vegetation.
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Consumer confidence jumps in June (chainstoreage.com)

U.S. consumer confidence rose in June to its highest level since January 2022 even as some consumers still expect a recession. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index rose to 109.7 in June, the highest reading since January 2022, and up from 102.5 in May. The rise in consumer confidence in June reflects improved current conditions and a pop in expectations, according to Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board. “Greater confidence was most evident among consumers under age 35, and consumers earning incomes over $35,000,” she added.
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Introducing the Cruz Cool Sustainable Cold Chain Solution

We are so excited to introduce the Cruz Cool (™) sustainable cold chain cooler solution from Cruz Foam, just in time to celebrate Plastic Free July! Currently shipping in limited quantities to customers with pilot programs, the Cruz Cool is the first-of-its-kind premium, sustainable, insulated protective box. It’s the perfect alternative to traditional EPS foam coolers and can be used to safely and sustainably ship perishable goods door-to-door. Cruz Cool is an elegantly designed system using interlocking panels of corrugated paperboard lined with compostable Cruz Foam. It stores flat and is quick and easy to assemble. The system is Cruz Foam’s first curbside recyclable** cold chain product providing 48 hour insulation and protection. It’s ideal for conventional cold chain e-commerce fulfillment.
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How CarrEco Brown improved Polish requirements for paper bag performance

As consumers around the world look to make more sustainable decisions in their day-to-day lives, the move away from single-use plastic bags has been one of the most noticeable packaging trends. Ecobag Network, the largest producer of ecological paper bags in Poland, has recently turned to Stora Enso for a solution that achieves new levels of lightweight strength and production output. Polish supermarket chains have been encouraging their customers to switch from plastic to paper bags in recent times. This can be seen in the growth in paper bag production across the industry nationwide. Between 2019 and 2023, the number of paper bag producers has doubled from seven to fourteen, while the biggest national retailer now uses 90 million bags a year. What has driven this change? As well as the consumer habits mentioned above, another key factor is the EU’s Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive, the Polish implementation of which entered into force on 24 May 2023. This directive stipulates that any business that places lightweight plastic carrier bags (below 50 micrometres in thickness) on the market will incur an annual fee. It therefore makes business sense for supermarket chains to look around for viable alternatives.
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Worzalla Donates Dozens of Books to Refugee Families Through RISE Program

In honor of World Refugee Day, Worzalla, an employee-owned book printer specializing in printing high-quality children’s books, cookbooks, and hardcover bestsellers, donated books to the Refugees and Immigrant Support and Empowerment (RISE) program. The local book printer made the donation at CAP Services’, a nonprofit with programming in 5 Wisconsin counties including Portage aimed at transforming people and communities to advance social and economic justice, World Refugee Day event which celebrated Central Wisconsin’s refugee community with cultural performances, storytelling, a potluck, activities and more. “Celebrating World Refugee Day in Central Wisconsin is an opportunity for the community to learn and understand the needs of refugees,” said Patrick Kabangu, Worzalla Associate and Refugee Support Coordinator for CAP Services. “I am grateful for the contribution Worzalla made to our community’s refugees and know families will enjoy reading these books together.”
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Ahlstrom introduces new release liners for pressure-sensitive tapes with recycled and unbleached fibers

Ahlstrom further broadens its range of release papers by introducing new products that support the design of more sustainable double-sided Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) tapes. With many everyday uses, double-sided PSA tapes are hidden components inside many common products. They join different parts or materials with strength, durability, and versatility. While they often directly perform a sustainable function by replacing heavier and more impactful elements, they can also be manufactured with increasingly sustainable materials. An extension of Ahlstrom’s Acti-V® Industrial dedicated range of high-performance release liners, the new products offer novel options to support environmentally conscious tape producers, thanks to the use of post-consumer recycled fiber, and unbleached cellulose fibers: *Acti-V® Industrial RF Brown is a supercalendered release paper including 30% post-consumer recycled fiber, and featuring the typical brown color used in double-sided adhesive tape liners; *Acti-V® Industrial RF Natural is a supercalendered release paper featuring a natural kraft color, based on a combination of post-consumer recycled cellulose fiber (at least 15%) and unbleached cellulose fibers
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More MailerBAGs, please! Mondi invests to meet growing eCommerce demand

Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, is investing over €16 million in its Krapkowice plant in Poland in response to demand for sustainable packaging from the eCommerce industry. Durable, lightweight as well as puncture and tear-resistant, Mondi’s MailerBAGs are cost-effective for customers to transport as they save space and weight. Available in a range of sizes, the bags are easy to open and close making them ideal for delivery and returns. Excellent printability also ensures brands can communicate their key messages to consumers easily. The Krapkowice plant is dedicated to the production of Mondi’s MailerBAGs, and based in Poland, is ideally located to serve the whole of Europe. This investment will more than double Mondi’s MailerBAG production capacity for 2023 in Poland and will include a new production line.
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USPS Ground Advantage Shipping Option Receives Favorable Review from Postal Regulatory Commission

The Postal Service announced that it received favorable review from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), approving the Postal Service’s plan to implement USPS Ground Advantage on July 9, 2023. USPS Ground Advantage is the Postal Service’s enhanced ground solution. It provides a simple, reliable, and more affordable way to ship packages in two-to-five business days across the continental United States. Pricing for USPS Ground Advantage will reflect a decrease of 1.4 percent relative to predecessor USPS shipping products, specifically retail prices will be 3.2 percent lower and commercial published prices will be 0.7 percent lower in comparison.
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Savvas Realize Earns 2023 EdTech Breakthrough Award for “LMS Innovation of the Year”

Savvas Learning Company, a K-12 next-generation learning solutions leader, is proud to announce that its Savvas Realize learning management system (LMS) has won the 2023 EdTech Breakthrough Award for “LMS Innovation of the Year.” Savvas Realize, a dynamic and flexible LMS for teaching and learning, was recognized as a “truly breakthrough educational technology solution built for today’s modern education challenges.” Winners of this year’s EdTech Breakthrough Awards, which showcase technologies and companies that drive innovation and exemplify the best in edtech solutions, were selected from more than 2,400 nominations based on innovation, design, user experience, and overall technological advancement. This is the second year in a row that the Savvas Realize LMS has received an EdTech Breakthrough Award. “We would like to thank the EdTech Breakthrough Awards for honoring Savvas Realize as an innovative learning management system,” said Bethlam Forsa, CEO of Savvas Learning Company. “Built to meet all of a district’s K-12 curriculum and administrative needs, our robust platform supports educators with the most advanced tools, engaging content, and instructional resources to help move learning forward for all students.”
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Walgreens Boots Alliance Reports Fiscal 2023 Third Quarter Results

WBA third quarter sales increased 8.6 percent from the year-ago quarter to $35.4 billion, an increase of 8.9 percent on a constant currency basis, reflecting sales growth in the U.S. Retail Pharmacy and International segments, and a significant contribution from the U.S. Healthcare segment. Operating loss was $0.5 billion in the third quarter compared to a loss of $0.3 billion in the year-ago quarter. Operating loss in the quarter reflects a $431 million non-cash impairment of pharmacy license intangible assets in Boots UK. Net earnings in the third quarter was $118 million compared to net earnings of $289 million in the year-ago quarter, primarily driven by lower operating income.
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Pratt Industries Opens New Regional Facility in Cedar Holl, Texas

Pratt Industries, America’s leading 100% recycled paper and packaging company, will officially open its new $253 million advanced manufacturing box factory in Cedar Hill, Texas, today. At capacity, the 1.1 million square foot plant – one of the largest and most modern of the company’s 71 factories spread across 25 US states – will provide 375 full-time, high-paying, green-collar manufacturing jobs. That brings Pratt’s total workforce to 11,500. “We’re very honored to be in Cedar Hill and we’re committed to the great state of Texas – in fact this is our 5th box factory here,” said Anthony Pratt, executive chairman of Pratt Industries.
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ePac Announces Official Opening of Accra, Ghana Plant

ePac Flexible Packaging, an industry leader in custom flexible packaging, is pleased to announce the opening of its new Grade A 2,200 square meter production plant on the Spintex Road in Accra, Ghana. A grand opening celebration was held on June 22nd with nearly 150 local dignitaries, government officials, customers, and media in attendance. Since its establishment in 2021, ePac West Africa, has served a number of customers across Africa, including customers from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Zanzibar, with fulfillment handled by ePac’s plants in the UK and Lyon, France. With the opening of the new plant, ePac West Africa is uniquely positioned to serve CPG brands of all sizes throughout the region with competitively priced flexible packaging and industry best turnaround times.
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The EU is on the cusp of mandating a plastic resurgence

Just as the world takes a major step in turning the tide on plastic pollution with a global treaty, the European Union is on the cusp of agreeing new regulations that could flood the market with millions of tonnes of new plastic. Well intended but misguided amendments have been put forward on the Commission’s proposal for a Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which are now being debated in the European Parliament. These amendments undermine the spirit of the regulation by trying to introduce mandatory reuse targets for cardboard, a material that is often unsuitable for multiple reuses. If accepted, these amendments would push economies away from the most recycled packaging materials and towards plastic alternatives, embedding a plastic economy into the market.
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ANDRITZ to supply Europe’s largest FibreFlow drum pulper to DS Smith’s paper mill in Porcari, Italy

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from DS Smith to supply a complete stock preparation line and an innovative reject treatment system for the mill in Porcari that produces new packaging papers from 100% recycled paper. The equipment provided by ANDRITZ will be used on the new paper machine, due to start up mid-2025, that will provide a range of paper grades for the FMCG and e-commerce sectors serviced by DS Smith. Stefano Andreotti, Project Manager at DS Smith, says: “The new equipment from ANDRITZ, as well as helping us to recover more water, will help us capture, clean and use fibres that would normally get rejected in the paper making process, so they can be once again used in our recycling loops.”
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Service Performance Consistently Strong Across All Mail Categories

FY23 third quarter service performance scores covering April 1 through June 16, included: *First-Class Mail: 92.3% of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.3 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter. *Marketing Mail: 95.9% of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.4 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter. *Periodicals: 88.9% of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 2.4 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter.
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Czech forest certification system submitted for endorsement

The public consultation, which is your chance to give your feedback on this revised system, will run from 3 July to 31 August 2023. PEFC Czech Republic revised the country’s national forest certification system following the entry into force of the revised 2018 PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard. To provide you with additional information about this revised national system, we are holding a webinar on 3 July, at 10:00 CEST. The webinar is free to attend, and everyone is welcome. Register for the webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqfuCuqzMtH9cvXBYvlPKQp0XKPk1lKRM2#/registration
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Survey Shows U.S. Consumers Believe Paper-based Packaging is Better for the Environment than Other Packaging Materials

If you recently made a purchase online, you’re not alone. The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that retail e-commerce sales topped $272 billion in the first quarter of 2023, up 7.8% from the same period last year. Along with this continuing growth in online purchases comes an increasing awareness of the materials used to package and ship products, and the impact these materials have on the environment. A new survey commissioned by Two Sides North America and conducted by international research firm Toluna found that U.S. consumers believe paper-based packaging is better for the environment than other packaging materials. Survey respondents were asked to rank their preferred packaging material (paper/cardboard, plastic, glass and metal) based on 15 environmental, aesthetic and practical attributes. Overall, paper/cardboard packaging was preferred for 10 of the 15 attributes, including all environmental attributes, with half of respondents saying paper/cardboard is better for the environment than other types of packaging. Consumers also preferred paper/cardboard packaging for being home compostable (59%) and easier to recycle (43%).
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UPM Raflatac launches new collection of responsibly sourced label materials for wine, spirits, and beverage

UPM Raflatac is pleased to announce the launch of its new collection of wine, spirits and beverage label materials – Rêverie 3 – that embraces circularity by using recycled fibers in aesthetically attractive labels. The new collection demonstrates, via unique collaborations with five leading Spanish designers, that sustainability and impactful design can work together to deliver stunning results. The Rêverie 3 collection offers packaging designers a toolkit of visually appealing labels that are all made with materials from well-managed, FSC® certified (FSC C012530) forests, recycled materials and other controlled sources. With more and more brands now seeing the inclusion of FSC and PCR packaging as a necessity, UPM Raflatac wanted to showcase the potential of today’s sustainable label materials. With this in mind, five of the company’s responsibly sourced label materials were given to five Spanish design agencies, with the brief to create a new collection.
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U.S. Ad Index Expands For First Time In 11 Months In May (mediapost.com)

The U.S. Ad Market Tracker rose 2.5% in May -- the first expansion in 11 months. The expansion compares with the year-ago period that was only up modestly and is the best May since Standard Media Index began tracking it. The growth is the first material sign that the U.S. ad marketplace is pulling out of a recession that began in July 2022, based on the SMI data, which is derived from a pool of actual ad spending processed by the major agency holding companies and independent media services agencies.
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ATA Welcomes Automatic Emergency Braking Requirement for Heavy Trucks

The American Trucking Associations welcomed an announcement from the Department of Transportation that new heavy-duty trucks would be required to have automatic emergency braking technology. “ATA has long supported the use of AEB on all new vehicles,” said ATA Vice President of Safety Policy Dan Horvath. “With NHTSA’s recent regulation requiring AEB on all new passenger vehicles, this proposal for heavy-duty trucks is timely and appropriate. “The trucking industry supports the use of proven safety technology like automatic emergency braking,” Horvath said. “We look forward to reviewing this proposal from NHTSA and FMCSA and working with them as it is implemented.”
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Two Sides 2023 Trend Tracker Survey Q&A

What’s the main purpose of the Trend Tracker survey? The purpose of the survey is to understand changing consumer preferences, perceptions and attitudes towards print, paper, paper-based packaging and tissue products, revealing challenges and opportunities for the industry. What value does it have for the paper and packaging industry? We see the survey as great value for our industry as it directly reports on consumer opinions on a number of areas within our sector. Covering a wide range of topics from forest growth and recycling rates to reading habits, packaging preferences and thoughts on mail versus digital communication, the consumer data will help to inform the industry on what’s working and what needs improving.
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Metsä Board achieves Platinum level sustainability rating from EcoVadis again

Metsä Board, the leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, has, once again, achieved the highest Platinum level in EcoVadis’ sustainability assessment. The company has achieved the highest level or rating every year since 2017. Metsä Board received high scores in each of the four themes assessed, and with a total score of 87/100 is among the highest 1% of companies assessed in the category of paper, paperboard and packaging manufacturers. The overall score remained at the same high level as last year, even though the assessment included several new requirements this year. In the environmental evaluation, the company scored 100/100 for the second year in a row.
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Heeter Acquires Laurel Print & Graphics (piworld.com)

Heeter, a full-service provider of secure print, direct mail, and fulfillment solutions, announced that it acquired Laurel Print & Graphics of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The combined company broadens its offerings in large format print and signage, which couples well with one of the largest assortments of commercial print and digital solutions in the Mid-Atlantic region. Scott Heeter, CEO of Heeter, said “Laurel’s leadership, skilled team and capabilities in large format print and signage are excellent additions to Heeter’s capabilities. This acquisition allows both companies to offer customers a broader portfolio of services to meet their marketing and sales needs.” Keith Jones, president of Laurel, commented, “We’ve enjoyed a strong business partnership with Heeter for many years. As we look to the future, it made sense to join forces to better serve our client base with an extended set of products.”
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Conducting an Omnichannel Business Audit (jschmid.com)

If you want your business to survive in the coming months, focus is the name of the game. Consider conducting an omnichannel audit, an in-depth review of your business that will allow for the creation of a blueprint you can act on with focus rather than fear. A focused audit does not have to cost you anything more than time, mental energy and a collaborative attitude. Just remember that success is not immediate, and you must critique each of the silos within your business. Most companies begin by auditing their selling channels. Instead, you should go back to the basics. What are the ingredients of a successful direct marketing program? Veteran marketers would say it covers three categories: 1) marketing strategy 2) the offer and 3) creative, and we would agree! However, there’s an initial, critical component missing. As it’s the key foundation to any marketing effort, we must start with brand FIRST, prior to discussing and auditing those classic three.
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Strategies for Breaking Down Silos (jschmid.com)

Omnichannel success is all about breaking down barriers between channels and building cooperation. Every company that strives for omnichannel success is trying to change from being company-centric or channel-centric to being customer-centric. In a channel-centric company, one channel typically dominates the others. In this business model, the company is more important than the customer; everything revolves around improving sales and making more money for the company. Retailers think first and foremost of their stores; other channels are an afterthought. Pure-play catalog or ecommerce companies concentrate only on their method of selling. A customer-centric business is totally oriented toward the customer. Customers decide when, where, and how they wish to shop with the company. From the customer’s perspective: *The customers control the relationship. *Customer service is seamless across all channels. *Customers see a single face/identity/voice/brand from the company, regardless of channel. *Customers have the feeling that the company cares about them and works for their loyalty. *Most if not all merchandise is available from all selling channels.
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Gannett Files Federal Lawsuit Against Google

Gannett Co., Inc. the largest publisher in the United States including USA TODAY and over 200 local publications, filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Google for monopolization of advertising technology markets and deceptive commercial practices. The lawsuit seeks to restore competition in the digital advertising marketplace and end Google’s monopoly, which will encourage investment in newsrooms and news content throughout the country. As more Americans read the news online, publishers depend on digital advertising revenue to provide timely, cutting-edge reporting and content that communities across the country rely on. Google’s practices have depressed revenue and impacted local newsrooms adversely by monopolizing the markets for important software and technology products that publishers and advertisers use to buy and sell ad space. Google controls 90% of the market for “publisher ad servers,” which publishers use to offer ad space for sale. Google also controls over 60% of the market for “ad exchanges,” which run auctions among advertisers bidding for ad space on publishers’ websites. Google controls the largest source of advertisers bidding on exchanges. For Gannett, 60% of all buyers come through Google. The result is Google unfairly controlling selling, buying, and the exchange that matches sellers and buyers – and manipulating all aspects of online advertising transactions.
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AAP April 2023 StatShot Report: Overall Publishing Industry Up 0.9% Year-To-Date, and Down 7.6% for Month of April

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) today released its StatShot report for April 2023 reflecting reported revenue for Trade (Consumer Books), Higher Education Course Materials, and Professional Publishing. Total revenues across all categories for April 2023 were down 7.6% as compared to April 2022, coming in at $732.3 million. Year-to-date revenues were up 0.9%, at $3.9 billion for the first four months of the year. Trade (Consumer Books) revenues were down 11.2% in April, coming in at $605.7 million. In terms of physical paper format revenues during the month of April, in the Trade (Consumer Books) category, Hardback revenues were down 9.2%, coming in at $218.1 million; Paperbacks were down 16.3%, with $208.9 million in revenue; Mass Market was down 10.7% to $12.7 million; and Special Bindings were down 2.8%, with $12.3 million in revenue.
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Starbucks to open sustainability lab (chainstoreage.com)

Starbucks is significantly increasing its commitment to sustainability – in partnership with Arizona State University. The coffee giant plans to develop a new sustainability learning and innovation lab at Hacienda Alsacia, the company’s global agronomy headquarters for research and development located in Costa Rica. The lab will serve as a hub for hands-on and virtual learning opportunities for Starbucks employees, students, researchers and industry leaders to develop and scale sustainable solutions for issues including climate adaption and agricultural economics.
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Paper-Based Alcohol Bottles… Cheers To Paper!

After Carlsberg and Johnnie Walker, the latest alcohol brand to trial paper bottles is Absolut. As part of a three-month pilot test, the vodka brand will be sold in paper bottles in 22 Tesco stores across Greater Manchester throughout the summer. Made from 57% paper, the bottles will include a recyclable plastic barrier, with customers able to recycle the packaging as paper through normal household waste. Following trials of the bottle at festivals in the UK and Sweden, this will be the first time such paper bottles will have been sold commercially in-store by a global spirits company. “This is a step closer towards our vision of a fully bio-based bottle,” said Elin Furelid, Director of Future Packaging at Absolut. “We are exploring packaging that has a completely different value proposition. Paper is tactile, it’s beautiful, it’s authentic, it’s light. That was our starting point, but this is not just an idea on paper.”
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Pactiv Evergreen Achieves ISCC PLUS Certification at Four North America Manufacturing Locations

Pactiv Evergreen announces that four of the Company’s manufacturing facilities were recently awarded International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS designation, three of which were recognized for the third year in a row. ISCC PLUS in an internationally recognized certification process for bio-based and circular (recycled) resins, which audits the supply chain from end-to-end. Pactiv Evergreen’s manufacturing facilities in Bridgeview, IL; Mooresville, SC; Corsicana, TX; and Malvern, AR received the certificate from SCS Global Services. Processes currently located at the certified sites include extrusion and thermoforming, and the products made in these facilities serve the foodservice and food merchandising markets. Pactiv Evergreen aims to achieve ISCC PLUS certification at additional manufacturing facilities this year to provide customers as many options as possible to meet their sustainability goals.
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Stora Enso intends to divest its wood products DIY production unit in the Netherlands

Stora Enso intends to divest its wood products DIY (Do It Yourself) unit in Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Megahout, backed by the private equity company Quadrum Capital. Closing is expected in Q3 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and consultation with employee representatives. The intended divestment of Stora Enso Timber DIY Products B.V. is in line with Stora Enso’s long-term strategy to focus on developing integrated mills for wood products production. The Amsterdam planing site is a small non-integrated unit with limited investment and growth opportunities and thus considered a non-core asset for Stora Enso.
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VIVA, Virginia’s Academic Library Consortium, Partners with KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. to Develop Open Educational Resources

VIVA, Virginia’s academic library consortium, has signed an agreement with KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL), the industry leader of transformative content solutions, to provide publishing services for its Open Grant program. This innovative partnership ensures the production of high-quality grant-supported open textbooks, open monographs, and other Open Educational Resources (OER) for use in Virginia higher education institutions. The VIVA consortium is comprised of 71 nonprofit higher education institutions and includes both public and private colleges and research universities from across Virginia. Since 2016, VIVA’s Open and Affordable Course Content Initiative has supported sustainable educational resource and access models that enable equitable and inclusive learning, give faculty control over instructional materials, and lower the costs of higher education for Virginia students. To support the creation of open monographs and OER, KGL will provide VIVA with a host of content solutions, including interior and cover design, typesetting, EPUB conversion, artwork/graphics processing, copyediting, proofreading, indexing, accessibility remediation and testing, research and permissions clearance and management, animations, project management, other related services, and print on demand through sister company, Sheridan. With this agreement, individual member institutions also have the opportunity to contract directly with KGL to support their own publications.
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Klabin’s Monte Alegre Unit will undergo a General Shutdown

The largest producer and exporter of packaging paper and sustainable solutions in paper packaging in Brazil, Klabin will hold, between June 28 and July 8, the General Shutdown at the Monte Alegre Unit, in Telêmaco Borba (PR). The action is provided for by Regulatory Norms for maintenance and necessary adjustments, in order to guarantee the perfect operation of all equipment, as well as the safety and integrity of employees and the entire community. In addition to maintenance, the General Shutdown allows the Unit to undergo eventual improvements, such as technological updates, always with the objective of improving productivity and operational safety, with the adoption of the best practices available in the market.
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Mixing sustainability and convenience: Mondi and Baumit launch water-soluble bag for dry mix mortar

Mondi is introducing SolmixBag, a water-soluble bag for the construction industry. SolmixBag is a one-ply paper bag created to store and transport dry construction materials such as cement and dry mix mortar products. It’s designed to dissolve when getting in contact with water during the mixing process - the fibre of the packaging simply integrates with the product as it is mixed. This eliminates waste, reduces paper waste management costs and minimises dust on the construction site, as the bag is simply placed into the mixer without the necessity to open it up front. The bag is produced in-house thanks to the company’s uniquely integrated value chain: SolmixBag is created from Mondi’s water-soluble sack kraft paper and uses 20% less paper than the industry standard 2-ply paper bags. The solution is able to run on existing filling machines, and it is available in standard sizes, offering customers a smooth transition from their existing solutions. SolmixBag provides the same strength and shelf-life as its predecessors, with good printing results for a quality, stand-out appearance on shelf.
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Forest Carbon Opportunity for FSC Certificate Holders

FSC has a global agreement in place with South Pole, a carbon project developer working to implement comprehensive emission reductions that create long-term business opportunities. As part of this agreement, the two organizations are looking to identify FSC Forest Management certificate holders to develop best-in-class projects that demonstrate robust practices with respect to both forest management and carbon sequestration. If you are an FSC-certified forest manager, you are eligible to opt-in to learn more about the opportunity.
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ATA Outlines Principles for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In comments to the Environmental Protection Agency, the American Trucking Associations outlined three bedrock principles the industry is committed to pursuing to reduce emissions from heavy-duty trucks. “ATA starts with ‘Yes,’” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear, “and we want to achieve the same things that the EPA does when it comes to reducing emissions. In fact, our record over the past 30 years of collaborating with EPA in reducing both carbon and NOx pollution is strong. Together, the agency and industry have arrived at tough but achievable regulations that allow for technology to develop on timelines to minimize market disruptions and job losses. “However, EPA is moving at breakneck speed to force the industry towards electrification while failing to address the key enablers towards any new technology adoption. EPA’s proposed adoption rates assumes that product availability, vehicle costs, range, weight reduction, energy capacity and recharging and refueling infrastructure will all be available for fleets to utilize the technology,” he said. “Instead of the agency leap frogging existing low-carbon technologies towards electrification, allow today’s technologies to be fully adopted.”
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ATA Truck Tonnage Index Increased 2.4% in May

American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 2.4% in May after decreasing 1.7% in April. In May, the index equaled 115.4 (2015=100) compared with 112.7 in April. “Tonnage had a nice gain in May, but remains in recession territory,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The 2.4 percent gain didn’t erase the 4.5 percent total drop the previous two months. Additionally, tonnage continues to contract from year earlier levels as retail sales remain soft, manufacturing production continues to fall from a year ago, and housing starts contract from 2022 levels.” Compared with May 2022, the SA index decreased 1.3%, which was the third straight year-over-year decrease. In April, the index was down 3.4% from a year earlier.
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INDEVCO Plastics Achieves SQF Edition 9 Certification

INDEVCO Plastics LLC, a member company of INDEVCO North America, announces its achievement of the SQF Food Safety Code Edition 9 Certification. Covering the manufacture of flexible packaging in rolls, extruded non-printed films, and shrink film, the certification recognizes INDEVCO Plastics’ unwavering dedication to implementing the highest standards in the manufacture of food packaging materials. The SQF Code Edition 9, developed by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), is the latest benchmark in food safety and quality management. By successfully obtaining this certification, INDEVCO Plastics showcases its adherence to a comprehensive set of protocols and guidelines designed to protect consumers and ensure the safety and integrity of food packaging materials.
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TekniPlex Healthcare to Open New Production Facility in Madison, WI

TekniPlex Healthcare, which utilizes advanced materials science expertise to help deliver better patient outcomes, is substantially extending its North American footprint and expanding global capacity with a new 200,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Madison, Wisconsin – the second TekniPlex Healthcare facility in the city. Scheduled to open in early 2024, the new facility will operate under the ISO 13485:2016 quality management system, which certifies the ability to provide medical devices and related services that consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements. TekniPlex Healthcare's new facility will feature sophisticated new manufacturing equipment that will significantly boost the company's lamination capacity for a broad range of materials including PET, nylon, paper, foil, PE, EAA and ionomer, in both peelable and non-peelable structures. This will help drive shorter lead-times and ensure best in class quality. The laminate and coated products are utilized in a wide variety of applications for the medical device, pharmaceutical, and diagnostics end markets, including flexible foil and plastic pouches, contact lens packaging, blisters and blister lidding, and sterilizable protective structures for medical devices, accessories and procedural tools.
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One of Europe’s main recycling hubs for beverage cartons starts operations, backed by Stora Enso and Tetra Pak

With a joint investment of approximately EUR 29 million by Stora Enso and Tetra Pak, a new recycling line for post-consumer beverage cartons is starting operations in Poland. Stora Enso has invested approximately EUR 17 million into a new repulping line that will recover the carton fibers, and Tetra Pak along with Plastigram have invested a total of approximately EUR 12 million to build the new line. The line has the potential to triple the annual recycling capacity of beverage cartons in the country - from 25,000 to 75,000 tonnes – and provides scope to absorb the entire volume of beverage cartons sold in Poland, as well as additional volumes from neighbouring countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Featuring an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes, the state-of-the-art line at Stora Enso’s production unit in Ostrołęka (Poland) handles solely beverage carton material separation, detaching fibres from polymers and aluminium. The fibres are then recycled into carton board materials, effectively contributing to material circularity by turning used paper-based packaging into new paper-based packaging materials. This new paper recycling facility is complemented by Czech company Plastigram Industries, that, together with Tetra Pak, is industrialising a solution to recycle polyAl1 into new products.
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TC Transcontinental Printing Invests $15 Million in its Book Printing Platform

TC Transcontinental Printing announces a $15 million investment in its book printing platform at its Transcontinental Beauceville (Interglobe) plant in Quebec, to better meet demand in the North American market. This is in addition to a $10 million investment in 2019-2020. With these investments, including an additional press in operation since early June, the plant has doubled its hardcover binding capacity and increased its production capacity by approximately 15%, all while improving manufacturing efficiency. Moreover, the new equipments will help alleviate the labor shortage in the region thanks to their high degree of automation and robotization.
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Paper Excellence Canada publishes sustainability report

Paper Excellence Canada has published its third sustainability report: Forward Focused: 2022 Sustainability Report. Paper Excellence Canada is one of Canada’s foremost forest businesses utilizing large scale, technically advanced manufacturing at its core. We are part of global and North American supply chains that depend on Canada’s well-managed forests which allow us to deliver a growing range of products to our customers. Forward Focused: 2022 Sustainability Report looks at both our achievements and our opportunities to do better within this framework. This report also looks at our environmental and economic impacts nationally and on a mill-by-mill basis. From an environmental standpoint, 82% of our total energy use was renewable in 2022 while we have continued to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions—now down by 67% since 1990. We were also gratified that Corporate Knights recognized our ongoing efforts and named us one of Canada’s 50 Best Corporate Citizens in 2022.
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Two Sides North America Responds to the Wall Street Journal

Cost Cutting Cloaked in Greenwashing - - Even if it were true that the pharmaceutical industry could “save 11 million trees a year,” by switching from paper to electronic prescription information for doctors and pharmacists, such claims of environmental superiority are meaningless, if not deceptive, because they do not consider the vast and growing environmental footprint of digital communications. The environmental impact of digital communication is often underestimated because of the “invisible” nature of the infrastructure that supports it. Nowhere does your article mention the environmentally invasive mining and drilling required to extract finite raw materials (iron, copper, rare earths, petroleum for plastics, etc.) necessary to manufacture electronic devices and the massive server farms that support them, the predominance of greenhouse-gas emitting fossil fuel energy used to power them, the massive amounts of water consumed to cool data centers, and that only 15% of U.S. electronic waste gets recycled. Compare this to paper, which is in fact is one of the few products on earth that has a truly sustainable, circular life cycle. U.S. manufactured paper is made from an infinitely renewable resource - trees that are purpose-grown, harvested and regrown in sustainably managed forests – in a process that uses a lot of water but consumes very little of it, and is powered mostly (64% on average) by renewable bioenergy. And with a recovery rate of 68%, paper is recycled more than any other material in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream. Using unsubstantiated and misleading environmental claims as a means to a digital-only end is greenwashing that completely ignores the documented environmental impacts of digital communication and threatens the livelihoods of millions of workers across the U.S. print, paper and forest products value chain.
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Parties to West Coast Ports Reach Tentative Agreement (multichannelmerchant.com)

A tentative contract agreement has been reached between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), easing concerns about a strike at 29 West Coast ports disrupting incoming freight from the Asia-Pacific region ahead of the fall and Q4, nearly a year after the previous contract expired. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement that recognizes the heroic efforts and personal sacrifices of the ILWU workforce in keeping our ports operating,” said PMA President James McKenna and ILWU President Willie Adams in a joint statement. “We are also pleased to turn our full attention back to the operation of the West Coast ports.”
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Pinthouse Benefits from CANPACK’s Unique Printing Capabilities

For many craft brewers, the limited volumes produced have presented an obstacle in being able to make the transition to aluminium cans, as many can manufacturers require minimum order volume quantities which are out of scope for many craft businesses. For Pinthouse, a Texas craft brewery, there has been no such problem. The company has been able to utilise CANPACK’s on-going partnership with Gamer Packaging, a provider of full-service custom packaging solutions. In turn, CANPACK has been tasked with producing cans that enhance the refreshed branding of Pinthouse’s two premium IPA beers. These beautifully creative cans are produced at CANPACK’s new, state-of-the-art beverage can plant in Olyphant, Pennsylvania, which uses an innovative 8-colour can printing process.
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An expanded partnership with Zalando to optimise packaging solutions

Driven by a shared need for innovative solutions to efficiently deliver products to consumers in an ever-changing world, we have further expanded our partnership with Zalando, one of the leading European online platforms for fashion and lifestyle, to become their principal supplier. Working closely together through Innovation Days, PackRight Workshops and testing workshops, Zalando now has a 5-year innovation roadmap for its packaging solutions, designed to drive optimisation and reduce waste in packaging that arrives into the hands of Zalando customers. Partnering with a new, collaborative way of working, we are setting a strong ambition for Zalando to lead the way in reuse, world class efficiency in its packaging and to play a key role in the transition to the circular economy.
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Metsä Group’s nature programme will fund 23 nature management and restoration projects in 2023

Metsä Group has made the funding decisions for 2023 in its nature programme. Twenty-three projects were selected for funding to manage and restore Finland’s biodiversity. As a result of these selections, the projects are more diverse, and their geographical coverage is more extensive. Independent experts from the University of Eastern Finland, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Sitra and the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK) participated in evaluating the project. The themes of the projects selected for funding include watercourse improvement, restoration of flowing waters, removal of invasive species and predators, management of traditional habitats, restoration of wetlands and management of sandbanks. The nature programme does not fund activities in commercial forests, as these are developed as part of Metsä Group’s strategy for regenerative forestry.
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Stora Enso expands the De Lier site with a new high-tech factory

Stora Enso opens a new corrugated packaging production factory at De Lier, the Netherlands. The site is part of the recently acquired De Jong Packaging Group, now Business Unit Western Europe in the Packaging Solutions division. The major expansion has been designed with a strong focus on sustainable operations. The expansion adds a new, second factory to the De Lier site and equipping the facility with two new corrugators to augment the existing two. As a result of the expansion, the site is now the largest and most modern corrugated packaging facility in Europe. The De Lier site’s products currently include boxes and trays for fresh produce, horticultural and industrial applications, e-commerce and transport. The newly opened factory at De Lier utilises a variety of sustainable solutions, such as 3.8 MWp of solar panels installed on the roof, which will provide electricity to an equivalent of 1,000 households. The residual heat generated by the corrugators will be used to heat the site’s office buildings, further reducing their carbon footprint.
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MCI Printing Adds RMGT Four-Color 9 Series Offset Press (piworld.com)

Graphco, distributor of the leading eight-up sheetfed press in North America, delivered an RMGT 9 Series, four-color sheetfed press to MCI Printing, Inc.’s production facility in St. Louis, MO, this past February. Up and running now for three months, the 25x36.75” (maximum sheet size) machine is conserving paper/spoilage waste during press makereadies between MCI’s jobs. It is also opening up new opportunities, including larger page volumes of publication printing. The 924 model outputs 16-page signatures, allowing MCI to add full-size capabilities to the direct mail, packaging, brochure, booklet and presentation folder printing that the firm reproduces. The family-owned business has 14 employees and is counted among the area’s top 20 commercial printers, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch rankings.
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Lane Press Welcomes Chris Armstrong as Executive Vice President

Lane Press is delighted to announce that Christopher (Chris) Armstrong joined the Company as Executive Vice President on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Chris is based at our facility in South Burlington, Vermont. Chris brings a wealth of business expertise, including sales, operations, and client service, to Lane, having spent more than 25 years in dynamic, print-based businesses in roles of increasing complexity. Prior to joining Lane Press, Chris was Marketing Solutions Executive at Quad, where he worked with large strategic accounts. Prior to Quad, Chris spent six years at Universal Wilde, a full-service printer and production facility, where he held multiple positions, culminating in Vice President Operations and Client Engagement. In this role, Chris owned operational process, delivered strategic support for clients, and directed a staff of 360 across three locations.
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Postal Service Delivery Holds Steady at 2.5 Days

FY23 third quarter service performance scores covering April 1 through June 9, included: *First-Class Mail: 92.3% of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.3 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter. *Marketing Mail: 96.0% of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.4 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter. *Periodicals: 88.8% of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 2.4 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter.
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Adobe Reports Record Revenue in Q2 Fiscal 2023

Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Highlights: *Adobe achieved revenue of $4.82 billion in its second quarter of fiscal year 2023, which represents 10 percent year-over-year growth or 13 percent in constant currency. Diluted earnings per share was $2.82 on a GAAP basis and $3.91 on a non-GAAP basis. *GAAP operating income in the second quarter was $1.62 billion and non-GAAP operating income was $2.18 billion. GAAP net income was $1.30 billion and non-GAAP net income was $1.79 billion. *Cash flows from operations were $2.14 billion. *Remaining Performance Obligations (“RPO”) exiting the quarter were $15.22 billion. *Adobe repurchased approximately 2.7 million shares during the quarter.
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Wiley Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2023 Results

4th Quarter Summary (results vs. prior year) *GAAP Results: Revenue of $526 million (-4%), Operating income of $82 million (+41%), and EPS of $1.22 (+$0.46). Full Year Summary (results vs. prior year): *GAAP Results: Revenue of $2,020 million (-3%), Operating income of $56 million (-$163 million), and EPS of $0.31 (-$2.31). GAAP earnings performance primarily due to $100 million ($1.77/share) of non-cash goodwill impairment in Education Services/University Services and restructuring charges totalling $49 million ($0.66/share). *Cash from Operations of $277 million (-$62 million) and Free Cash Flow of$173 million (-$50 million) mainly due to higher restructuring payments and interest payments.
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FSC Global Consumer Recognition Study

A new global study commissioned by FSC with Ipsos is one of the largest of its kind, surveying 26,800 consumers in 33 countries. It provides new insights into what consumers are concerned about, who they trust to address these concerns, and how they’re acting individually through their purchases to affect change. Ongoing global economic instability and conflict appear to have shifted consumer priorities. While climate change ranked second after health during the pandemic, top concerns for consumers are now economic hardships, and wars, conflicts and terrorism. Yet issues relating to the environment haven’t fallen off the radar. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and deforestation remain key forestry issues of concern around the world.
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Italian forest certification system submitted for endorsement

The Italian Forest Certification System has been submitted to PEFC for assessment. The public consultation, which is your chance to give your feedback on this revised system, will run from 26 June to 24 August 2023. PEFC Italy revised the country’s national forest certification system following the entry into force of the revised 2018 PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard.
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Waddington Europe first to supply full range of easier-to-recycle punnets that use less plastic

Leading European thermoforming packaging specialist Waddington® Europe, a division of Novolex®, has become the first to supply a full range of soft-fruit punnets to the UK market that are easier to recycle and use less plastic than conventional punnets. Made with Waddington’s revolutionary MONOAIR™ cushion technology, the new 100% mono-material punnets are now available in large rectangular (WE80), square (WE62) and standard rectangular (WE37) versions.
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Amcor Expands AmFiber™ Performance Paper Packaging to Include Culinary and Beverages

Amcor has announced the expansion of its AmFiber™ Performance Paper packaging range in Europe to include heat seal sachets for dry culinary and beverage applications, such as instant coffee, drink powders, spices, seasonings, and dried soups. AmFiber™ Performance Paper is a recyclable, high barrier, paper-based packaging that was initially introduced in 2022 for snacks and confectionery. Appearing on store shelves today for prominent snacks and confectionery brands, it offers high-barrier protection against oxygen and moisture, with excellent performance on brand owners’ packing machines.
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DD Wrap: An Innovation in circular shelf-ready packaging

Created for the circular economy, with resource and waste reduction at the core of the design from inception, the DD Wrap is an innovative and sustainable shelf-ready packaging solution. It is circular economy ready while it is also increasing supply chain efficiency and enhancing the in-store shopping experience. The DD Wrap packaging is customised for a variety of packaging solutions and is created from a single piece of cardboard without perforation at the front side to improve visibility and appeal at the point of display. It is easy to open to improve accessibility which reduces the need for sharp tools during box opening.
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Pregis AirSpeed HC Renew PCR Sets New Standard for Sustainable Packaging

Pregis® introduces Pregis AirSpeed® Hybrid Cushioning (HC) Renew™ PCR, the only high-pressure air cushioning film made with 80 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. This innovative product represents a significant advancement for companies seeking to improve the sustainability of their protective packaging without compromising on performance. With consumers becoming progressively environmentally conscious throughout each buying stage, there is a growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions. HC Renew PCR is an inside-the-box shipping solution that meets this need by providing the same level of protection and durability as traditional air cushions while reducing the environmental impact.
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Smurfit Kappa taps into Mexico’s fast-growing economy

Mexico is the second largest economy in Latin America, after Brazil, and has an ideal location for accessing the US market. It is becoming increasingly attractive for global companies that are nearshoring by moving production away from Asia to the north part of the country, between the cities of Monterrey and Tijuana. The Mexican economy is estimated to grow up to 3.0% both this year and next, boosted by increased manufacturing investment, according to the most up-to-date government forecast*. Smurfit Kappa’s latest USD12 million investment in its Tijuana plant includes new machinery and process upgrades which will significantly increase both printing quality and efficiency. Laurent Sellier, Smurfit Kappa CEO of the Americas, commented: “Mexico is an important market for Smurfit Kappa. We have invested substantial resources both in paper machines and corrugated plants while increasing our network to support the country’s economy and our customers’ needs.
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Bradford & Bigelow Celebrates LED-UV Web Offset Press Installation (piworld.com)

Printing industry leaders gathered in Newburyport, Mass., to celebrate the startup at Bradford & Bigelow (B&B) of the first manroland Goss Lithoman 48-page, 4-color web offset press utilizing the most advanced LED/UV technology that eliminates all VOC emissions, substantially reduces energy consumption and paper waste, and provides operational efficiency with a press length 40 feet shorter than a traditional heatset web offset press. In addition to the environmental benefits, Baldwin’s LED/UV technology, with minimal heat, provides a better quality product with no web growth and runs at top-notch speed, according to Jonathan Fore, Baldwin’s Director of Product Management. “This successful launch has been a team effort and we are very grateful to our partners who made this startup a great success,” stated John Galligan, B&B CEO. It marks the company’s second manroland Goss web offset press install within the past four years, according to Rick Dunn, B&B EVP. “The manroland Goss engineering team did a terrific job adjusting the press design to integrate the LED/UV technology. And the on-site support of manroland Goss, AMS/Baldwin, and Universal Color was terrific,” Dunn said. “Challenges came up and our partners worked together and promptly addressed and resolved the issues,” added Mike Daugherty, B&B Press Manager.
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Quad Debuts New “Built on Quad” Brand Campaign

Quad/Graphics, Inc., a global marketing experience (MX) company, is rolling out “Built on Quad.” This new campaign showcases Quad’s latest brand identity and marks the company’s first large-scale marketing and advertising effort in its 52-year history. Quad’s new brand campaign will run through digital, OOH, print, events, experiential, direct mail, sponsorship and sales assets. It will also be showcased at the 2023 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, including the Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. Quad provides end-to-end marketing solutions that removes friction wherever it occurs in the marketing journey for more than 2,900 clients, including Sirius XM, Amazon, the Albertsons Companies, and other major brands. The “Built on Quad” campaign focuses on the company’s strength as a one-stop partner for the modern marketer, and it also pays homage to its roots as one of the largest and most successful commercial printers in North America. The company produces over 765 billion pages and mails more than 8 billion direct mail pieces per year making Quad one of the USPS’ largest clients.
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ANDRITZ introduces new spunlace pilot line for natural and recycled fibers

International technology group ANDRITZ has installed a new spunlace pilot line at its center of competence in Montbonnot, France. It allows customers and partners to conduct trials for producing nonwovens from recycled and/or natural fibers such as hemp, flax, and cotton. The new pilot line features optimized web forming and entanglement for smooth processing of sensitive and irregular fibers. The innovative card set-up is designed to protect and maintain the quality of the fibers while achieving outstanding productivity rates.
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Sappi Gratkorn’s next step to increase the share of renewable energy

As part of Sappi Europe's full scale decarbonisation roadmap, Gratkorn mill is expanding the share of biomass to be used as an energy source, further driving the move away from fossil fuels as part of the mill’s contribution to the European roadmap. The project follows the recent modernisation of the power plant boiler which enabled the shift from coal to a combined approach of biomass and natural gas. The mill is now embarking on a next step, enhancing its infrastructure and therefore capacity in order to handle the delivery, sorting and processing of increased biomass levels. This increased utilisation requires an improved biomass handling system at the mill as well as decentralised intermediate storage terminals within the surrounding regions.
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Student Watch Reports a 57% Decline in Student Spending on Course Materials over a Decade

A May, 2023 report from Student Monitor, a second independent research group, also found a dramatic decade-long decline of 41% in student spending on course materials, with an average spend of $333 per student for the 2022-2023 academic year. Inclusive Access is a course material model developed by colleges across the country to deliver learning resources to students at the lowest market rate, on or before the first day of class. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Education issued federal guidance for institutions of higher learning to charge for course materials as part of tuition and fees, reducing the level of effort it takes for students to utilize their financial aid dollars for timely use on their course materials. According to Student Watch, the number of students enrolled in Inclusive Access has increased to 44% of the student population, up from 39% last year.
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HMH President & CEO Jack Lynch Recognized as 2023 EdTech Company CEO of the Year in 2023

Learning technology company HMH today announced that HMH President & CEO, Jack Lynch, has been named “EdTech Company CEO of the Year” in the 5th annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards program conducted by EdTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies and solutions in the global edtech market. Under Lynch’s leadership, HMH has undergone a strategic transformation to a digital-first, connected learning company that engages learners, empowers educators and improves student outcomes. In less than six years, he has executed on key changes that have set HMH up for success as a K-12 technology company, from the divestiture of its Books and Media division in 2021, to HMH’s sale to Veritas Capital in 2022, which puts the organization in an even stronger position to increase its positive impact on millions of students and teachers. Supporting this goal, most recently Lynch led HMH's acquisition of assessment and research organization NWEA, bringing the potential to further transform the K-12 education experience for teachers and students.
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White House Announces New Position to Combat Book Bans

In celebration of Pride Month, the White House today announced a set of actions designed to protect LGBTQIA+ communities, including the appointment of a new coordinator within the Department of Education to spearhead a response to the rising number of book bans at the state level. While details are still to come, White House officials say the new coordinator position will be situated within the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, and will “work to provide new trainings for schools nationwide on how book bans that target specific communities and create a hostile school environment may violate federal civil rights laws.”
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Blooming Color Partners with Graphco on Horizon SmartStacker (piworld.com)

Graphco, one of North America’s leading print & finishing equipment distributors last November delivered a Horizon SmartStacker to Blooming Color’s 30,000-square-foot production plant in Lombard, IL. Operating near-line to keep up with rapidly growing B2-size sheet output, the SmartStacker dynamic cut & stack capabilities eliminate manual sorting and helps the commercial printing firm produce many thousands of shorter-run jobs each workday. Founded as a Minuteman Press franchise in 1988, approximately 85% of Blooming Color’s work now is printed digitally. The firm also offers wide-format printing services (both flatbed and roll-fed) as well as conventional six-color 40-inch sheetfed-offset for larger volumes, such as the 40,000 catalogs recently produced for a local college. “We process thousands of orders every day,” reports Brian Scott, CEO of Blooming Color. This month, the company adds its third B2-size (20x29”), HP Indigo Digital Press -- a second 100K device -- to its fleet of five Indigos.
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Domtar’s Comprehensive ESG Approach

Paige Goff, Domtar’s vice president of sustainability, recently spoke to business leaders at an MX.0Southeast event focused on data-driven, resilient and sustainable manufacturing. She shared more about the comprehensive structure of Domtar’s ESG approach and outlook. When people talk about costs as a barrier to being more sustainable, Goff counters that it’s more expensive to do nothing. “There is an initial investment, but it pays off in the long run,” she says. “Our customers expect us to do the right thing and be responsible stewards of the environment. Our reputational risk is their reputational risk.” Similarly, she says, an effective ESG approach is important for recruiting and retaining talent. The E in ESG gets the most attention, with the emphasis on environmental responsibility and care for natural resources. It’s an area where Domtar has been a leader, particularly in forestry. But the G also plays a crucial role in our ESG approach. Governance is how we connect the dots from senior leadership to the frontlines of manufacturing, Goff says. Our ESG committee includes leaders from across the organization with a diverse collection of roles and responsibilities.
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Private Equity Firm Monomoy Acquires Direct Mail Marketing Printer Japs-Olson (piworld.com)

Monomoy Capital Partners, a middle-market private investment firm focused on operational value creation, announced that it has acquired Japs-Olson Company, a family-owned national leader in innovative direct mail marketing solutions. Founded in 1907, Japs-Olson is a full-service, custom print and direct mail provider for the financial services, nonprofit, insurance, healthcare, retail and other markets. Headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, the company manufactures and distributes over one billion personalized mailings annually. Japs-Olson’s commitment to exceptional service, unrivaled client satisfaction and superior production has earned the company widespread industry recognition and a loyal customer base nationwide. Monomoy recognized Japs-Olson as a valuable partner due to its leading position in the direct mail sector. As a marketing channel, direct mail generates the highest return on investment among omnichannel marketing strategies and represents a stable sector with a robust total addressable market.
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Huhtamaki to consolidate its flexible packaging footprint in Europe with closure of the manufacturing site in Prague, Czech Republic

Huhtamaki has made the decision to consolidate the production footprint of its Flexible Packaging segment in Europe and will be closing its Flexible Packaging production facility in Prague, Czech Republic. All production and supporting activities at the facility will be scaled down during the second half of the year, with the closure of the operations completed by March 31, 2024. Production will gradually be transferred to Huhtamaki’s other manufacturing sites. The decision affects all 198 employees in the site. Huhtamaki will support its employees during this period, including providing information about vacancies in other Huhtamaki units in the Czech Republic and across Europe. Huhtamaki currently has two manufacturing units in Czech Republic. The closure of the Prague site does not affect the Fiber packaging operations in Okrisky which today employs 274 people.
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AAP March 2023 StatShot Report: Overall Publishing Industry Up 3.2% Year-To-Date, and 6.6% for Month of March

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) today released its StatShot report for March 2023 reflecting reported revenue for Trade (Consumer Books), Higher Education Course Materials, and Professional Publishing. Total revenues across all categories for March 2023 were up 6.6% as compared to March 2022, coming in at $883.5 million. Year-to-date revenues were up 3.2%, at $3.2 billion for the first three months of the year. Trade (Consumer Books) revenues were up 0.2% in March, coming in at $710.9 million. In terms of physical paper format revenues during the month of March, in the Trade (Consumer Books) category, Hardback revenues were down 1.0%, coming in at $243.1 million; Paperbacks were up 0.3%, with $268.2 million in revenue; Mass Market was down 9.5% to $13.0 million; and Special Bindings were up 21.9%, with $18.9 million in revenue. Year-to-date Trade revenues were up 1.1%, at $2.2 billion for the first three months of the year.
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Savvas Learning Company’s Experience Physics Named 2023 SIIA CODiE Award Finalist

Savvas Learning Company, a K-12 next-generation learning solutions leader, today announced that its Experience Physics program has been named a 2023 SIIA CODiE Award Finalist in the “Best Science Instructional Solution for Grades 9-12” category. Experience Physics © 2022 is a modern high school physics curriculum that implements an interactive learning model using the exploration of phenomena to drive student engagement. The program places students center stage as they make sense of phenomena with experiential learning routines that connect physics to the real world. Experience Physics also uniquely supports educators with comprehensive, editable resources and flexible teaching tools that allow them to adapt instruction to their students’ diverse learning needs.
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Are lawmakers serious about cutting emissions? Here’s one way to find out.

The trucking industry has made massive strides in reducing tailpipe emissions over the past 35 years thanks to innovation and achievable regulatory targets and timelines: ✅We’ve cut harmful NOx and particulate matter emissions by 99%. ✅We’ve eliminated virtually all sulfur-dioxide emissions. ✅Between 2014 and 2027, we stand to cut 1.37 billion metric tons of CO2. The problem? Not nearly enough of these newer and cleaner trucks are on the road today because of a century-old federal excise tax (FET) on heavy-duty trucks that penalizes trucking companies for upgrading their equipment.
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JICMAIL Releases Results Of Major New Mail Attention Study: The Time We Spend With Mail

The average piece of Direct Mail is looked at for 108 seconds across the course of a month, while the average Door Drop is viewed for 46 seconds. The mail channel is more attention efficient than a host of other media platforms, resulting in the recommendation that it is a “must-have” channel on attention-based media plans. JICMAIL (The Joint Industry Currency for Mail) has today revealed the findings from a major year-long study – The Time We Spend With Mail. This research into consumer attention with mail has involved collaboration with multiple measurement partners including Kantar, PwC and Lifestream. The year-long measurement program has seen JICMAIL roll out full attention measurement across its entire panel of 1,000 households per month (capturing time-spent metrics for Business Mail, Direct Mail, Door Drops and Partially Addressed Mail). At the same time, the AI-driven video analytics company Lifestream has provided directly observed mail attention data with which to validate the panel findings, while PwC has scrutinised the mail efficiency calculations that JICMAIL has generated to compare the delivery of time spent to other media channels.
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Greif Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results

-Second Quarter Financial Highlights include (all results compared to the second quarter of 2022 unless otherwise noted): *Net income of $111.2 million or $1.90 per diluted Class A share decreased compared to net income of $125.1 million. Net income, excluding the impact of adjustments(1), of $103.8 million decreased compared to net income, excluding the impact of adjustments, of $144.9 million. *Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $71.6 million to $210.8 million. Adjusted free cash flow(3) increased by $70.7 million to a source of $185.5 million.
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Transcontinental Inc. Announces Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal 2023

Highlights *Increase in adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization(1) of 5.2% for the quarter, including organic growth of 18.5% in the Packaging Sector. *Revenues of $747.2 million for the quarter ended April 30, 2023; operating earnings of $43.8 million; and net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation of $22.2 million. *Launched the new innovative flyer raddar™ in Montreal on May 15, 2023. *Won the "Company of the Year - Large Business" award at the business competition of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ). *Appointment of Thomas Morin as President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Transcontinental on June 7, 2023.
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Executive Changes at TC Transcontinental

*Thomas Morin named President and Chief Executive Officer *Isabelle Marcoux named Executive Chair of the Board *Donald LeCavalier named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. The Board of Directors of Transcontinental Inc. announced the appointment of Thomas Morin as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. Mr. Morin previously served as President of TC Transcontinental Packaging, beginning in 2019. He replaces Peter Brues, who is leaving the Company. The Board also announced expanded roles for Isabelle Marcoux and Donald LeCavalier.
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Ennis Acquires UMC Print (piworld.com)

Ennis, Inc. announced its acquisition of the operating assets of UMC Print in Overland Park, Kansas. UMC Print has been a leading trade-only printer and provider of commercial printing services since 1936. As one of the largest sheet-fed commercial printers in the area, UMC Print’s capabilities serve a wide range of distributors and trade sales organizations throughout the Midwest and beyond. “The addition of UMC Print continues our commitment to adding strategic locations and capabilities to drive growth with our distributor partners,” said Keith Walters, Chairman, President & CEO of Ennis, Inc.
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UPM inaugurates its Paso de los Toros pulp mill in Uruguay

UPM inaugurated its Paso de los Toros pulp mill in the department of Durazno in Central Uruguay. The inauguration event was attended by the President of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Pou, several ministers and representatives of other stakeholders who have participated in the successful execution of UPM’s growth project in Uruguay. The UPM Paso de los Toros pulp mill has an annual production capacity of 2.1 million tonnes of eucalyptus pulp. The mill represents the latest and best available technology. It is energy efficient with minimal environmental impacts and optimised maintenance. With an increase of more than 50% in UPM’s current pulp capacity, this growth investment creates a step change in the scale of UPM’s pulp business and future earnings. It also has a significant impact on Uruguay’s economy and creates significant opportunities for the country’s people and communities.
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REI Co-op enters the running shoe business with the Swiftland MT, its first multi-terrain trail shoe designed using recycled and bio-based materials

Based on years of gear designing, experience, customer feedback, and industry-leading sustainability insights, REI Co-op introduces its first foray into running shoes since the 1970s, with the introduction of the REI Co-op Swiftland Multi-terrain (Swiftland MT). This versatile trail runner maximizes recycled and bio-based materials without compromising technical expectations, while giving runners the freedom to take their adventures over multiple surfaces beyond the pavement. The Swiftland MT is a foundational running shoe that joins a wide variety of running apparel, equipment and gear for REI customers to choose from, and continues the co-op's commitment to broaden its running assortment and more deeply invest in this activity category.
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Mail More Trusted Than Email

Email may be more convenient and less expensive for brands, but if you really want your customers to look at a communication, mail is much more effective, according to a new report. A study by automation specialist Quadient has found that almost two-thirds (62%) of UK consumers say they are more likely to open a physical letter than an email, with many citing the fact that letters feel more personal. When asked why a physical letter from a business might be better than email, 39% said letters feel more personalised to them and their needs than bulk email messages, while 42% said there is no risk of hacking, phishing or being infected by viruses. A further 37% said they appreciate the lack of spam messages received through physical mail. “Companies need to think strategically about the different scenarios in which they contact customers and choose the communication channel that best fits the situation.”
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FPA Responds to ABC News’ “Trashed: The Secret Life of Plastic Recycling” Investigation

ABC News’ recent “Trashed: The Secret Life of Plastic Recycling” investigation isn’t about plastic bags or even plastic packaging, it is about the current U.S. recycling system. Put trackers in any recyclable item today and chances are they may end up in an incinerator or landfill. This should be the intended result, given that these trackers are actually contaminants to the recycling stream and would be filtered out for disposal through most recycling processes. It is also because we have over 20,000 different municipal recycling programs across the country that are based on the value of the materials being collected and recycled. This value changes with market conditions and when it does, some products destined for recycling are diverted to disposal instead. Also, until recently, much of that value was in exporting our recyclables overseas. Because of these foreign markets, governments running the recycling programs here in the U.S. did not invest in the infrastructure needed to manage our own recyclables. When China, the biggest importer of U.S. recyclables, stopped accepting them, the markets collapsed.
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Amid new disruptions, NRF urges Biden to intervene in West Coast labor negotiations (chainstoreage.com)

As contract talks drag on, tensions are rising at West Coast ports. Following a shutdown at the Ports of Oakland and Long Beach, which combine to form the country’s largest cargo complex, over the weekend, the National Retail Federation called on the Biden Administration to intervene. (At least one terminal at the Port of Long Beach shut Monday, according to reports.) The new disruptions come as the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association have failed to reach and ratify a new labor agreement following more than a year of negotiations.
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Barnes & Noble Announces The Best Books of 2023 (So Far)

Barnes & Noble today announces their selections for The Best Books of the Year (So Far). The list is a stunning collection of books selected by the B&N bookselling team, representing the very best works published across various categories since January of 2023. As readers know well, narrowing down to a few choice titles can feel insurmountable when so many fantastic new books are published every week. This year, the booksellers of Barnes & Noble tackled the task first by compiling three-title shortlists across lots of categories ... and they liked the results so much that they have kept them. They now announce over 50 of the best shortlists, an original and hopefully inspiring way of looking at the best new books of 2023 — so far.
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HH Global aligned to the Net Zero Standard

As part of our commitment to continued sustainable leadership, environmental impact and accountability, we are proud to be the first company in our space, and among the first companies in the world, to receive approval from the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) for our greenhouse gas emission reduction targets aligned to the Net Zero Standard. The Net Zero Standard is developed by SBTi and is the first global science-based standard for companies to set net-zero targets. Using our FY22 performance as our baseline, we received approval for three targets: *Overall Net-Zero Target: HH Global has committed to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by Financial Year 2040 (FY40). *Near-Term Target: HH Global has committed to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions 50% by FY30. *Long-Term Target: HH Global has committed to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions 90% by FY40.
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Sigma Stretch Film invests in new capacity in Ontario (canplastics.com)

Blown and cast film maker Sigma Stretch Film, a division of Sigma Plastics Group with operations in Ontario, is boosting its production capacity by 30 million pounds through two new Davis-Standard equipment installations. Sigma’s plant in Belleville, Ont., will receive a Davis-Standard seven-layer agricultural stretch film line aimed at expanding the current silage film offerings. According to Sigma officials, the new line allows production using the latest resins, expanded exploration in sustainability options, and better service for both domestic and international agricultural customers. The new line adds fifteen million pounds of silage film capacity in Belleville. The second machine is a three-layer Davis-Standard blown film line for Sigma’s Shelbyville, Kentucky location. “Supporting the ever-growing demand for prestretched hand films and the Vortex product lines, this equipment will add fifteen million pounds of capacity,” Sigma officials said.
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Brand new fibre-based Muoto® gift packaging

Metsä Group is cooperating with Fiskars Group on a brand new fibre-based gift packaging. The innovative Muoto 3D inner packaging and a box made of Metsä Board’s folding boxboard encase Fiskars ReNew scissors made of recycled material. Pure, safe, sustainable, easy to use and recyclable. That is what the plastic-free Muoto 3D fibre packaging, originating in northern forests and set to revolutionise packaging, is all about. Renewable and sustainably grown Finnish wood is the main raw material of the Muoto 3D fibre packaging. The packaging is made of wet wood-fibre pulp in Äänekoski, at Metsä Group’s and Valmet’s joint demo plant.
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Approved July ’23 USPS Price Increases (Royle.com)

Last week the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) approved the proposed price increases to take effect on Sunday, July 9th 2023. The new rates include a three-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 63 cents to 66 cents. See below for percentage changes by class of mail: *PERIODICALS – 8.1%; *MARKETING MAIL LETTERS – 5.2%; *MARKETING MAIL FLATS – 7.4%; *BOUND PRINTED MATTER FLATS – 3.5%. Please note the USPS recently approved the 2024 USPS Promotions Calendar; these offerings are a great way to offset postage costs and increases. The 2024 calendar will be released online in the coming weeks.
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Average Time to Deliver Across Postal Network Steady at 2.4 Days

FY23 third quarter service performance scores covering April 1 through May 26, included: *First-Class Mail: 92.1% of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter. *Marketing Mail: 96.0% of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.4 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter. *Periodicals: 88.9% of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 2.4 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter.
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Novolex Offers New Choices for ProWAVE Tote, a Recyclable, Reusable Bag for Delivery or Takeout

Hilex®, a Novolex® brand, announced today new options for its popular ProWAVE® Tote, a recyclable, reusable tote bag that simplifies deliveries and carry-out for supermarkets, restaurants, retailers and their customers. Customers can now choose a ProWAVE Tote that features a 2.25-mil gauge film that’s manufactured with a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled material — attributes that allow the totes to meet most legislative requirements for reusable bags, including those in California. Customers also can now opt for a ProWAVE Tote made with 1.7-mil gauge film. The ProWAVE tote boasts folded handles and a sturdy double-ply top, ensuring that the bag remains open for easy loading. The flat bottom design allows for efficient packing of larger grocery or retail products.
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DS Smith annnounces multi-million investment to expand our Cartogal packaging plant in Spain

Our Cartogal packaging plant located in the town of A Pobra do Caramiñal, in Galicia, Spain, will soon see an increase in size, production and storage capacity after a milestone investment of 11.35 million euros. The major investment and expansion plans aim to improve service to customers, as well as to open up new business opportunities in the northwest of Iberia. The project will add 6,000 square meters to the current 11,000 square meters, to see the packaging plant become an industry leader, operating at more than 17,000 square meters. During the seven months that the works are estimated to last, the construction and roofing of the new buildings will be carried out using sustainable and environmentally friendly materials.
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Lakeside Book Company welcomes Marquis Book Printing, Inc.

Lakeside Book Company announced that it has acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Marquis Book Printing, Inc. (“Marquis”). Lakeside is the leading book printing and distribution company in the United States and has been creating quality crafted books for more than 150 years. Marquis is a premier book manufacturer in Canada providing high quality print services to the publishing and communications industries in Canada, the United States and Europe. With this acquisition, Lakeside will enhance its service offering with access to the Canadian market, while improving lead time and overall service capabilities for small and large publishers alike. Marquis will operate as a division of Lakeside. Dave McCree, Lakeside’s Chief Executive Officer, will lead the business. Serge Loubier will continue to manage Marquis, continuing in his capacity as president.
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Ahlstrom and Terre de Couleur develop fiber-based hair cap to curb single-use plastic consumption in the beauty industry

Through a unique value-chain collaborative innovation, sustainable specialty materials leader Ahlstrom and cosmetic brand Terre de Couleur have launched a biodegradable and reusable, fiber-based hair cap for home and professional cosmetic use. Terre de Couleur had an ambitious goal – to remove or decrease the plastic content in their single-use 100% plastic hair cap without compromising the performance nor the usage experience and comfort of hair professionals and consumers alike. The cap offers many advantages in cosmetic applications such as shower use, hair mask applications, and hair coloring in professional or home setting to allow: *Hair protection *Maintains optimal humidity and heat for color or hair care setting *Hand washable and reusable *Chain-of-Custody Forestry Certified according to FSC® and PEFC™ standards *Ahlstrom’s Genuine Vegetable Parchment certified home compostable with OK COMPOST HOME from TÜV and industrially compostable with OK COMPOST from TÜV (EN13432)
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Update on the proposed disposal of Mondi Syktyvkar

Mondi plc confirms that it has advised Augment Investments Limited that it is withdrawing from the agreement to sell Mondi’s most significant facility in Russia, Joint Stock Company Mondi Syktyvkar, together with two affiliated entities, to Augment. This follows recent discussions with Augment on its lack of progress in gaining the necessary approvals to complete this transaction. As per the terms of the Sale and Purchase Agreement, the Disposal to Augment will therefore be terminated and will not complete. The Board remains committed to divest Syktyvkar and will continue to assess all alternative divestment options.
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Resolute Announces Ratification of Collective Agreement Covering Quebec Woodlands Operations

Resolute Forest Products Inc. today announced the ratification of a four-year master labor agreement with the Unifor union covering 525 hourly employees at ten company woodlands in Quebec, following an agreement-in-principle reached on May 11. "We are pleased to renew this agreement, which underscores the contribution of our woodlands employees to the company's success and provides stability for our customers, communities and other partners," said Remi G. Lalonde, president and chief executive officer. The individual collective agreements ratified on May 26 cover Resolute's Abitibi and Nord-du-Québec (Comtois, Senneterre), Côte-Nord, Lac-Saint-Jean (Girardville, La Doré, Mistassini, Péribonka, Saint-Félicien, Saint-Thomas) and Mauricie woodlands operations.
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U.S. Postal Service Releases Dog Bite National Rankings

More than 5,300 Postal Service employees were attacked by dogs while delivering the mail last year. Aggressive dog behavior is a common safety concern USPS employees face. To keep its workers safe, the organization is providing important information on how dog owners can be good stewards for safe mail delivery as part of its annual National Dog Bite Awareness Week public service campaign. The campaign runs Sunday, June 4, through Saturday, June 10. This year’s theme is “Even good dogs have bad days.” Spread the news of the campaign with the hashtag #dogbiteawareness.
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DOE Delivers Potentially Crucial Finding in Fight Against Book Bans

Freedom to read advocates are applauding a final report and resolution agreement from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights that could help blunt the surge of book bans in schools. In a May 19 letter and resolution agreement, DOE officials concluded that the Forsyth County (Georgia) School district’s removal of books largely featuring Black and LGBTQ characters created a potentially “hostile environment” for students, in violation of their civil rights. And in a potentially landmark resolution agreement, the district agreed to work with the DOE to address student discrimination issues arising from the book bans.
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Colbert Teaches Midwest Elementary Students About the Lifecycle of Trees and Sustainable Packaging

135 second-grade students from Trevor, Wisconsin, and Mishawaka, Indiana, celebrated Earth Week by learning about the cycle of life from trees to paper and back to trees. The educational outreach program was presented by corporate neighbor Colbert Packaging. The interactive session is dubbed TICCIT for, “Trees into Cartons, Cartons into Trees.” Created by the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), of which Colbert Packaging is a member, the program teaches young learners about the role trees play in the environment and our circular economy. The program teaches the importance of recognizing sustainable packaging and supporting the recyclability of paper-based packaging. The visual presentation was topped off with a hands-on session where students were invited to prepare and take home their very own tree sapling in a paperboard planter. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to share the importance of environmental stewardship with an enthusiastic audience of local students,” said Colbert Marketing Manager Wanda Speer.
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Light Wrap: The innovative packaging solution tackling CO₂ emissions

Light Wrap, which has been specifically designed as a wraparound for cartons such as milk and juice cartons, offers a clever design that improves packaging while using less fibre. This results in a remarkable 19% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to current, alternative packaging methods. Not only does Light Wrap effectively support the weight of stacked packs during transportation and at the point of sale, but it also ensures the safe transportation of cartons without any damage or deformation. By using 19% less paper fibre than other solutions, the innovative design not only minimises environmental impact but also improves protection, efficiency and packaging costs.
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The Impact of Omnichannel Integration (jschmid.com)

Chances are, you’re currently trying to reach your audience in a variety of ways. Maybe digital ads, search, social media, catalog, direct mail and your retail environment. What if you could tie all those efforts together with a single creative concept—a “Big Idea” that unifies all of those touchpoints? And what if that consistent message was delivered in such a unique and bold way that you now stood out from the competition? People now notice you. They remember you. And now they will consider you. THAT’S the power of a campaign. Learn more at: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/the-impact-of-omnichannel-integration/
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UPM Biochemicals and Selenis form strategic alliance to develop sustainable PETG

UPM Biochemicals and Selenis, a subsidiary of the IMG Group that produces speciality polyester resins for a wide range of applications, announced a partnership today that will help the packaging industry reduce its CO2 footprint and redefine the sustainability goals of its customers. The goal of the strategic partnership is to produce sustainable polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) resin that will accelerate the introduction of renewable, sustainable forest-sourced materials into plastic applications and reduce fossil resource dependency. PETG is a highly transparent, FDA approved material used in a large variety of applications including cosmetics and personal care packaging, heat shrink sleeves, and durable goods, such as bulk dispenser.
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UPM Specialty Papers introduces the “LinerLoopTM compatible” label to help customers choose release papers that are designed for closed-loop recycling

Resonating with the ambitious EU regulatory targets for reducing waste, UPM Specialty Papers has introduced a new “LinerLoop compatible” label to promote closed loop recycling of release papers used in self-adhesive labels and tapes. Release papers carrying the label qualify for recycling in UPM LinerLoopTM, which is the first commercial-scale closed-loop recycling solution for silicone coated release papers. Currently some 50% of used release papers and matrix materials are recycled in Europe, but it is estimated that only 15% are recycled back to release papers in a closed loop (source: CELAB, AWA). As a member of CELAB-Europe and AFERA, UPM Specialty Papers works towards increasing the share of closed-loop recycling. Recycling silicone coated papers in a circular fashion is a technically demanding process. One factor, for instance, impacting closed-loop recycling is the shade of paper. As the typical shade of glassine used in label applications is white or some other light shade, recycling darker coloured glassine grades in the same stream would contaminate the recycled pulp.
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Macy’s, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2023 Results

Highlights: *Net sales of $5 billion, down 7% versus the first quarter of 2022. -Brick-and-mortar sales decreased 6% versus the first quarter of 2022. -Digital sales decreased 8% versus the first quarter of 2022. *Comparable sales down 7.9% on an owned basis and down 7.2% on an owned-plus-licensed basis. *Gross margin rate for the quarter was 40.0%, up from 39.6% in the first quarter of 2022. Versus the first quarter of 2019, gross margin rate increased 180 basis points from 38.2%.
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Nordstrom Reports First Quarter 2023 Earnings

Summary: *Total Company net sales decreased 11.6 percent and GMV decreased 11.9 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2022. The wind-down of Canadian operations had a negative impact on total Company net sales of 175 basis points. The first quarter of 2023 included one month of sales from Canadian operations, compared with a full quarter of sales from Canadian operations in the first quarter of 2022. *Gross profit, as a percentage of net sales, of 33.8 percent increased 110 basis points compared with the same period in fiscal 2022, reflecting the Company's focus on increasing inventory productivity. *Ending inventory decreased 7.8 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2022, versus an 11.6 percent decrease in sales. *Loss before interest and tax was $259 million in the first quarter of 2023, compared with earnings before interest and tax ("EBIT") of $73 million during the same period in fiscal 2022.
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AAP StatShot Annual Report: Publishing Revenues Totaled $28.10 Billion for 2022

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) today released the StatShot Annual report covering the calendar year 2022, estimating that the U.S. book publishing industry generated $28.10 billion industry-wide during the year, a decline of 2.6% as compared to 2021. In spite of the slight decline, total industry revenue remained 8.6% higher than the $25.87 billion total recorded for the year of 2019, just prior to the onset of the pandemic. “During the year the publishing industry continued to show considerable resilience, with total revenues still above pre-pandemic levels,” commented Syreeta Swann, Chief Operating Officer, Association of American Publishers. “The fact that the five-year trend also shows consistent growth suggests that the industry is well positioned to weather a challenging economic environment and an evolving marketplace over the long haul.”
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Two Sides North America Survey: U.S. Consumers’ Preference for Print Media Shows Post-pandemic Gains

Print media saw significant disruption during the coronavirus pandemic as many people moved online for news and information, but consumers’ preference for receiving and reading print on paper has rebounded over the past two years. This according to a new survey commissioned by Two Sides North America and conducted by global research firm Toluna. “Some observers predicted that people who switched from paper to digital media during the pandemic would never return, but this has not been the case,” says Two Sides North America President Kathi Rowzie. “Across every category of media included in the survey, from books and magazines to newspapers and product catalogs, consumers’ preference for paper has increased since 2021.”
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European Consumer Preference For Printed Materials Has Recovered Post Pandemic

Carried out every two years, the Two Sides Trend Tracker survey is one of the print and paper industry’s largest examining consumer preferences and perceptions of print, paper and paper-based packaging. This huge piece of research questions more than 10,000 consumers in 16 countries across the world, from South America and the United States to South Africa and Europe, and provides an assessment of consumers’ attitudes towards print and paper. “The Trend Tracker 2023 survey seeks to understand consumer perceptions across a wide range of topics relating to print, paper, paper packaging and tissue products,” says Jonathan Tame, Managing Director of Two Side Europe. “Having carried out the same research in 2017 and 2021, we are able to assess how these perceptions have changed over time, and have uncovered some interesting trends, including the effect that the pandemic has had on consumers’ reading habits.”
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Aptar Releases 2022 Corporate Sustainability / ESG Report

“We are pleased to share the significant ESG progress made by our global team in 2022. We are actively working towards a more sustainable future through responsible operations, reducing our carbon footprint and developing even more sustainable solutions for customers, consumers and patients. We are also convinced that our leadership in Sustainability, in addition to helping safeguard the environment, creates a critical competitive advantage,” said Stephan B. Tanda, President and CEO. Aptar focuses on collaboration as one of the pillars of its sustainability strategy. The company works with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, among many others. Aptar is an active member of the CE100 Network and a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact. In partnership with these organizations, Aptar aims to include 10% recycled resin content and achieve 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable solutions in our personal care, beauty, home care and food and beverage solutions by the end of 2025. The 2022 Corporate Sustainability / ESG Report highlights these important partnerships and many others.
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Sappi Employees Recognized for Contributions to Industry Advancing Endeavors in Paper and Packaging

Sappi North America Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, announced today that several of its employees have received awards for their endeavors in creative graphics, leadership and innovative initiatives. The Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) awarded Beth Cormier, VP of research, development and sustainability, a Women in Industry Division’s 2023 Woman of the Year Award; recognized Joseph Fernandez, research fellow, with the 2023 Coating & Graphic Arts Division Technical Award and BASF Charles W. Engelhard Medallion and Honorarium; and bestowed Matthew Howard, area process systems manager, with the TAPPI Award for Best Process Control Paper. Additionally, David Niles, senior print and converting scientist, received the Michael H. Bruno award from the Technical Association of Graphic Arts (TAGA).
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