Walmart Announces 3-for-1 Stock Split

Walmart Inc. announced that it will conduct a split of its outstanding shares of common stock at a ratio of 3:1. The stock split is part of Walmart’s ongoing review of optimal trading and spread levels and its desire for its associates to feel that purchasing shares is easily within reach. More than 400,000 associates participate in Walmart’s Associate Stock Purchase Plan today, which allows eligible associates to buy stock conveniently through payroll deductions and provides a 15% company match on the first $1,800 each year. “Sam Walton believed it was important to keep our share price in a range where purchasing whole shares, rather than fractions, was accessible to all of our associates,” said Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Walmart. “Given our growth and our plans for the future, we felt it was a good time to split the stock and encourage our associates to participate in the years to come. As Sam said, ‘We’re all in this together. That’s the secret.’”
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2023 USTR Notorious Markets List Issued

The Association of American Publishers welcomed the release of the 2023 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The Notorious Markets List highlights online and physical markets around the world engaged in industrial-scale copyright infringement and counterfeiting, which adversely impacts the interests of U.S. publishers, authors, and other rights holders. “The publishing industry thanks USTR and the interagency for their work in protecting the intellectual property of publishers and authors, whose livelihoods depend on the protection and enforcement of their rights,” said Lui Simpson, Senior Vice President for Global Policy at AAP. “The Notorious Markets report remains a critical tool for exposing online sites and marketplaces that traffic in infringing copies of books and journal articles.”
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Forest Stewardship Standards for Thailand developed

Two new standards for Forest Stewardship for the Kingdom of Thailand have been developed and approved for publication. Specifically, a standard for all forest types and scales (except Management Units smaller than 20 ha) and a complementary, locally adapted regional standard for smallholders with Management Units smaller than 20 ha have been developed. Both standards apply to private and state-owned forests with timber and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in the scope. The locally adapted regional standard is part of a wider pilot. It currently focuses on forest plantations, but its extension to natural forests may be considered in the future. FSC Forest Stewardship Standards (FSS) are based on the Principles and Criteria for Forest Stewardship; the foundation of FSC certification schemes covering a broad range of issues, from maintaining high conservation value to community relations and workers’ rights, as well as monitoring the environmental and social impacts of forest management.
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Sonoco Announces Agreement for the Divestiture of its Protective Solutions Packaging Business as Part of Planned Portfolio Optimization Strategy

Sonoco Products Company announced that certain of its subsidiaries entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Protective Solutions business to Black Diamond Capital Management, LLC (“Black Diamond”) for an estimated $80 million in cash. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2024. This sale is the result of Sonoco’s continuing evaluation of its business portfolio and is consistent with its strategic and investment priorities. Sonoco’s Protective Solutions business is one of North America’s premier manufacturers of molded expanded polypropylene and expanded polystyrene foam components and integrated material solutions serving the automotive, power sports, impact surfaces, HVAC, electronics/technology, appliances, and various other industrial end markets. The business operates nine manufacturing facilities and has approximately 900 employees. Net sales were approximately $170 million in 2023. Financial results for Protective Solutions are reported in Sonoco’s All Other Businesses reporting segment.
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American Packaging Corporation Announces ISCC PLUS Certification

American Packaging Corporation announces five APC Centers of Excellence achieved International Sustainability and Carbon Certification PLUS. APC's Columbus, Wisconsin, Deforest, Wisconsin, Story City, Iowa, Chili, New York and Rochester, New York plants all achieved the certification, allowing APC to source and convert advanced recycled resins and films, often called circular content. These circular content resins and films are used to manufacture packaging products requiring recycled content and tracks the usage through a mass-balance accounting process, a methodology that looks at all inputs and outputs of a particular process. ISCC PLUS certification plays a crucial role in the development of the circular economy by ensuring the traceability of advanced recycled plastics along the entire supply chain in compliance with the ISCC PLUS standards. Unlike traditional mechanically recycled content, the advanced recycled process converts materials to the molecular level, offering a feedstock that can be used to produce new plastic materials with properties equal to virgin plastic. The result is eco-friendly materials that are highly sought-after by environmentally conscious consumers. This certification provides an additional and complementary option to mechanically recycled materials for those customers wishing to utilize recycled content.
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Silgan Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Net sales for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $1.3 billion, a decrease of $115.3 million, or 8%, as compared to the same period in the prior year predominantly as a result of lower volumes. Income before interest and income taxes (EBIT) for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $126.1 million, an increase of $45.0 million as compared to $81.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2022 principally due to $66.6 million of rationalization charges in the prior year period.
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Avery Dennison Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Avery Dennison Corporation announced preliminary, unaudited results for its fourth quarter and full year ended December 30, 2023. Unless otherwise indicated, comparisons are to the same period in the prior year. “Earnings per share were in line with our expectations for the fourth quarter, increasing sequentially for the fourth consecutive quarter,” said Deon Stander, president and CEO. “Volume in both Label Materials and Apparel Solutions improved sequentially, continuing to recover from slow market conditions, largely due to inventory destocking, while our Intelligent Labels platform continues to accelerate. “In Intelligent Labels, we are targeting to deliver significant growth in 2024, as apparel rebounds and we accelerate the adoption of our solutions that help address key industry challenges in logistics, food and general retail, further advancing our leadership position at the intersection of the physical and digital.
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In Its 60th Year, Liberty Creative Solutions Focuses on Efficiencies (piworld.com)

Angela Hipelius, CEO of Liberty Creative Solutions, describes the company with a mix of history and mission. She shares that Liberty is starting its 60th year in business; and is second-generation, family-owned. It specializes in direct mail services, including the use of variable data to help its customers — which come from the education, healthcare, and nonprofit markets — achieve their goals. While the company has not changed its general approach over the past few years, Hipelius says it is focused strongly on “refining some of the systems we use to grow.” This includes working on efficiencies throughout the company’s processes and utilizing customer input in the development of its systems. Most of Liberty’s growth, she indicates, comes from doing more for its main clients, and by “nurturing existing accounts and being a trusted supplier for them.” That approach will continue. Hipelius says while the company has not acquired other businesses as a part of its revenue growth strategy, it has acquired technology. In 2019, it added a Canon ProStream 1000 inkjet web press to its technology mix, which now includes offset, toner-based digital printing, and high-speed production inkjet. Currently, she says the company is looking to install more printing and finishing capacity — something that complements the ProStream.
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UPS Releases 4Q 2023 Earnings

UPS announced fourth-quarter 2023 consolidated revenues of $24.9 billion, a 7.8% decrease from the fourth quarter of 2022. Consolidated operating profit was $2.5 billion, down 22.5% compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, and down 27.1% on an adjusted basis. Diluted earnings per share were $1.87 for the quarter; adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.47 were 31.8% below the same period in 2022. For the fourth quarter of 2023, GAAP results include a total charge of $512 million, or $0.60 per diluted share, comprised of a non-cash, after-tax mark-to-market (MTM) pension charge of $274 million, after-tax transformation and other charges of $154 million, and a non-cash, after-tax impairment charge of $84 million related to our Coyote trade name in our truckload brokerage unit.
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Latest USPS Report Shows Sustained Service Performance

FY24 second quarter service performance scores covering January 1 through January 19, included: *First-Class Mail: 84.0 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a decrease of 1.9 percentage points from the fiscal first quarter. *Marketing Mail: 92.1 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a decrease of 1.6 percentage points from the fiscal first quarter. *Periodicals: 80.6 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal first quarter.
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Wiley and Vanderbilt University’s Heard Libraries Sign Agreement to Publish More Open Access Research

Wiley, one of the world’s largest publishers and a global leader in research and learning, today announced a new 5-year open access agreement with the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries at Vanderbilt University, beginning on January 1, 2024. This transformative agreement will provide Vanderbilt University affiliates with access to Wiley’s complete journal portfolio and enable participating researchers to publish research in Wiley’s complete portfolio of nearly 2,000 hybrid and gold open access journals, including those published by Hindawi, starting January 1, 2024.
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Postal Regulatory Commission Affirms its Commitment to Timely Review of NSAs and Importance of Innovation

The Postal Regulatory Commission issued a notice today to clarify the outcome of a recent Market Dominant Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA) approved by the Commission. The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to timely review and approval of Market Dominant NSA applications that comply with the law and recognized the importance of innovation. In its request, the Postal Service stated that it intended to begin implementing the agreement “in January 2024 or shortly thereafter.” The Commission approved the Market Dominant NSA on November 22, 2023, consistent with the Postal Service’s request. On January 17, 2024, the Postal Service informed the Commission that the mailer had decided not to implement the NSA.
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Savvas Learning Company Announces New Edition of its Leading myView Literacy Program Grounded in the Science of Reading

Savvas Learning Company, a next-generation K-12 learning solutions leader, today introduced the new edition of myView Literacy, its leading K-5 core English Language Arts (ELA) program. Combining powerful Science of Reading-based instruction with engaging student-centered practice opportunities, myView Literacy © 2025 is designed to develop strong readers and writers, improving learning outcomes for all students. The new edition of myView Literacy comes at a time when the Science of Reading movement has gained national momentum, with many states now requiring the use of evidence-based strategies for teaching students to read. More and more school districts today are making it a priority to use high-quality instructional materials that not only demonstrate both efficacy and a positive impact on student achievement but also provide teachers the training and support they need to successfully implement the curriculum.
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Public consultation: Canadian forest certification system

Stakeholders from around the world are invited to give feedback on the Canadian Forest Certification System. Deadline for comments is 28 March. PEFC Canada revised their forest certification system to ensure its forest management standard is up-to-date and continues to meet stakeholder demands and expectations. The Canadian system was submitted to PEFC after being revised in line with PEFC requirements. The system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC Registered Assessor. It must pass this assessment to maintain its PEFC endorsement. An important aspect of the assessment process is the public consultation. Over the sixty-day consultation, stakeholders from around the world can give their comments and provide feedback on any aspect of the system. The Registered Assessor will use the information received from this consultation in their assessment of the system.
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SEE Launches Compostable Protein Packaging Tray at IPPE 2024

In its continuing pursuit to develop packaging materials that meet the sustainability goals of its customers, global packaging solutions provider SEE (NYSE: SEE) has developed the first biobased, industrial compostable tray for protein packaging that has been successfully tested to meet the demands of existing food processing equipment. SEE's new CRYOVAC® brand compostable overwrap tray is made from biobased, food-contact grade resin, which is USDA-certified as having 54% biobased content chemically derived from renewable wood cellulose. The tray, which will break down into organic material without leaving toxic residue, was created as an alternative to those made from expanded polystyrene (EPS), which are traditionally used to package fresh poultry and red meat for consumer purchase but are not biodegradable or recyclable.
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Revolution Acquires PolyAg Recycling (recyclingtoday.com)

Revolution Sustainable Solutions LLC, Little Rock, Arkansas, has acquired PolyAg Recycling Ltd., a Canada-based mechanical recycler of agricultural films. Established in 2019, PolyAg offers local recycling of used agricultural film through its recycling facility in Bashaw, Alberta. This acquisition aligns with Revolution’s growth in the agricultural film space, having invested more than $20 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, by 36,000 square feet in 2020. The expansion supports the production of various polyethylene products made from recycled materials, including construction film, agricultural film and geomembrane film, by adding two blown film lines. As previously reported by Recycling Today, the film lines are able to produce more than 40 million pounds of film products annually.
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Agfa and EFI Forge Strategic Partnership to Propel Digital Print Transformation

Agfa and EFI proudly announce that they have entered into a global strategic partnership aimed at leveraging each other’s cutting-edge technologies. The collaboration between two industry leaders marks a significant milestone in the wide-format inkjet printing arena. Within the framework of the partnership, Agfa will integrate EFI’s roll-to-roll system into its offerings, while EFI will incorporate Agfa’s high-end hybrid inkjet printers into its suite of solutions. Both printing platforms have established themselves as frontrunners in their respective fields. Customers and prospects stand to gain unparalleled advantages from this strategic collaboration. Through the mutual strengthening of the Agfa and EFI portfolios, both companies can present the broadest and most innovative product offering available in the market today, as well as a reliable service infrastructure.
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4,600 kilometers for SCA’s electric timber truck

SCA's electric timber truck continues to transport timber between Gimonäs timber terminal and Obbola paper mill outside Umeå. It has now been in operation for over 1.5 years. – Everything is working as intended, and we receive inquiries from haulage companies and others who want to learn more about heavy electric vehicle transport, says Mikael Sundelin, Head of Business Development at Industrial Supply. Since SCA's unique electric timber truck was put into operation in June 2022, it has covered a distance of 4,600 kilometers, equivalent to more than one lap around the globe. Over a year of operation, the electric timber truck contributes to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 55,000 kg per year. With a capacity to carry 80 tons, the electric timber truck's daily task is to transport timber between Gimonäs timber terminal and Obbola paper mill outside Umeå. The round trip covers a distance of 30 km, and it completes approximately six rounds per day. The truck needs to be charged about two times during a working day.
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Defining the message for recyclable packaging and reusable alternatives

What does it take to persuade consumers to choose your product over similar products on store shelves? One key factor is understanding consumers’ non-negotiable packaging priorities, such as hygiene, convenience, and sustainability. When introducing new reusable packaging or recyclable fiber-based solutions, conveying the right message about the package is vital to overcoming these obstacles getting your product chosen. Consumers are open to reuse systems. We recently conducted a survey of European consumers and found that 77% hold a positive view of reusable packaging; however, only 30% have a clear understanding of what reusable packaging means. This highlights the first challenge for brand owners: how to efficiently explain to consumers how the reuse system works while also addressing their priorities. Consumers rightly prioritize their health, questioning the hygiene and safety of reusable containers, particularly in the cases of food. Our survey showed that 78% of consumers raise this issue, making it one of the most common obstacles to adoption.
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New Effort Underway to Capture Institutional Knowledge

According to Forbes magazine, each year 4 million baby boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964, leave the workforce, taking with them valuable institutional knowledge that future generations might miss out on. At Domtar, we’re working to capture and transfer that institutional knowledge before it’s gone. Since April, Manufacturing Knowledge Development Senior Director Larry Warren has worked with a steering team of operational leaders, both at corporate offices and manufacturing sites, to create an intentional operations training structure. The aim is to ensure consistent operator training, development and institutional knowledge transfer across our manufacturing network as older employees retire and new ones take their place.
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Ahlstrom receives FDA 510(k) clearance for Reliance® Fusion, the next-generation sterilization wrap

Ahlstrom recently received the FDA 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Reliance® Fusion, a next-generation sterilization wrap that helps increase efficiency in the sterilization of surgical equipment trays at hospitals. FDA 510(k) clearance is needed to market and sell medical devices in the U.S. Sterilization wraps are extensively used in healthcare facilities worldwide to help maintain the sterility of surgical instruments. Ahlstrom single-use sterilization wraps help to prevent microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, spores) from easily gaining access to the tray contents, allow sterilization, provide physical protection, and maintain sterility of surgical instruments up to the point of use. They thus play a crucial role in infection prevention and patients’ safety. The sterilization process is often time-consuming, requires the use of expensive processing aids such as tray liners, and involves longer drying cycles and stocking multiple weights of sterilization wrap to ensure all moisture has been eliminated.
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SG360° Continues Record Investment in Digital Print Platform Expansion (piworld.com)

SG360°, marketing services provider and among the top three direct mail producers in the U.S., is excited to announce a significant move toward further expansion of their digital print platform to support evolving client, and broader marketplace, demand for more targeted, relevant marketing communications. SG360° is adding wide-web digital capability with full inline finishing to its growing digital print platform, which will deliver speed to market benefits and a broad range of formatting options, with full dynamic content possibilities. This will bring SG360° to have one of the most robust digital print offerings in the industry, with sights on further expansion.
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Home compostability certification for Metsä Board paperboards

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has achieved home compostability certification for all its white kraftliners and folding boxboards (excluding PE-coated grades). The certification was issued by DIN CERTCO based on the compliance with standard NF T 51-800. “All our paperboards can be recycled, which is the preferable option when the packaging or food service container has served its purpose. But sometimes the packaging material can be stained by food, and then composting with biowaste is a good choice,” says Helena Moring-Vepsäläinen, Product Safety Manager at Metsä Board. “Our paperboards have had industrial compostability certification for several years now, and home compostability is one step further which is certainly welcomed by consumers.”
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ATA Welcomes More Than $200 Million for Truck Parking Projects

The American Trucking Associations welcomed five major new federal investments by the Department of Transportation that will add approximately 1,000 truck parking spaces and make it easier for drivers to locate parking along key freight corridors in Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania, California, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. “The severe shortage of truck parking continues to rank among drivers’ highest concerns, which is why we appreciate that Secretary Buttigieg and a growing number of states are making these projects a top priority,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “America’s highways are our shop floor. When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night. These significant investments in expanding parking capacity along some of America’s busiest freight corridors will help reduce supply chain bottlenecks, alleviate stress on truck drivers and make the roadways safer for all motorists.”
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2024 Two Sides Partners Meeting

Jonathan provided an update on Two Sides’ activity, results in 2023, and focused on the tools, resources and information that your business can use. The Love Paper campaign, focussed on improving consumer perceptions of our products, reached a milestone in 2023 with over 2,000 advertisements featured in national newspapers and magazines. This initiative reaches more than 240 million consumers, communicating the sustainable narrative of magazines, newspapers, and all paper-based products. Year after year, we are reaching a growing number of consumers, making it a focus of our ongoing efforts. Across Europe, the challenge of Greenwashing persists, with companies disseminating misleading messages that portray a digital transition as inherently better for the environment. Slogans like “Go green, go paperless” not only misguide but pose a significant threat to our industry. Two Sides actively engages businesses, brands, and organizations, urging them to refrain from making such deceptive statements regarding print and paper.
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The latest EUDR updates at the European Commission level

At PEFC, we are committed to halting deforestation and strongly support the objectives of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR). To provide our stakeholders with the latest information on EUDR implementation at the Commission level, we are sharing regular updates, so you have all the information you need in one place. To discover how PEFC is your partner for the EUDR, visit out EUDR website. You can also sign up to our Technical Matters newsletter to receive all the latest news and progress. The Commission addressed the most frequent questions received from relevant stakeholders in the latest EUDR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) available here. The document will be updated over time.
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Parts and Labor Costs Rose in the Third Quarter of 2023

American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council and Decisiv Inc. said that parts and labor expenses rose 1.9% during the third quarter of 2023, according to data released in the latest Decisiv/TMC North American Service Event Benchmark Report. “This return to increasing parts and labor costs highlights the fact that fleets must remain vigilant when it comes to managing their maintenance expense data,” said TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell. “This important parts and labor cost analysis report is an excellent tool to help Council members see how their operations are performing and plan accordingly.”
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The Page: January 2024

The latest and exciting NEW issue of The Page, the magazine produced by Two Sides to promote the sustainability and value of print, is now available! In the latest edition of The Page, we take a look at what’s in store for 2024. After a turbulent 2023, we pick the brains of our finest industry experts about their predictions for print, paper and paper-based packaging. Getting your customers’ ATTENTION and keeping it is the Holy Grail of marketing. Now attention metrics shows that print is one of the best performers. You can read more about it in the latest edition of The Page. more at: https://twosides.info/uk/the-page-january-2024
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Packaging Corporation of America Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Packaging Corporation of America reported fourth quarter 2023 net income of $189 million, or $2.10 per share, and net income of $192 million, or $2.13 per share, excluding special items. Fourth quarter net sales were $1.94 billion in 2023 and $1.98 billion in 2022. Full year 2023 net income was $765 million, or $8.48 per share, and net income of $784 million, or $8.70 per share, excluding special items. Full year net sales were $7.8 billion in 2023 and $8.5 billion in 2022.
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Accredo Packaging Completes $10 Million Expansion in Sugar Land, Texas

Supported by Sugar Land Economic Development, Accredo Packaging, Inc., a sustainable package solutions firm, has completed its fourth expansion at its Sugar Land headquarters, representing a $10 million investment. This expansion added 83,000 square feet of office space to the company's 650,000-square-foot LEED-certified campus, which is 100 percent powered by wind energy. Located at 12682 Cardinal Meadow Drive, the project added 30 jobs, and the company has pledged to maintain at least 525 jobs in Sugar Land through 2031. Opened in 2009, Accredo Packaging is the first and only flexible packaging manufacturing facility in North America with LEED Silver certification. Previous expansions took place in 2013 and 2021, and now, in 2024, the company has more than tripled in size.
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Packaging Automation is growing its portfolio with a premium packaging machinery manufacturer

To grow the Packaging Automation business in the packaging sector, Stora Enso has partnered with Radpak, a Polish packaging machinery manufacturer focusing on packaging automation for primary and secondary packaging. Packaging Automation is expanding their business outside of Gothenburg, Sweden where Stora Enso has its current factory. Radpak’s factory is located in Włocławek, Poland, which strengthens Packaging Automation’s growth strategy in Central and Northern Europe and gives a local presence with service and aftermarket. The partnership will grow the portfolios of the two companies which means Stora Enso can offer both primary and secondary packaging, one point of contact for the customer.
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Xerox Releases Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year Results

Q4 2023 *Revenue of $1.77 billion, down 9.1 percent year-over-year or down 10.6 percent in constant currency. *GAAP net loss of $(58) million, down $179 million, year-over-year, respectively. This quarter includes an after-tax Restructuring and related costs, net charge of $78 million, related to the recently announced workforce reduction. *Operating cash flow of $389 million, up $203 million year-over-year. FY 2023 *Revenue of $6.89 billion, down 3.1 percent year-over-year, or down 3.3 percent in constant currency. *GAAP net income of $1 million, up $323 million, year-over-year, respectively. 2023 includes a Q4 after-tax Restructuring and related costs, net charge of $78 million, related to the recently announced workforce reduction. 2022 includes an after-tax non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $395 million. *Operating cash flow of $686 million, up $527 million year-over-year.
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Mativ Announces Initiatives Expected to Reduce Costs by $40 Million

Commensurate with the recent divestiture of the Company’s Engineered Papers business, Mativ Holdings, Inc. announced organizational realignment initiatives that will streamline organizational size and complexity, and leverage business-critical resources to enhance customer support. As a result of these initiatives, the Company expects to achieve an annualized run-rate of $20 million of overhead cost reduction in 2024 and an additional $20 million by the end of 2026, effectively reducing overhead costs by approximately 15% over that timeframe. The first wave of this initiative is primarily driven by workforce reductions and indexed toward senior levels of the organization. The second wave of savings will be unlocked by system integrations, further restructuring, and transactional efficiencies. The 2024 charges associated with these initiatives are estimated to be $15-$20 million, which are expected to be incurred predominantly in the first half of 2024.
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Billerud Year-end report January–December 2023

Key highlights *Weak volumes in North America and negative price and mix impact in both regions *Sequentially lower input costs, mainly related to pulpwood in Europe *Another strong delivery of our efficiency enhancement program *Excellent cash delivery through working capital focus *Negative profit impact from revaluation of biological assets in the associated company BSÖ. Quarterly data Q4 *Net sales decreased by 20% to SEK 9,566 million (11,971) *Operating loss SEK 191 million (profit: 1,353) including items affecting comparability of SEK -244 million (-52) *Net loss SEK 330 million (profit: 940)
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Service Performance Remains Steady Across Postal Service Network

FY24 second quarter service performance scores covering January 1 through January 12, included: *First-Class Mail: 85.8 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal first quarter. *Marketing Mail: 93.7 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal first quarter. *Periodicals: 81.5 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the fiscal first quarter.
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Country Walking launches #Walk1000Miles 2024 Challenge

Country Walking, the UK’s best-selling walking magazine has launched its annual challenge #Walk1000Miles with a dedicated 64-page supplement, available in the February issue. Founded 9 years ago by Country Walking’s Editor Guy Procter, the popular annual walking challenge encourages anyone of any age, fitness level and experience to walk 1000 miles in one year. It takes under an hour a day to reach 1000 miles in 12 months – just 2.74 miles daily – or the equivalent of Land’s End to John o’Groats the long way. Since launch, Country Walking’s #Walk1000Miles challenge has amassed more than 170k registrations and over 44,000 members to its growing Facebook community.
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Hearst Foundations Surpass $1.5 Billion in Grantmaking to Nonprofit Organizations in the United States

The Hearst Foundations announced that they have surpassed $1.5 billion in grants to over 6,400 organizations since their founding in 1946 by William Randolph Hearst. The announcement was made by Presidents of the Hearst Foundations, William R. Hearst III and Virginia Randt. Operating independently from Hearst, the Foundations are national philanthropic resources for organizations working in the fields of culture, education, health and social service. Grantmaking also includes administering two unique annual programs: the United States Senate Youth Program for high school juniors and seniors as a public service immersion in Washington D.C. and the Journalism Awards Program for undergraduates studying journalism at accredited schools of journalism.
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P&G Says It’s ‘Not The Time’ To Pull Back On Marketing Spend (mediapost.com)

CPG behemoth P&G saw its stock value increased today on the strength of its earnings report for the quarter ending with December, 2023, which included a 4% increase in organic sales. The company made it clear it considers its marketing investments an important ingredient in its growth. In an investors relations call, P&G Chairman, President and CEO Jon Moeller described the company’s strategy as being focused on “superior innovations that are driven by deep consumer insights.” He cited products such as Charmin Smooth Tear Ultra Soft and the Gillette Labs razor as examples of such innovation.
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ATA Truck Tonnage Index Increased 2.1% in December

American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 2.1% in December after falling 1.4% in November. In December, the index equaled 115.7 (2015=100) compared with 113.3 in November. “While 2023 ended on a better note, truck tonnage remained in a recession as it continued to fall on a year-over-year basis,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “With that said, for-hire contract freight, which is what comprises our index, in December was 2.6% above the trough in April. For the entire year, tonnage contracted 1.7% from 2022 levels. This makes 2023 the worst annual reading since 2020 when the index fell 4% from 2019, and the only year since 2020 that tonnage contracted.” Compared with December 2022, the SA index fell 0.5%, which was the tenth straight year-over-year decrease, albeit the smallest over that period. In November, the index was down 1.6% from a year earlier.
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C-P Flexible Packaging Announces Intelligraphix Systems

C-P Flexible Packaging (C-P), a leader in the flexible packaging industry, is proud to introduce Intelligraphix Systems—a new division specializing in prepress, platemaking and color management services designed specifically for flexographic printers. To ensure precision and efficiency from design to print, Intelligraphix Systems offers a comprehensive suite of prepress services, including art file optimization, extended gamut preparation, flexographic platemaking and optimization, color management, press profiling, file management and advanced quality check systems.
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SCA delivered 102.9 million seedlings in 2023

2023 was another year with substantial seedling deliveries from SCA’s seedling operation NorrPlant. During the year, 102.9 million seedlings were delivered, which is almost five million more seedlings compared with 2022. “Our seedlings are of excellent quality and there is a high level of external demand. We now deliver seedlings to almost all of Sweden,” says Thomas Vestman, Head of NorrPlant. Work at SCA’s Bogrundet and Wiftstamon nurseries has progressed well during the year. “We grew 111 million seedlings and of these delivered 102.9 million in 2023, of which approximately 60% to external customers and the rest to SCA’s own forests in Sweden and the Baltic region,” says Thomas. Most of the 102.9 million seedlings delivered were pine seedlings and about one third were spruce seedlings. NorrPlant also delivered a small percentage of contorta pine seedlings and about one million larch seedlings. “Pine dominates land owned by SCA. Deliveries of pine seedlings are also increasing to our external customers,” says Thomas.
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Sustainable new bee packaging creates a buzz

Smurfit Kappa has created a sustainable packaging solution to transport bees for Biobest, a world leader in biological crop protection and pollination. Biobest began back in 1987 when veterinarian Roland De Jonghe began breeding bumble bees in his garage to organically pollinate tomatoes. Tomato growers were quick to see the advantage of using bumble bees over chemical pesticides and the company flourished. Biobest approached the packaging giant to design an insulated and weather-resistant box to replace the EPS pack it was using to transport live bumble bees. It also had to be robust enough to withstand long periods outdoors as the boxes are used for outdoor pollination of fruit and vegetables.
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Rémi Marcoux named “Founder Emeritus” of TC Transcontinental

Transcontinental Inc. announced that Rémi Marcoux, founder of TC Transcontinental and member of the Board, has not sought re‑election as a director. Mr. Marcoux's term will end on March 13, at the annual shareholders’ meeting. In recognition of his entrepreneurial career and his significant contribution to the vision, growth and development of the Company in keeping with its values, the Board has named Mr. Marcoux “Founder Emeritus”. Rémi Marcoux, founder of TC Transcontinental, said: “I built this great company, which I founded in 1976, with a long-term vision and a desire for continuity, and my wishes have come true. I am a fulfilled and content man as I look to TC Transcontinental’s future, and I thank all our shareholders, customers, suppliers and employees for their unwavering support over the years. At the age of 83, I intend to take it easy a bit, and I have full confidence in my daughter Isabelle, who succeeded me as Chair of the Board in 2012, in Thomas Morin, President and CEO, as well as our talented board members, executives and employees.”
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Kimberly-Clark Announces Full-Year 2023 Results And 2024 Outlook

Fourth quarter sales of $5.0 billion were in line with prior year, with organic sales up 3 percent, driven by a 2 percent increase in price from ongoing revenue growth management programs and a 1 percent favorable product mix, with volumes in line with the prior year period and volume trends improving for the fourth consecutive quarter. In North America, organic sales increased 3 percent over last year, including increases of 5 percent in Personal Care and 3 percent in Consumer Tissue that were partially offset by a 3 percent decrease in K-C Professional. Outside North America, organic sales were up 5 percent in developing and emerging (D&E) markets. Organic sales in developed markets (Australia, South Korea and Western/Central Europe) grew 1 percent versus prior year. Gross margin improved by 210 basis points to 34.9 percent, with higher net revenue realization, cost savings and favorable input costs partially offset by unfavorable currency impacts and higher other manufacturing costs. Fourth quarter operating profit was $670 million compared to $712 million last year, resulting in an operating margin of 13.5 percent.
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Just as good, only better: wood-based cosmetics packaging passes a rigorous screening process

In autumn 2023, Finnish cosmetics company Lumene launched a moisturiser packaged in a bio-attributed* jar. The jar utilises a wood-based plastic raw material made from crude tall oil, a residue from pulp production. It is reportedly the first cosmetics jar that includes renewable materials in both the packaging and label. In the first phase, Lumene's Nordic-C [Valo] range of moisturisers will be packaged in this new type of jar. In the future, Lumene's entire range of 50 ml moisturisers will be packaged in a new bio-attributed jar. These are also the company's best-selling products. Reducing the dependency on fossil raw materials is a global challenge across many industries. For example, every year, the global cosmetics industry produces more than 120 billion containers. Many consumers are on the hunt for products with the lowest possible environmental impact, and industries are searching for raw materials to fulfil that need.
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U.S. Postal Service Unveils First Postal Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and Electric Delivery Vehicles

The United States Postal Service (USPS), alongside White House officials, unveiled its first set of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its South Atlanta Sorting and Delivery Center (S&DC). Charging stations like these will be installed at hundreds of new S&DCs across the country throughout the year and will power what will be the nation’s largest EV fleet. Electrification and modernization of the Postal Service’s delivery fleet is part of the organization’s $40 billion investment strategy to upgrade and improve the USPS processing, transportation, and delivery networks. “The improvements we need to achieve in sustainability are an integral outgrowth of the broader modernization efforts we have undertaken through our 10-year Delivering for America plan,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
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WestRock to Build New Corrugated Box Plant in Wisconsin

WestRock Company announced plans to build a new corrugated box plant in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, to meet growing demand from customers in the Great Lakes region. The Company intends to close its existing plant in North Chicago when construction of the new facility is completed. This investment will position WestRock to increase its production capabilities and improve its cost profile in the Great Lakes region. Construction is estimated to cost approximately $140 million and is expected to be partially offset by property sales. “Investing in a new state-of-the-art corrugated converting facility elevates our production capabilities and better supports our end market strategy and margin improvement targets,” said David B. Sewell, chief executive officer, WestRock.
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FSC’s appeal to certified organizations in Myanmar

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating condition of workers and trade union rights in Myanmar since February 2021. FSC urges all its certificate holders (CHs) and certification bodies in Myanmar to support FSC’s mandate to respect human rights and the right to free collective bargaining as provided within the International Labour Organization (ILO) charter. This is in line with the requirements stated in the FSC Chain of Custody standard. At their 96th Board Meeting, the FSC International Board of Directors mandated FSC International to send letters to all the FSC-certified CHs in Myanmar recording FSC’s concern about the situation in Myanmar and insisting that CHs respect human rights and the right to free collective bargaining.
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The PEFC EUDR roll out

PEFC has 25 years of experience in enabling dialogue on sustainable forest management. We meet the challenge of EUDR no differently: bringing different experts and stakeholders together, building consensus, and providing a solution to the market that gives flexibility and responds to the needs of our stakeholders. We have put in place a cross-functional plan to cover the different aspects within EUDR. Aligned to our inclusive dialogue and bottom-up approach, PEFC members and external experts are participating in working groups and task forces to develop our PEFC EUDR solution for the market. To help our PEFC chain of custody certified organisations comply with their EUDR obligations, we are developing an EUDR adapted DDS (due diligence system).
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Weatherbys Joins Forces With Two Sides To Champion Sustainable Printing

Two Sides is excited to announce its newest member and supporter, Weatherbys, the horseracing administrator founded in 1770. As the latest member of Two Sides, Weatherbys is set to amplify its commitment to sustainability, with a specific focus on its renowned print services to the racing industry. Celebrating 250 years in 2020, Weatherbys stands as a stalwart provider of racing services to the horseracing industry. Beyond the well-known printing, design, and fulfillment of racecards, Weatherbys offers a comprehensive suite of services, including pedigree research, publishing and marketing. In recent months, the business announced a print partnership with Northampton Town FC, building on the relationship which has seen Weatherbys design and print The Cobbler, the official magazine of Northampton Town FC for over 15 years.
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Mactac Sustainability Commitment Shines with Another Critical Guidance Recognition from Association of Plastic Recyclers

Showcasing its ongoing commitment to sustainability, Mactac® has again been recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for recyclability of its pressure-sensitive label materials. APR recently announced that Mactac has earned Critical Guidance Recognition (CGR) for its polypropylene pressure-sensitive label materials with hot-melt adhesive for rigid polypropylene containers. Label materials were proven compatible with polypropylene container recycling practices, exceeding the strictest criteria for product packaging recyclability. Mactac is the first manufacturer to earn CGR for a hot-melt adhesive for polypropylene recycling applications. Mactac was also the first manufacturer to earn CGR for a hot-melt adhesive for high-density polyethylene containers, which it received in 2023.
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Ahlstrom introduces an innovative home compostable lid for single-serve coffee capsules

Ahlstrom is proud to announce the launch of PureLid™, a fiber-based lid offering for single-serve coffee capsules to support the coffee industry in its sustainability journey. With its ground-breaking design, PureLid™ offers a high-performing, home-compostable alternative to aluminum or plastic lids used in coffee capsules. PureLid™ has received the OK compost HOME and OK compost INDUSTRIAL certifications from TÜV®. OK compost HOME and OK compost INDUSTRIAL certifications confirm that PureLid™ can be composted at home and in an industrial facility. All tests have been carried out with an independent laboratory certified and accredited to ISO 17025. This innovative, patented coffee lid structure is ready to seal on coffee capsules, making it an ideal choice for manufacturers who are looking to embrace the future of sustainable coffee packaging.
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Ahlstrom plans to invest in a new production line for molecular filtration media to expand further its offering for indoor air quality and electric vehicles

Ahlstrom pursues its over 50-year commitment and drive of the future of the global filtration industry by investing in a new production line for molecular filtration media in Turin, Italy. Air quality in closed environments such as buildings and vehicles is a major concern in many areas of the world. In this context, particulate filter media play an important role in removing solid particles and aerosols from the air. Molecular filter media are used in complement, removing gaseous pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, inorganic gases (such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia), and odors, and delivering the cleanest air to people and processes. The new line is being designed to produce the highest-performance adsorbent materials for premium filtration applications, including next-generation cabin air and fuel cell air intake, as well as a complete range for HVAC and cleanrooms.
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Ulrich supercharges label printing with Flint Group’s EkoCure® Dual Cure ink range

Ulrich Etiketten, a market leader in the Austrian self-branded label market, has made the switch to UV LED curing in its label manufacturing operations with the support of Flint Group's high-performance EkoCure® Dual Cure ink range. Ulrich, founded in 1868, recently invested in a new 60,000m2 production site in Austria, intending to transition label printing presses from traditional mercury UV curing to energy-saving UV LED. Ulrich partnered with Flint Group and its market-leading range of EkoCure Dual Cure inks to support this transition. The ability of the ink range to cure under both traditional UV mercury and UV LED lamps enabled Ulrich to transition in a way best suited for their business.
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Print Prospered In 2023, On Track To Repeat It This Year (mediapost.com)

Print media consumption rose in 2023, and this trend should continue in 2024, according to a study by Pew Research Center. MRI-Simmons reports that 80%+ of 100+ national magazines have lower readership than they did a decade ago. But, over the past two years, nearly 90% of those have maintained or actually increased readership. Catalogs are also growing apace. "Amazon’s Holiday Dash catalog which tops 100 pages, has been described as a mashup of the iconic Sears catalog and Highlights magazine," Pew writes.
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Canadian forest certification system submitted for endorsement

The Canadian 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 29 January to 28 March 2024. PEFC Canada revised the country’s national forest certification system to ensure its national forest management standard is up-to-date and continues to meet stakeholder demands and expectations. To provide you with additional information about this revised national system, we are holding a webinar on 29 January, at 16:00 CET. Register for the webinar at https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/14a8431f-f083-4028-8130-0429b021d8ac@cd75f75a-3441-4da3-bd89-4b993277c652
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Landa Plans Expansion with New Ink Plant in North America (piworld.com)

Landa Digital Printing, manufacturer of Nanographic Printing presses, announced that it will be opening an ink plant to supply its growing North American customer base. The new plant is expected to begin operations in H2, 2024. To be located in the Midwestern U.S., the new plant will manufacture the company’s water-based Landa NanoInk, which is required for the transformative Nanographic Printing process. The plant will join existing Landa ink plants across the globe, thereby increasing worldwide NanoInk manufacturing capacity as well as ensuring supply to North American customers. Additional major benefits will include shorter lead times and reduced environmental impacts caused by shipping materials.
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Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms That Texas Book Ban Law is Unconstitutional

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit today affirmed the preliminary injunction of the “Reader Act” (formerly HB 900) granted by Judge Alan D. Albright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division in a written opinion issued on September 18, 2023. The law would have required independent bookstores, national chain bookstores, large online book retailers, book publishers and other vendors to review and rate millions of books and other library materials according to sexual content if those books are sold to school libraries, and to do so according to vague labels dictated by the state without any process for judicial review. In affirming Judge Albright’s earlier ruling, Judge Don Willett of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals noted that “Plaintiffs have an interest in selling books without being coerced to speak the State’s preferred message,” going on to say that he was “unpersuaded” by the State’s argument that the READER Act does not implicate Plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.
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Wallace Graphics Installs HP PageWide Advantage 2200 Press (piworld.com)

Wallace Graphics, an esteemed commercial printing company boasting over three decades of experience, is delighted to announce its recent acquisition of the HP PageWide Advantage 2200 with HP Brilliant Ink. This strategic investment underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to delivering top-tier quality work, all while prioritizing operational efficiency. In 1987, Wallace Graphics began its journey as a solopreneur print shop located in Atlanta, Georgia. Today, under the second-generation ownership of Jonathan Wallace (President), and Jake Wallace (Vice President), it stands as one of the fastest growing and most dynamic companies in the Southeastern United States, offering comprehensive printing services encompassing digital, offset, and large format solutions.
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Sustana Advances as a Clean Materials Company

In a strategic move to streamline its operations and enhance its commitment to sustainability, Sustana proudly announces the rebranding of its subsidiary companies, including Sustana Fiber, Rolland, and Hanna Paper, under the united Sustana umbrella. Fabian de Armas, Chairman and CEO of Sustana, expressed his enthusiasm for the rebrand, stating, “This strategic move marks a significant milestone in our journey toward a more circular and nature-positive future. By uniting our business units under the Sustana brand, we are creating a stronger, more united company around our shared purpose – to make sustainability an ingredient in everyday products.”
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Sappi concludes consultation process at Sappi Lanaken Mill

The persistent global economic downturn is proving to be much tougher than anticipated with depressed markets, geopolitical instability and weak economic growth combining to put significant pressure on Sappi, particularly in Europe. In response we announced on 10 October 2023 the start of a consultation process on the possible closure of Sappi Lanaken Mill. We have completed this process and agreed on the social plan for the employees. Production of paper ended in December 2023. The closure of the site should be completed during the second calendar quarter of 2024. Details regarding the financial impact once all closure elements are taken into account will be provided during the first quarter financial results announcement.
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Savvas Learning Company’s SuccessMaker Meets ESSA Level 2 Requirements

Savvas Learning Company, a next-generation K-12 learning solutions leader, today announced that Successmaker, its continuously-adaptive, personalized learning math and reading programs for all K-8 students, met ESSA Level 2 evidence standards by demonstrating significantly higher math proficiency and reading gains for students. ESSA, formally known as the Every Student Succeeds Act, is the federal K-12 education law requiring that all students in America be taught to high academic standards that will prepare them to succeed in college and careers. ESSA provides states and school districts guidance as well as flexibility in selecting evidence-based learning solutions that have demonstrated a positive effect on student performance.
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GreenFirst Announces Completion of Operational Decentralization and New Paper Mill CEO

GreenFirst Forest Products Inc. is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed the previously announced decentralization of its lumber mill and paper mill operations. In connection with the decentralization, Terry Skiffington has been engaged as Chief Executive Officer of the paper mill division. Mr. Skiffington is a skilled executive with a broad range of experience in the pulp and paper sector in Canada and globally. The strategic decision to decentralize the businesses and management is expected to improve the ability to focus on the unique aspects of each business, provide for more efficient decision-making processes and to allow for increased entrepreneurialism and cost-control measures.
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Donations to Community Libraries Support Literacy in Rural Areas

Domtar’s commitment to literacy drives our investments in community libraries across Canada and the United States. We recognize the integral connection between paper and learning, as well as the unique role of local libraries. As part of our 175th anniversary celebration, we made one of the largest community investments in our history to support the construction of a new community library in Windsor, Quebec, home to our Windsor Mill. Domtar committed $225,000 to support the project, which will relocate the Patrick Dignan Library to a new building that will offer more space and improved accessibility. “Domtar’s partnership with the library project is a natural fit. In addition to being a mobilizing and inclusive project for the entire community, it is directly linked to our product, paper,” says Sylvain Bricault, general manager of the Windsor Mill.
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Ask your member of Congress to stop unprecedented stamp hikes.

The U.S. Postal Service is raising the price of stamps AGAIN on January 21. This is the fourth increase in 18 months—the most mailing rates have increased during the U.S. Postal Service’s 248-year history. These increases have harmed mail volume and have not helped the USPS achieve financial stability. In fact, the USPS posted a $6.5 billion loss for FY2023 and is predicting a $6.3 billion loss this fiscal year. And yet, the USPS appears to be on track to raise stamp prices yet again this July. These increases pose a significant threat to consumers and businesses that rely on the USPS. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Sam Graves (R-MO) have teamed up to send a letter to the USPS Board of Governors urging them to delay any further increase this year until the effects of the unprecedented twice-a-year increases on mail volume and revenue are better understood. Keep US Posted encourages everyone who supports affordable postage and quality service to contact their members of Congress to ask them to join Rep. Cleaver and Graves in sending the letter.
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Consumer Preference and Industry Efforts Pave the Way for Corrugated Boxes

As consumers increasingly voice their environmental concerns, industries worldwide are actively seeking sustainable alternatives to reduce their carbon footprint. Not surprisingly, corrugated cardboard packaging has emerged as an environmentally sustainable choice, boasting benefits that other packaging materials simply can’t match. Reports and surveys, including a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) recently published by the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) and the 2023 US Trend Tracker Survey commissioned by Two Sides North America, shed light on the environmental impact of cardboard packaging and illustrate why it is fast becoming the preferred choice of brands and consumers around the globe.
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Two Sides Packaging Webinar – 15th February

Two Sides Packaging Webinar: 15th February 2024, 9:25 – 13:00 GMT (10:25 – 14:00 CET). With 10 expert thought leaders, this webinar is focused on the sustainability of paper packaging. Register to the packaging webinar here: ttps://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W9MgIT28Qdu6Si1cyje-NA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
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American Image Increases Production Capacity by 30% with an EFI Pro 30f Wide Format Flatbed Printer

Electronics For Imaging, Inc., reported that American Image, a producer of signs, display graphics, and award products located in Bergenfield, New Jersey, has acquired an EFI™ Pro 30f wide-format LED flatbed printer. Prior to acquiring the Pro 30f flatbed, the American Image production printing fleet consisted of 11 wide-format printers, including eight small flatbeds. Adding the Pro 30f printer to the mix increased the company’s production capacity by 30%, significantly improving their time to market, important in a competitive environment. “We worked with our distributor, ITNH, who introduced us to EFI and recommended the EFI Pro 30f as a solution to our needs,” said John Paragian, Owner and President of American Image.
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SeaChange is First in Minnesota to Install W&D 410 Easy Enveloper (piworld.com)

SeaChange has recently became the first printer in Minnesota to install a W&D 410 Easy Enveloper, and we’re excited to see its initial project in production. Designing for a major healthcare company, our GATHER Digital Marketing team created an envelope with large areas of ink coverage — a stunning look that’s sure to stand out in the mailbox. The envelope’s interior, which uses a repeating pattern, complements that design while also serving as a security tint. The ability to create high-quality envelopes in house meets our clients’ increasing desire to streamline processes and add additional customization. As we saw with supply chain shortages during the pandemic, purchasing envelopes from outside vendors can lead to delays. With the Easy Enveloper, we hope to eliminate that potential.
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Hatteras Reflects on 40 Years of Innovation (piworld.com)

When Hatteras celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, President Bill Duerr had reason to look back with pride. From its beginnings in a facility far too small, the Tinton Falls, New Jersey-based commercial printer has expanded into a three-building, 180,000-sq.-ft. operation with some of the latest — and largest — offset, digital, and wide-format presses in the industry. A family-owned company that treats its employees like family too, Hatteras has become a convergence success story, moving from commercial printing into wide-format, packaging, assembly, fulfillment, warehousing, mailing, and more. It serves clients in the pharmaceutical, retail, automotive, cosmetics, fashion, and financial services businesses, among others, providing everything from marketing collateral, signage, and packaging, to variable data direct mail and cross-media marketing campaigns.
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Mondi hosts first-of-its-kind round table to tackle used paper bags from construction

Mondi has brought together industry leaders in an expert round table to discuss how to improve the circularity of used paper bags in the construction industry. The event looked at how to build systems that will prevent the disposal of used paper bags, working towards implementing a process of efficient collection, sorting, and recycling that can be managed on an industrial scale. The partners attending were representatives from different parts of the value chain, namely Mondi, Envalora, Neinor Homes, OHLA, Arpada, Macotran, RCD Asociacion, S. Solís, Uder, Alier, Saint-Gobain and CoCircular. These like-minded industry leaders share a vision of boosting the circularity of paper bags used in the construction industry and see collaboration and stakeholder dialogue as a critical activity to achieve this.
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UPM Raflatac strengthens presence in North America with new slitting terminal in Toronto, Canada

UPM Raflatac plans to open a new state-of-the-art slitting and distribution terminal in the Toronto, Canada metropolitan area. The new facility will improve service and quality to UPM Raflatac’s customers in Eastern Canada and Northeastern U.S., while strengthening relationships in the region. “We have made significant investments in our production capabilities to meet the demand for self-adhesive paper and film products. The recent decision to expand our global network of terminals with a brand-new facility in Canada is a testament to our long history of enabling our customers to grow,” said Morgan Dundas, Sales Director, UPM Raflatac Americas.
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Postal Service Begins FY24 Second Quarter with Consistent Service Performance

FY24 second quarter service performance scores covering January 1 through January 5, included: *First-Class Mail: 87.5 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.6 percentage points from the fiscal first quarter. *Marketing Mail: 93.4 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal first quarter. *Periodicals: 82.0 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 1.3 percentage points from the fiscal first quarter.
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FSC’s new approach for risk assessments in forests

In a fast-changing world the Forest Stewardship Council is fundamentally changing its risk evaluations for forests. The next generation of risk assessments will replace the current way of assessing risks in forestry as part of the current controlled wood concept. In an enhanced approach the new risk assessments will be of use for the production of FSC Mix products within the current controlled wood concept; but will also serve as a tool for risk evaluation in regards to new legal requirements such as the EUDR. These new risk assessments will therefore become an invaluable tool for companies to efficiently assess and mitigate risks. While doing so, FSC is going one step further by aiming for an alliance between partners facing similar challenges. This Risk Information Alliance will foster global sustainability leadership by collaborating with other sustainability leaders. The focus is on developing a single, standardized Risk Assessment framework that will benefit both certified and non-certified companies.
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Acorn Web Offset Join Two Sides To Promote Sustainable Print Magazines

Two Sides is excited to announce its newest member and supporter, Acorn Web Offset, the specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer. Acorn Web is a specialist magazine printer of weekly, fortnightly, monthly, bi-monthly and quarterly periodicals. They produce high-quality, low cost magazines printed in A4 and A5 format, along with printed catalogues. “We’re delighted Acorn is now a member of Two Sides. Sustainability is a highly important subject with our customers wanting more information in relation to their printing requirements. We are constantly looking at ways to reduce not just our waste paper but all waste that we produce both in the manufacturing plant and in the office, segregating and sending for recycling."
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Greif and IonKraft Announce New Pilot-Project Partnership to Revolutionize Industrial Packaging

Greif, Inc. and IonKraft, a barrier technology company specializing in plasma-based coatings, are pleased to announce a new pilot-project partnership. The collaboration aims to revolutionize the challenges of recyclability and sustainability in plastic jerrycan packaging that requires an additional barrier solution. Industrial plastic packaging is highly recyclable, but certain applications that require barrier solutions can make recycling more challenging. IonKraft has developed a game-changing coating that utilizes a plasma-enhanced vapor deposition process to create a strong barrier that is non-reactive, chemically inert, and 100% recyclable. Beyond recyclability, the IonKraft barrier technology offers a sustainable alternative to fluorination.
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Tetra Pak and Absolicon launch module for renewable thermal supply to power UHT equipment line

Tetra Pak has announced a collaboration with Absolicon, a Swedish solar thermal company, to offer a standardised solution for industrial equipment powered by renewable thermal energy (heat)1. Absolicon has designed a scalable solar thermal module that can be integrated with current and new UHT lines and enable a range of decarbonisation options, including a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions2, based on the customer requirement and location.
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Clearwater Paper Suspended Idaho Operations Due To Severe Weather Conditions

Clearwater Paper Corporation announced that it has had to temporarily suspend its operations in Lewiston, Idaho due to uncertainty in natural gas supply and damage caused by extreme cold weather. The company is restarting equipment and production at the facility as weather conditions permit. “We are focused on the safety of our employees and protecting our assets during this period of extremely cold temperatures in the region,” said Arsen Kitch, president and chief executive officer. “We are in the process of repairing equipment and resuming our overall operations.” The company expects to provide an update on the anticipated impacts of the outage in a future announcement.
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Changes in UPM’s Group Executive Team

Following the transfer of Massimo Reynaudo from UPM Communication Papers to lead UPM-Kymmene Corporation as its President and CEO, Antti Jääskeläinen has been appointed to act as interim Executive Vice President of UPM Communication Papers until a successor has been appointed. Antti Jääskeläinen assumes this role on top of his current duties and continues in his current role as Executive Vice President of UPM Raflatac. Antti Jääskeläinen’s biographical details are available at the company’s website. Saara Tahvanainen has been appointed Executive Vice President responsible for UPM’s Stakeholder Relations, and member of UPM’s Group Executive Team. Stakeholder Relations covers communications, brand/marketing, corporate responsibility, and public affairs. She will start in the role latest on 15 July 2024. She will report to Massimo Reynaudo, President and CEO, and will be based in Helsinki, Finland.
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REI Co-op to open 10 stores in 2024 to better serve outdoor communities

Specialty outdoor retailer REI Co-op announced expansion plans to open 10 new stores in 2024 to better serve its members and outdoor community. Locations have been finalized for summer 2024 openings in Glendale, Arizona and Rancho Mirage, California. A store in St. George, Utah will open in fall 2025. The co-op will open its doors in formerly occupied retail spaces at Arrowhead Promenade in Glendale, The River in Rancho Mirage, and St. George Place in St. George. Each location will offer a wide assortment of apparel, gear and expertise for camping, cycling, running, fitness, hiking, climbing and more. In addition, a full-service bike shop will be staffed with technicians to tune, repair and enhance the performance of all bikes. The new Utah location will also feature a ski and snowboard shop.
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California Universities Partner with Wiley on Landmark Open Access Agreement

The 10-campus University of California system and 48 private and public academic and research institutions represented by the Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium (SCELC) have reached a new open access agreement with Wiley, one of the world's largest publishers. The three-year deal begins this month and will make more research eligible for open access publication than any partnership of its kind in California. “Some of the most groundbreaking research in the world is done right here in California, driving advances in medicine, environmental sustainability and society. I am excited about this opportunity for more California scholars, from UC and beyond, to make their work freely available so that people around the globe can benefit from and build on their discoveries,” said Maria De Prano, professor of Art History at UC Merced and chair of the UC faculty Academic Senate’s systemwide committee on library and scholarly communication. “I appreciate the partnership of our colleagues at SCELC and Wiley for making open access to California research possible at this scale.”
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North Carolina’s Firestorm Books Offers Free Books Banned in Florida

Firestorm Books, a collectively-owned radical bookstore in Asheville, N.C., has acquired 22,500 copies of 46 children's books that were banned from the Duval County Public School system in Florida. Under a campaign named "Banned Books Back!," the bookstore plans to distribute these books to children and families across the United States, starting with Florida. Last year, Duval County school administrators ordered the removal of numerous titles focused on gender issues, racism, colonialism and more. Half of the titles that were pulled focused on LGBTQIA+ topics. "When we were told that these books were at risk of being destroyed, we knew we had to act," Esmé Joy, co-owner of Firestorm Books, said.
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OverDrive: Record Number of Libraries Hit One Million Digital Lends in 2023

OverDrive reps reported this week that a record 152 library systems and consortia across seven countries—including 41 states and seven Canadian provinces—surpassed the one million digital lends benchmark in 2023, which includes e-books, digital audiobooks, and digital magazines. The numbers represent a significant jump from the 129 library systems that hit the milestone in 2022. The 152 public libraries hitting the milestone are based in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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Brown Printing is Now Modern Litho – Jefferson City

When the owners of Brown Printing and Modern Litho-Print Co. merged their businesses under a corporate holding company on January 1, 2000, the decision was made for both companies to continue operating autonomously at their respective facilities and under their existing brand name. Since then, our planned growth has taken us from 60 employees to 385 today, with operations in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, and Jefferson City. Modern Litho, Inc. currently ranks as the 92nd largest printing company (based on revenue) in North America, in an industry of over 15,000, and is proud to serve great customers in all 50 states and internationally. And of course, that includes you! Brown Printing’s emphasis has always been on serving the local (Jefferson City, Lake, Columbia) market while supporting the national efforts of Modern Litho, and that remains unchanged. However, with the recent acquisition of Direct Impaqt in Columbia, and their subsequent rebranding to Modern Litho-Columbia, we’re excited to announce that the time has come to rebrand Brown Printing to Modern Litho-Jefferson City.
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New Mill Capital Holdings, Infinity Assets, Camjay LLC Purchase Maine Mill Assets of Pixelle Specialty Solutions

GT2 Redevelopment LLC, a Joint Venture of New Mill Capital Holdings, Infinity Asset Solutions and Camjay LLC, has acquired the assets of Pixelle Specialty Solutions in Jay, ME. The acquisition includes the real estate of the main paper mill site as well as all mill equipment and the adjacent cogeneration power plant. “We are thrilled to have acquired the Jay mill and plan on making a significant investment to bring economic life back to the property,” said Tony McDonald, President of Camjay. “The site’s heavy infrastructure can be repurposed for a variety of industrial uses, and we have already started the process of identifying potential new users for the property.”
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Solenis to Expand in Virginia

Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals for water-intensive industries, will invest $193 million to expand its operation in the City of Suffolk, Virginia. The company will build a new 80,000-square-foot production facility, packaging facility and tank farm, and add a new rail spur to accommodate production of polyvinylamine (PVAm) polymer products, which are used in paper and cardboard manufacturing. This new facility will be used to grow the existing polymer product line and add additional capacity of this critical monomer to the existing supplier. The project will create 34 new jobs. “Solenis is a global leader in the specialty chemical industry with a 40-year history in the City of Suffolk, and this major investment and expansion demonstrates that manufacturing is thriving in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Hampton Roads has the skilled workforce, business climate, and logistics advantages, including our world-class port, to enable Solenis to add significant capacity to supply the international paper manufacturing market.”
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Conde Nast CEO Lynch Urges Congress To Act On GAI (mediapost.com)

Journalism is in jeopardy unless publishers are fairly compensated for use of their content by GAI companies, Roger Lynch, CEO of Condé Nast, argued in Congressional testimony on Wednesday. Speaking before the the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, Lynch said, “We urge Congress to take immediate action to clarify that the use of publisher content for both Gen AI training and their output must be licensed and compensated.”
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E-Waste Recycling: UK Retailers to Foot the Bill Starting 2026 (twosides.info)

In a move to tackle the escalating issue of electronic waste (e-waste), the UK government has unveiled plans that will see producers and retailers covering the costs of recycling. From 2026 onwards, consumers can expect enhanced routes for disposing of electronic goods responsibly, marking a significant step towards a sustainable and circular economy. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) recently released a consultation outlining the initiative, emphasising a shift from taxpayer-funded disposal methods to a model where retailers bear the responsibility. This forward-looking approach aims to collect electronic waste, ranging from cables to toasters and power tools, directly from consumers’ homes or during their weekly shopping trips. Material Focus, a not-for-profit organization, reported that nearly half a billion small electrical items found their way to landfills last year. The issue intensifies during festive seasons, such as Christmas, when a staggering 500 tonnes of Christmas lights are discarded. With the upcoming measures set to take effect in 2026, the government envisions retailers stepping up to cover the costs, reducing the burden on taxpayers.
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Aptar Closures Offers Line of Fully Recyclable Flow Control Dispensing Solutions for Food & Beverage Products

As the industry leader in flow control dispensing solutions for over 25 years, Aptar Closures is pleased to offer a line of fully recyclable flow control dispensing solutions suitable for a wide range of products, most notably food and beverage applications such as condiments and sauces. The company’s SimpliCycle™ valve is designed for brand owners seeking to enhance packaging sustainability without sacrificing precise, hygienic product dispensing and consistent consumer satisfaction. True to its name, SimpliCycle provides ease and function by streamlining mechanical recycling. Comprised of low-density thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), the valves float during the recycling sorting process, separating them from the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) stream; from there, they are recycled in the polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) stream. When assembled into a compatible Aptar closure, SimpliCycle creates a fully recyclable solution for use with PET, PE or PP containers.
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Ultralight pizza box awarded in 2024 WorldStar packaging competition

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has been selected as one of the winners of 2024 WorldStar awards for their ultralight pizza box concept developed together with Adara Pakkaus and other industry experts. A total of 435 entries from 41 countries were included in this year’s competition. An expert panel of international judges compared the entries to similar solutions from around the world and awarded the ones that were superior in their category and market and were better in execution or innovation, in comparison to others. The awarded ultralight pizza box solution, made of MetsäBoard Natural WKL Bright, uses considerably less material than traditional solutions without compromising rigidity, function or print quality. The pizza box was about 38 per cent lighter and according to the life cycle analysis the pizza box’s carbon footprint was up to 50 per cent lower than those of traditional solutions made of recycled fibre. The environmental impact comparison was carried out on material and its production.*
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Direct Mail Printing Outlook: Power of the Direct Approach (piworld.com)

Direct mail has been on a wild ride the past few years. First, there was the COVID-19 pandemic that seemingly led to every brand and customer pulling back on every conceivable marketing vehicle as we all struggled to figure out what was going on and where we would fit into it. Then as that waned, in 2022 we saw a massive surge in volumes, with brands rushing to get back in front of their customers as consumer spending skyrocketed, leading to record years for many direct mail printers. And then there was 2023, which saw severe inflation leading to a pullback in spending across the board, coupled with aggressive moves by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to raise rates. It’s enough to make you dizzy. But as we peel back some of those trends and what is driving them, we can get a good idea of what to expect for 2024 — and where you should plan to invest your capital expenditure dollars to capture as much growth and new direct mail business as possible.
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Ahlstrom contributes to the availability of clean water with an expanded offering of long-lasting water filter media

The global water purification market is fast-moving with continuous advancements in technologies and applications. There is an increased focus on more sustainable solutions to address the growing concerns about water quality and the need for reliable water purification solutions. Ahlstrom supports the water purification market and contributes to the availability of clean water by launching a new water filtration solution for enhanced particulate removal in pre-filtration applications. The new filter material can be used as a stand-alone or as a complement to the existing Ahlstrom Disruptor® and Hollytex® ranges. The new pre-filter is suitable for both residential and industrial uses. It removes contaminants such as rust, sand, and other debris that may end up in water pipelines, ensuring the highest quality of water. The pre-filter delivers superior performance and quality consistency when used as a pleated filter design.
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Kimberly-Clark Professional™ Improves Protection For Lab Workers With New Kimtech™ Polaris™ Nitrile Exam Gloves

Kimberly-Clark Professional™ announced the availability of new Kimtech™ Polaris™ Nitrile Exam Gloves for use in laboratory settings that afford users the highest level of protection, durability and comfort from a glove in the Kimtech portfolio. Featuring a new dark magenta color unique to Kimberly-Clark Professional and a proprietary high-quality nitrile formulation, Kimtech Polaris Nitrile Exam Gloves have one of the lowest acceptable quality levels (AQL) for pinholes at 0.65, when compared to leading competitors. The average tensile strength is 31 megapascal (MPa) after aging, more than double the strength of the industry standard. The gloves also have been tested against some of the harshest chemicals used in labs and industrial work environments,1 meeting and exceeding the industry standards for exam gloves.
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Inspirit Capital Announces the Acquisition of Wiley Edge

Inspirit Capital, a UK-based investment firm, has entered into a definitive agreement with Wiley to acquire Wiley Edge (“Edge”), an early-career talent, training and placement business serving global employers. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Edge is an industry-leading provider of Hire, Train, Deploy (“HTD”) talent solutions, supporting multinational employers by sourcing, training and deploying high-potential entry-level talent on a contract-to-hire basis. Currently operating in 11 countries, the business plays an important role in addressing the enduring global skills gaps in high-demand areas of technology and business. Edge has a leading recruitment and selection operation, with access to diverse talent around the globe, and delivers bootcamp-style courses through its Academy. In addition to its core early-career HTD services, Edge also offers tailored training programs to reskill clients’ existing workforces, enhancing employee retention and helping employers address internal skill gaps in an increasingly competitive global labor market.
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AAP October 2023 StatShot Report: Overall Publishing Industry Up 1.8% for Month of October, and Up 0.7% Year-To-Date

The Association of American Publishers released its StatShot report for October 2023 reflecting reported revenue for Trade (Consumer Books), Higher Education Course Materials, and Professional Publishing. Total revenues across all categories for October 2023 were up 1.8% as compared to October 2022, coming in at $1.2 billion. Year-to-date revenues were up 0.7%, at $10.6 billion for the first ten months of the year. Trade (Consumer Books) revenues were up 1.3% in October, coming in at $975.0 million. In terms of physical paper format revenues during the month of October, in the Trade (Consumer Books) category, Hardback revenues were down 2.3%, coming in at $441.8 million; Paperbacks were up 5.5%, with $301.1 million in revenue; Mass Market was up 44.4% to $10.4 million; and Special Bindings were up 3.7%, with $25.8 million in revenue.
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Attacks on cargo ships in Red Sea causing volatility in supply chains

Disruptions caused by attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea have once again created volatility in retail supply chains, leading to delays and increased costs. That's according to the Global Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. Jonathan Gold, NRF VP for supply chain and customs policy, noted that retailers are working with their carrier partners on mitigation strategies to limit the impact of the disruptions caused by the attacks, "but we are seeing longer transit times and increased costs as a result.” To help retailers navigate supply chain challenges, NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show will feature a special one-day program — Supply Chain 360 Summit — on Sunday, Jan. 14, 10:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. (ET), at the Javits Convention Center, New York City.
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Transition To Cookieless Advertising Fraught With Psychological Challenges (mediapost.com)

It’s difficult for marketers to adapt to most changes, especially those who have concerns about losing the ability to measure and track advertising campaigns. Attribution and measurement will look very different. “It’s been a good run for the cookie,” said Patrick Gut, vice president of U.S. at Adlook, an enterprise demand-side platform (DSP) focused on brand growth. “But when thinking through privacy concerns and legislation, it’s not about finding a transition away from browser tracking cookies, but finding a new way for digital marketing to operate.” The roots of Adlook, which launched in the U.S. about 1.5 years ago built on GDPR standards, originate from RTB House Group, a Polish advertising-technology company that specializes in targeted advertising.
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Amcor Recognized as Sustainable Packaging Leader by Dow Jones Sustainability Indices Australia

Amcor has once again been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI): Australia Index (DJSI Australia), recognizing the company’s commitment to delivering innovative and more sustainable packaging solutions. Amcor ranked within the 91st percentile of the packaging and containers industry in the 2023 S&P Corporate Sustainability Assessment, which forms the basis for inclusion in the DJSI. The listing reaffirms Amcor’s leadership position in the industry. "This recognition is significant to Amcor, not just because we’re being honored in the country of our founding, but because it acknowledges our ability to deliver responsible packaging benefitting our customers and the planet,” said Amcor’s Global Head of Investor Relations, Tracey Whitehead. “We remain committed to continually innovating more sustainable packaging solutions across a wide range of materials, while enabling our customers to meet their own sustainability goals.”
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Book Manufacturing Outlook: Digital Printing Soothes Slowdown (piworld.com)

The book manufacturing market has experienced an unpredictable few years. While it has been far from ideal conditions for forecasting and planning, it hasn’t been all bad; indeed, the lack of experiential options outside of the home during COVID fuelled renewed interest in physical books. And while some pandemic-related hobbies such as bread baking and Zoom quizzing will be less in vogue in 2024, it does seem that the demand for printed books has endured. Publishers Weekly cites NPD BookScan research, claiming that while 2022 unit sales of printed books (788.7 million) fell 6.5% below 2021 figures, they are still up 11.8% when compared with 2019. In other positive news, we are seeing a sunnier supply chain picture. Faced with substantial demand, book printers in recent years — desperate to get their hands on paper and fulfill clients’ orders — were regularly thwarted by supply chain challenges and paper availability issues. “In the short term, I would say the paper availability issue has gone away,” says Steve Zweber, vice president of global print manufacturing, operations, and distribution, at Core Publishing Solutions in Eagan, Minnesota.
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Sun Chemical Introduces SunStrato® AquaLam Gen2 Ink Series

Sun Chemical has launched the SunStrato® AquaLam Gen2 ink series, an outstanding water-based solution for printing laminated and retortable flexible packaging. AquaLam Gen2 is the second generation of inks within the established AquaLam range. Offering enhanced quality, printability, and bond strength, the range can help reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and CO2 emissions by 18-20% versus comparable solvent-based inks typically used in similar applications. Results may vary based on factors such as solvent recycling, energy sources and drying efficiency. Impressive results are already being achieved with AquaLam Gen2 by some flexible packaging producers with 7 colour extended colour gamut (ECG) to produce high-quality laminated packaging, combining newly installed press with state-of-the-art printing plates and advanced anilox sets.
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UPM Raflatac reaches its all papers certified target years ahead of time

All papers sourced by UPM Raflatac, whether used as a face paper or a release liner in its labeling materials, are now certified under a credible third-party forest certification scheme. Having all papers certified is one of UPM Raflatac’s 2030 responsible sourcing and climate targets, which was now achieved six years ahead of time. “Reaching our 2030 target this far in advance is a significant milestone that we could not have achieved without the support and close collaboration of our suppliers, and the drive and commitment of our employees. Third-party forest certification is one important element in our responsible sourcing approach, combined with supplier assessment and development activities, as well as continuous risk monitoring and management,” says Maria Seppälä, VP Sourcing, UPM Raflatac.
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URBN Reports Record Holiday Sales

Urban Outfitters, Inc. announced net sales for the two and eleven months ended December 31, 2023. Total Company net sales for the two months ended December 31, 2023, increased 10% compared to the two months ended December 31, 2022. Total Retail segment net sales increased 8%, with comparable Retail segment net sales increasing 6%. Comparable Retail segment net sales increased 20% at Free People and 14% at Anthropologie and decreased 13% at Urban Outfitters. Wholesale segment net sales increased 15% driven by an increase in Free People wholesale sales primarily due to increases in sales to department stores and specialty accounts, partially offset by a decrease in Urban Outfitters wholesale sales. Nuuly segment net sales increased 71% primarily driven by a 58% increase in our subscribers versus the end of the prior year's comparable period.
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Two Sides North America Announces Retirement of President Kathi Rowzie

Two Sides North America (TSNA) announced that Kathi Rowzie will retire as its president effective February 1. Over the past four years, Rowzie has led the non-profit membership organization chartered to eliminate unsubstantiated and misleading environmental claims about print, paper and paper-based packaging and to promote the paper industry’s continuously improving sustainability performance. Under Rowzie’s leadership, TSNA has persuaded dozens of major corporations, government agencies and other organizations to remove unsubstantiated environmental claims about paper from their customer communications, resulting in the elimination of billions of instances of anti-paper greenwashing. Since 2020, TSNA has also increased its LinkedIn followers by 125%; initiated and conducted two Trend Tracker research studies which showed incremental improvement in consumer attitudes toward paper products and the environment; significantly increased engagement with the media on paper-related sustainability issues; introduced the “3 Minutes with Two Sides” podcast; redesigned TSNA educational materials to make them more user friendly; and more.
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Hood Container Corporation Announces Acquisition of Sumter, South Carolina Based Sumter Packaging Corporation

Hood Container Corporation announced that it has acquired the corrugated packaging business of Sumter, SC based Sumter Packaging Corporation. This includes all of Sumter’s design, manufacturing, assembly and fulfillment operations in Sumter, SC as well as the business manufactured and serviced from the Statesville, NC facility. Benjamin DeSollar, CEO of Sumter Packaging Corporation stated, “Our roots in packaging go back over 100 years. Sumter Packaging was founded by Ed Fienning with traditions of family values, delighting our customers and being a strong community partner. The fantastic team at Sumter Packaging has built on those traditions and expanded on them to deliver world class quality, customer service, design and graphics. We are excited to be joining a family-owned company in Hood with strong values, vision, and the capability to further improve on the strengths we already have with its national network and the ability to offer vertical supply chain integration.”
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Papira® by Stora Enso: A bio-based foam revolutionizing the furniture packaging industry

The global furniture retailer XXXLutz Group is taking pioneering steps towards the goal of climate neutrality and sustainability. Teaming up with Stora Enso they are exploring game-changing alternatives to conventional packaging materials: Papira® and Fibrease® by Stora Enso. The collaboration is a milestone in the quest for eco-conscious packaging solutions and is a part of Stora Enso´s strategy to partner up with market leaders. By substituting traditional polymeric foams with lightweight wood-based alternatives, significant reductions in CO₂ emissions are possible. Similar to other used materials, like paper and cardboard, the foam materials are recyclable and can be disposed with paper and thus returned to the cycle. “Fibrease and Papira are the result of years of relentless research by a dedicated team. We believe that our renewable resource, the forest, is the solution to many of the environmental challenges facing us today. Producing a sustainable and recyclable packaging foam is a giant leap towards a greener future. Many industries today look towards lowering the CO2 footprint and Stora Enso´s dedication to innovation provides tangible solutions to this issue for companies and consumers alike”, says Ivan Christensen, Business Development Manager Biofoams.
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Sun Chemical Launches SunLit® ProPace

Sun Chemical has launched SunLit® ProPace, the latest generation of vegetable oil based sheetfed process printing inks designed specifically for helping printers increase productivity in commercial publication and non-food packaging printing. Featuring excellent stability, fast setting, low misting, and low tack, SunLit ProPace is designed to run on a wide array of substrates including problematic paper and board. It is suitable for both high speed perfecting and straight presses running multiple shift patters, up to twenty-four hours. SunLit ProPace is based on Sun Chemical’s revolutionary new Pace varnish technology platform – the result of extensive research and development into new materials that enable highly versatile and reliable printing inks that deliver consistent high-quality results in fast-moving production environments, especially on the more challenging papers and boards. The inks provide excellent results on the very latest modern high-speed printing machines. At high speeds, SunLit ProPace’s low misting performance was a vital goal within the development process. SunLit ProPace does not use environmentally problematic PTFE wax and contains higher levels of bio-renewable materials.
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Venture One pays $50M for RR Donnelley’s St. Charles complex

Industrial property investors Roy Splansky and Mark Goode started 2024 by becoming landlords for a Chicago-based company once referred to as North America’s largest commercial printer. Venture One, a Rosemont-based firm co-founded and led by Splansky and Goode, paid $50 million to the company, R.R. Donnelley & Sons, to buy two industrial buildings spanning more than 500,000 square feet in the western suburb of St. Charles, public records show. R.R. Donnelley is staying on as a tenant in the buildings at 609 South Kirk Road and 1750 Wallace Avenue, records show, meaning it likely sold the parcels as an alternative means of raising capital to eschew rising interest rates.
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USPS Ends First Quarter FY24 with Stable Delivery Performance

The United States Postal Service reported new delivery performance metrics for the thirteenth week of the first quarter for fiscal year 2024. The average time for the Postal Service to deliver a mailpiece or package across the nation was 2.7 days. FY24 first quarter service performance scores covering October 1 through December 29, included: *First-Class Mail: 85.4 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a decrease of 5.7 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Marketing Mail: 93.8 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Periodicals: 80.8 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a decrease of 5.2 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter.
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Diversified Labeling Solutions Expands RFID Label Offering

Diversified Labeling Solutions (DLS) has expanded its RFID label offerings to help its distributor customers meet demand. DLS’ RFID expansion includes: • In-house RFID label conversion capabilities • Ready-to-ship stock RFID labels • Service bureau RFID label encoding/printing services • Dedicated RFID Product Manager • RFID label training. Driving DLS’ RFID label expansion is the significant increase in demand, largely due to RFID label mandates from major retailers, including Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Macy’s.
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Metsä Group plans to end its sawn timber production in Merikarvia

According to the plans, production would end by summer 2024. The change negotiations at the Merikarvia sawmill concern all the sawmill’s 79 employees. “The Merikarvia sawmill has reached the end of its technical life cycle, which is why we’ve initiated plans to close down its operations,” says Ismo Nousiainen, CEO of Metsä Fibre. The annual production capacity of the Merikarvia sawmill is approximately 220,000 m3 pine sawn timber, and the annual wood consumption is approximately 455,000 m3.
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Bio-based plastic: Made from renewable materials

In a world increasingly conscious of environmental impact, the shift towards renewable, bio-based plastics is gaining momentum. The motivation behind this shift is clear – we want to see a circular tomorrow, where materials circulate constantly and where carbon added to the cycle is taken from the air by crops and trees that grow back. FDCA, a key player in this green transition, can be efficiently produced from sustainably grown plants. FuraCore® by Stora Enso takes this a step further, introducing an innovative process that addresses traditional challenges associated with FDCA production. FuraCore® by Stora Enso emerges as a breakthrough technology, revolutionizing the production of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a crucial component for bio-based plastics.
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Hood Container Acquires Sumter Packaging

Hood Container Corporation announced that it has acquired the corrugated packaging business of Sumter, SC based Sumter Packaging Corporation. This includes all of Sumter’s design, manufacturing, assembly and fulfillment operations in Sumter, SC as well as the business manufactured and serviced from the Statesville, NC facility. Benjamin DeSollar, CEO of Sumter Packaging Corporation stated, “Our roots in packaging go back over 100 years. Sumter Packaging was founded by Ed Fienning with traditions of family values, delighting our customers and being a strong community partner.
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Magic in a Bottle: Hydro Flask’s Journey to the Page

You’ve probably seen Hydro Flask everywhere, on college campuses, hiking trails, and even around the campfire or climbing a mountain face. They’ve become a household name, which is impressive in a crowded competitive landscape with big-name brands and budget knock-offs. Hydro Flask, a digital-native brand, was ready to capitalize on its market position and expand into the catalog realm. They wanted to impact the holiday season and show people they’re more than just water bottles. They wanted something that could build on the success of their digital channels to reach their customers in a more powerful and tangible way. So they reached out to CohereOne and J.Schmid for help launching a catalog. Taking the leap to first-time cataloger is as dramatic as any adventure with a Hydro Flask bottle in your pack. It’s an exciting trek to build on their proven designs and draw in their customers in a new way. This catalog launch targeted holiday shoppers in Q4, allowing them to show off their full product line and connect with their loyal customers, showing them gifting opportunities and introducing them to new product lines. Read the Case study at: https://jschmid.com/portfolio/hydro-flask/
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Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports December Sales Results

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $26.15 billion for the retail month of December, the five weeks ended December 31, 2023 an increase of 9.9 percent from $23.80 billion last year. For the seventeen weeks ended December 31, 2023, the Company reported net sales of $82.86 billion, an increase of 5.9 percent from $78.26 billion for the seventeen weeks of fiscal year 2023 ended December 25, 2022. Net sales for the seventeen weeks were negatively impacted by approximately one-half to one percent from the shift of the fiscal calendar, as a result of the fifty-third week in fiscal year 2023.
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Adobe: Holiday Shopping Season Drove a Record $222.1 Billion Online

Adobe released online shopping data for the 2023 holiday season, covering the period from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2023. Based on Adobe Analytics data, the report provides the most comprehensive view into U.S. e-commerce by analyzing commerce transactions online, covering over one trillion visits to U.S. retail sites, 100 million SKUs and 18 product categories. Adobe Analytics is part of Adobe Experience Cloud, relied upon by over 85% of the top 100 internet retailers in the U.S.* to deliver, measure and personalize shopping experiences online. Consumers spent $222.1 billion online from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, up 4.9% year-over-year (YoY) and setting a new record for e-commerce. A total of $123.5 billion was spent online in the month of November (up 6% YoY), bolstered by a strong Cyber Week—the five days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday—which drove $38 billion in spend online (up 7.8% YoY). In December, consumers spent a total of $98.6 billion online (up 3.7% YoY), driven in part by discounts that lingered past Cyber Monday.
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Hearst Acquires 20,000 Acres of Sustainably Managed Timberlands in Siskiyou and Shasta Counties, California

Hearst and Manulife Investment Management today announced the completion of a sale to Hearst of approximately 20,000 acres of sustainably managed forests in Northern California. The forests, which are centered around McCloud, California, have a rich history of industrial forest management dating back to the initial settlement of the town of McCloud in 1897. These mixed species forests have long since been a source of raw material for many of the region’s forest products facilities and in doing so contribute positively to the economy of the area. Manulife Investment Management had been managing these forests on behalf of their investors since 1991. The forests will be added to Hearst’s current timberland ownership of 62,000 acres in the same area operated by Hearst Forests LLC, a subsidiary of Hearst. Hearst owns and sustainably manages a total of 238,000 acres of timber and ranch land in California, including the Hearst Ranch at San Simeon, the Jack Ranch and Hearst Forests in McCloud.
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Google Chrome’s Third-Party Cookie Phaseout Forcing Industry To Adapt (mediapost.com)

Google has officially begun to phase out third-party cookies by implementing a default browser feature called Tracking Protection. When activated, it will cut off a website’s access to third-party cookies. The browser feature began rolling out randomly to 1% of Chrome users globally today, marking the year’s first notable step toward privacy for consumers and third-party cookie deprecation for the industry. Marketers will adapt. “While it’s an adjustment for everyone, it’s actually a valuable move,” said Anthony Yell, Razorfish chief creative officer. “It might take some adjustment to communicate as effectively in a world with cookies, a world without cookies is a wonderful thing.”
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Commercial Printing Outlook: Stay on Offense, Not on Defense (piworld.com)

Economically, 2024 is likely to look much like 2023 for the commercial printing industry, with sales growing modestly at best and margins tight. Top challenges will again include operating cost inflation, particularly rising labor costs, and stiff resistance to price increases. Top opportunities will include strengthening risk management and drawing on artificial intelligence (AI) to maximize productivity, enhance mission-critical functions, and support superior decision-making companywide. The 86 commercial printers who have participated to date in the third quarter 2023 PRINTING United Alliance State of the Industry Survey, sponsored by Canon U.S.A., broadly agree that uncertainty about the course of interest rates and the American economy has caused clients to “tighten their belts significantly.” The group’s sales (all sources) continued to grow through September, but by just 2.9%, on average. Operating cost inflation moderated to 4.6% as supply chains continued to heal, but weakened demand limited price increases to 3.9%.
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Duluth’s paper mill to be sold again with promises of new jobs (startribune.com)

Duluth's longtime paper mill is expected to be sold to an Italian paper products company, about a year into operations as ST Paper. Sofidel, which operates several plants in the United States, expects to not only preserve but add employees, said ST Paper spokesman Bill Broydrick. "This is good news," he said of expanding operations at the mill, which first opened in 1987 and is a major taxpayer and utility customer, employing about 100. Both Duluth's City Council and St. Louis County commissioners need to sign off on two aspects of the deal, and that could happen this month.
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Metsä Board showcases its carbon-reducing concept for premium gift packaging at the Paris Packaging Week

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, will be exhibiting its future-ready premium paperboards, innovative new packaging solutions and services for co-creation to the beauty industry at the 2024 Paris Packaging Week in January. During January 17 – 18, the PCD event will gather packaging developers, designers and suppliers shaping future of packaging for the beauty market to the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. At Metsä Board’s booth (L60), visitors will have the opportunity to challenge a team of experts with their specific needs and hear more about how to lower the carbon footprint of their packaging or boost packaging design innovation through introduction of a unique co-creation concept hosted by the company’s state-of-the-art Excellence Centre.
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New Luxury Lifestyle Publication To Debut In Florida (mediapost.com)by Ray Schultz , 10 hours ago

Wellington, Florida will soon be home to a luxury magazine called Lux Wellington. It will appear in February. The product is the latest glossy print edition being offered by Luxury Lifestyle publications. It will serve the Wellington-Palm Beach area. The initial digital edition will cover travel, men's/woman's fashion, dining, the local home market, VIP profiles, luxury autos, health and beauty and the equestrian lifestyle.
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California’s Electric-truck mandates collide with Reality

California rang in the new year by delaying enforcement of its "Advanced Clean Fleets" Regulation, which requires trucking companies operating in the state to purchase an increasing percentage of electric trucks in the coming years. While enforcement was slated to begin this week, officials at the California Air Resources Board agreed to pause the registration and compliance requirements until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants the regulation a green light to proceed. It's an inauspicious start for a program that's on a clear collision course with reality. Reporting from the Wall Street Journal validates what ATA has been telling lawmakers for many months: the charging infrastructure, power generation and transmission, product performance, and operational parity required for such a policy to succeed are nowhere near ready. The WSJ report illustrates how even drayage operators—those who run short-haul routes to and from ports and other intermodal facilities—are struggling to charge their equipment and maintain deliveries on time.
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The European Manufacturers Paper Honeycomb Association Joins Two Sides

Two Sides is excited to announce its newest member, the European Manufacturers Paper Honeycomb Association (EMPHA), the pan-European association for manufacturers of paper honeycomb core and paper honeycomb board products. Packaging and product design, inspired by trees and bees. Founded in Amsterdam in 2010, EMPHA aims to represent the paper honeycomb core industry. Paper honeycomb, or simply ‘Honeycomb’ as it is addressed informally, has the best-in-class characteristics through the combination of superior strength and rigidity because of its unique form of hexagonal shaped cells. The strength and rigidity are paired with extreme low aerial weight per cubic metre. These functional elements make paper honeycomb an attractive alternative for designers of protective packaging or as the base material for the production of doors, acoustic walls, exhibition panels and even furniture.
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SÜDPACK expands its involvement in CARBOLIQ

With effect from January 2, 2024, SÜDPACK has acquired additional shares of CARBOLIQ GmbH and appointed Dirk Hardow as Managing Director. By doing so, SÜDPACK is demonstrating its commitment to a closed-loop system for plastics and to chemical recycling as a complementary recycling technology. Dirk Hardow, who as Manager of the BU FF&C is responsible for matters such as the development and implementation of closed-loop models, will lead the company as its managing director in the future. The acquisition of a majority stake in CARBOLIQ was signed on December 15. For Erik Bouts, CEO of SÜDPACK, this is “the logical next step. We regard CARBOLIQ technology as an indispensable building block in our industry’s process of transformation towards a circular economy.” With the acquisition, the film manufacturer is simultaneously substantiating its leading position in terms of a circular economy in the industry for flexible packaging. Because so far, SÜDPACK is the only manufacturer of flexible films with direct access to capacities for chemical recycling.
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KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. Joins Benetech’s Global Certified Accessible (GCA) Program

KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL), the leader in transformative content solutions, has been named a Benetech Global Certified AccessibleTM (GCA) vendor. A global social enterprise nonprofit, Benetech focuses on providing equitable opportunities for all learners and issues this certification to vendors who produce files that meet a full range of accessibility features required to support the needs of all readers, including those with disabilities and learning differences. Benetech’s GCA certification program is the first-ever, third-party EPUB certification program to verify eBook accessibility. As an approved vendor, KGL has demonstrated success consistently producing files in accordance with Benetech’s GCA certification standard, meeting the EPUB Accessibility 1.0 Conformance and Discovery specification and exceeding a publishing standard level of WCAG 2.0 AA.
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Sheridan Sets US Milestone with Installation of Komori Lithrone GLX844RP Press (piworld.com)

Sheridan proudly announces the installation of the first Komori Lithrone GLX844RP in the United States at its Sheridan Minnesota facility. On track to be fully operational in January 2024, the investment in this state-of-the-art 8-unit, 44” perfecting press signifies the continued movement forward in Sheridan's commitment to innovation and excellence. The GLX844RP's 44" width revolutionizes printing capabilities, allowing Sheridan to produce sizes up to 7 ½" x 10 ½" as 32-page signatures—a significant advancement over traditional 40" presses limited 16-page capability. The press’s unique configuration incorporates four reverse printing units that result in the elimination of any need to flip the sheet, allowing it to achieve speeds up to 15,000 sheets per hour. Boasting full automation, AI, and self-learning capabilities for ink presets, register presets, and air presets, this press ensures unparalleled efficiency in full-color printing.
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Two Sides Partners Meeting

Join us for our Partners Webinar taking place on the 24th of January 2024, from 9.30 - 11.30 (GMT London). We will give you an update on our activity, results in 2023, and focus on the tools, resources and information that your business can use. We will cover the Love Paper campaign, which tells consumers the great sustainable story of our products, and how you can become involved. Our guest speaker is Andrea Boltho, Lecturer and Director of Oxford Economics, presenting his thoughts on “Where is the European Economy Going? More uncertainties than ever”. At various stages, Andrea has been a consultant to the World Bank, the OECD and member of the Academic Council of the IFO Institute, Munich, as well as Visiting Professor in various European universities. He's been a Member of the Board of Finmeccanica and is a Director of Oxford Economics. Register in advance for the webinar here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QcgHRa3TRPilZxuZ2zQbvw
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Academic Partnerships Completes Acquisition of Wiley University Services

Academic Partnerships (AP), a company that assists primarily regional public universities in expanding access and impact by supporting their online programs, today announced that it has successfully completed its acquisition of Wiley University Services, a line of business previously owned by Wiley (NYSE: WLY). The combined company will support over 125 colleges and universities in 40 U.S. states and internationally. "AP is in the business of transforming lives through education, and the acquisition of Wiley University Services better enables us to do just that," said Fernando Bleichmar, Chief Executive Officer of AP. "This is an exciting day as we combine our talent, capabilities, and resources to more effectively meet the growing demand for high-quality, affordable online degree programs and ensure our university partners and their students thrive."
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Walsworth Purchases Saint Joseph Printing Facility (piworld.com)

Walsworth recently purchased the real estate that houses its Saint Joseph operation, located on Maiden Lane in Saint Joseph, Michigan. Walsworth acquired IPC Print Services in 2010, taking over the building’s lease in the process, and has been utilizing the full extent of the plant’s printing capabilities since then. Walsworth officially took ownership of the property on Oct. 31, 2023. “Purchasing this building tells our employees, and the Saint Joseph community, that we’re here to stay,” said Phil Archer, General Manager of Walsworth – Saint Joseph. “It’s another step in showing our commitment to this location.” Lucas Vandermolen, the Manufacturing Support Manager at Walsworth – Saint Joseph, feels that the purchase is a big step for the future of the plant. “The investment to own our facility is a huge commitment by the Walsworth family to our employees, customers, and community,” said Vandermolen.
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Delaware’s ‘Star News’ Will Be Delivered By USPS (mediapost.com)

Wilmington, Delaware’s Star News is about to join the parade of Gannett publications that are delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. The change takes place on Jan. 24. Print delivery faces labor challenges, fluctuating fuel prices, increased competition for door-to-door delivery workers and the switch to digital, the paper argues. Gannett says it has made this change in multiple markets.
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Judge Blocks Key Provisions of Iowa Book Banning Law (publishersweekly.com)

In yet another legal victory for freedom to read advocates, a federal judge has blocked two key portions of SF 496, a recently passed Iowa state law that sought to ban books with sexual content from Iowa schools and to bar classroom discussion of gender identity and sexuality for students below the seventh grade. In a 49-page opinion and order, judge Stephen Locher criticized the law as “incredibly broad” and acknowledged that it has already resulted in the removal of “of hundreds of books from school libraries, including, among others, nonfiction history books, classic works of fiction, Pulitzer Prize–winning contemporary novels, books that regularly appear on Advanced Placement exams, and even books designed to help students avoid being victimized by sexual assault.”
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New Controlled Forest Management standard published

This standard specifies basic requirements applicable at the forest management level for organizations to demonstrate that the materials produced and supplied from those management units conform to the requirements specified in the 5 categories of this standard which are as follows: 1. Forest management and trade that respects and upholds legality; 2. Forest management that respects and upholds customary and human rights, including those that are defined in The ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work; 3. Forest management that maintains or enhances social, cultural, environmental, and high conservation values (HCV); 4. Forest management that prevents deforestation and degradation; 5. Forest management that is free of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO).
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Trioworld to acquire Wentus

On December 30, Trioworld Group signed an agreement to acquire the German company Wentus GmbH (Wentus), a leading player in solutions for high-performance food-, consumer- and hygiene packaging, from Egeria Group. “We are very pleased and excited to welcome Wentus into the Trioworld group. The acquisition will give us the opportunity to grow an even stronger position in the market for advanced food-, consumer- and hygiene packaging, in Europe and in North America. Wentus has a proven track record of supplying the market with premium products and superior support, to maximize value for customers. “We have great confidence in the capabilities of the Wentus organization and management and look forward to joining forces and continuing the successful journey” says Andreas Malmberg, CEO of the Trioworld Group.
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Schumann Printers Acquires New UV Coater from Graphic Systems Services

Schumann Printers is excited to announce the acquisition and installation of a new Graphic Systems Services Model-38’’ Stationary Universal UV Coater featuring three OXYTECH SYSTEMS UV lamps on our M-1000 5-unit press. Here's what the new UV coater brings to the table: 1) Improved Efficiency- This state-of-the-art UV coater not only boosts production speeds but also offers quick change Anilox & plate sleeves engraved to customer specifications. It has a flow out structure for better lay down of coating produced by foaming issues. 2) Streamlined Maintenance- The UV coater's unique design minimizes downtime for scheduled maintenance, ensuring that our projects remain on schedule. It has individual motorized control for plate and impression on the fly adjustment with skewing capability for longer pad life. 3) Responsive and Accurate Performance- This UV coater is equipped with HMI touch screen panel controls for all independent drives, registration, and impression adjustment.
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MM Group to close PM3 at Kwidzyn mill in Poland

MM Kwidzyn has completed the consultation process with trade unions and works councils. The company has taken the decision on the closure of the packaging kraft paper machine (PM3). As a result of this decision, the production of packaging kraft paper IPACK ESSENTIAL, IPACK BROWN, IPACK ULTRA will be discontinued. The last production run on PM3 will take place early January 2024.
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HEINZEL GROUP successfully completes acquisition of Steyrermühl paper mill from UPM

HEINZEL GROUP is pleased to announce the successful completion of its acquisition of the Steyrermühl paper mill in Upper Austria from UPM. This strategic move reinforces Heinzel's commitment to sustainability and growth in the paper and packaging industry. The acquisition agreement for the mill including its roughly 400 employees was signed in June 2022 for a takeover in 2024. Already in March 2023 the ownership of an idled graphic paper machine in Steyrermühl was transferred to HEINZEL GROUP and a conversion project there is well on track. Once converted by the second quarter of 2024, the machine will produce up to 150,000 tons of brown and white low-grammage kraft papers per year to be marketed under HEINZEL GROUP’S well-established STARKRAFT brand. With the closing of the transaction HEINZEL GROUP has now also taken over the Steyrermühl sawmill, a local power plant run with biomass and residues, and other facilities. HEINZEL GROUP plans to develop Steyrermühl into a supply center for heat and renewable energy for both the neighboring Laakirchen paper mill and the wider Laakirchen community.
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