Crown Van Gelder announces new direct mail inkjet paper

High energy costs, rising postal tariffs and other inflationary factors are here to stay. In response to increased needs for affordable direct mail inkjet paper with high quality print results, Crown Van Gelder recently launched their extended portfolio of Crown Letsgo High Performance, with 140 and 180 gsm - 7 and 9 pt caliper - for stiff but lighter one piece mailers and direct mail cards. This extended range is commercially available in Europe and North America from January 2023. It will make the difference for many printers and their customers, to enable printed messaging to remain an important part of their marketing strategy. Inkjet printing is becoming a main stream method for every market segment needing print as a functional part for communication, promotion and visibility. More, but smaller orders, the need for personalization, fast response and acceptable cost are the main drivers. Inkjet treated and inkjet coated substrates will be a vital part of this growth, supporting vibrant print results, lower drying requirements (energy savings), reduced ink consumption and faster speed compared to non-treated or offset coated substrates. Contact your Midland sales professional for additional details on this product.
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Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports First Quarter Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Results

Costco Wholesale Corporation announced its operating results for the first quarter (twelve weeks) of fiscal 2023, ended November 20, 2022. Net sales for the first quarter increased 8.1 percent, to $53.44 billion from $49.42 billion last year. Net income for the quarter was $1,364 million, $3.07 per diluted share, compared to $1,324 million, $2.98 per diluted share, last year. This year’s results included a charge of $93 million pre-tax, $0.15 per diluted share, primarily related to downsizing our charter shipping activities, and a tax benefit of $53 million, $0.12 per diluted share, related to stock-based compensation. Last year’s results included a write-off of certain information technology assets of $118 million pre-tax, $0.20 per diluted share, and a tax benefit of $91 million, $0.21 per diluted share, related to stock-based compensation.
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Lee Enterprises Reports Digital Growth In Q4 And Fiscal 2022 (mediapost.com)

Lee Enterprises is on course with its digital transformation, judging by its Q4 and fiscal 2022 results. The publisher, which now bills itself as a digital-first subscription platform, reported total digital revenue of $65 million in Q4, a 31% increase YoY. In contrast, overall revenue was flat at $194 million. The results were similar for fiscal 2022: Total operating revenue was $781 million, down 2% from the prior year. But digital revenue grew by 27% to $240 million.
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Amazon, Publishers Seek to Knock Out Refiled E-book Price-Fixing Suit (publishersweekly.com)

In separate court filings this week, lawyers for Amazon and the Big Five publishers said that a revived class action suit accusing them of colluding to fix e-book prices is not significantly different from the case that was dismissed in September for lack of evidence, and should not be allowed to go forward. “Defendants’ actions remain better explained as independent, self-interested business decisions than as an illogical conspiracy to entrench Amazon at the publisher defendants’ expense,” reads a letter from the publishers’ lawyers, requesting a pre-motion conference ahead of filing a formal motion to dismiss. “To state a claim, plaintiffs must—but fail to—allege concerted action and a specific intent to monopolize.”
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Marketing Communications Provider Acquires Carmel, Indiana-Based UN Communications Group

Phoenix Innovate (PI), a leading marketing communications firm headquartered in Troy, Mich., has acquired Carmel, Ind.-based UN Communications Group, Inc. The leadership and staff at UN will remain on and are thrilled to integrate the strengths of both companies with a focus toward creating a new standard for effective marketing solutions. “Our ability to serve our clients' brand awareness and marketing supply chain needs got a big boost today,” said Denise Purvis, President of UN. “The addition of strategic marketing, application development and data analytics expertise Phoenix Innovate provides will help our clients achieve a new level of integration, automation and increased ROI. The combination of our talented team members will continue to create game-changing marketing solutions for our clients.”
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Mail Service Faster, More Reliable In Fiscal Year 2022

“We’ve made tremendous progress improving our service performance in the past year thanks to investments under our Delivering for America plan and an organization-wide commitment to better serving our customers,” said Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General and CEO. “We are headed in the right direction but there is more work to be done to deliver the reliable service the American people expect and deserve.” Final FY2022 USPS service performance scores showed: *First-Class Mail: 91.0 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an 8.3 percentage point improvement from FY21 (82.7 percent). *Marketing Mail: 93.3 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a 5.7 percentage point improvement from FY21 (87.6 percent). *Periodicals: 83.7 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a significant 8.1 percentage point increase over FY21 (75.6 percent).
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Wiley Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2023 Results

*GAAP Results: Revenue of $515 million (-3% vs. prior year), Operating Income of $57 million (-22% vs. prior year), and EPS of $0.68 (-31% vs. prior year) *Fiscal 2023 Outlook: Wiley is lowering its revenue outlook at constant currency due to consumer spending and enrollment headwinds in Academic & Professional Learning. Reaffirms full year outlook for Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow; Adjusted EPS trending to lower end of range mainly due to rising interest expense. “Despite the challenging economic environment, we continue to see good underlying momentum in our core growth areas of Research Publishing, Research Solutions, and Corporate Talent Development,” said Brian Napack, President and CEO. “This quarter’s results were weighed down by difficult market conditions in our publishing lines in Academic & Professional Learning. We are aggressively managing costs to offset these challenges while continuing to scale our growth offerings in line with favorable long-term trends.”
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Pregis adds digital printing capabilities at EverTec mailer production facilities

Pregis® recently added digital printing capabilities at production facilities across North America, offering customers high-impact protection and impactful brand messaging with the Pregis EverTec™ curbside recyclable padded mailer. Due to the substantial growth of ecommerce, the demand for packaging options that are sustainable, durable, cost-effective, and also visually impressive is on the rise. With the added digital printing capability, Pregis customers can create custom-designed mailers with full-color images, multi-colored designs, logos, and brand messages to deliver colorful, eye-catching packages.
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Sole Sourch Portfolio Company ID Images Acquires Summit Labels and Precision Label

Sole Source Capital LLC, an industrial-focused private equity firm, today announced that its portfolio company, ID Images (“IDI”), a premier provider of product identification solutions, has acquired Summit Labels and Precision Label in separate transactions. The acquisitions bring the total number of add-on investments for IDI to seven since becoming a Sole Source Capital portfolio company in August 2021, with the company’s most recent acquisition of Hickman Label announced just last month. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed. Jointly-owned Vancouver, Canada-based Summit Labels and Calgary, Canada-based Precision Labels are both manufacturers of prime labels for the food & beverage, industrial, and nutraceutical end markets. The companies’ Canadian facilities expand IDI’s presence across Canada while increasing its exposure to digital printing and prime label offerings. In addition, the companies' design and marketing teams often collaborate with clients to help create branding strategies through custom labeling.
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Koehler Paper Launches Another Sustainable Packaging Paper Onto the Fast-Food Market With Its “Koehler NexPure® OGR”

With the latest development—Koehler NexPure® OGR—Koehler Paper, a leading provider of papers with a disruptive barrier function for packaging solutions, is adding another sustainable solution to its portfolio for the fast-food market. Consumer demand for sustainable products and packaging has been evident in the fast-food sector for some time now, which is why system catering is also increasingly looking for solutions in this field. Back in October, Koehler launched Koehler NexPure® Wrap, a paper designed for burger packaging with extremely low grammage, onto the fast-food market. Now, with Koehler NexPure® OGR, the company is bringing an oil- and grease-resistant, sustainable paper onto the market, which will be suitable for packaging foods such as fries, sandwiches, wraps, and burritos.
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Recycled Fiber and Paper Leader Sustana Joins UN Global Compact, is Committed to Sustainable Development Goals

Sustana, the sustainable fiber and paper industry leader, has joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact initiative. Sustana’s engagement in the UN Global Compact — a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices – reflects its longstanding and continued adherence to sustainable practices and its ongoing support for the Ten Principles focused on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. “With this announcement, Sustana is proud to continue its commitment to developing solutions to move society toward a greener, more circular future,” said Fabian de Armas, Chief Executive Officer for Sustana. “Over the years, Sustana has proven to be a leader in the sustainable pulp and paper business,” said Jeffrey Crawford, Vice President of Sustainability for Sustana. “We look forward to partnering with the UN Global Compact, its US and Canada Local Network members, and companies throughout our value chain to help move the world toward a sustainable future through responsible business action.”
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Stora Enso and Huhtamaki advance European paper cup recycling initiative with new partners

The Cup Collective, a programme founded by Stora Enso and Huhtamaki to capture the value of used paper cups through recycling at an industrial scale, has welcomed its first partners. The new partners include McDonald’s, SSP - The Food Travel Experts, C2 Centre, and the National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB), all further supporting the initiative’s ability to significantly increase paper cup recycling volumes in Europe. The Cup Collective initiative, which is the first of its kind in Europe, aims to recycle half a billion paper cups in Europe within the first two years. The first paper cup collection bins are now available in public venues throughout Brussels including restaurants and transit hubs. Collected cups are recycled in facilities in the region including Stora Enso’s site in Langerbrugge, Belgium. Partnership in the Cup Collective is open to a wide range of stakeholders both within and outside of the value chain including food service providers, retailers, transportation services, waste collectors and management services, and other actors across Europe.
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GE Buys Out Entire Edition Of ‘The New York Times’ (mediapost.com)

The New York Times scored a coup on Tuesday both online and in its legacy medium, print. General Electric took over all of the paper’s pages, running 22 full-page color ads and five partial pages in a seven-figure campaign that also includes ads on desktop and mobile homepages, on three section webpages, in audio form on the podcast "The Daily" and in two newsletters briefings. It's the first time ever that all of the paper’s real estate has been taken over by a single advertiser. The package was designed to promote GE’s coming split into three separate companies: GE HealthCare, GE Aerospace, and GE Vernova, all publicly traded, the Boston Globe reports.
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Chilean forest certification system submitted for assessment

The Chilean System for Sustainable Forest Management Certification 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 12 December 2022 to 9 February 2023. tPEFC Chile revised the country’s national forest certification system following the entry into force of the revised 2018 PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard.
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Canfor Temporarily Curtailing Canadian Production Capacity

Canfor Corporation is announcing a temporary reduction in Canadian production due to very weak market conditions. The production will be reduced through curtailments at all solid wood facilities in B.C. and Alberta. This will remove approximately 150 million board feet in December and January. The curtailments will start to be implemented on December 19, 2022 and will range from one to four weeks across its Canadian operations. The Company will continue to adjust operating rates to align with market conditions and anticipates that the majority of its BC facilities will operate below full capacity in the New Year. “Due to the significant decrease in demand for solid wood products and challenging economic conditions, we are temporarily curtailing production in Canada. We will be working to mitigate the impacts on our employees by providing support and identifying meaningful work during the downtime,” said Don Kayne, President and CEO, Canfor.
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AAP September 2022 StatShot Report: Publishing Industry Down 4.5% Year-To-Date and Down 1.4% for September

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) today released its StatShot report for September 2022 reflecting reported revenue for Trade (Consumer Books), Higher Education Course Materials, and Professional Publishing. The report does not include PreK-12 revenue due to delays in data collection. Total revenues across all categories, excluding PreK-12, for September 2022 were down 1.4% as compared to September 2021, coming in at $1.4 billion. Year-to-date revenues were down 4.5%, at $9.3 billion for the first nine months of the year. Trade (Consumer Books) sales were down 2.6% in September, coming in at $917.5 million.
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Highcon and SEE announce Strategic Collaboration

Highcon announced a $8M investment by Sealed Air Corporation in the context of a strategic collaboration between the two companies. The scope of the strategic collaboration includes the following components: *Developing new product offerings, expansion into new segments and enabling manufacturing efficiencies by leveraging Highcon technology *$8M investment in the form of convertible debt and 15% warrants to be converted by the 5th anniversary of the Effective Date at a price of 3.1 NIS per share. *Additional warrants to be granted against possible future purchases up to $20 million of Highcon's products and services over a period of 3 years.
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Amcor drives progress on advanced recycling materials for food and healthcare markets

Amcor has announced a five-year deal with ExxonMobil to purchase certified-circular polyethylene material in support of its target to achieve 30% recycled material across its portfolio by 2030. The volume of material will increase incrementally each year, and is expected to reach 100,000 metric tons annually at the end of the five-year period. Made possible by ExxonMobil’s ExxtendTM technology for advanced recycling, Amcor intends to leverage this material across its global portfolio, with a particular focus on the healthcare and food industries, which are required to meet stringent safety requirements for recycled plastic. The agreement expands upon Amcor’s initial purchase of certified-circular polyethylene material from ExxonMobil earlier this year.
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Twin Rivers Paper Announces Sale of its Eastern Canada Lumber Mill to Longtime Supplier Groupe Lebel

Twin Rivers Paper Company has reached a definitive agreement to sell its softwood lumber mill in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, to eastern Canadian lumber manufacturer and North American forest products leader Groupe Lebel. Group Lebel is a longtime supplier to Twin Rivers Paper. The transaction includes a long-term supply agreement for the Plaster Rock mill to continue providing Twin Rivers Paper with by-product chips and biomass utilized by the company’s pulp and cogeneration operations in Edmundston, New Brunswick.
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Mactac earns ISO 9001:2015 certification

The ISO 9001 certificate is the world's most recognized international certification standard for a quality management system. It provides guidance for companies that aim to ensure products and services consistently meet quality requirements. As an ISO 9001:2015 certified site, Mactac Minneapolis has a systematic quality management system in place and is committed to cost and waste reduction, continuous improvement, regulatory compliance and more. ‘At Mactac, we believe quality is key to a successful business and our sustainable quality culture is at the core of everything we do,’ said Jennifer Zenar, director of quality at Mactac.
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Can U.S. Printers Make a Comeback? (publishersweekly.com)

It is no secret that the U.S. printing business had been battered for years as the popularity of digital formats significantly reduced demand for magazines, catalogs, and other printed materials. While sales of books held up better than those of their print counterparts, many of the largest printers worked across multiple product lines. And as a result, some of the industry giants (R.R. Donnelley, Quad Graphics) underwent wholesale makeovers, while smaller companies either closed or merged to cope with the plunge in demand. At a spring webinar presented by PW and Westchester Publishing Services, Jim Fetherston, president and CEO at the printer Worzalla noted that when the pandemic hit and book sales unexpectedly surged, North American printing capacity was at “historic low levels,” which led to demand exceeding capacity for the first time in years.
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The future of flexible packaging: calling for a new level of ambition for circularity

Flexible packaging is used by the food and beverage, personal and home care industries as well as pharmaceutical, to protect the countless life-enhancing and life-saving products that we use every day. And demand is increasing rapidly. The world’s population is projected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 and surpass 9.7 billion by 2050, necessitating a significant increase in food production. Global supply chains will need to adapt to this growth, and flexible packaging will play a critical role in helping to deliver safe and affordable products to consumers, improving accessibility no matter where they are. Flexible packaging protects products that are vital to society. It offers functionality benefits as it is lightweight yet durable, protecting and preserving food efficiently during transportation and storage, extending its shelf life, minimizing food waste, and boosting affordability and accessibility. While flexible packaging has huge benefits during use, everyone across the value chain must equally take action to address its end-of-life.
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Paper Excellence is Signatory of COP27 Action Declaration

Paper Excellence is one of the industry leaders that joined the Action Declaration on Climate Policy Engagement in support of governments to address climate change. The initiative was developed by Corporate Knights and Global 100 Council COP27. The Action Declaration outlines how industry in the movement to decarbonize the economy will support ambitious action to close the say-do gap on countries’ emission reduction by: *supporting climate change actions aligned with the Paris Agreement when engaging with policymakers; *working with their major industry/trade associations to advance alignment with the Paris Agreement; and *monitoring and disclosing climate policy alignment for their companies and their major industry/trade associations.
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Building a sound packaging strategy can help protect businesses against the ever-rising costs of parcel shipping rates

During the summer, most of the leading shippers announced their annual peak season surcharges and retailers were already braced for expected increases. However, it was recently discussed in an earnings call that FedEx and UPS are additionally increasing their general delivery rates by an average 6.9 percent. New rates will go into effect December 27 for UPS, and on January 3, 2023, for FedEx. Further, USPS also announced a general rate increase which will go into effect on January 22, 2023. Heading into the new year, these news reports might give some operations teams pause; however, it is important to remember that the right packaging strategy is one of the best ways to mitigate the overall impact an increase in shipping charges may have on the bottom line. Most brands can find savings when auditing their existing packaging procedures, especially when working with a provider that is constantly innovating to create value for customers. Are you using the most effective packaging material? Could you free up space or use less material?
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Ennis Inc. Acquires Morganville, New Jersey-Based School Photo Marketing (piworld.com)

Ennis, Inc. announced its acquisition of School Photo Marketing in Morganville, New Jersey. School Photo Marketing provides printing, yearbook publishing and marketing-related services to over 1,400 school and sports photographers servicing schools around the country. Keith Walters, Chairman, President & CEO of the Company, stated, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to bring School Photo Marketing, their employees, and their customers into the Ennis family. This addition brings with it many exciting possibilities to service this new channel with products produced through Ennis manufacturing operations.” School Photo Marketing operates through a similar wholesale manufacturer-distributor-end user channel as Ennis currently operates.
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Tilly’s, Inc. Announces Third Quarter Operating Results

Fiscal 2022 Third Quarter Operating Results Overview: *Total net sales were $177.8 million, a decrease of $28.2 million or 13.7%, compared to $206.1 million last year. Total comparable net sales, including both physical stores and e-commerce ("e-com"), decreased by 14.9%. *Gross profit, including buying, distribution, and occupancy costs, was $54.6 million, or 30.7% of net sales, compared to $76.7 million, or 37.2% of net sales, last year. *Operating income was $6.3 million, or 3.6% of net sales, compared to $29.0 million, or 14.1% of net sales, last year, due to the combined impact of the factors noted above. *Net income was $5.1 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, compared to $20.8 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, last year. Weighted average diluted shares were 30.0 million this year compared to 31.4 million last year.
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Ulta Beauty Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2022 Results

For the Third Quarter of Fiscal 2022: *Net sales increased 17.2% to $2.3 billion compared to $2.0 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2021 primarily due to the favorable impact from the continued resilience of the beauty category, retail price increases, and the impact of new brands and product innovation compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2021. *Comparable sales (sales for stores open at least 14 months and e-commerce sales) increased 14.6% compared to an increase of 25.8% in the third quarter of fiscal 2021, driven by a 10.7% increase in transactions and a 3.5% increase in average ticket. *Gross profit increased 22.0% to $962.8 million compared to $789.5 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2021. *Operating income increased 27.3% to $361.9 million, or 15.5% of net sales, compared to $284.2 million, or 14.2% of net sales, in the third quarter of fiscal 2021. *Net income increased 27.5% to $274.6 million compared to $215.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2021.
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WestRock Acquisition of Grupo Gondi Complete

WestRock Company announced it has completed the acquisition of the remaining interest in Grupo Gondi for $970 million plus the assumption of debt. The transaction is immediately accretive to earnings, subject to customary purchase price allocations. The acquisition of Grupo Gondi includes four paper mills, nine corrugated packaging plants and six high graphic plants throughout Mexico that produce sustainable packaging for a wide range of end markets in the region. This acquisition will enhance the Company’s leading position in the growing Latin American containerboard, paperboard and consumer and corrugated packaging markets.
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URBN Announces Personnel Changes

Urban Outfitters, Inc. announced that Francis Pierrel, President, Urban Outfitters Group, has left the Company. We appreciate the contributions he made during his tenure and wish him well in his future endeavors. Urban Outfitters, Inc. offers lifestyle-oriented general merchandise and consumer products and services through a portfolio of global consumer brands comprised of the Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People, FP Movement, Terrain, Urban Outfitters, Nuuly and Menus & Venues brands.
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Domtar Announces CEO Transition Plan

Domtar Corporation announced that President and CEO John Williams’ retirement date will be June 30, 2023. Williams has planned to leave the company after fourteen years in his leadership role; however, he will continue as a part-time advisor regarding strategic growth opportunities. Additionally, to continue Domtar’s forward momentum, Steve Henry, currently Senior Vice President of Packaging, has been appointed to the role of Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective immediately. As EVP and COO, Henry will lead the pulp, paper and packaging operations and commercial functions at Domtar, while Williams will continue to lead all corporate functions until his retirement. “On behalf of Domtar and the Management Committee, I want to thank John for his leadership and commitment to our employees, customers and communities over the past fourteen years,” said Henry. “He joined the company during a recession and has navigated ever-changing industry dynamics and economic fluctuations to transform Domtar into the strong pulp, paper and packaging company that it is today. I am honored to build on his legacy and continue serving our stakeholders.”
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Irish forest certification system submitted for assessment

The Irish 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 12 December 2022 to 9 February 2023. PEFC Ireland revised the country’s national forest certification system following the entry into force of the revised 2018 PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard. To provide you with additional information about this revised national system, we are holding a webinar on 12 December at 10:00 CET. Register for the webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqdO6uqz4jE9xv-OtPmwwbPuGtmgMmLzzG
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Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports November Sales Results

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $19.17 billion for the retail month of November, the four weeks ended November 27, 2022, an increase of 5.7 percent from $18.13 billion last year. For the twelve-week first quarter ended November 20, 2022, the Company reported net sales of $53.44 billion, an increase of 8.1 percent from $49.42 billion last year. For the thirteen weeks ended November 27, 2022, the Company reported net sales of $58.36 billion, an increase of 7.9 percent from $54.10 billion last year.
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IAE Tackles Ad Fraud: Says It’s Not Just Illegal, But Has Big Ethical Issues For Media Industry (mediapost.com)

As part of a growing ad-industry recognition that ad fraud isn’t just the illegal theft of marketers’ working media dollars, but also unethically funds nefarious parts of the media ecosystem, the Institute for Advertising Ethics (IAE) is updating its professional certification program to include a new module focusing explicitly on fraud. The module, which was developed in partnership with the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM), is mainly educational and is designed to inform advertisers, agencies and others in the supply chain about the “serious ethical issues surrounding” ad fraud in their media-buying decisions.
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PRC Issues Advisory Opinion on USPS Proposal to Change Critical Entry Times for Certain Periodical Categories

The Postal Regulatory Commission released its advisory opinion on a Postal Service plan to revise the critical entry times (CETs) for some categories of Periodicals mail. The CET is the latest time a mailpiece may be tendered to the Postal Service and still have the day count when measuring that mail’s service performance. (Docket No. N2022-2). Specifically, the Postal Service proposes to standardize four of the five Periodicals CETs (i.e., CETs for all non-palletized Periodicals mail). Instead of the current CET range of 0800-1400 for the affected categories of Periodicals mail, the Postal Service proposes that all of those categories would share a CET of 0800. The Postal Service asserts that this change would “promote simplification of mail processing operations, and hence more effective allocation and use of processing personnel and equipment.” The Commission’s evaluation of the Postal Service’s proposal finds: *The proposed changes will likely enable the Postal Service to project more easily and accurately the Periodicals volumes and, therefore, will likely improve Periodicals processing. *The proposed changes are likely to result in more efficient use of the Postal Service’s equipment, particularly its bundle/package sortation machines. *A subset of affected Periodicals mailers have indicated that they will not be able to achieve the revised CETs and are likely to have an additional service day added to the delivery of their mailpieces. *The Postal Service has not analyzed how the expected impact on Periodicals mailers would affect Periodicals volumes, worksharing, or the recipients of Periodicals mail.
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Silgan Holdings Announces Corporate Governance Updates

Silgan Holdings Inc. announced that it entered into a new amended and restated stockholders agreement with its co-founders, D. Greg Horrigan and R. Philip Silver, which amends the existing stockholders agreement to remove the contractual right of the co-founders of the Company to nominate for election all Directors of the Company so long as they and their affiliates held a certain amount of shares of Common Stock of the Company. The co-founders of the Company and their affiliates still as of today hold more than such amount of shares of Common Stock of the Company. Under the new amended and restated stockholders agreement, the co-founders, so long as they and their affiliates own at least five percent of the Common Stock of the Company, retain the right to nominate one nominee for election as a Director of the Company, which nominee must be one of the co-founders. As a result of the new amended and restated stockholders agreement which removed the contractual right of the co-founders of the Company to nominate for election all Directors of the Company, the Board of Directors of the Company established a Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors which consists of all of the independent Directors of the Company. The primary responsibility of the new Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company will be to assist the Board of Directors in identifying qualified candidates as nominees for the Board of Directors of the Company.
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Brill Renews Hosting Partnership with KGL PubFactory, Continuing Growth and Enhancement of Publications Site

KGL PubFactory, the online hosting division of KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL), has announced another longstanding customer contract renewal, this time with international social science publisher, Brill. Having doubled its web business over the past six years, Brill will continue to take advantage of the latest enhancements of the PubFactory platform in an extended relationship. Brill publishes more than 2,000 books and reference works per year, in addition to almost 600 journals—including 42 fully Open Access titles—mainly in the humanities, social sciences, and international law. Brill has expanded in recent years through acquisitions of Dutch biological sciences publisher, Wageningen Academic Publishers, and German humanities publisher, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlage.
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Worzalla Raises Nearly $50,000 for United Way of Portage County

Worzalla, an employee-owned book printer specializing in printing high-quality children's books, movie tie-in books and cookbooks, raised nearly $50,000 for the United Way of Portage County's Live United, Give United campaign. Money raised for the campaign will go to United Way programs that help Portage County families in need. "Worzalla associates know that when we all come together, we can have a great impact on our community. For at least the third year in a row, Worzalla associates raised funds for the United Way of Portage County" said Kendra Robinson, Worzalla's United Way Campaign Coordinator. "With a mission of bringing people and resources together to achieve measurable results that improve people's lives and strengthen our community, the United Way continues to support the new and ongoing challenges the less fortunate face."
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Mondi scores recycled paper at Sustainable Packaging News awards and further contributes to a circular economy

Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, recognized in two categories at the Sustainable Packaging News Awards 2022 for the circular economy and the overall category. The Tesco shopping bags, made from EcoVantage paper produced at Mondi’s Štětí mill in the Czech Republic, shows how suppliers can work with retailers to develop circular systems and turn waste back into a valuable resource. Mondi’s EcoVantage paper combines the strength, printability and appearance of a fresh fibre top layer with the sustainability advantages of a recycled fibre inner layer.
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US Rail Strike Update

The House will vote today on legislation to avert a potentially devastating freight rail strike. While Congress races to avoid the disaster through a legislative fix, retailers and businesses are scrambling to establish backup plans if the strike of 100,000 union members moves ahead. Some companies are proactively shifting their shipping volume from rail to trucks and are considering changing the timing of orders and shipments.
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Regional Forest Stewardship Standard for Smallholders in Vietnam approved

The Regional FSC Forest Stewardship Standard (RFSS) for Smallholders in Vietnam has now been approved by FSC. This standard is for use by smallholders who own or manage individual units of plantations that are smaller than 20 hectares in size in Vietnam. The standard applies to rough wood and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). The RFSS for Vietnam is an adaptation of the approved RFSS for Asia Pacific for Smallholders in India, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. The national adaptation for Vietnam has been developed and it is now published to pilot test the indicators developed for specific local circumstances. For more details on the scope, please refer to sections C and E of the standard.
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Combating Digital Fatigue with Direct Mail (piworld.com)

After several years dominated by pandemics and remote work, it should come as no surprise to anyone that digital fatigue is starting to set in. Microsoft released a study earlier this year reporting that Teams — the digital meeting platform many businesses have turned to as a replacement for in-person meetings — has seen an increase of 252% in weekly meeting times since February 2020. Digital marketing is just getting lost in the crowd right now, with consumers pulling away from connecting with brands on yet another platform that requires the use of a screen. This is a great time to put direct mail back on the minds of customers struggling to stay relevant in this day and age, and the numbers support it. According to the Direct Mail Advertising Global Market Report 2022, the average response rate of the direct mail is around 2.7% to 4.4%, while the email has around 0.6%.
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Clearwater Paper Announces Revised Multi-Year Sustainability Goals and Continued Commitment to Progress in 2022 ESG Report

Clearwater Paper Corporation released its 2022 environmental, social and governance (ESG) report. Along with a continued commitment to create sustainable paper products, the report also highlights a significant increase in company-wide priorities to meet several key sustainability benchmarks. These include emissions reductions, resource conservation and company representation, among others as part of revised, multi-year goals. In this year’s report, Clearwater Paper states their plans to achieve a 30% reduction of Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030; achieve female representation of 30% or greater of their salaried workforce through 2030; and include ESG targets, goals, and outcomes in executive compensation.
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Ahlstrom Advances Base Paper Technology to Develop Replacement Solutions for Plastic and Film Packaging

Through continued innovation and collaboration with brand owners, Ahlstrom has identified specific technology enabling highly developed base papers – the key to solving the barrier requirements in flexible packaging, while still utilizing the inherent end-of-life benefits that paper has to offer. Ahlstrom has the unique set of capabilities and wide breadth of technical applications to allow them to develop some of the strongest performing base papers available. “Paper substrates can be engineered to exploit the inherent value of cellulose itself,” explained Zack Leimkuehler, Vice President Business Development for Ahlstrom. “Cellulose by itself is a very good barrier, and highly developed base papers can deliver barrier properties.” Paper is an ideal material for flexible packaging applications, and already has a broad field-of-use from good flexibility and folding characteristics to printabilty. Paper is easily sealable and glueable, laminating well to other structures. In addition, paper functions effectively through challenging converting processes.
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ANDRITZ to supply key components for broke handling to Sappi Austria, Gratkorn mill

The new broke handling will be part of the production line PM9 producing high-quality wet strength paper, such as label paper in the future. ANDRITZ will deliver high-consistency (HC) pulping, high-density (HD) cleaning and deflaking for processing the special type of broke. Specific trials on pulping and deflaking of wet-strength paper were conducted at the ANDRITZ stock preparation pilot plant in Graz, Austria in advance. The trials were carried out with comparable raw material from Sappi and confirmed the pulp properties and operating characteristics required by Sappi for the future. Flavio Froehli, VP Marketing & Sales at Sappi Europe: “We are very pleased that we will also be able to produce wet-strength label paper at our Gratkorn mill in the future. This investment underscores our strategy to establish Sappi as the leader within the label sector, adding to the supply of value adding products across our entire business.”
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Lecta Ltd Interim Report as at 30 September 2022

Revenue: For the third quarter ended 30 September 2022 Lecta had revenue of €514.6 million versus €342.3 million in the third quarter ended 30 September 2021, an increase of €172.3 million or +50%. EBITDA increased by €25.9 million, from €8.9 million in 3Q2021 to €34.7 million in 3Q2022. This increase was essentially due to higher sales of paper in volume and higher sales prices, partly offset by higher production cost and higher labor and fixed costs. Revenue: For the nine months ended 30 September 2022, Lecta had revenue of €1,522.3 million versus €923.8 million in the nine months ended 30 September 2021, an increase of €598.4 million or +64.8%. EBITDA increased by €126.6 million, from €30.0 million in September 2021 YTD to €156.5 million in September 2022 YTD. This increase was the result of higher sales of paper in volume, and higher sales prices, partly offset by lower margin on variable costs, and higher fixed costs. EBITDA in September 2022 YTD includes the €38.6 m€ compensation received as a consequence of the anticipated termination and renegotiation of gas purchase agreements in Spain with the current supplier.
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USPS Operation Santa Now Open for Letter Adoption

Are you in a position to give a child or family some extra magic this season? If so, you can now adopt a letter written to Santa at USPSOperationSanta.com. USPS Operation Santa relies solely on random acts of kindness and the generosity of strangers. The program is 110 years old this year. It allows people to help children and families have a magical holiday when they otherwise may not. Since Sep. 15, the Postal Service has been receiving letters from all across the country and delivering them to Santa’s workshop at 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888. Letters sent with accurate postage and complete return addresses have been posted on USPSOperationSanta.com, and today is the day customers can begin reading and adopting them.
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Ad Consent Now A Top Issue For Publishers’ Organization, Says Chief (mediapost.com)

Consent will be a critical issue for publishers next year, according to Richard Reeves, managing director of the Association of Online Publishers (AOP). Specifically, Reeves means informed programmatic ad consent, as opposed to, say, email opt-in. Publishers are seeking tech solutions that “do not rely on personally identifiable information,” Reeves said in an interview with the UK’s PressGazette. In the marketing world, that requires anonymized data solutions and reliance on first- and zero-party data.
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Irving Consumer Products Announces Public Sustanability Goals for its Tissue Manufacturing Operations

Irving Consumer Products, a member of the J. D. Irving Group of Companies, is continuing its commitment to the environment by introducing sustainability goals for its tissue manufacturing operations. While the environment has long been a core value of the company, this is the first time Irving Consumer Products will publicly release sustainability goals. Irving Consumer Products tissue manufacturing operations’ 2030 sustainability goals include: *a 25% reduction* in its water footprint by decreasing the fresh water required to make its products. *a 25% reduction* in its virgin plastic footprint in its product packaging. *diverting 90%* of its manufacturing waste from landfills by repurposing it for beneficial uses. *use of sustainably certified fibre in its products.
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Business groups urge Congress to block potential rail strike (chicagotribune.com)

Business groups are increasing the pressure on lawmakers to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks. A coalition of more than 400 business groups sent a letter to Congressional leaders Monday urging them to step into the stalled talks because of fears about the devastating potential impact of a strike that could force many businesses to shut down if they can’t get the rail deliveries they need. Commuter railroads and Amtrak would also be affected in a strike because many of them use tracks owned by the freight railroads. The business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and National Retail Federation said even a short-term strike would have a tremendous impact and the economic pain would start to be felt even before the Dec. 9 strike deadline because the railroads would stop hauling hazardous chemicals, fertilizers and perishable goods up to a week beforehand to keep those products from being stranded somewhere along the tracks.
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USPS Enters Peak Holiday Season with Strong Delivery Performance Across All Categories

FY2023 first quarter service performance scores covering Oct. 1 through Nov. 18 included: *First-Class Mail: 92.2 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a slight decrease of 0.9 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Marketing Mail: 94.1 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a slight decrease of 0.6 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Periodicals: 86.6 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal fourth quarter.
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COP27 – Frustration At The Lack Of Progress

We pick out the positive moments of the recent COP27 climate conference in Egypt and look forward to the COP15 Biodiversity Summit. For many of the world’s environmental campaigners, global organisations, conservationists, NGOs, charities, academics, and press, this year’s COP27 climate conference offered a chance for action, an opportunity for world leaders to gather and agree on firm resolutions to reverse the increase in carbon emissions and global temperature rise. However, two weeks after the conference opened on November 6, there was a general feeling of disappointment and frustration as delegates packed their bags and left the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Many felt that the event was a failure in terms of reducing carbon dioxide, with many countries trying to pull out of the decision taken at COP26 in Glasgow to keep temperature increases to 1.5ºC, and the final text regarded as weak, without any significant progress made.
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Huhtamaki expands paper-based packaging capacity at its factory in Nules, Spain

Huhtamaki, a key global advanced manufacturer of sustainable packaging solutions, today inaugurates its extension to its existing paper-based packaging manufacturing site in Nules, Spain. This latest investment reflects the growing demand from for renewable and recyclable paper-based packaging to substitute rigid plastics. The Nules factory is a Huhtamaki Global Center of Excellence, developing innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for its customers across Europe. The extension of 12 500 m2 and has been built to the globally recognized BREEAM1 sustainability standards. This is in line with Huhtamaki’s 2030 Sustainability Ambitions, including the use of 100% renewable electricity, which is on track with a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement covering approximately 80% of Huhtamaki’s current electricity usage in Europe signed in December 2021. Thanks to the installation of an advanced HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system with air quality, temperature and humidity control, the plant also meets high thermal comfort standards for its employees.
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Smurfit Kappa invests over €20 million in Central and Eastern Europe

Smurfit Kappa has completed significant investments in its manufacturing plants in Olomouc in the Czech Republic and Obaly Štúrovo in Slovakia respectively. The investments of more than €20 million announced last year further highlight Smurfit Kappa’s expansion and commitment to investing in its Central and Eastern European operations. The two plants received significant upgrades, installing state-of-the-art equipment to expand capacity and address the rise in customer demand for paper-based packaging solutions. The investment sees the installation of new converting equipment which will increase the capacity by over 100 million regular and offset printed boxes per annum.
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Euro-Graph Reports Monthly Statistics of the European Graphic Papers Industry

Total European shipments of graphic papers in September 2022 were down 11.0% vs. September 2021 and were down 10.6% year-to-date. Total European shipments of newsprint in September 2022 were down 4.9% vs. September 2021 and were down 7.2% year-to-date. Total European shipments of sc-magazine in September 2022 were down 17.1% vs. September 2021 and were down 14.5% year-to-date. Total European shipments of coated mechanical reels in September 2022 were down 13.2% vs. September 2021 and were down 19.5% year-to-date. Total European shipments of uncoated mechanical (improved & others) in September 2022 were down 11.5% vs. September 2021 and were down 13.5% year-to-date. Total European shipments of coated woodfree in September 2022 were down 11.9% vs. September 2021 and were down 2.3% year-to-date. Total European shipments of uncoated woodfree in September 2022 were down 10.4% vs. September 2021 and were down 10.2% year-to-date.
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Mondi partners with RetailX to identify five trends in eCommerce packaging

"We want to be at the forefront of understanding what consumers want when they are shopping online, and what they expect from the packaging protecting their purchases. This research has revealed five macro trends shaping the growing eCommerce packaging market, providing useful insights as we partner with leading retailers to co-create the most sustainable packaging solutions for their needs." Mondi Group eCommerce Director, Nedim Nisic. The five key trends are - Trend #1: Protection of goods and environmental considerations continue to be two of the strongest customer requirements Trend #2: Overpackaging is costing more than expected Trend #3: The unboxing moment matters Trend #4: Consumers are increasingly willing to pay a small premium for packaging that meets their needs Trend #5: The behaviour and trends of Millennials are driving the market
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Pioneering sustainable packaging technology with PulPac

Consumers want products that enable them to lead more eco-friendly lives. This means minimising waste, carbon footprints and reducing the use of plastic. Stora Enso is responding to these needs with renewable packaging innovations, including formed fiber, a renewable and recyclable material that enables molding 3D shapes from wood fibers. “We are finding growth in sustainable and innovative packaging. To stay ahead of the curve, we are investing in next generation fiber molding technologies,” says Anna Jonhed, SVP Formed Fiber at Stora Enso. Recently Stora Enso became a shareholder of PulPac, a Swedish sustainable packaging technology company working to establish Dry Molded Fiber as the next global standard for sustainable packaging, replacing single-use plastics with circular fiber solutions.
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Nordstrom Reports Third Quarter 2022 Earnings

Nordstrom, Inc. reported a third quarter net loss of $20 million for the quarter ended October 29, 2022. For the third quarter, net sales decreased 2.9 percent versus the same period in fiscal 2021 and gross merchandise value decreased 2.5 percent. Anniversary Sale timing, with one week shifting from the third quarter to the second quarter, had a negative impact of approximately 200 basis points on net sales compared with 2021. During the quarter, Nordstrom banner net sales decreased 3.4 percent, which included a negative impact of approximately 300 basis points from Anniversary Sale timing, and GMV decreased 2.9 percent. Net sales for Nordstrom Rack decreased 1.9 percent.
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Do you enjoy watching people fail?

I know I do. Well, now here’s your chance to watch me fail spectacularly. Join me, Matt Fey, Vice President and Creative Director at J.Schmid for an ANA (Association of National Advertisers) webinar where I take you through my past glories, revel in my successes, and wallow in my crippling, crippling failures. Hope to see you on Wednesday, November 30th, at 10:40am CST to watch me fail spectacularly. Thank you. Register at: https://www.ana.net/membersconference/show/id/MOC-SEP22E3
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NRF: Congress Must Take Action to Avert Catastrophic Rail Strike (mytotalretail.com)

National Retail Federation (NRF) President and CEO Matthew Shay said a nationwide rail strike during the peak holiday season will be “devastating” for American businesses, consumers and the U.S. economy — particularly amid today’s increased prices due to persistent inflation. Shay's statement was made yesterday when members of the nation’s largest rail union rejected a contract agreement with freight rail management that had been brokered by the White House among the labor unions and freight railroads. The vote raises the possibility of a strike in the coming weeks that could seriously damage the U.S. economy. "Millions of hardworking Americans rely on the freight rail system for their jobs and the economic security of our country," said Shay. He added that American businesses and families are already facing increased prices due to inflation, and a rail strike will create greater inflationary pressures and will threaten business resiliency.
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ATA Truck Tonnage Index Slipped 2.3% in October

American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 2.3% in October after rising 0.8% in September. In October, the index equaled 116.3 (2015=100) versus 119.1 in September. "For-hire truck tonnage saw the largest single monthly decrease in October since the start of the pandemic,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The decrease fits with the anecdotal reports of a muted fall freight season. It also coincides with a slowing economy. Housing is a weak spot in freight in addition to a slowing in personal consumption of goods. While factory related freight is holding up better than other areas, it is also decelerating.” Compared with October 2021, the SA index increased 2.8%, which was the fourteenth straight year-over-year gain, but the smallest gain since April. In September, the index was up 5.7% from a year earlier. Year-to-date through October, compared with the same period in 2021, tonnage was up 3.9%.
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Sonoco ThermoSafe and LATAM Cargo Sign Global Master Lease Agreement

Sonoco ThermoSafe and LATAM Cargo, an international cargo airline with headquarters in Santiago de Chile, are pleased to announce a global lease agreement for the new Pegasus ULD® temperature-controlled bulk shipping container. The agreement enables pharmaceutical freight forwarders access to Pegasus ULD® containers directly from LATAM Cargo. Sonoco ThermoSafe’s Pegasus ULD® is the world’s first FAA and EASA-approved passive bulk temperature-controlled ULD container for pharmaceutical use, which enables it to speed through international air freight handling and customs processes at the lowest possible cost. With a focus on sustainability, the Pegasus ULD® is engineered with composite materials, offering a lighter solution that is also substantially more damage-resistant than traditional metal containers. Additionally, the Pegasus ULD® contains a fully integrated, FAA-approved telemetry system providing real-time, cloud-based data on payload and ambient temperature and key environmental factors, precisely synchronized with GPS location.
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Recycled Fiber and Paper Leader Sustana Joins UN Global Compact

Sustana, the sustainable fiber and paper industry leader, has joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact initiative. Sustana’s engagement in the UN Global Compact — a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices – reflects its longstanding and continued adherence to sustainable practices and its ongoing support for the Ten Principles focused on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. “With this announcement, Sustana is proud to continue its commitment to developing solutions to move society toward a greener, more circular future,” said Fabian de Armas, Chief Executive Officer for Sustana.
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UPM Raflatac helps brands increase efficiency and hit sustainability goals with expanded OptiCut™ Linerless Label portfolio

UPM Raflatac, a global supplier of innovative and sustainable labeling materials, recently expanded their Direct Thermal (DT) Opticut Linerless labels portfolio. The OptiCut products in this portfolio are customized for various applications in hospitality, retail and weigh scales, transport and warehousing, and industrial food. “We widened our OptiCut Linerless portfolio to enable brands to maximize efficiency and find solutions for each unique packaging type. The adhesive properties for each of our seven OptiCut products were designed for various application environments,” stated Brinder Gill, Director, Paper Laminates, UPM Raflatac Americas.
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Merger Agreement Terminated: A Memo from Jonathan Karp

Dear Colleagues, I am writing today because, as you may have heard, Paramount has terminated its agreement to sell Simon & Schuster to Penguin Random House, and there will be no appeal of Judge Florence Pan’s decision to block the merger of the two companies. This news is still fresh, and at this point I have no specific information to impart about what will happen in the coming months. You may read or hear rumors and speculation about our future, but you can be assured that I will keep you informed as soon as there is pertinent news I can share. I am grateful for your patience and dedication to our mission during all that has transpired over these many months since the sale began. Ultimately, what matters the most is the work we do together, on behalf of our authors and our books. Over the past three years, we have reached new heights of accomplishment. Simon & Schuster has never been more profitable and valuable than it is today. And that is because of the effort, ingenuity, and perseverance that you bring to our endeavors.
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Chico’s FAS, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Results

The Company's third quarter highlights include: *Consistent strong results : Chico's FAS posted $0.20 net income per diluted share for the third quarter, driven by strong comparable sales growth and selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") leverage. This performance was more than 30% over the thirteen weeks ended October 30, 2021 ("last year's third quarter") and the seventh consecutive quarter of year-over-year double-digit earnings growth. *Powerful portfolio performance : For the third quarter, total Chico's FAS net sales grew 14.3% and comparable sales increased 16.5% versus last year's third quarter, led by the Company's apparel brands. Chico's and White House Black Market ("WHBM") comparable sales grew 28.8% and 17.0%, respectively, in the third quarter versus last year's third quarter. *Solid operating income growth: Third quarter income from operations was $31.6 million, or 6.1% of net sales, compared to $22.0 million, or 4.9% of net sales, in last year's third quarter, driven by strong sales growth and SG&A leverage, partially offset by higher raw material costs. *Strong balance sheet: The Company ended the third quarter with $140.7 million in cash and marketable securities, after repaying $30.0 million of long-term debt during the quarter.
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Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Reports Third Quarter Results

A summary of results for the third quarter ended October 29, 2022 as compared to the third quarter ended October 30, 2021: *Net sales of $880 million, down 3% as compared to last year on a reported basis and approximately flat on a constant currency basis. *Gross profit rate of 59.2%, down approximately 450 basis points as compared to last year. The year-over-year decrease was primarily driven by 370 basis points of higher freight and raw material costs and 60 basis points from the adverse impact of exchange rates. *Operating expense, excluding other operating income, net, approximately flat compared to last year, with decreases in marketing and incentive-based compensation, offset by higher inflation and digital fulfillment expenses. Operating expense as a percentage of sales increased to 57.2% from 55.8% last year. *Operating income of $18 million and $21 million on a reported and adjusted non-GAAP basis, respectively, as compared to operating income of $73 million and $79 million last year, on a reported and adjusted non-GAAP basis, respectively.
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URBN Reports Q3 Sales and Earnings

Total Company net sales for the three months ended October 31, 2022, increased 3.9% over the same period last year to a record $1.18 billion. Total Retail segment net sales increased 2%, with comparable Retail segment net sales increasing 4%, partially offset by a 2% negative impact of foreign currency translation. The increase in Retail segment comparable net sales was driven by mid-single-digit positive digital channel sales and low single-digit positive retail store sales. By brand, comparable Retail segment net sales increased 13% at the Anthropologie Group and 8% at the Free People Group and decreased 9% at Urban Outfitters. Wholesale segment net sales decreased 3%, driven by a 4% decrease in Free People Group wholesale sales, partially offset by a 6% increase in Urban Outfitters wholesale sales. Nuuly segment net sales increased by $22.6 million driven by a 185% increase in our subscribers during the quarter versus the prior year’s comparable quarter. For the nine months ended October 31, 2022, total Company net sales increased 6.0% compared to the same period last year. Total Retail segment net sales increased 5%, with comparable Retail segment net sales also increasing 5%.
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Advertisers Oppose Possible Privacy Rules, While Watchdogs Call For Curbs (mediapost.com)

The ad industry and advocacy groups on Monday weighed in with the Federal Trade Commission on potential new privacy rules, with the ad industry voicing opposition to possible regulations, but consumer advocates contending that new rules are needed. “Advertising is the lifeblood of the American economy,” the Association of National Advertisers said in comments filed with the agency Monday. “The FTC should not presuppose that any kind of data-informed advertising is harmful without the administrative record necessary to support such a bold assertion.” The umbrella industry organization Privacy for America added that the FTC “should not cast itself as a quasi-legislature capable of regulating any activity it sees fit without a grounding in its congressionally granted authority.” “The more prudent path would be for the Commission to refrain from seeking broadly to regulate the entire U.S. data-supported economy while Congress is actively considering a comprehensive, preemptive standard,” writes Privacy for America, whose members include the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Association of National Advertisers, Digital Advertising Alliance, Interactive Advertising Bureau and Network Advertising Initiative.
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Huhtamaki’s proprietary breakthrough high-precision technology delivers home compostable paper-based coffee capsules for Nespresso and millions of coffee lovers

Huhtamaki, a global sustainable packaging solutions provider, started an exclusive partnership with one of the largest coffee brands, Nespresso, in early 2021 to innovate a sustainable home-compostable paper-based coffee capsule. The powerful collaboration, used a lean approach to product and process development, accelerating the time to market in record time. Huhtamaki's proprietary high-precision technology allows wood fibers to be molded into intricate shapes with high-precision tolerances to a fraction of a millimeter. The home compostable paper-based coffee capsule was launched by Nespresso in France yesterday, November 21, 2022. It is a significant development in innovation for the circular economy and a leap forward for consumers around the world. Click read more below for key details.
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Domtar Celebrates 50 Years of Cougar® at Rothschild Mill

Domtar’s Cougar® paper brand has given life to creative ideas across North America for a half century. Featured in presidential holiday cards, the Kate Spade Brand Book and music festival posters, Cougar’s reputation for quality and consistency has set the brand apart. But it all begins at our Rothschild Mill on the east bank of the Wisconsin River. That’s where more than 320 mill employees recently celebrated 50 years of Cougar alongside senior Domtar leaders and community stakeholders. The two-day event included birthday cake, employee giveaways and mill tours. The 50th anniversary event recognized the work behind the printed page. Employees and leaders celebrated the mill’s commitment to quality and safety. Guests included representatives from the Wisconsin Paper Council and the Wausau Chamber of Commerce.
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From fossil to forest, a game changer in packaging solutions

gKRAFT presents itself as “the” solution that guarantees the reduction of the use of fossil materials, as is the case with most plastics, in favour of renewable and biodegradable forest-based materials – “From Fossil to Forest” – to help build a sustainable future. The Navigator Company’s packaging solution includes three sub-brands targeting specific market needs: FLEX was designed to develop flexible packaging for the food industry, catering and pharmaceutical trade; BAG is intended for retail product packaging already used by major international brands; finally, BOX (focused on paper for corrugated cardboard boxes) is intended for more resistant industrial and retail packaging, namely food retail, where there is a growing need for shelf-ready packaging, particularly in refrigerated environments, with high-quality printing to attract consumers and differentiate brands from the competition, which is critical today. As an innovative paper packaging brand, gKRAFT is pleased to host a webinar that drives the force from Fossil to Forest, enhancing the fundamental role that wood fibres play as a solution towards a more sustainable world. The webinar will take place on November 24th, 2022. From 10h00 to 11h30 am WET | 11h00 – 12h30 am CET. Register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6916679964834/WN_dbbdQpxgSyCpJSTaSUL8bQ
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Solenis Opens Two New Centers of Excellence To Serve Growing Consumer Paper Packaging Market

Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, has opened two new international centers of excellence to help drive more sustainable solutions for the consumer paper packaging industry. One center is virtual, allowing customers to participate remotely in lab experiments, while the other center is in a new facility in Mönchengladbach, Germany. Both centers are designed to simulate and test customer processes, treatment programs and paper/paperboard properties to optimize performance, efficiency and costs while focusing on sustainability. Meanwhile, the newly opened Mönchengladbach center includes application and testing equipment such as Rapid-Köthen and dynamic sheet formers, a lotion paper coater, different types of refiners and more. Solenis plans to add a hot air sealing device as well. The center also offers repulping and recycling capabilities in combination with contaminant control assessments for barrier coating performance testing.
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Batteries from trees – enabling sustainable electrification

Increasing demands for electrification mean more and more batteries are needed. Societies are built around electrification. Batteries are everywhere. This is true now, but it will also be true for the years to come at an ever-increasing pace. We need to find new and smart solutions to meet the demands of the future – solutions based on renewable materials. As a renewable natural resource, wood represents a favourable alternative to fossil-based and other non-renewable materials, and as such, trees are pivotal in fighting climate change. Trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and that carbon stays in the fibers when they are made into products, even through recycling. Carbon storage can be increased by substituting materials from finite resources with renewable alternatives. With Lignode® by Stora Enso, we use lignin from sustainably managed Nordic forests and turn into an anode material for batteries.
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Fedrigoni to acquire French mill (printweek.com)

Fedrigoni Group has agreed yet another buy, which will give the business a dominant presence in the worldwide market for premium papers for wine and spirits. The acquisitive Italian group has signed an agreement with Papeterie Zuber Rieder to take over the business, subject to consultation with the French firm’s works council. Papeterie Zuber Rieder was founded in 1881. It employs 130 staff and since the turn of the century has focused its offering on specialty papers for labels, packaging and perfumed cards. Its range includes food grade papers and 'ice bucket proof' labels. Fedrigoni said the buy would create “the first global player in premium papers for wines and spirits”, and Zuber Rieder would benefit from its production capabilities and international network.
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US ecommerce grows 10.8% in Q3 2022 (digitalcommerce360.com)

Online sales reached double-digit growth in Q3 after four quarters of modest ecommerce growth. Amazon moving its Prime Day sale into Q3 aided this sales bump. More than 20% of consumer spending from July-September occurred online. Key takeaways: *U.S. ecommerce grew 10.8% in Q3 2022. *Amazon moved its Prime Day sale to July this year from June last year. This pushed dollars into Q3 and bolstered ecommerce growth for the quarter. *Amazon, Walmart and Target’s collective performance drove the overall market for the three-month period. *20.6% of all dollars spent on retail purchases came from online orders. *Sales through all channels grew 7.7% in Q3, while in-store and other offline sales grew 7.0%.
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A Third Of Advertisers Have Reduced 2022 Spending Due To Macroeconomic Factors (mediapost.com)

In another sign of the toll that macroeconomic disruption has been taking on the ad economy, more than a third of advertisers (35%) say they have reduced their 2022 advertising budgets due to increasing inflation and/or disruptions in their supply chain. While most of the executives who have cut their ad budgets said they have reduced them by less than 20%, the median was 15% among all of them. The good news is the percentage saying they have reduced their 2022 ad budgets due to the economic factors is down from 40% who said so in a similar survey conducted by Advertiser Perceptions in July and August.
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Court Rejects California Franchise Tax Board’s Demurrer in Complaint Case; Clears Path For ACMA to Gain Decision on Merits

On November 17th, the ACMA cleared a major hurdle in its complaint in the Superior Court in San Francisco that a previously-issued California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) regulation in the form of a technical advisory memorandum wrongly and substantially expanded the reach of income taxes on out-of-state merchants with no physical presence in the Golden State. The Superior Court of California County of San Francisco overruled the FTB's demurrer to ACMA's complaint for declaratory relief. “This is a significant and positive development in our case,” said ACMA CEO Hamilton Davison. “Although we still have aways to go, we now have a clear path to obtain a decision on the merits.” For more information, please visit www.catalogmailers.org.
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Gap Inc. Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2022 Results

*Net sales of $4.04 billion, up 2% compared to last year. Comparable sales were up 1% year-over-year. -Online sales increased 5% compared to last year and represented 39% of total net sales. -Store sales increased 1% compared to last year. The company ended the quarter with 3,380 store locations in over 40 countries, of which 2,743 were company operated. *Reported gross margin was 37.4%; adjusted gross margin, excluding $53 million in impairment charges related to Yeezy Gap, was 38.7%, deleveraging 320 basis points versus last year. *Reported operating income was $186 million; reported operating margin of 4.6%. *Reported net income of $282 million.
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USPS Expands Daily Package Processing Capacity to 60 Million; Mail Delivery Performance Remains Steady

The United States Postal Service announced it has completed the installation of 137 new package sorting machines ahead of the holiday mailing and shipping season. The new equipment combined with increased operational precision will expand USPS’s daily package processing capacity to 60 million. FY2023 first quarter service performance scores covering Oct. 1 through Nov. 11 included: *First-Class Mail: 92.1 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a slight decrease of 1 percentage point from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Marketing Mail: 94 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a slight decrease of 0.7 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Periodicals: 86.4 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal fourth quarter.
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Sonoco Further Expands Sonopost® Cornerpost Manufacturing with New Facility in Turkey

Sonoco plans to further expand Sonopost® cornerpost manufacturing in Europe. A new protective packaging production facility is set to open in Bursa, Turkey in November, one year after Sonoco established the first Sonopost® operation in Sochaczew, Poland. “Growing demand for our proprietary Sonopost technology created the need for a second production facility,” said Adam Wood, Vice President and General Manager of Global Paper Products in Europe. “Our protective packaging design team is working hard with our customers who are aligned with us in creating fully sustainable, paper-based packaging that protects and preserves both their product and our planet for generations to come.”
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Total U.S. Printing-Writing Paper Shipments Decreased Four Percent in October 2022

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has released its October 2022 Printing-Writing Monthly report. According to the report, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 4% in October compared to October 2021. U.S. purchases of total printing-writing papers increased 6% in October compared to the same month last year. Total printing-writing paper inventory levels increased 1% when compared to September 2022. U.S. purchases of uncoated free sheet (UFS) papers in October increased 7% compared to last October, while the inventory level increased 1% compared to September 2022. UFS imports increased 41% while exports decreased 12% in September 2022. Coated free sheet (CFS) paper shipments increased 1% compared to October 2021 while the inventory level decreased 4% compared to September 2022. CFS imports and exports both increased compared to September 2021, up 62% and 16% respectively. U.S. purchases of coated mechanical (CM) papers in October remained essentially flat (0.1%) compared to last October while the inventory level increased 3% compared to September 2022. CM imports increased 31% while exports decreased 12% in September 2022. Uncoated mechanical (UM) paper shipments decreased 22% compared to October 2021 while the inventory level increased 33% compared to September 2022. UM imports and exports both decreased compared to September 2021, down 11% and 38% respectively.
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The Differences Between Recyclable, Compostable, and Biodegradable Packaging.

From nutrition facts to washing instructions, packaging can teach you a lot about a product – including information about its disposal. Properly discarding an item and its packaging is a crucial step in the life cycle of a purchase. Whether something is recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable, buyers and brands must be aware of these commonly used terms. There are many phrases to keep track of, so it’s important to understand exactly what’s being communicated. Is biodegradable just another word for compostable? Can compostable items be recycled? Spoiler alert – these words aren’t interchangeable, and each one has a distinct meaning. Familiarizing ourselves with these three terms can help us make more informed purchases as consumers and design smarter packaging for brands and businesses.
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100% Open Rate Guaranteed! (jschmid.com)

It occurred to me the other day while I was noodling email subject lines (trying to eke out another 1 or 2% increase in open rate) that even if I was successful, it would only lead to a fraction of a percent of click-through improvement. We tend to call email marketing “consumer direct,” but really, it’s “inbox direct.” This is no joke: I have 42,933 unopened emails in my Gmail inbox. Promotional emails have become invisible. As marketers, we try to get our emails noticed by using emojis in subject lines, or we drive curiosity with verbiage like, “You won’t believe this!” (urgency); “Only hours left!” (exclusivity); “For our best customers” (value); “FREE!!” … and the list goes on and on, like a barker on the midway. Sometimes we get results from barking, but results are more likely due to timing rather than “clever” subject lines. So, how do we drive consideration (and business) beyond natural demand? read more at: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/100-open-rate-guaranteed/
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Macy’s, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results

*Comparable sales down 3.1% on an owned basis and down 2.7% on an owned-plus-licensed basis *Inventories up 4% versus 2021, reflecting ongoing planning and supply chain discipline *Net sales of $5.2 billion, down 3.9% versus the third quarter of 2021; up 1.1% versus the third quarter of 2019. *Digital sales decreased 9% versus the third quarter of 2021; up 35% versus the third quarter of 2019. *Brick-and-mortar sales decreased 1% versus the third quarter of 2021; down 9% versus the third quarter of 2019.
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Monadnock Launches HP Indigo Solutions Portfolio of 100% Post-Consumer Waste Recycled Material

Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. is pleased to announce its HP Indigo Solutions Portfolio of 100% Post-Consumer Waste (PCW) paper, packaging, and environmental graphics materials. The product portfolio, complete with a comprehensive listing of available weights, sizes, and properties, is now featured in a comprehensive Stock Guide publication. Either certified or optimized for use on HP Indigo printers, all portfolio offerings are made with Forest Stewardship Council-certified 100% PCW recycled fiber, manufactured carbon neutral and made with 100% Green-e certified wind powered electricity. Additionally, the recycled paper is processed chlorine free, and the entire production process operates under third-party Certified ISO 14001 Environmental and ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.
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AAP August 2022 StatShot Report: Publishing Industry Down 5.0% Year-To-Date

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) released its StatShot report for August 2022 reflecting reported revenue for Trade (Consumer Books), Higher Education Course Materials, and Professional Publishing. The report does not include PreK-12 revenue due to delays in data collection but will be updated as soon as that data becomes available. Total revenues across all categories, excluding PreK-12, for August 2022 were down 9.0% as compared to August 2021, coming in at $1.4 billion. Year-to-date revenues were down 5.0%, at $7.9 billion for the first eight months of the year. Trade (Consumer Books) sales were down 10.5% in August, coming in at $744.3 million.
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BMI Releases Industry Barometer Survey Results for November

The Book Manufacturers’ Institute (BMI) released the November results for its monthly survey on capacity and lead times for soft cover and hard cover books. As the book manufacturing landscape has changed recently, BMI put together the survey to get a better idea of what manufacturers were facing and what publishers should expect. This month held fairly steady on capacities, but showed lead times continuing to decline. According to responses regarding hard cover books, the average manufacturer was running at 82% of their capacity, equal to October. The average lead time for completed hard cover books went down to 59 days from 62 days, based on 16 responses. For soft cover books, capacity usage dropped to 81% from 83%. The average lead time dropped to 38 days from 45 days, based on 20 responses.
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Amcor Sustainability Report reflects on landmark year

Amcor released its 2022 Sustainability Report, detailing continued progress against key sustainability metrics and announcing an enhanced target to achieve 30% recycled content across its portfolio by the end of the decade. The new recycled content target, which is three times its previous target of 10%, comes as Amcor reflects on a landmark year for its efforts on sustainability. In fiscal year 2022, the company committed to net zero emissions by 2050, more than doubled post-consumer recycled material purchased since 2019 and achieved a Gold rating from EcoVadis for its industry-leading sustainability practices, placing Amcor among the top 5% of all companies assessed. The Report highlights how Amcor has advanced on its pledge to make all products recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025, with 74% of total production by weight already designed to be recycled and the number of innovative solutions with more sustainable properties continually growing.
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Target Corporation Reports Third Quarter Earnings

*Comparable sales increased 2.7 percent, on top of 12.7 percent growth last year. *Comparable sales growth was driven by 1.4 percent traffic growth and a 1.3 percent increase in average ticket. *Category performance was led by growth in frequency businesses including Beauty, Food and Beverage and Household Essentials, which offset continued softness in discretionary categories. *The Company saw unit share gains across all five core merchandising categories.*Third quarter operating margin rate of 3.9 percent improved meaningfully compared with the second quarter results, but fell far short of expectations.
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IAE To Unveil Framework, Tools For Mitigating Greenwashing (mediapost.com)

The Institute for Advertising Ethics will hold the second of two webinars focusing on the ad industry's role in greenwashing on December 8 at 10 A.M. The upcoming webinar -- which focuses on tools and frameworks for preventing greenwashing -- follows one held October 19, which featured industry experts providing a benchmark for understanding how pervasive and how problematic greenwashing actually is for the advertising industry.
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Metsä Board publishes interactive roadmaps on 2030 climate and water targets

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has published new detailed roadmaps to help visualise the measures it will take to achieve the ambitious 2030 targets regarding climate change and water use. Roadmaps will be updated at least once a year, both in terms of the actual performance and future investments. Future investments, which are at the planning stage, are also included in the roadmaps. Metsä Board’s targets include that, by the end of 2030, its mills will phase out the use of any fossil fuels and any fossil-based purchased energy meaning that production will no longer generate any fossil-based carbon dioxide emissions.
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Pulp and Paper Products Lead the Way in Recycling

America Recycles Day®, which is celebrated on Nov. 15, is supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Keep America Beautiful. The EPA has developed a National Recycling Strategy that is a first step toward a circular economy for all. This strategy is aligned with and supports implementation of the national goal to increase the recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030. The strategy has five objectives to create a more resilient and cost-effective national recycling system: *Improve markets for recycling commodities. *Increase collection and improving materials management infrastructure. *Reduce contamination in the recycled materials stream. *Enhance policies to support recycling. *Standardize measurement and increasing data collection.
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Stora Enso forms partnership with Voodin Blades to develop sustainable wind turbine blades from wood

Stora Enso and Voodin Blade Technology GmbH have signed a partnership agreement to develop sustainable wind turbine blades from wood. Under the agreement, the two companies are committed to developing sustainable alternatives for wind turbine blades and creating a competitive and reliable supply chain. They are currently producing and installing a 20 m blade for a 0.5 MW turbine and have plans for an 80 m blade. Wind power blades are typically produced with fibreglass and carbon fibre, energy-intensive non- renewable plastics made from petrochemicals that cannot be easily recycled. Tens of thousands of ageing blades today end up in landfills. By developing blades with sustainable wood, Stora Enso and Voodin Blades can make the blades lighter and reduce the overall dependency on fossil fuel extraction.
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Berry Global Group, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2022 Results

Fourth Quarter Highlights *Net sales of $3.4 billion *Operating income of $336 million; Operating EBITDA of $539 million, a 9% increase *Earnings per share of $1.85; record adjusted earnings per share of $2.19, an 18% increase. Fiscal Year Highlights: *Record net sales of $14.5 billion, a 10% increase *Operating income of $1.2 billion; Operating EBITDA of $2.1 billion *Cash flow from operations of $1.56 billion; free cash flow of $876 million, +$125 million above guidance
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Pratt Industries Commits to Investing $5 Billion in Recycling, Clean Energy Infrastructure and Manufacturing Jobs in the USA over the Next 10 Years

Pratt Industries executive chairman, Anthony Pratt, has pledged to invest $5 billion in U.S. recycling and clean energy infrastructure to create 5000 American manufacturing jobs over the next 10 years. Anthony Pratt made the pledge – his largest ever commitment – to Caroline Kennedy, the U.S. Ambassador to Australia, at a recent black tie event in Sydney. “Pratt Industries is proud to already be the largest Australian employer of Americans – providing 11,000 well-paying, green-collar jobs in more than 70 factories across the nation,” Pratt said.
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Tetra Pak announces first collaboration with food processing technology incubator

Tetra Pak announces its collaboration with Fresh Start, a leading food technology incubator that works with a portfolio of start-ups to provide technological solutions to some of the challenges facing the global food systems. As Tetra Pak’s first collaboration with a food processing technology incubator, this initiative will combine the company’s industry expertise with Fresh Start’s innovative approach to drive solutions that will contribute to improving food systems resilience. Its portfolio of solutions includes Bountica, a fermentation-based mechanism that prolongs the shelf life of food and beverage products and Alteco, a device which helps production facilities manage their energy consumption. Fresh Start is based in Israel, one of the world’s major centres of food innovation and investment.
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Kruger Products to shut down older production assets in Memphis

KP Tissue Inc. and Kruger Products announced that it will shut down certain older and inefficient production assets including a Light Dry Crepe paper machine and six converting lines in early January, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. High quality facial tissue and premium Through Air Dry (“TAD”) products will continue to be produced at its Memphis plant by approximately 400 remaining employees. The 165 employees impacted by this decision will receive severance and employment transition support. The Memphis plant is operated by Kruger Products’ subsidiary, K.T.G. (USA) Inc. and after the asset shutdown will have a production capacity of 85,000 Metric Tonnes. “While this is a difficult decision, it is necessary to ensure the continued success, competitiveness, and growth of our Memphis plant. We have invested over $400 million (USD) at our Memphis plant since 2010 and it will continue to be an important part of our business. We would like to sincerely thank our employees for their ongoing dedication and hard work.” said Dino Bianco, CEO of Kruger Products.
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Prinovis UK to close due to market decline and spiralling costs

It’s the end of an era for publication gravure printing in the UK with news that the last remaining exponent – Prinovis in Liverpool – is to close. The news, which had been the subject of increasing industry speculation since Prinovis lost the DMG Media contract just over a year ago, was confirmed this afternoon (7 November). Prinovis said the decline in the gravure market since 2019 had rendered the business unsustainable, despite support from parent company Bertelsmann and some new customer wins in recent months, including TV Choice for Bauer.
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News Deserts Are Growing, Publishing Executives Say (mediapost.com)

Of those working in English-speaking news and publishing, 60% say news deserts are a problem, and over 25% say they are an increasingly significant one, according to the Local News Deserts Survey Report Factsheet from PressReader. Only 15% see no issue. And while 86% agree that local news is vital to democracy, 45% believe that access to it has decreased in the past decade. Almost 50% are pessimistic about the industry’s ability to reverse the problem.
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Smurfit Kappa acquires liner bag plant in Spain

Smurfit Kappa announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Pusa Pack S.L., a bag-in-box packaging plant located in Onda, close to Castellón in the Valencian region. Pusa Pack S.L. specialises in the manufacture of large-capacity flexible bags, sized from 200 to 1500 litres ,which are used for the storage and transport of bulk food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and other liquid and semi-liquid products. Pusa Pack will be integrated into Smurfit Kappa’s Bag-in-Box operations in Spain. Commenting on the acquisition, Thierry Minaud, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box, said: “Heavy-duty packaging is evolving towards more environmentally friendly solutions. We increasingly see the trend of companies moving away from plastic or stainless steel intermediate bulk containers (IBC) in favour of much more sustainable corrugated solutions which have a considerably lower carbon footprint.
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Supremex Announces Record Q3 2022 Results

Third Quarter Financial Highlights and Recent Events * Total revenue increased by 23.9% to $67.9 million, from $54.8 million in the third quarter of 2021. * Packaging and specialty products segment revenue of $18.8 million, up 5.8% from $17.8 million last year. * Envelope segment revenue up 32.6% to $49.1 million, from $37.0 million in the prior year. * Net Earnings increased significantly to $8.1 million, or 11.9% of revenue, from $3.4 million or 6.1% of revenue, last year. * Earnings per share of $0.31, up sharply from $0.13 a year ago. * Recorded no assistance from the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”) and Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (“CERS”) programs in the third quarter of 2022, compared to $0.6 million in the equivalent quarter of 2021. * Purchased 96,600 shares for a total consideration of $0.3 million as part of NCIB program. * Acquisition on November 1, 2022 of Royal Envelope Corporation (“Royal Envelope”) located in Chicago.
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Sole Source Portfolio Company ID Images Acquires Hickman Label

Sole Source Capital LLC, an industrial-focused private equity firm, announced that its portfolio company, ID Images (“IDI”), a premier provider of product identification solutions, has acquired Lebanon, Tennessee-based Hickman Label. The acquisition marks the fifth add-on investment for IDI since it became a Sole Source Capital portfolio company in August 2021. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed. Founded in 2016, Hickman Label is a provider of highly-customized label solutions for the ondemand inkjet market. On-demand inkjet labels enable customers to print small batch, prime labels via their own desktop printers. In addition, Hickman’s robust ordering platform has the unique capability of integrating into its distribution customers’ websites utilizing a plug-in tool. The company sells to a mix of distributors and end users with more than 2,000 active customers across North America.
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Lecta is investing in a refuse-derived fuel (RDF) boiler for its Condat mill

Lecta has decided to invest in a refuse-derived fuel (RDF) boiler for its Condat paper mill in France, which will be finished by mid-2024. This is a great energy transformation project that presents multiple environmental and economic advantages, in line with the Sustainability goals that Lecta is working on. The RDF boiler project is based on circular economy, as we will collect from local sources the waste with high biogenic content that will be used as fuel. This will help to reduce the volume of waste that currently cannot be recovered and would otherwise end up in landfills. Regarding energy, the new boiler will cover about 50% of the mill’s steam needs. This will increase the mill’s competitiveness because the generation of steam will be much less expensive than with natural gas. In addition, there will be a reduction of gas related CO2 emissions by a total of 55.000 tonnes per annum.
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Seaman Paper partners with NGO Canopy

As more and more companies begin their transition from plastic packaging to fiber-based or paper packaging, we recognize the importance of sourcing these fibers as responsibly as possible to protect and conserve Ancient and Endangered Forests. At Seaman Paper, we believe that sustainable business leadership is a fundamental component of long-term transformation, which is why we are excited to officially be a Canopy Pack4Good partner. Canopy is an environmental non-profit organization working with hundreds of companies through robust sourcing policies to reduce the impact on the world’s Ancient and Endangered Forests – which are critical to biodiversity, carbon sequestration, clean drinking water, wildfire risk reduction, and the well-being of indigenous communities.
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All Hail or Epic Fail? (jschmid.com)

Join Us For An ANA Exclusive Webinar Featuring J.Schmid's Matt Fey Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at 10:00am Central. The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat. Any direct mail creative endeavor has the potential to go from “All hail!” to “Epic fail!” Join Matthew Fey, vice president and creative director at J.Schmid & Assoc. Inc., for an honest, amusing, and sometimes painful examination of why some creative efforts yield spectacular successes and why others, well, not so much. From high-fiving wins to head-scratching losses, examine a series of catalog and direct mail case studies from a variety of brands – including apparel, food, retail and more on the consumer side, with a few business-to-business examples thrown in for good measure. What went in to the creative decisions? How were they successful? And when they weren’t, where did they go wrong? Glean valuable lessons from both success and failure to get the most out of your direct mail creative. register at: https://www.ana.net/membersconference/show/id/MOC-SEP22E3
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Mail Delivery Remains Strong as Holiday Season Nears

FY2023 first quarter service performance scores covering Oct. 1 through Nov. 4 included: *First-Class Mail: 92.3 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a slight decrease of 0.9 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Marketing Mail: 94.2 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a slight decrease of 0.6 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Periodicals: 86.9 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal fourth quarter.
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U.S. Postal Service Announces New Competitive Prices for 2023

*No price increase for Parcel Select Ground which, coupled with our recently improved service standard to 2-5 days from 2-8 days, offers a reliable and economical option for shippers *No price increase for USPS Connect Local, which gives businesses of all sizes the ability to reach local customers at affordable rates *Reduced pricing for some Retail Priority Mail Flat-Rate products below the temporary price currently in place *Priority Mail Commercial rate to increase by 3.6 percent, well below the rate of inflation
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Johnson Newspaper Corp. To Close Massena, New York Printing Plant (mediapost.com)

The Johnson Newspaper Corp., publisher of the Watertown Daily Times, Courier-Observer, St. Lawrence Plaindealer and Ogdensburg Journal, is closing its printing operations in Massena, New York. The company will move all of its printing to Watertown, according to North Country Now. The Massena press will probably be sold, and the building in Massena eventually closed. Some layoffs are expected.
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Rigid Ruminations – From Paper to Plastic and Metals (digitalputput.net)

Media selection can make or break a job in terms of quality, durability, and price. With supply chain challenges, the pressure is on to ensure the best options are ordered ahead and stocked as needed. Print service providers (PSPs) should also be informed and ready to swap out media options when required. Rigid substrates range from plastics to paperboard, acrylics, and aluminum. What is the state of these solutions today and where does sustainability fit in? We answer these questions and more.
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Metsä Board wins the Finnish Circular Economy and Quality Award for the second year running

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has again won both the Finnish Circular Economy Award and the Finnish Quality Award in the Excellence Finland assessment. Both the Quality Award and the Circular Economy Award are based on an assessment using the international EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) model. Juha Ylä-Autio, CEO of Excellence Finland, stated in their recent press release that the Quality Award recognised the best organisation in Finland that had achieved verifiable excellence in implementing its strategy. In its reasoning, the jury states that Metsä Board's processes for defining direction, implementing strategy, monitoring and reporting performance are appropriate and operate effectively. The organisation is consistently working to further strengthen the themes of sustainability and circular economy in its corporate culture. Metsä Board has also succeeded in developing effective forms of collaboration within its ecosystem. This is also reflected in the company's performance, business results and competitiveness.
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TIME Selects the PFAS-Free Packaging Line from Zume and Solenis as One of The Best Inventions of 2022

Zume, the global sustainability solutions company creating molded-fiber substitutes for single-use plastics, has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2022 for its line of PFAS-free packaging developed in partnership with Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals. The annual list from TIME features 200 innovative products that are changing the way we live across the sectors of education, health, finance, social good, transportation and more. 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced globally each year. Without a viable alternative, brands are left to continue using plastic or packaging made with harmful chemicals called PFAS which have been linked to health risks including cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, asthma and thyroid disease.
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Mativ Announces Third Quarter 2022 Results

Mativ Third Quarter 2022 Highlights: *Sales increased 76% to $674.1 million with 12% constant currency organic sales growth, or 7% organic growth including negative currency impacts; strong sales growth in release liners, protective solutions, filtration, and paper and specialty packaging led the portfolio *GAAP EPS was $(0.43), and included significant expenses related to the Neenah merger closing and integration; Adjusted EPS was $0.74 *GAAP Operating Loss was $13.9 million; Adjusted Operating Profit was $65.5 million, up 24% on a comparable basis (see non-GAAP reconciliation) *Pricing actions across the Company driving top-line gains and offsetting raw material cost increases, with margin expansion across most categories
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WestRock To Sell Ownership Interest in RTS Packaging, LLC to Sonoco; Agrees to Sell URB Mills in Illinois and Indiana to Ox Industries

WestRock Company announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to wholly divest its ownership interest in RTS Packaging, LLC, to joint venture partner Sonoco Products Company for $330 million, subject to customary price adjustments. In addition, the Company has signed a definitive agreement to sell its uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) mills in Eaton, Indiana, and Aurora, Illinois, to Ox Industries for $50 million.
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WestRock Reports Fiscal 2022 Fourth Quarter Results

Fourth Quarter Highlights and other notable items: *Record fourth quarter net sales of $5.4 billion increased 6.1% year-over-year *Net income of $345 million increased $21 million year-over-year, or 6.4%. Adjusted Net Income of $366 million increased $34 million year-over-year, growing 10.4%. Full Year 2022 Highlights: *Record full year net sales of $21.3 billion increased 13.4% compared to $18.7 billion in the prior year *Net income of $945 million increased $106 million year-over-year, or 12.7%. Adjusted Net Income of $1.245 billion increased $338 million year-over-year, growing 37.2%
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Sylvamo Delivers Strong Results, Fortifies Financial Position

Third Quarter Highlights: *Net income from continuing operations of $109 million ($2.44 per diluted share) compared with $84 million ($1.89 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2022 *Free cash flow3 (non-GAAP) of $114 million compared with $39 million in the second quarter of 2022 *Announced an agreement to acquire an uncoated freesheet mill in Nymolla, Sweden, for an attractive price of 150 million euros (approximately $150 million). Third Quarter Commercial and Operational Highlights: *Price and mix improved by $60 million versus the prior quarter, outpacing energy and input cost inflation *Operations and costs increased $3 million this quarter, while total planned maintenance outage expenses improved by $14 million *Input costs grew by $46 million versus the prior quarter, reflecting energy and input cost inflation
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Cascades Reports Results for the Third Quarter of 2022

Q3 2022 Highlights *Sales of $1,174 million (compared with $1,119 million in Q2 2022 and $1,030 million in Q3 2021) **As reported (including specific items) *Operating income of $25 million (compared with $32 million in Q2 2022 and $73 million in Q3 2021) *Operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBD) of $92 million (compared with $95 million in Q2 2022 and $136 million in Q3 2021)
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YETI Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results

Sales increased 20% to $433.6 million, compared to $362.6 million during the same period last year. Gross profit increased 7% to $222.4 million, or 51.3% of sales, compared to $207.0 million, or 57.1% of sales, in the third quarter of 2021. Selling, general, and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses increased 11% to $153.9 million, compared to $138.3 million in the third quarter of 2021. Operating income decreased slightly to $68.5 million, or 15.8% of sales, compared to $68.7 million, or 19.0% of sales during the prior year quarter. Net income decreased 14% to $45.5 million, or 10.5% of sales, compared to $53.0 million, or 14.6% of sales in the prior year quarter; Net income per diluted share decreased 13% to $0.52, compared to $0.60 per diluted share in the prior year quarter.
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General Assembly Moves FSC Into Forest Restoration

At the FSC General Assembly recently, members voted on a range of important issues. Organized into Social, Economic and Environmental Chambers, the diverse perspectives brought by FSC’s members is key to the system’s integrity and credibility. In particular, the membership voted to approve changes to the FSC Principles & Criteria that will support implementation of a new Policy to Address Conversion. This was the result of years of debate and stakeholder engagement, impacting millions of acres of forests, particularly in tropical countries. This change will bring FSC into forest restoration, to create market incentives to restore degraded and deforested lands.
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Tredegar Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results

Third Quarter Financial Results Highlights *Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") from ongoing operations for Aluminum Extrusions of $12.1 million was consistent compared the third quarter of 2021 *EBITDA from ongoing operations for PE Films of $0.4 million was $4.4 million lower than the third quarter of 2021 *EBITDA from ongoing operations for Flexible Packaging Films of $7.8 million was $0.4 million higher than the third quarter of 2021
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Smurfit Kappa taps into growing online wine sales with eCommerce wine packaging portfolio

Smurfit Kappa has created an innovative and sustainable packaging solution specifically tailored for wine, to help businesses in the sector capitalise on the continued growth in eCommerce wine sales. The new solution holds Amazon’s ‘Frustration-Free Packaging’ (FFP) certification, which is a world first for a generic packaging solution that caters for different case counts and wine bottle types. The eCommerce wine sector has seen a significant increase in sales since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Shopping for wine online has been hailed as the next big consumer trend with market research company Euromonitor reporting a 52% increase in online wine sales between 2019 and 2021.
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RWE and Koehler Paper Sign Green Power Agreement

RWE Supply & Trading and Koehler Paper have agreed on a long-term green power supply of up to 175,000 megawatt hours per year. The green power certificates come from the Dutch 54-megawatt Waddenwind wind farm in the Groningen region, which has been connected to the grid since the beginning of the year. RWE Supply & Trading combines the certificates of origin into a green power supply and integrates them into Koehler Paper's procurement portfolio. Thanks to this contract, production at Koehler Paper’s Kehl site is largely climate-neutral. “By taking this step, we are saving around 100,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. We are thus underlining our claim to carry the concept of sustainability through the entire value chain of our paper production,” says Dr. Stefan Karrer, Chief Operating Officer of the Koehler Group. The family-owned company has set itself the goal of producing in a climate-friendly manner and thus making a contribution to the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. Koehler is sticking to these goals, despite the enormous unexpected challenges resulting from the current energy crisis. “We are pleased to support Koehler Paper in the realisation of its sustainability strategy,” says Dr Hendrik Niebaum, Head of Commodity Solutions at RWE Supply & Trading. “The demand for CO₂-free electricity supplies from renewable sources is growing strongly. The cooperation with Koehler Paper and Waddenwind shows the potential in the European market.” The contract has a term of ten years and is valid from 2023.
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Sappi announces record earnings

Financial summary for the quarter and full year: *EBITDA excluding special items - For the quarter US$391 million (Q4 FY21 US$177 million); For the year US$1,339 million (FY21 US$532 million) *Profit for the period - For the quarter US$26 million (Q4 FY21 US$35 million); For the year US$536 million (FY21 US$13 million) *EPS excluding special items - For the quarter 44 US cents (Q4 FY21 11 US cents); For the year 138 US cents (FY21 15 US cents) *Net debt US$1,163 million (FY21 US$1,946 million)
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News Corp Reports First Quarter Results for Fiscal 2023

Fiscal 2023 First Quarter Key Financial Highlights *Revenues in the quarter were $2.48 billion, a 1% decrease compared to $2.50 billion in the prior year, driven by a $153 million, or 6%, negative impact from foreign currency fluctuations and lower Book Publishing segment revenues. Adjusted Revenues increased 3% *Net income in the quarter was $66 million compared to $267 million in the prior year *Total Segment EBITDA in the quarter was $350 million compared to $410 million in the prior year
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IAC Reports Q3-2022 Results

* Dotdash Meredith Digital revenue was $221 million and Print revenue was $251 million. Pro Forma revenue decreased 19% due to 13% Digital declines and 24% Print declines. o Operating loss of $95 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $31 million in Q3 2022 reflect restructuring charges and transaction-related items associated with the acquisition of Meredith ($25 million impacting operating loss and $18 million impacting Adjusted EBITDA) * Angi Inc. revenue increased 8% year-over-year to $498 million and operating loss improved to $11 million (compared to a loss of $15 million in Q3 2021) and Adjusted EBITDA increased 85% to $23 million. o Angi Ads and Leads revenue increased 7% year-over-year, the second consecutive quarter of growth o Angi Services revenue was $132 million, increasing 12% year-over-year * Emerging & Other revenue increased 7% year-over-year to $181 million reflecting: o 13% growth from Care.com o 77% growth from Vivian Health * IAC repurchased approximately 367,000 shares at an average price of $71.56 in Q3 2022.
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Tabor City Expands Air Filtration Packaging Program With 77,000-Square-Foot Facility

We’re excited to announce the expansion of our air filtration packaging program with the addition of our new 77,000-square-foot facility in Tabor City, North Carolina! The air filtration industry is experiencing record demand… we’re here to help it with custom die-cutting, folding, gluing, and printing capabilities. Atlantic can produce nearly any design you need for your filter frames, whether that involves standard tooling or complex die cuts. Over the last 25 years, we have developed what we believe to be the premier program of products to supply the air filtration industry.
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Greif to Acquire Lee Container

Greif, Inc. announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Lee Container Corporation, Inc. (“Lee Container” or “Lee”), an industry-leading manufacturer of high-performance barrier and conventional blow molded containers, for a purchase price of $300 million before taking into consideration tax benefits with an estimated net present value of approximately $30 million. The all-cash transaction will be funded through Greif’s existing credit facility and is expected to close by the end of the calendar year, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances. Lee Container is a leader in North American blow molded jerrycan production, primarily serving growth-oriented customers in the agrochemical, other specialty chemicals, oil & lubricant, and pet care segments. Lee Container operates three strategically positioned manufacturing facilities in Homerville, GA, Centerville, IA, and Nacogdoches, TX, with over 500 employees throughout the U.S. For the trailing twelve months ended September 30, 2022, Lee generated sales of $162 million and adjusted EBITDA of $33 million. Additionally, as part of the acquisition, Greif expects to realize approximately $6 million in synergies within the first two years of ownership.
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GreenFirst Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter of 2022

Third Quarter of 2022 Highlights *Third quarter 2022 (“Q3 2022”) net loss was $23.3 million or a $0.13 loss per share (diluted), compared to net earnings of $30.7 million or $0.16 per share in the second quarter of 2022 (“Q2 2022”). This quarter marked the one-year point for the Company operating its acquired forest- products assets. *Lumber continued to experience price volatility in Q3 2022, with an average selling price of $780/ mfbm compared to $1,255/mfbm in Q2 2022. Steeply rising interest rates and inflation reduced demand for lumber products from the second quarter onward, and remain a concern impacting US housing starts and homebuilders’ confidence. *On September 23, 2022, the Company entered into a credit agreement with a tier-1 Canadian bank for up to $140.0 million consisting of a term loan of $15.0 million and an asset-backed revolving credit facility of up to $125.0 million (collectively, the “Credit Facility”). This refinancing replaced a high yield secured term loan (US$87.3 million outstanding at extinguishment)and a $65.0 million asset-backed loan facility (undrawn at time of extinguishment). *On November 7, 2022, the Company announced the sale of its 203,000 acres of private forest land south of Kapuskasing, Ontario, to a third party for cash proceeds of $49.2 million.
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Georgia-Pacific Wins the American Forest & Paper Association Better Practices, Better Planet 2030 Innovation in Sustainability Award for Juno® Technology

Georgia-Pacific is honored to be recognized with an Innovation in Sustainability award for Juno® Technology. The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) announced its Better Practices, Better Planet 2030 Sustainability Award winners, recognizing exemplary sustainability programs and initiatives in the paper and wood products manufacturing industry. “This is the first year we are presenting awards in alignment with our new Better Practices, Better Planet 2030 sustainability goals and statement of principles on diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. “It is exciting to see examples of these goals in action.” Juno Technology is Georgia-Pacific’s breakthrough solution to waste diversion and resource recovery. It is a proven economical and socially responsible solution that can increase recycling and recovery across the U.S. and around the globe. “At Georgia-Pacific, we prioritize the development of new technologies that help us use fewer resources, minimize waste, and improve the environmental performance of our products and processes,” said Christer Henriksson, President of Juno, at Georgia-Pacific.
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Norske Skog Skogn enters into a new long-term energy contract with Statkraft

Norske Skog Skogn and Statkraft have entered into a new long-term industrial energy agreement, which together with previous contracts, will secure large parts of the mill's energy supply on competitive terms until 2030. - This agreement will give the Skogn mill stable energy supply at predictable and acceptable prices. The agreement contributes to secure jobs and the long-term competitiveness of Skogn. At the same time, this is important for the forest sector in Central Norway, says Sven Ombudstvedt, CEO of Norske Skog and chairman of Norske Skog Skogn AS.
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UPM Raflatac receives RecyClass recognitions for pressure sensitive labels for PP and HDPE packaging recycling

UPM Raflatac has received recognitions from RecyClass for multiple label products* with different adhesive technologies. The granted recognitions expand UPM Raflatac’s portfolio of RecyClass recognized PE (polyethylene) label materials and extends the portfolio to include PP (polypropylene) label materials. Both the PE and PP materials are recognized to be recycling compatible with colored HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) and PP packages. This means that the PE and PP labels can be recycled either in PP or HDPE colored recycling streams. The recognition for the PP recycling stream compatibility is first of its kind in the world. “At UPM Raflatac we are working towards a more sustainable and circular future. One big part of this is making consumer plastic packaging recyclable. We are proud that we are the first self-adhesive label company to provide RecyClass approved recycling compatible labeling solutions for PP packaging. According to extensive, independent testing done by Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE), our unprinted labels have had limited impact on the recycling quality on both PP and HDPE colored recycling streams. This proves that our labels don’t hinder the recycling process or recyclate quality,” says Katja Kivelä, Business Director, Food and HPC, Films & Specials SBU EMEIA, UPM Raflatac.
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RRD Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results

*GAAP net sales, including the impact of foreign exchange, increased $113 million or 8.9%; *GAAP net income from continuing operations was up $26 million versus the prior year period *Cash used in operating activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $221 million compared to $29 million in the prior year period; current year results reflect working capital investments due to increased volume and inflation in addition to $80 million of merger related payments *Gross leverage ratio of 3.2x improved 0.5x from September 30, 2021; net leverage ratio of 2.7x improved 0.4x from the same period last year
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SG360° Leans on Ultimate Impostrip® to Scale Up VDP Productivity (whattheythink.com)

Ultimate TechnoGraphics, leader in imposition and finishing automation software, is proud to work with SG360°, one of the top Direct Mail printing companies in North America. In a recently filmed customer testimonial by Inkish.tv, SG360° explains how they impose and produce thousands of print-ready files daily for their entire digital printing division across multiple plants using Ultimate Impostrip®. By implementing Ultimate Impostrip®, SG360° has grown their print business and now runs approximately 13-20 million clicks per month in total and 98% is variable data printing (VDP). As with anything, there are a range of variables that influence growth potential. For over 65 years, SG360° has thrived by responding to the changing needs of their diverse client base. What started as a regional commercial printer is today a national, industry-leading provider of direct marketing solutions. John Zawisza, Director of Digital Operations at SG360°, implemented Ultimate Impostrip® years ago when they started receiving larger variable jobs. Since then, he has witnessed the impact of this breakthrough technology in all areas of the business. The solution has grown and scaled with the company throughout the years and plays a key role in their print workflow.
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Expanding Innovation: Heeter Grows Its Business by 25% by Embracing Digital and Personalization

Heeter, a full-service provider of secure print, direct mail, and fulfillment solutions, announced the formal opening of its next-generation Digital Print Center, a $4M investment that signifies the impact its growing digital print operation is delivering for its customer base. Serving industries such as healthcare, insurance, gaming, retail, pharmaceutical and education, Heeter has successfully transferred 60% of its operations to digital over the past 5 years. This has resulted in: *A 65% increase in capacity *35% reduction in turnaround times *25% more energy efficient *Over 80 new customers in the last 4 years
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PIA and GAA Consolidate as Print & Graphic Communications Association (whattheythink.com)

Printing Industries Alliance (PIA) and the Graphic Arts Association (GAA) have announced a consolidation that forms one of the nation’s largest regional trade associations for the printing industry. The combined organization will launch officially on January 1, 2023 as the Print & Graphic Communications Association (PGCA). PIA represents printing companies and related businesses in New York State, northern New Jersey, and northwestern Pennsylvania. GAA’s region spans Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware. Combining the two bases gives PGCA 430 members in one of the world’s top markets for print and graphic services. Several years in the making, the merger was approved this summer by the two groups’ boards of directors and finalized by a vote of the members in the fall.
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Humanity Marketing: Combining Data and Emotions to Make Powerful Human Connections (jschmid.com)

Join Us For An ANA Exclusive Webinar - Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 10:00am Central. Think data is only about numbers? Think again. Data insights have proven that making a true human connection based on emotions is far more effective than relying on data and logic alone. In fact, if you’re only relying on data to make marketing decisions, your brand is likely getting left behind. Consumers say that 80% of the brands they buy from don’t matter to them. See how data and analytics is proving that a more HUMAN approach is far more effective.
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ePac Flexible Packaging Announces ePacONE (One Network Everywhere)

ePac Flexible Packaging announced the launch of ePacONE (One Network Everywhere), creating the world’s first and largest integrated network of packaging plants across the globe. ePacONE was developed by ePac to serve all brands, large and small, regardless of run-length. With ePacONE, ePac is committed to continue to innovate in the flexible packaging space by extending its unique value proposition to all brands. Customers of any size will now benefit from ePac’s industry leading Just-In-Time manufacturing capabilities across the globe, short lead time (5-15 business days once artwork is approved) and other engagement solutions (such as ePacConnect) at competitive prices whatever the order size. ePacONE is a one-of-kind proprietary cloud-based manufacturing platform which enables all ePac locations to be connected and managed as a single manufacturing plant. With ONE, jobs are automatically produced at the optimum locations based on proximity to customer, size, plant capabilities, and capacity. ONE also enables ePac to split jobs and produce them simultaneously in multiple locations.
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Pactiv Evergreen Reports Third Quarter 2022 Financial Results

Third Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights: *Net Revenues of $1,609 million for the third quarter of 2022 were down 2% compared to $1,640 million in the second quarter of 2022 with 3% attributed to volume decline, partially offset by 2% growth due to price/mix. Net revenues were up 15% compared to $1,394 million in the third quarter of 2021 with attributions of 17% growth due to price/mix and 8% growth due to acquisitions, partially offset by 8% volume decline and 2% decline due to dispositions. *Net Income from continuing operations was $175 million for the third quarter of 2022 compared to $74 million in the second quarter of 2022 and $2 million in the third quarter of 2021.
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Amcor investment in PulPac fiber technology to accelerate global deployment of innovative paper packaging

Amcor has announced its investment of US$3 million in PulPac, a Swedish company providing disruptive manufacturing technology for low-cost, high-performance fiber-based packaging. Amcor is one of several strategic investors in a cross-industry alliance aimed at driving the deployment of PulPac’s technology globally. PulPac is a pioneering, innovation-led company focused on developing its dry-molded fiber technology for use as a viable, sustainable option for the packaging industry. This solution uses raw materials readily found globally, manufactured using an innovative process that requires significantly less resources, which reduces CO2 emissions by 80%, compared to existing processes. This cross-industry investment will support PulPac’s global commercialization ambitions, enabling the company to deploy its solutions across markets and provide the potential for applications in Amcor’s own product ranges.
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Wynnchurch Invests in Nekoosa, Growing Appvion Platform

Appvion, a Wynnchurch Capital, L.P. portfolio company, announced the addition of Nekoosa Coated Products, LLC to the platform. Headquartered in Nekoosa, Wisconsin, Nekoosa is a leading provider of specialty engineered materials for the graphics and commercial print markets in North America and Europe. Laurie Andriate, CEO of Appvion, said in a statement, “We are bringing together two great companies with complementary businesses and capabilities to accelerate growth and create additional value for our customers. I’m excited to welcome the Nekoosa team to Appvion.” “I’m excited for our teams as we move forward and write a new chapter together,” said Paul Charapata, CEO of Nekoosa. “We know each other well and will build upon our long history to proudly produce innovative products that help all our stakeholders succeed.”
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Paraná increases pulp and paper exports by 21% with Klabin’s mega logistics operation

Paraná exported more than one million tons of paper and pulp between January and July 2022, a growth of 21% compared to the same period in 2021. The consolidated number of 1,091,752 tons , according to data from SECEX (Special Secretariat for Foreign Trade and International Affairs), it is strongly encouraged by Klabin, which a year ago began its mega operation to transport and export the production of the Puma II Project via the port of Paranaguá, including an investment of more than R$ 300 million at the Ortigueira Railway Terminal, in partnership with Brado and TCP, capable of transporting 125 thousand tons of pulp and paper in containers per month, connecting the Puma Unit to the port. Positioning itself today as the 5th largest exporting state of paper and cellulose in Brazil, Paraná has Klabin as the main company operating in the segment. The recent expansion of the Puma II, the result of R$ 12.9 billion of investments, considered the largest private investment in the state, started its production and exportation in 2021, and already represents 6% of the total loads of paper and pulp shipped by the region. in the year 2022.
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Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Mill Supports Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue

It is with great appreciation to their dedicated and committed volunteers that the Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Mill recently presented a $1,500 donation to the Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue (SCSAR) – a fantastic non-profit organization. The SCSAR relies on donations to maintain a state of readiness and help conduct life-saving operations within our community. Thank you for the work you do!
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“Digibook Technology” Uses Printing Paper from Koehler Paper for Promo Book

The company “Digibook Technology” chooses ICEWHITE IQ® from Koehler for the new edition of its promo book. Digital printing paper is ideally suited for machines developed by “Digibook Technology” for industrial book production as well as full-page printing. “Digibook Technology” is an ever-expanding medium-sized company based in Switzerland. For over 10 years, the company has been a leading provider of innovative machine program solutions for cost-effective, fully automated production of digitally printed hardcover books in short runs. “The digital printing paper from Koehler Paper impresses in this area with perfect processing properties and optimal quality for digitally printed applications,” says Jens Krüger, Sales and Partnering Manager at “Digibook Technology”.
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Fazer’s chocolate Christmas calendar reduces plastic use

Fazer is launching a chocolate Christmas calendar made from lightweight and recyclable dispersion coated paperboard from Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group. The choice of material will reduce plastic use by 1,200 kg per year compared to the PE coated board used previously and will also improve recycling of the calendar. The wood fibre used in Fazer's Christmas calendar can be fully recycled. The lightweight paperboard used in the calendar supports the circular economy and reduces waste. Thanks to the lightweight and resource-efficient design, the carbon footprint of the calendar carton is also one quarter lower than the previous one. "Climate change mitigation and the circular economy are important themes for Fazer." says Piia Soininen-Tengvall, Packaging Development Director at Fazer. "Chocolate calendars need a layer to protect the chocolate, which is usually plastic. This year we are replacing the PE coated material with recyclable Metsä Board paperboard."
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Another rail union OKs deal, raising hope of averting strike (chicagotribune.com)

Another one of the 12 railroad unions narrowly approved its deal with the major freight railroads Saturday, offering some hope that the contract dispute might be resolved without a strike even though two other unions rejected their agreements last month. Now that 52% of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers members who voted approved their deal, seven railroad unions have ratified contracts that include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses, but all 12 have to approve contracts to prevent a strike.
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Amcor reports strong first quarter fiscal 2023 result

Highlights - Three Months Ended September 30, 2022•Net sales of $3,712 million, up 9%;•GAAP Net income of $232 million, up 15%; GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of 15.5 cps, up 18%;•Adjusted EPS of 18.1 cps, up 10% on a comparable constant currency basis;•Adjusted EBIT of $392 million, up 9% on a comparable constant currency basis;• Quarterly dividend increased to 12.25 cents per share.
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GreenFirst sells interest in private forest land for $49.25 million

GreenFirst Forest Products Inc. is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, GreenFirst Forest Products (QC) Inc. has entered into an agreement to sell its interest in approximately 203,000 acres of private forest land to Perimeter Forest Limited Partnership for cash consideration totaling $49.25 million. The Property is located in the boreal forest south of Kapuskasing, Ontario. “The sale of these lands will allow Perimeter to foster long term ecosystem benefits on the Property and unlocks hidden value for GreenFirst shareholders.” Daniel Andres, Perimeter’s Chief Operating Officer noted that “GreenFirst’s legacy of good stewardship of the land combined with its attractive ecological features were value drivers for Perimeter”.
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Ahlstrom invests in South America to support filtration customers with a new lamination capability

Ahlstrom perpetuates its 50-year commitment and support to the global Filtration industry by investing EUR 2 million in a new laminator at Louveira plant, Brazil. With a planned installation in 2023, the equipment is expected to be fully operational by Q1 2024. This strategic growth initiative will expand manufacturing capabilities at Louveira plant. It reinforces our ambition in local and regional filtration markets by offering customers shorter lead-times and improved local technical support.
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Stora Enso Imatra Mills’ wood handling upgrade reaches completion – water consumption will decrease by 85 per cent

Stora Enso invested EUR 80 million to centralise and modernise wood handling at Imatra Mills to enhance its production capabilities for premium packaging board. The investment will additionally reduce the consumption of process water and mitigate environmental impacts. The project, which started up in the first quarter of 2021, is now complete. The modernisation of Imatra Mills’ wood handling was completed on schedule. From now on, wood will be debarked and handled centrally on Kaukopää Mill’s new debarking line. The project included the installation of a third debarking line, improvements to chip handling systems, and modifications to the infrastructure of the existing wood yard. The centralised and modernised wood handling capacity will improve the stability and efficiency of the process.
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Mondi provides sustainable eCommerce packaging solutions for MODIVO SA

Mondi has been appointed as the exclusive packaging provider for one of Europe’s largest fashion enterprises. Following a product trial earlier this year, Mondi will support MODIVO in switching from the standard rigid packaging currently used in the distribution of the e-retailer’s full collection of shoes, bags and clothes. Explaining the move, Łukasz Boguszewski from MODIVO company says: “Mondi was able to improve our packaging considerably and support us in reaching our sustainability goals. The Mondi portfolio offers solutions that are fit for purpose, using less space and material, while still protecting the goods on their way to our customers. Not only is this shift more environmentally friendly and cost-effective for our business, but it also reflects our commitment to meeting our customers’ expectations and consistently improving their experience.”
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Ready to Mail? 3 Ways to Be Sure.

In a digital-facing world, any brand would be smart to think twice before adding print into the mix. And yet, several times a month we get inquiries from wholesale companies or online brands interested in testing mail for the first time. What would compel them to consider print? They reach out because they understand that, if executed correctly, print can add significant dollars to their bottom line, driving customers and prospects to their website or store. There are many reasons why print still works. To find out why this intrusive, tactile, personalized tactic works check out our blog at https://www.jschmid.com/blog/ready-to-mail-3-ways-to-be-sure/
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Resolute Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results

Resolute Forest Products Inc. reported net income of $87 million, or $1.11 per diluted share, for the quarter ended September 30, compared to net income of $80 million, or $0.99 per diluted share, in the same period in 2021. Sales were $974 million in the quarter, an increase of $157 million from the year-ago period. Excluding special items, the company reported net income of $85 million, or $1.08 per diluted share, compared to net income of $67 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2021. The company reported operating income of $124 million in the quarter, compared to $217 million in the second quarter. The $93 million reduction reflects lower realized prices in wood products ($185 million), partially offset by higher prices in the pulp, paper and tissue segments ($48 million), higher shipments in wood products ($40 million) and lower manufacturing costs ($12 million). The company also recorded higher selling, general and administrative expenses ($17 million), reflecting a higher share-based compensation expense and costs incurred in relation with the acquisition by the Paper Excellence Group.
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The New York Times Company Reports Third-Quarter 2022 Results

The New York Times Company announced thirdquarter 2022 diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $.22 compared with $.32 in the same period of 2021. Adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations (defined below) was $.21 in the third quarter of 2022 compared with $.23 in the third quarter of 2021. Operating profit increased to $51.0 million in the third quarter of 2022 from $49.0 million in the same period of 2021 as higher digital subscription revenues at The New York Times Group segment more than offset expected operating losses at The Athletic Media Company (“The Athletic”). Adjusted operating profit (defined below) increased to $69.0 million from $65.1 million in the prior year, as a result of the same drivers. Adjusted operating profit at The New York Times Group segment increased to $78.6 million from $65.1 million as digital subscription revenues more than offset lower print subscription, print advertising and other revenues. See “Key Highlights” on the following page for additional metrics.
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Quad Reports Third Quarter and Year-to-Date 2022 Results

Recent Highlights *Achieved sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth as Net Sales increased 18% in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the third quarter of 2021 due to print segment share gains, increased pricing in response to inflationary cost pressures, and increased sales in the Company’s international locations. *Recognized Net Earnings of $14 million in both the third quarter of 2022 and 2021, with 2021 Net Earnings including non-recurring gains of $18 million, net of tax, from a property insurance claim and a sale and leaseback of a production facility. *Repurchased 3.1 million shares of Quad Class A common stock for $10 million year-to-date, representing more than 5% of Quad’s outstanding shares.
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Seaman Paper grows printing and converting capacity with the acquisition of Eagle Tissue LLC

Seaman Paper Company is pleased to announce the acquisition of South Windsor, Connecticut-based Eagle Tissue LLC, a provider of tissue paper printing and converting services. “We believe this acquisition will greatly improve the service and production capabilities of both Seaman and Eagle, and we expect our customers to benefit from this enhancement,” said Ken Winterhalter, CEO of Seaman Paper. “Importantly, the team at Eagle Tissue shares our passion for people and the planet, and their hard work and dedication to customer relationships align perfectly with our core values at Seaman Paper.” “We are excited to join such an incredible team of like-minded people. We have grown our business and partnerships over the last 26 years, and I believe this is the perfect next step for Eagle,” added Bob Costa, CEO of Eagle Tissue.
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USPS Reports Strong Performance Through October; Ready for Holiday Season

FY2023 first quarter service performance scores covering Oct. 1 through Oct. 28 included: *First-Class Mail: 92.4 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a slight decrease of 0.7 percentage points from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Marketing Mail: 94.3 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal fourth quarter. *Periodicals: 86.6 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with performance from the fiscal fourth quarter.
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Gannett Announces Third Quarter 2022 Results

Third Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights: • Total revenues of $717.9 million decreased 10.3% compared to the third quarter of 2021 ◦ Same store revenues(2) decreased 9.0% compared to the third quarter of 2021 • Total digital revenues were $256.4 million or 35.7% of total revenues, down 2.3% over the same period in the prior year on a same store(2) basis mainly as a result of weakness in digital media year-over-year • Net loss attributable to Gannett of $54.1 million, a loss margin of 7.5% • Cash provided by operating activities of $31.3 million • Free cash flow(2) of $18.6 million
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PEFC Austria raises awareness for sustainable forestry

Under the theme ”Das g’fallt dem Wald” (“The forest likes that“), PEFC Austria concluded their successful multimedia campaign, raising awareness for the role of sustainable forestry in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the contribution that each of us can make. The message was clear: the PEFC label assures consumers that wood-based products come from sustainably managed forests. Choosing products carrying the label means contributing to healthy forests and active climate protection. One of the highlights of the campaign was PEFC Austria’s participation in the "INITIATIVE2030 - live the goals" project. The voluntary, non-profit information initiative publicises and disseminates the core contents of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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Sonoco Reports Strong Third Quarter 2022 Results

Third Quarter 2022 Highlights *Third-quarter results exceeded the high end of guidance *Announced the Skjern Paper acquisition to expand production capacity in Europe *Launched state-of-the-art uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) #10 machine in the Hartsville Mill Complex *Released updated Corporate Responsibility Report highlighting commitments to ESG initiatives *Continued progress on strategic priorities which are expected to benefit financial results in 2023 and beyond
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SEE Reports Q3 2022 Results

*Net sales of $1.4 billion, flat as reported; up 5% constant currency *Net earnings of $133 million, up 23% *Earnings per share (Diluted) of $0.91, up 28% *Cash flow from operations (year to date) of $321 million, down 15% *Accelerating growth investments - CapEx of $184 million, up 19%, in 2022
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SEE to Acquire Liquibox

SEE announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Liquibox, a pioneer, innovator and manufacturer of Bag-in-Box sustainable Fluids & Liquids packaging and dispensing solutions for fresh food, beverage, consumer goods and industrial end-markets. This acquisition is highly complementary to Cryovac Fluids & Liquids business, the fastest growing area for SEE. Fluids & Liquids flexible packaging solutions are a $7 Billion addressable potential revenue opportunity with an attractive projected annual growth rate of approximately 6%.
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Atlantic Expands National Footprint with Facility Outside of Las Vegas

We’re pleased to announce the opening of our new 34,000 square foot facility in Henderson, Nevada, which will further support our growing West Coast customer base as well as the continued adoption of sustainable packaging alternatives. Located just outside of Las Vegas, the facility serves as a new shipping point for Atlantic Packaging customers in addition to operating as a showroom and shipping hub for A New Earth Project, a coalition powered by Atlantic Packaging comprised of outdoor enthusiasts, brands, and packaging suppliers leading a global effort to create, scale, and advocate for sustainable packaging solutions.
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Greif Announces Investment in Recycling Facilities

Greif’s Paper Packaging and Services (PPS) business has announced two significant investments in its recycling operations to support its growth strategy in sustainable paper packaging solutions. A new 81,000-square-foot paper recycling facility for collecting, processing, and baling has opened in Florence, Kentucky, bringing Greif’s total number of recycling facilities across North America to 19. In addition, Greif has more than doubled the size of its paper fiber recycling plant in Nashville, Tennessee, to enhance efficiency and support accelerated growth. The expanded facility covers a floor space of 72,000 square feet. Both plants are located in areas where demand for a collection of waste fiber and the supply of recycled paper and board is experiencing continued growth.
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Jeff Davidson Named President of Midwest Publication and Commercial Printer, Modern Litho

Modern Litho, Inc., a publication and commercial printer based in Jefferson City, Missouri announces Jeff Davidson has been named President of Modern Litho-Print Co. as of November 1, 2022. As a member of the ownership group, Davidson has served as the Vice President of Corporate Strategy over the past six years and previously as General Manager of Brown Printing, a subsidiary of Modern Litho, Inc. He has been integral to the overall growth strategy of the company taking the lead on the last three major acquisitions: James Printing in Kansas City (2018), Mulligan Printing in St. Louis (2020) and Watkins Lithographic in Kansas City (2021). Another significant component of his role has been managing special projects which have included: new technology and equipment evaluation, human resources and employee relations, as well as product and service expansions and diversification. In 2014, he was recognized as a Top 20 under 40 printing executive by Printing Impressions. Since then, he has served on printing industry advisory boards and local nonprofit boards, most recently as the Chairman for the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce.
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Supremex Announces Strategic Acquisition in the United States

Supremex Inc. announced the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Royal Envelope Corporation (“Royal”), an envelope manufacturer and lithography company located in Chicago. This transaction was concluded for a total cash consideration of US$18.7 million on a cash-free and debt-free basis plus US$2.0 million for manufacturing equipment that was recently commissioned. “We are very excited with this acquisition that expands our reach in the fragmented U.S. envelope market and gives us a significant manufacturing presence in the U.S. Midwest,” said Stewart Emerson, President and CEO of Supremex. “Royal has established itself as one of the preeminent direct mail envelope manufacturers in North America, utilizing a modern fleet of envelope converting equipment, in-house lithographic printing and embellishing, targeting the financial services sector. We expect this acquisition will generate significant synergies and additional operating efficiencies throughout our network. We are pleased that John, Matt and Mike Pusatera will remain with the Supremex team.”
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Interfor Reports Q3’22 Results

Interfor Corporation recorded Net earnings in Q3’22 of $3.5 million, or $0.06 per share, compared to $269.9 million, or $4.92 per share in Q2’22 and $65.6 million, or $1.05 per share in Q3’21. Adjusted net earnings in Q3’22 were $31.5 million compared to $280.2 million in Q2’22 and $46.7 million in Q3’21.
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Canfor Reports Results for Third Quarter of 2022

Overview • Q3 2022 reported operating income of $108.6 million; quarterly sales of $1.7 billion • Downward pressure on global lumber market fundamentals and pricing following highs earlier in the year • Reduced Western Canadian operating schedules & European seasonal downtime led to lower shipments • Strong global pulp fundamentals & improved pulp production following capital-related downtime • Shareholder net income of $87.4 million, or $0.71 per share
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Threat of nationwide rail strike grows (chainstoreage.com)

A union representing 6,000 rail workers, said its members have voted against ratifying the tentative contract that was brokered between rail companies, unions and the Biden administration in September. The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen is the second union to reject the White House-brokered agreement. Earlier this month, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the Teamsters rejected the tentative contract over frustration with compensation and working conditions, with the biggest issue being a lack of paid sick days. The unions that voted down the agreement have vowed to continue negotiations at least until Nov. 19, when a strike could potentially occur, although the timeline is uncertain.
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Suzano Reports Q3-2022 Results

HIGHLIGHTS • Pulp sales of 2,797 thousand tons (+5% vs. 3Q21). • Paper sales³ of 331 thousand tons (-2% vs. 3Q21). • Average net pulp price in export market: US$821/ton (+25% vs. 3Q21). • Average net paper price3 of R$6,905/ton (+40% vs. 3Q21). • Pulp cash cost ex-downtime of R$883/ton (+24% vs. 3Q21). • Leverage ratio declines to 2.1 times in USD and 2.2 times in BRL, despite the investment cycle. • Cerrado Project completes 31% of physical progress and 24% of financial progress
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Amazon.com Announces Third Quarter Results

*Net sales increased 15% to $127.1 billion in the third quarter, compared with $110.8 billion in third quarter 2021. Excluding the $5.0 billion unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, net sales increased 19% compared with third quarter 2021. *Operating income decreased to $2.5 billion in the third quarter, compared with $4.9 billion in third quarter 2021. *Net income decreased to $2.9 billion in the third quarter, or $0.28 per diluted share, compared with $3.2 billion, or $0.31 per diluted share, in third quarter 2021. *Operating cash flow decreased 27% to $39.7 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $54.7 billion for the trailing twelve months ended September 30, 2021.
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Grainger Reports Results for the Third Quarter 2022

Third Quarter Highlights *Delivered sales of $3.9 billion, up 16.9%, compared to the third quarter of 2021 on a reported and daily basis; up 20.3% on a daily, constant currency basis *Expanded gross margin by 145 bps compared to the third quarter of 2021 *Generated operating earnings of $603 million, up 37.6%, resulting in diluted EPS of $8.27, an increase of 46.4% versus the third quarter of 2021 *Produced $380 million in operating cash flow and returned $286 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases
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FSC extends validity of FSC policy responses to COVID-19

All COVID-19 derogations and interpretations are now valid through 30 April 2023. In response to the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic, FSC has extended the validity of all COVID-19 related derogations and interpretations. These derogations and interpretations have been published in a single volume, together with related frequently asked questions. FSC will continue to monitor the situation and may either invalidate the derogations and interpretations prior to that date or may further extend the validity date before expiry of the COVID-19 derogations and interpretations.
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Crown Honors Three of Its Facilities for Outstanding Sustainability Performance

Winners of the 2022 awards, which cover achievements in 2021, are as follows: The Environmental Sustainability Award recognizes excellence in environmental protection by minimizing the impact of the Company's operations, reducing material consumption or improving recycling or reuse. Our Chihuahua, Mexico beverage glass plant received this award for saving over 15.5 million gallons of water and improving the quality of the facility's wastewater. The Dahej, India plant in Crown's Transit Packaging Division received the Sustainability Award for Safety for its comprehensive approach to workplace safety and extensive track record of incident-free days – which currently stands at 2,342, or approximately six-and-a-half years. Crown's Conroe, Texas beverage can plant received the Social Sustainability Award, which recognizes activities that significantly impact the well-being of the workforce and/or the local community. The team has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to their community by participating in mentorship programs, food drives, job fairs and many other volunteer opportunities.
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Holmen and SCA evaluates a new sawmill in Rundvik

Holmen and SCA have decided to initiate a pre-study to evaluate the viability of building a new, large-scale sawmill together in the northern Swedish community of Rundvik in the county of Västerbotten. The pre-study, which only concerns a production cooperation at the Rundvik Sawmill, is set to begin straight away and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2023. Holmen produces sawn and refined wood products for joinery, construction and builders’ merchants. Following the acquisition of Martinsons in 2020, Holmen also offer customised solutions in CLT and glulam for climate-smart, large-scale wood construction.
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Metsä Board commences the acquisition of company’s own shares

The Board of Directors of Metsä Board Corporation has decided to launch a share buyback of company’s own shares. The number of shares to be acquired based on the authorisation shall not exceed 1,000,000 B shares, which corresponds to approximately 0.3% of all the shares in the company. The shares will be acquired for use as part of the company's share-based incentive system and to prepare for the remuneration of the Board. The aggregate amount to be used for the acquisition of own shares shall not exceed EUR 11,000,000. The shares are acquired in one or more lots in trading organised by NASDAQ Helsinki Oy on the regulated market at the market price valid at the time of acquisition. The shares shall be acquired and paid for in accordance with the rules of NASDAQ Helsinki Oy and Euroclear Finland Oy.
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Paper Excellence Group and Resolute Announce Intention to Sell Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper Mill

The Paper Excellence Group and Resolute Forest Products Inc. announced their intention to sell Resolute's Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill to further facilitate the regulatory review process. "Today's announcement is a clear demonstration of our commitment to timely complete the acquisition of Resolute," said Patrick Loulou, vice chair and chief strategy officer of the Paper Excellence Group. "This is a very hard thing to do, but we believe it is necessary in order to accelerate our strategic combination with the Paper Excellence Group," stated Remi G. Lalonde, Resolute's president and chief executive officer. "The mill is an exceptional asset. I am confident that the dedicated and talented team in Thunder Bay will have a prosperous future with any company fortunate enough to have them as part of their organization."
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International Paper Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results

Third Quarter 2022 Highlights *Third quarter net earnings (loss) attributable to International Paper of $951 million ($2.64 per diluted share) compared with $511 million ($1.38 per diluted share) in the second quarter of 2022 and $864 million ($2.20 per diluted share) in the third quarter of 2021. Third quarter 2022 net earnings include a net after-tax benefit of $563 million ($1.56 per diluted share) related to the settlement of the previously announced timber monetization restructuring tax matter. Third quarter 2021 net earnings include a net after-tax gain of $350 million ($0.89 per diluted share) on the sale of our Kwidzyn, Poland mill. *10% year-over-year revenue growth based on strong price realization *$70 million of earnings achieved from Building a Better IP initiatives, bringing year-to-date to $175 million *Cash provided by operations of $435 million, bringing year-to-date to $1.4 billion *Returned $434 million to shareholders through share repurchases of $269 million and dividends of $165 million, bringing year-to-date to $1.6 billion
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Metsä Board’s comparable operating result in 2022 January–September was EUR 420 million

January–September 2022 (compared to 1–9/2021) *Sales were EUR 1,879.7 million (1,565.6). *The comparable operating result was EUR 420.0 million (295.3), or 22.3% of sales (18.9). Operating result was EUR 436.8 million (285.0). *Comparable earnings per share were EUR 0.90 (0.65), and earnings per share were EUR 0.94 (0.63). *Comparable return on capital employed was 23.0% (19.4). *Net cash flow from operations was EUR 161.7 million (209.8). July–September 2022 (compared to 7–9/2021) *Sales were EUR 647.3 million (516.1). *The comparable operating result was EUR 152.5 million (104.0), or 23.6% (20.1) of sales. Operating result was EUR 153.4 million (99.4). *Comparable earnings per share were EUR 0.33 (0.23), and earnings per share were EUR 0.33 (0.22). *Comparable return on capital employed was 24.7% (19.1). *Net cash flow from operations was EUR 66.4 million (59.1).
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S&P Global Reports Third Quarter Results

S&P Global reported third quarter 2022 results with reported revenue of $2.86 billion, an increase of 37% compared to the same period last year, primarily due to the inclusion of IHS Markit businesses, partially offset by declines in Ratings revenue. Continued execution drove growth across most of the Company's six divisions, while Ratings transaction revenue continues to be negatively impacted by a sharp year-over-year reduction in debt issuance. GAAP net income decreased 24% to $608 million and GAAP diluted earnings per share decreased 44% to $1.84 primarily due to the increase in shares outstanding as a result of the merger with IHS Markit. The Company plans to present strategic vision and multi-year targets at its previously announced Investor Day on December 1, 2022 in New York City. The event will be in-person by invitation, and webcast publicly.
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Americans: Ad Industry Should Be Held Liable For Greenwashing, Obstructing Climate Action (mediapost.com)

At a time when the ad industry is coming under fire from regulators, advocacy groups and grassroots organizations for helping fossil fuel companies greenwash their reputations and/or obstruct climate action, a majority of consumers believe it should be held liable for that role. That's the finding of a survey of U.S. adults conducted Monday by Pollfish for MediaPost. The survey, which was fielded in response to recent Congressional hearings on the subject, as well as an Institute for Advertising Ethics (IAE) informational webinar to help the ad industry benchmark potential threats related to its role promoting fossil fuel brands, found Americans are more concerned about the ad industry's role in obstructing climate change than simply greenwashing fossil fuel company reputations.
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The Future Of E-Commerce Mailers (twosides.info/UK)

The demand for more sustainable alternatives has driven the development of technologies designed for paper recycling programs in consumable products and packaging. Tough, affordable, recyclable and a viable alternative to single-use plastic packaging, paper e-commerce mailers like the ecoMLR are a more sustainable way to send small goods. The pros of using a paper e-commerce mailer such as the ecoMLR: *Cost savings – Lightweight to reduce postal and shipping costs *Waste reduction – More efficient with less free space & waste than cartons *Safe and Secure – Water-resistant with a secure opening *Easy to use – Self-seal is fast and simple to use and forms a water-resistant secure package *Easy to recycle – Recycle with your household paper waste *Easy on the environment – Kraft paper is made from 70% recycled paper *Premium quality – Kraft provides an ideal surface for showcasing your brand *Local Manufacture – Produced in Leeds supports British manufacturing *Advertising opportunities – Batch printing with your brand or third party offers to drive additional sales and revenue streams *Reusable – Single or multi-use designs
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