Target Reports Second Quarter 2017 Earnings

Target Corporation reported a second quarter 2017 comparable sales increase of 1.3 percent and GAAP earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations of $1.22, an increase of 14.2 percent from second quarter 2016. Second quarter adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations (Adjusted EPS) were $1.23, an increase of 0.1 percent from second quarter 2016. The attached tables provide a reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP measures. All earnings per share figures refer to diluted EPS. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Oil Halts Slide Near $48 on Signs U.S. Stockpiles Extended Drop

Futures rose 0.5 percent in New York after slipping a second session Tuesday. Inventories dropped by 9.2 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to report. If that is replicated in government data Wednesday, it would be the largest drop in almost a year. Output from Libya is rebounding as its biggest field boosts production and a port reopens. OPEC won’t clear the global glut any time soon since any increase in price continues to bolster rival production from U.S. shale, according to the International Energy Agency. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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New data suggests online retail is off to a solid start in Q3

U.S. e-commerce continues to drive growth in the retail sector, as nonstore sales jumped 11.5% in July, the U.S. Commerce Department reported today. Total retail sales increased 4.3% year over year. In the first month of the third quarter, nonstore sales adjusted for seasonal variations totaled $52.74 billion, compared with $47.31 in July 2016. The 11.5% jump in July is a significant acceleration from June, during which nonstore sales increased 9.3% over the same month last year. Nonstore sales mainly take place online, but also include other sales that take place outside of stores, including mail and telephone orders, door-to-door sales and sales through vending machines. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Ad Market Expands 5% In Q2 Despite Mass Market Weakness, Declines Among Major Media

The U.S. ad market expanded more than 5% during the second quarter, despite “mass market weakness,” and declines in some major national media, according to a quarterly update released early this morning by Pivotal Research Group analyst Brian Wieser. He notes that the market expansion continues to come primarily from digital media, as the national TV ad marketplace eroded 1% and other major media experienced “double digit declines.” Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Metsä Group started up its bioproduct mill

Metsä Group’s next-generation bioproduct mill in Äänekoski came into operation as planned on Tuesday, 15 August 2017 at 6:00 in the morning. Pulp deliveries from the new mill to customers will begin in early September 2017. The construction project was carried out as planned, in accordance with its schedule and its EUR 1.2 billion budget. Before the bioproduct mill started up, the old pulp mill in Äänekoski was shut down and its dismantling is currently in progress. The bioproduct mill will achieve its nominal capacity approximately a year after start-up. The mill will produce 1.3 million tonnes of pulp per year, along with other bioproducts such as tall oil and turpentine. New bioproducts that already complement the product concept include product gas from bark, sulphuric acid from the mill’s odorous gases, and biogas and biofuel pellets from sludge. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Corporate Press Signs Agreement to Acquire McArdle Printing Assets

Corporate Press, an employee-owned commercial printer based in Lanham, Md., has entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of McArdle Printing, of Upper Marlboro, Md., from its current owner, Bloomberg BNA. The sale includes McArdle's existing account base and some of the equipment. “We expect the transaction to close on September 30, after which Corporate Press and its subsidiary, ColorCraft, will consolidate their current 72,000-sq.-ft. Maryland and 42,000-sq.-ft. Virginia operations into McArdle’s existing 131,000-sq.-ft. facility," explains Michael Marcian, president of Corporate Press. Together, Corporate Press and Sterling, Va.-based ColorCraft of Virginia (which it acquired from the late James Mayes in 2012) comprise a total of 140 employees. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Bookstore Sales Had Small Six-Month Gain

Bookstore sales ended the first half of 2017 with a small gain over the comparable period in 2016, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales rose by $11 million over the first six months of 2016, hitting $5.06 billion, an increase of 0.2%. The small gain was driven by four consecutive months of modest sales increases in 2017 over 2016 after bookstore results had declined in January and February. In June, sales were up 1.5% over June 2016, reaching $721 million. For the entire retail segment, sales for the first half of 2017 rose 4.0% over the comparable 2016 period and were up 2.2% in June. source Publisher'sWeekly.com
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Catalyst Paper USA Price Announcement – Coated Groundwood & SC

Effective for all new and existing orders with confirmed deliveries October 1, 2017 and later, Catalyst Paper will be implementing a price increase of $1.00/cwt for the following paper products: Coated Groundwood Grades: Escanaba®; Dependoweb®; Capri®; Consoweb®. Catalyst Paper will also be implementing a price increase of $2.00/cwt for the following paper products: SC Grades: Electracal®; Electraprime®. This increase applies to all basis weights, finishes, grade extensions and related private label products.
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The Home Depot Announces Second Quarter Results

The Home Depot® reported sales of $28.1 billion for the second quarter of fiscal 2017, a 6.2 percent increase from the second quarter of fiscal 2016. Comparable store sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2017 were positive 6.3 percent, and comp sales for U.S. stores were positive 6.6 percent. Net earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2017 were $2.7 billion, or $2.25 per diluted share, compared with net earnings of $2.4 billion, or $1.97 per diluted share, in the same period of fiscal 2016. For the second quarter of fiscal 2017, diluted earnings per share increased 14.2 percent from the same period in the prior year. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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American Media, Inc. Announces Men’s Journal Circulation Increase and Additional Brand Growth Investments

American Media, Inc. announced that it was further building on its recent investment in Men’s Journal by increasing the brand’s print circulation to 1.25 million, a 66% increase as current readers of Men’s Journal and Men’s Fitness will be receiving Men’s Journal beginning with the November issue. The integration is part of a broader strategic investment in Men’s Journal that also includes a frequency increase to 12 issues per year and enhancements in both the print and digital products. The brands will continue to maintain separate digital destinations at mensjournal.com and mensfitness.com. “It’s clear, as evidenced by numerous third party research studies, that today’s affluent men are looking for, and eager to invest in, curated experiences and adventures,” said Men’s Journal Chief Revenue Officer Jay Gallagher. “AMI believes that Men’s Journal is well-positioned to meet these consumer demands by extending our national footprint and deepening our authority in this space with the addition of even more world-class editorial and the significant improvements in paper quality and trim size, so that we can continue to build on our position as the only destination for adventurous men.” Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Oil Falls by Most in Five Weeks Amid Fear of Chinese Demand Drop

Futures fell 2.5 percent in New York. China’s oil refining dropped the most in three years in July, while crude output retreated from the highest this year. Libya’s biggest oil field, Sharara, cut output by more than 30 percent because of security threats, a person familiar with the matter said. Meanwhile, the dollar strengthened, eroding the lure of commodities as a store of value. "We’re seeing some strength in the dollar, and the preponderance of news seems to be favoring the bears right now," Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at Price Futures Group Inc. in Chicago, said by telephone. "If you look at the China data this morning, when it came to the China refinery runs being down in July, that’s adding to the perception of slowing demand, and it’s offsetting the concerns about Libyan oil production." Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Fortress Paper Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results and CEO Retirement

Fortress Paper Ltd. reported 2017 second quarter operating EBITDA of $4.3 million, a decrease of $2.0 million relative to the comparative prior year period and a decrease of $3.2 million over the previous quarter. The Dissolving Pulp Segment generated operating EBITDA of $3.5 million and the Security Paper Products Segment generated operating EBITDA of $2.8 million. Corporate costs included in operating EBITDA were $2.0 million. After 36 years in the forestry industry, including nearly five years at Fortress Paper, Yvon Pelletier will be retiring from the Company effective October 1, 2017. Chadwick Wasilenkoff will re-assume the role of Chief Executive Officer and President and continue to serve as Chairman of the board. In order to facilitate a smooth transition of Mr. Pelletier’s duties and strong customer and government relationships, he has agreed to a two year consulting agreement. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Hallsta paper mill nominated for sustainability award

On November 29, the Pulp & Paper International Awards is held in Brussels. Hallsta paper mill is one of the finalists in the category “Environmental Leadership Award”, a prize awarded to a mill which has full focus on the environmental work and has shown ground-breaking sustainability efforts. We work hard with sustainability issues and we are today one of the most resource-efficient mills in our segment in Europe. Over the last three years we have invested over 20 MEUR in energy saving activities and projects. One hundred percent of the wood raw material is utilized, ninety-five percent of the fibres are used in the end product, the bark previously used as fuel at the mill is now sold for fossil-free energy production and the sludge from the effluent treatment plant is composted and sold as soil. Nothing is wasted, says mill manager Johan Abrahamsson. The investments have made it possible to run the mill without any CO2 emissions from the production process. The energy used is partly recovered as heat in the drying process. Another big advantage is the fact that all of the wood used in the process comes from sustainably managed forests and all the products are certified with the EU Ecolabel. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Oil Trades Near $49 a Barrel as Libyan Crude Supply Is Disrupted

Futures fell 0.3 percent in New York after Friday’s 0.5 percent gain. Libya’s biggest oil field cut output by more than 30 percent, a person familiar with the matter said Sunday, while the head of a union said loadings at Zueitina ceased after employees demanded better working conditions. In the U.S., drillers added three crude rigs last week, according to Baker Hughes Inc. In Libya, the Sharara field’s output has dropped to 200,000 barrels a day, the person familiar said. “After months of boosting oil production, Libya currently seems to be experiencing output disruptions,” said Michael Poulsen, an analyst at Global Risk Management Ltd. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Norske Skog: Update on recapitalization process

Norske Skog has received a well-developed recapitalization proposal from a substantial number of the secured holders of the SSN (EUR 290m, 2019) bond and the NSF (EUR 100m, 2020) loan, as detailed in the 28 July 2017 stock exchange release. Certain unsecured bondholders have further provided an alternative proposal. To further secure the financial situation of the operating business, Norske Skog is in the process of receiving a commitment letter for a EUR 16 million liquidity facility from a substantial number of the holders of the SSN and NSF. "We are very pleased that key stakeholders are willing to support the business operations of Norske Skog through liquidity facilities like the offered loans. Our paper mills are highly competitive business units with a prosperous future irrespective of the final solution to the group's capital structure. We have now secured the operating business by both relief on interest payments and this new financing, and there should be no reason to question the stability of our operating business through the refinancing" said Lars P.S. Sperre, President and CEO of Norske Skog. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Ann Inc., REI, Starbucks to Speak on Sustainability at SGIA Luncheon

Print buyers from Ann Inc., REI and Starbucks will tell print suppliers where and why sustainability figures into print buying decisions during the Brands Talking Sustainability luncheon at the 2017 SGIA Expo (New Orleans, Oct. 10-12). The luncheon takes place Tuesday, Oct. 10, 12:00-2:00 p.m., and features speakers Libra Balian, senior director, marketing operations, Ann Inc., Suzanna Eversole, manager, print production, REI and Stephen White, print production manager, Starbucks Coffee Company. “In a retail setting, marketing materials very often can’t be reused or recycled. That matters to a growing number of brands like Ann Inc., REI and Starbucks. They’re looking for print providers who understand the importance of the sustainable journey,” says Marci Kinter, VP, Government & Business Affairs, Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA). “This luncheon will explore how print suppliers can help retailers meet their sustainability objectives.” Click Read More below for more of the story.
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HarperCollins Get Global and Physical

With the e-book market showing no signs of returning to robust growth, two of HarperCollins’s main priorities in fiscal 2018 are global expansion and broadening its distribution base in North America, HC’s CEO Brian Murray told PW after the release of the publisher’s financial results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017. In the just-concluded year, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) was $199 million, 7.5% higher than in fiscal 2016, despite a decline of $10 million in sales. Several factors impacted HC’s sales performance: there was one fewer week in the fiscal 2017 than in fiscal 2016, which cost $19 million, and the company suffered from the negative impact of currency fluctuations. Murray said he was “thrilled” with fiscal 2017 from both a publishing and financial standpoint and that the continued decline in e-books isn’t a major concern at the moment. He noted that, in the North American market, gains in print book sales and digital audio made up for the drop in e-book sales and that HC’s print frontlist and backlist sales were almost strong enough to match the revenue generated in fiscal 2016 by Go Set a Watchman. Among the company’s top-selling titles in the year were Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines, and Jesus Calling and Jesus Always by Sarah Young. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Tembec pushes the limits of viscosity

After several months of laboratory work by the Research and Development team in Bordeaux France, Tembec has developed a very high viscosity cellulose grade. Just days ago, the production of this new grade, called Biofloc XV20, took place at the Tartas Specialty Cellulose mill in France. It is a tremendous success because a new world record for viscosity of a wood pulp was achieved. Tembec, the world leader in specialty cellulose for use in the production of cellulose ethers, responded to the needs of its main customers. “This new product can now compete directly with cotton linter pulp and opens new opportunities for our customers,” said Christian Ribeyrolle, Executive Vice President of the Specialty Cellulose Group. “Our customers in this segment needed a replacement for cotton linter pulp by a product which is less affected by market cycles but is of equivalent quality. Biofloc XV20 is now part of our product portfolio.” Click Read More below for additional detail.
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UPM Raflatac’s new Raflex MDO film plays integral role in Clemson University’s Phoenix Challenge Foundation entry

At this year's Phoenix Challenge Foundation college competition promoting the flexographic printing industry, Clemson University utlilized UPM Raflatac's new Raflex MDO film labels as part of their team's successful entry. Partnerships with local manufacturers are very important to the university, and with two UPM Raflatac factories less than 100 miles from Clemson's campus, collaboration has never been easier. Raflex MDO films balance the best performance properties of PP and PE for maximum functionality and shelf appeal, which was key to the team's entry. Each year, participating teams are given a prompt and must work with a client/partner to fit into their packaging and promotional needs using flexography. In this year's challenge, Clemson's client/partner was the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA). Clemson's goal was to promote the FTA to younger generations and reinforce their scholarship program. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Nordstrom Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Achieved Expectations

Total Company net sales increased 3.5 percent and comparable sales increased 1.7 percent, compared with the same quarter last year. The Company's Anniversary Sale, historically its largest event of the year, performed better than recent trends. Nordstrom continued its progress in executing its customer strategy while maintaining discipline around inventory and expenses: • As a result of the Company's ongoing efforts to provide newness and limited-distribution product to customers, Nordstrom proprietary labels represented three of the top five selling brands during the Anniversary Sale. • In executing its digital strategy, the Company delivered online sales growth of 20 percent at Nordstrom.com, reflecting its largest volume day in company history, and 27 percent at Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook. • The Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program continues to play an important role in reaching new customers and strengthening existing customer relationships. The Company has 9.4 million active Rewards customers in the U.S. and Canada, up approximately 50 percent, from 6.2 million a year ago. Sales from Nordstrom Rewards customers represented 56 percent of second quarter sales, compared with 48 percent a year ago. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Transformation and Rebirth in the Printing Industry

LSC Communications, the spin-off from RR Donnelley, has embarked on an acquisition campaign that appears to herald the fundamental transformation of LSC Communications less than a year after RR Donnelley split into three publicly traded companies. Arguably the more traditional of the three now separate companies, LSC Communications primarily prints magazines, catalogs, books, directories and retail inserts. Even its chosen name, LSC Communications ("LSC"), derives from The Lakeside Classics, the annual Christmas time publication and production of unique hardcover case-bound books. The first edition, published in 1903, was the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, followed in 1904 by a reprint of all the Presidential inaugural addresses from Washington to Lincoln, and in 1905 all those up to Teddy Roosevelt's. Published every year since, future topics focused on American history and first-person narratives. The books were never sold, only given to employees, customers and friends of the company. The highly collectible books were printed and bound, with simple cloth covers and gold leaf stamping, in the Lakeside Press building in Chicago, hence The Lakeside Classics. From this history-steeped tradition, LSC Communications was launched in 2016 and now begins anew to transform itself. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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JCPenney Reports a 1.5 Precent Increase in Total Net Sales for hte Second Quarter 2017

J. C. Penney Company, Inc. announced financial results for its fiscal second quarter ended July 29, 2017. Total net sales increased 1.5 % to $3.0 billion in the second quarter compared to $2.9 billion in the same period last year. Comparable sales declined (1.3) % for the second quarter, resulting in a positive two-year stack of 0.9 %. Marvin R. Ellison, chairman and chief executive officer said, "We are pleased to deliver a top line sales increase of 1.5 % and quarterly sequential improvement of 220 basis points in our comp sales performance in go forward stores. While broader retail remains challenged, we are encouraged by the improved performance in our total apparel business, including a significant acceleration in kids' apparel. Nearly all categories delivered improved sales results during the quarter, with our growth initiatives in beauty, home refresh and omnichannel continuing to deliver positive sales growth." Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Bauer Media: January – June 2017 Magazine ABCs

Bauer Magazine Media publishes some of the world’s best-known and most loved magazines delivering entertaining, engaging and inspirational content for readers and significant reach for advertisers. Bauer Media is the UK’s leading consumer magazine publisher by total copies sold and Retail Sales Value. HIGHLIGHTS THIS PERIOD: •Bauer Media is No.1 in the TV Listings market •TV Choice celebrates ten years at the top - the only magazine in the UK to sell over 1 million copies every week •Bauer Media is home to two of the fastest growing magazines in the UK; Practical Photography and Garden Answers •Bauer Media is the UK’s No.1 publisher in the True Life market •Take a Break leads the market and is the UK’s No1 women’s weekly •Garden News is the UK’s No.1 weekly gardening title •Garden Answers has recorded its eighth consecutive YOY increase. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Oil Slides Near $48 as IEA Cuts Demand Estimates for OPEC Crude

While U.S. crude inventories dropped to the lowest since October, gasoline stockpiles last week expanded for the first time since early June, indicating that consumption boosted by the summer driving season may be waning. OPEC’s rate of compliance with production cuts slipped last month to 75 percent, the lowest since the accord started in January, the IEA said. OPEC reported Thursday its output is increasing on more supplies from Libya, which is exempt from the deal. “Concerns about the persisting supply glut resurfaced after petro-nations reported growing oil output,” said Norbert Ruecker, head of commodities research at Julius Baer Group Ltd. in Zurich. “We maintain a neutral view and see oil prices trading sideways as growing shale output and stagnant western-world oil demand undermine the Middle East’s supply deal.” Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Cenveo Publisher Services Announces Author Services 2.0

Cenveo Publisher Services announces a major update to Author Services, a publisher-branded e-commerce tool. Author Services enables the collection of fees integrated directly into a publisher's composition workflow. Cenveo's Author Services solution has been key to helping publishers improve the collection of fees for publication charges, Open Access, reprints/eprints and membership dues. Publishers who use Author Services report a 90% improved cash flow by eliminating common delays with fee collections. Author Services 2.0 now accommodates advanced payment processing, including discounts, coupon codes and expanded payment terms. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Intertape Polymer Group Reports 2017 Second Quarter Results

Second Quarter 2017 Highlights (as compared to second quarter 2016): * Revenue increased 4.3% to $210.2 million primarily due to an increase in average selling price including the impact of product mix, additional revenue from the Powerband Acquisition(1), and the non-recurrence of the South Carolina Commissioning Revenue Reduction(2) in the second quarter of 2016. * Gross margin decreased to 22.5% from 25.7% primarily due to the non-recurrence of South Carolina Flood Insurance Proceeds(2) of $4.5 million recorded in the second quarter of 2016. * Net earnings attributable to the Company shareholders ("IPG Net Earnings") decreased $3.5 million to $10.2 million, primarily due to a decrease in gross profit and an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”), partially offset by a decrease in manufacturing facility closures, restructuring and other related charges and income tax expense. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Eight finalists for Metsä Board in the 2017 European Carton Excellence Awards

Metsä Board is delighted to announce that eight cartons using its paperboards have been shortlisted for the finals of the 21st European Carton Excellence Awards (formerly the Pro Carton ECMA Awards). With all the successful entries submitted by Metsä Board customers, there are finalists in Save the Planet, Most Innovative, Beauty & Cosmetics, Food & Beverages and Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals categories. The Awards will be presented at the ECMA Congress on 21 September in Salzburg and the winners will appear on www.procarton.com at midnight on 21 September. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Harvesting for Metsä Group’s bioproduct mill begins

Harvesting wood for the needs of the bioproduct mill in Äänekoski started today, on 11 August 2017. Until now, wood has been delivered to the old pulp mill and for the test runs of the new mill. The bioproduct mill start-up will begin in mid-August 2017. Buying woodfor the bioproduct mill began already in 2016. Direct harvesting begins today with thinning in the forest of Metsä Group’s owner-member Timo Akselin in Uurainen, Central Finland. The harvesting at the stand was carried out by the Saarijärvi-based Forest-Linna Oy, and the transportation was taken care of by Kuljetus H & H Heinonen Oy, based in Multia. “The start-up of the bioproduct mill is drawing closer, and we can now start increasing the harvesting volumes,” says Juha Mäntylä, EVP, Wood Supply, Metsä Group. Harvesting volumes will increase gradually this and next year. The bioproduct mill will reach its nominal production of 1.3 million tonnes of pulp approximately a year after its start-up. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Rising Stars: Madeleine Frank Reeves is a Young Advocate for Magazine Media

There is an idea about magazine media that Madeleine Frank Reeves, senior editor at Country Living, would like to confront head on. As an editorial intern in New York, she was told over and over again that to work in magazines you have to pick up and move to New York and then look for a job. “That’s simply not true.” She also suggests that many of the more harsh critiques of the industry are unfair and not necessarily accurate. With all the depressing headlines lately, there are still positive stories to be told. Data suggests that 91% of adults have read magazine content in the past six months, and magazines still show the highest return on advertising spend (per the 2017 MPA Factbook). “Many more titles are launching than closing each year, and the industry is still growing, in part by finding new ways to create revenue so that we can continue to bring incredible content to readers,” Reeves says. “I know I’m biased, but magazines are important—there’s real value in being able to flip a page to a beautiful opening spread and get drawn into a story you would have never otherwise seen, especially in a time when what people read is so dictated by what their friends are posting on social media.” Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Mondi and Amelco: More efficient roll-packing sets a record

Amelco Industries Ltd is one of the leading suppliers of raw materials and machinery for the manufacture of innerspring mattresses in the south-eastern Mediterranean and Middle East area. The company works hard to ensure that its products are the best they possibly can be – and with Mondi`s support it has now optimised the packaging for its mattress innersprings. With Mondi’s Advantage MF SpringPack Plus speciality kraft paper, the company exceeded customer and logistics expectations, while in addition it has set a new world record in innerspring packing together with Mondi`s Speciality Kraft Paper team. In order to enhance the loading capacity of the containers used during transportation, innerspring units are roll packed. Amelco made its first roll-packing machine more than 25 years ago, while by endorsing new customer needs and expectations, as well as its customers’ feedback, the machine has progressively been evolved to the version that is now been offered on the open market. Costas Georgallis, owner of Amelco Industries Ltd, explains: “We test our machine prototypes in real working conditions – e.g. with technical support from Mondi – and improve them before we release them to our customers who asked us to maximize the number of spring units packed in each roll. Together with Mondi`s speciality kraft paper experts we realised that controlling the paper tension was a major factor in achieving a successful result. We therefore had to use the best and strongest spring pack paper on the market – which is Advantage MF SpringPack Plus from Mondi. To us, there is no other packaging material that can match Mondi`s SpringPack Plus grade for roll-packing as it is the best suitable material to compress and roll-pack the springs in a safe way and without putting them at risk to be damaged.” Click Read More below for additional detail.
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News Corp Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year for Fiscal 2017

Commenting on the results, Chief Executive Robert Thomson said: “Fiscal 2017 was a significant year for News Corp as we saw tangible improvement in profitability, powered by the fast-growing Digital Real Estate Services segment, and we charged a premium for premium content while focusing on operating efficiencies. News Corp led the global debate about content value and values, prompting the digital platforms to address a dysfunctional content eco-system, in which the fake and the fraudulent have flourished. We are now in advanced discussions with those platforms over the creation of payment mechanisms for news of verified veracity. HarperCollins posted higher EBITDA and margins this year through poignant books with broad appeal in the U.S., such as The Magnolia Story and Hillbilly Elegy. We believe that the emergence of digital audio and our expanding global footprint are potent sources of long-term growth. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Republic of Congo joins PEFC as a national member

“The forests in the Congo Basin are home to more than 10,000 species. They provide food, water and shelter to more than 75 million people, and are of significant economic importance,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International. “With PAFC-Congo becoming a member of PEFC and their work on developing a national forest certification system, we are taking a huge step towards safeguarding the benefits the forests in the region provide. We are thrilled to welcome PAFC-Congo into the PEFC alliance.” “We have been working in the Congo Basin for several years, and the addition of the Republic of Congo marks an important move forward for the development of certification in the basin,” Mr. Gunneberg concluded. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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CTI Industries Corporation Reports Results of Operations For the Second Quarter 2017

For the second quarter ended June 30, 2017, net sales were $12,812,000 down 9.5% from net sales of $14,151,000 for the Second Quarter 2016. For the six month period ended June 30, 2017, net sales were $28,171,000 down 4% from net sales of $29,355,000 for the same period of 2016. The second quarter net loss was ($526,000) or ($0.15) per share basic, ($0.14) per share diluted, compared to a 2016 second quarter net loss of ($83,000) or ($0.02) per share. For the six month period ended June 30, 2017, there was a net loss of ($468,000) or ($0.13) per share compared to a net loss of ($76,000) or ($0.02) per share for the same period of 2016. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Anthony Pratt Named in Top 10 RISI World Power List for 2017

Pratt Chairman Anthony Pratt has been named as the 6th most influential person in the world of pulp, paper and packaging by our industry’s leading information provider. RISI compiled the annual power list for the July/August issue of Tappi’s Paper 360 magazine after polling pulp and paper industry experts from around the globe to determine the top 50 industry executives wordwide. Anthony, who ranked 23rd last year, shot up 17 places as his U.S. company continued to show rapid growth. The entry reads: “The company’s go-getter global chairman received a standing ovation from President Donald Trump at an event in New York City in May after pledging to invest in the US. ‘I’d like to pledge another US$2 billion over the next 10 years, doubling our rate of investment, to create an additional 5,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs mainly in the Midwest,’ Pratt said. During the past couple of decades, the Australian billionaire has spent about US$2.5 billion building Pratt Industries into the sixth largest US containerboard producer, with four recycled containerboard mills and more than 60 box plants generating US$3 billion in sales. The Midwest has been a major area of recent investment, but recent speculation has been on Pratt Industries’ future expansion plans in the West, where the company bought Robert Mann Packaging. Pratt has talked of plans to build a US$1 billion corrugated box business in California and possibly add a mill on the West Coast. More recently, he mentioned plans to build a ‘high-tech, robotic’ box plant in California for more than US$70 million that could be capable of producing 135,000 tons/yr of corrugated.”
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PRINT 17: What to Expect at This Year’s Trade Show in the Windy City

If you own a printing business, the questions most responsible for keeping you awake at night probably are, “How do I grow my business?” or “Where do I take it from here?” Attending PRINT 17 (Sept. 10-14) won’t necessarily give you the entire answer. But, no other event can open your eyes to as many possibilities. That’s the essence of the registration pitch being made for PRINT 17 by NPES, the printing equipment manufacturers’ trade association that now owns 100% of the PRINT and GRAPH EXPO shows. It’s a fair and reasonable proposition. Behind it lies the reality that, just as the printing industry has changed, so has its principal trade exposition. PRINT 17 has long been regarded as the primary venue for evaluating printing and graphic products and technologies. However, according to Thayer Long, president of NPES, this year’s PRINT 17 promises to grow beyond a high-energy exhibition into an entirely new experience. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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The New York Times Launches Chinese Travel Magazine 新视线

The New York Times today launched “The New York Times Travel Magazine 新视线.” The magazine will be published by Huasheng Media and circulated six times a year throughout mainland China. It will combine curated travel coverage and photographs from The New York Times, along with original local content. The Travel Magazine 新视线 will be distributed in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an and Shenzhen, among other cities, and available at newsstands, in bookstores and boutiques, as well as luxury hotels, high-end stores and airport VIP lounges. On the launch, Xuan Feng, the editor-in-chief of the magazine said, “Over the decades, the travel industry has rapidly grown in China and Chinese readers have shown that they want more in-depth travel stories as well as more immersive trips inspired by those stories.” Mr. Feng also serves as the editor-in-chief of T Magazine China. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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GPO’S Print Procurement Program Offers Companies Opportunity To Expand Business

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) print procurement program is looking to expand the number of companies registered to do business with the agency to meet the growing printing/publishing needs of Federal agencies. "GPO's partnership with the private sector printing industry is cost-effective, creates thousands of jobs nationwide, and generates huge savings for the American taxpayer. Also, surveys of GPO's Federal agency customers in recent years have consistently reported high rates of Federal agency satisfaction with our print procurement program,” said GPO Director Davita Vance-Cooks. GPO’s nationwide print procurement program provides significant economic opportunities for private sector companies to expand their business by providing services to Federal agency customers on a national level. GPO’s print procurement program awarded nearly $360 million in contracts to the private sector for printing and publishing services in FY 2016. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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U.S. Postal Service Reports Fiscal Year 2017 Third Quarter Results

The U.S. Postal Service reported revenue of $16.7 billion for the third quarter of fiscal year 2017 (April 1, 2017 - June 30, 2017). Revenue for the quarter was essentially unchanged compared to the same quarter last year, excluding the effect of a $1.1 billion non-cash change in accounting estimate recognized during the third quarter of fiscal year 2016. Revenue from First-Class Mail and Marketing Mail decreased $422 million and $150 million, respectively, over the prior year quarter, due largely to lower volumes. These declines in revenue for these products were nearly offset by continued growth in the lower-margin Shipping and Packages business, with third quarter revenue increasing $473 million, or 11.3 percent, in that part of the Postal Service's business. Operating expenses for the quarter were $18.8 billion, a decrease of $461 million, or 2.4%, compared to the prior year quarter. Expenses for retiree health benefits and workers compensation declined by $869 million and $1.0 billion, respectively, but were partially offset by $1.2 billion in higher retirement expenses largely driven by changes in Office of Personnel Management actuarial assumptions and interest rates. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Kohl’s Corporation Reports Second Quarter Financial Results

Kevin Mansell, Kohl's chairman, chief executive officer and president, said, "The traffic momentum that we saw in the combined March/April period accelerated in the second quarter. Though transactions for the quarter were lower than last year, July transactions increased. We are also excited by the sequential sales trend improvement in all our lines of business, all geographic regions, and in both our proprietary and national brand portfolios. Gross margin and SG&A expenses were consistent with our expectations and we are seeing benefits from our ongoing inventory initiatives and the early stages of our cost-saving initiative." Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Cascades Announces Second Quarter 2017 Results; Continues to Execute on Strategic Fronts

Q2 2017 Highlights • Sales of $1,130 million (compared to $1,006 million in Q1 2017 (+12%) and $998 million in Q2 2016 (+13%)) • As reported (including specific items) • Operating income of $48 million (compared to $31 million in Q1 2017 (+55%) and $65 million in Q2 2016 (-26%)) • OIBD 1 of $104 million (compared to $78 million in Q1 2017 (+33%) and $112 million in Q2 2016 (-7%)) • Net earnings per common share of $3.41 (compared to net earnings of $1.70 in Q1 2017 and net earnings of $0.38 in Q2 2016) • Adjusted (excluding specific items) 2 • Operating income of $51 million (compared to $28 million in Q1 2017 (+82%) and $65 million in Q2 2016 (-22%)). Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Cascades announces the closure of its New York City plant

Cascades Inc. announces that it will close its packaging plant in Maspeth, New York, as part of the Corporation's modernization and optimization efforts in the Northeastern United States. "To support our future development and better serve our customers, we are announcing today that the Maspeth plant's output will gradually be redeployed to our other facilities. This decision was necessary as the current site has reached its physical limits. This transition will be seamless for all of our customers. The property has already been put up for sale for US$72 million," said Charles Malo, President and Chief Operating Officer of Cascades Containerboard Packaging. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Oil Holds Gains Above $49 as U.S. Stockpiles Extend Decline

Futures advanced 0.3 percent after climbing 0.8 percent Wednesday. Output slid for the second time in three weeks, according to Energy Information Administration data, while stockpiles dropped by 6.45 million barrels, almost triple the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey. Gasoline inventories unexpectedly rose for the first time since early June. Oil has fluctuated below $50 a barrel for more than a week as investors weigh rising global supply against output cuts by members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia. While U.S. crude stockpiles have declined during a period of strong seasonal demand, they remain almost 90 million barrels above the five-year average. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Sheridan Acquires PubFactory Hosting Platform from O’Reilly Media

Sheridan has acquired PubFactory, the industry-lauded online publishing platform for journals, books, and reference works, from O’Reilly Media. PubFactory will continue to be based out of Boston, MA, and will blend seamlessly into the Sheridan stable of publisher technology products and services. The PubFactory team has been developing and delivering scholarly publishing technologies since 1999. In 2010, the PubFactory platform officially launched with the deployment of several major Oxford University Press products. This was quickly followed by the International Monetary Fund’s eLibrary and De Gruyter’s journals, books, and database products launching in 2011. Notable publishers including Bloomsbury Publishing, Brill, Edward Elgar Publishing, Harvard University Press, Peter Lang, and others have since joined the growing list of PubFactory customers. PubFactory’s configurable suite of front-end and back-end capabilities allows for optimal support across content types, making it a truly content agnostic platform that is host to 1400+ journals, 400,000+ books, and numerous database and reference work products. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Heidelberg starts the new financial year 2017/18 with an increase in sales and earnings

As indicated, net sales and the net result in the first quarter of the year under review have improved over the same quarter of the previous year. For example, sales rose compared to the previous year, reaching €495 million (same quarter of previous year: €486 million). This was attributable primarily to Western Europe and China. As anticipated, at €629 million, incoming orders were below those of the same quarter of the previous year (€804 million), which saw a particularly high level of incoming orders from the drupa trade show. The order backlog increased by over 20 percent from €497 million at the end of the financial year to €603 million as at June 30, 2017. Profitability, as expressed in EBITDA and EBIT, increased in the quarter under review compared to the previous year’s values. At €14 million, EBITDA was far better than in the same quarter of the previous year (€1 million), while EBIT amounted to €–3 million (previous year: €–16 million). Due to lower financing costs, the financial result improved to €–13 million (same quarter of previous year: €–16 million). Including income taxes, the net result after taxes of €–16 million was a significant improvement over the previous year’s figure (€–37 million). Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Irving Consumer Products Announces Expansion and Construction of New Tissue Production Plant in Macon, Georgia

Irving Consumer Products is pleased to announce the expansion of its United States business operations with the construction of a new $400 million state-of-the-art tissue plant in Macon, Georgia. The new plant will create over 200 jobs and allow the company to double its ThruAir Dry capacity, increasing it by 75,000 tonnes, the equivalent of 15 million cases. “We’re pleased to be expanding our business in the United States. We’re excited by the opportunity in Macon and in Georgia. We’re looking forward to building a strong relationship with the wonderful people of this community,” says Robert K. Irving, President of Irving Consumer Products. “Selecting Macon for our new facility provides us with an opportunity to establish a footprint in a region that has proven itself as being a strong supporter of business. It will allow us to reach key markets, and will help to continue to drive our growth.” Mr. Irving further adds, “This expansion is possible because of the commitment of our employees, customers and suppliers. It is their support that has allowed us to grow and expand.” Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Wood Raw-Material Costs for European Pulpmills Continued to Slide in Early 2017 to Reach Their Lowest Levels in Over Five Years

Wood costs for the pulp industry in Europe were generally lower in the 1Q/17 than in the previous quarter, continuing a downward trend that, depending on the country, has lasted for 4-6 years. The biggest price declines for pulplogs and sawmill residues in early 2017 occurred in Germany and France, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). The price reductions occurred mainly because of an oversupply of pulplogs, unchanged demand for wood fiber from the pulp industry, and reduced usage of raw-material by the competing wood pellet sector. In neighboring Austria, conifer pulplog prices have been very stable during most of 2015 and 2016 (in Euro terms) and prices did not change much in the 1Q/17. However, the weakening of the Euro against the US dollar has resulted in Austrian pulplog prices falling seven percent in two years. In the Nordic countries, wood fiber costs in the 1Q/17 were at their lowest levels since 2006 (in US dollars). This was mostly thanks to the weakening of the local currencies in both Sweden and Finland. The wood fiber costs currently account for about 60% of the manufacturing cost when manufacturing pulp in the region, according to Fisher International, so a reduction in prices for pulplogs and wood chips has a major impact in improving the competitiveness of the pulp and paper industry when competing in the global market place. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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TC Media sells its L’Étoile du Lac, Le Lac-St-Jean and Le Nouvelles Hebdo newspapers

Transcontinental Inc.'s Media Sector, TC Media, announced today the sale of three of its publications, namely L'Étoile du Lac, based in Roberval, Le Lac-St-Jean, in Alma, and Le Nouvelles Hebdo, in Dolbeau-Mistassini, as well as their related web properties, to Trium Médias Inc. The group consists of two TC Media employees, namely Ms. Marlène Claveau and Ms. Stéphanie Gagnon, as well as Mr. Daniel St-Pierre. The 23 employees of these publications will pursue their careers with Trium Médias Inc. The Corporation would like to thank them for their professionalism and wishes them the best for the future. Furthermore, TC Transcontinental also concluded a multi-year agreement for the printing and distribution of these three publications. This transaction is part of the process for the sale of TC Media's local and regional newspapers in Quebec and Ontario, which was made public in a press release issued by Transcontinental Inc. on April 18.
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Macy’s, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Earnings

Sales in the second quarter of 2017 totaled $5.552 billion, a decrease of 5.4 percent, compared with sales of $5.866 billion in the second quarter of 2016. The year-over-year decline in total sales reflects, in part, the closure of stores previously announced by the company. Comparable sales on an owned basis were down 2.8 percent in the second quarter and down 2.5 percent on an owned plus licensed basis. Year to date, Macy's, Inc.'s sales totaled $10.890 billion, down 6.4 percent from total sales of $11.637 billion in the first half of 2016. Comparable sales on an owned basis were down 4.0 percent in the first half of 2017 and down 3.6 percent on an owned plus licensed basis. Macy's, Inc.'s operating income totaled $254 million or 4.6 percent of sales for the second quarter of 2017 compared to $117 million, or 2.0 percent of sales for the second quarter of 2016. Excluding non-cash settlement charges of $51 million, operating income for the second quarter of 2017 totaled $305 million or 5.5 percent of sales. Excluding asset impairment and other charges primarily related to store closings of $249 million and non-cash settlement charges of $6 million, operating income for the second quarter of 2016 totaled $372 million or 6.4 percent of sales. For the first half of 2017, Macy's, Inc.'s operating income totaled $474 million or 4.4 percent of sales compared to $393 million or 3.4 percent of sales for the first half of 2016. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Pearson, Barnes & Noble Education Partner to Bring Students Affordable, High-Quality Textbook Rentals

Pearson announced the latest in series of partnerships to expand its textbook rental program. Today’s announcement brings Pearson’s textbook rental program to Barnes & Noble Education’s (NYSE:BNED) 1,490 physical and virtual bookstores, serving more than 6 million students. Beginning this fall, the program will be piloted at Barnes & Noble College stores, enhancing their current industry leading rental program with these 49 popular Pearson titles. The titles will be available in print and digital versions via a “rental-only” model, which will provide students with affordable access to the selected titles. All titles under this program can be rented for under $100, with electronic versions of these titles being the lowest cost option. Pearson anticipates expanding the titles included in this program over time. In January, Pearson announced a two-step plan to take on the issue of college affordability. The plan immediately reduced the prices of 2000 e-book titles by up to 50 percent when it was announced earlier this year. The second phase of the effort ensures that students can rent popular print titles online and in-store through trusted retailers. This rental-only model allows Pearson to reduce prices by up to 60 percent and ensure that all students have access to affordable textbooks. The Barnes & Noble College agreement represents the third-and largest-partnership in that program. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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The Hidden Face of Digital

Every day we send email, navigate the web and store our videos, photos or music in the Cloud. We often have the impression that the whole process is trivial and nearly free, but this is not at all the case. So says L’Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l’Énergie (ADEME), an agency of the government of France which, promotes an environmental approach to the workplace and to daily living. In a recent Guide, La Face Cachée de Numérique, (The Hidden Face of Digital), they describe the widespread environmental impacts of the growing number of digital devices (increasing energy consumption, use of primary minerals, pollution and waste production) and how to reduce them. In the Guide, it is estimated that there are 2 billion smartphones, 1 billion computers, 5 to7 billion other connected devices and 45 billion servers worldwide and that 8.4 billion connected devices would be sold in the world in 2017, 31% more than in 2016. The forecast for 2020 is 50 billion connected devices. In one hour, there are 8 to 10 billion emails sent (not including spam) and 180 million Google searches and the average distance a piece of data travels is 15,000 km. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Verso Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2017 Financial Results

Verso Corporation reported financial results for the second quarter of 2017, including net sales of $585 million, a net loss of $49 million, and adjusted EBITDA of $(4) million. "Despite a challenging second quarter in which profitability was hampered by lower volume and pricing, rising input costs and inventory reduction initiatives, Verso is building momentum toward significantly improved results in the second half of the year as we anticipate realization of price increases, continue to aggressively cut costs and profitably grow our specialty papers business," said Verso Chief Executive Officer B. Christopher DiSantis. "In addition, we've made substantial progress in evaluating Verso's long-term strategic options, which potentially include paper machine conversions to enable expansion or entry into growing markets, enhancements to current assets that support a more profitable product mix, and corporate development opportunities." Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Office Depot, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2017 Results

Total reported sales for the second quarter of 2017 were $2.4 billion compared to $2.6 billion in the second quarter of 2016, a decrease of 9%. In the second quarter of 2017, Office Depot reported operating income of $46 million and net income of $24 million, or $0.05 per share. Net income from continuing operations was $21 million, or $0.04 per share. In the second quarter of 2016, the company reported operating income of $271 million and net income of $210 million, or $0.38 per share. Net income from continuing operations was $232 million, or $0.41 per diluted share. Results in the second quarter of 2016 benefited from $250 million of income related to the Staples termination fee received in the period. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Mohawk Introduces A Maker’s Field Guide to Envelopes

Mohawk, North America’s largest privately-owned manufacturer of fine papers, envelopes and specialty materials for commercial and digital printing is proud to announce the release of A Maker’s Field Guide to Envelopes, the latest in a series of comprehensive, printed guides designed to inspire and educate designers, their clients and printers on the importance of choosing the right materials for print. “The new Maker’s Field Guide to Envelopes is the latest expression of Mohawk’s ongoing commitment to helping demonstrate the pivotal role materials play in the success of every print job,” said Chris Harrold, Vice President, Creative Director, Mohawk. “Envelopes are equal part function and first impression. An envelope is like a handshake that simultaneously says ‘hello’ and ‘open me first!’” A Maker’s Field Guide to Envelopes was created by Aurora Design to complement Mohawk’s Maker’s Field Guide to Texture and Color and the Mohawk Maker Quarterly, an award-winning publication which highlights the beauty and tactility of fine paper. Both publications have become go-to resources for makers and creatives worldwide as print is rediscovered as a powerful alternative to digital communication. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Eloquest Healthcare and Vancive Medical Technologies Launch Antimicrobial Post-Operative Dressings

Vancive Medical Technologies™, an Avery Dennison business, and Eloquest Healthcare®, Inc. have partnered to develop an innovative post-operative dressing that contains an antimicrobial agent called chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG). The antimicrobial properties of CHG inhibit microbial growth within the dressing. CHG is extremely difficult to incorporate in an absorbent adhesive dressing, making the development of the BeneHold™ CHG platform a significant technical accomplishment for Vancive. The Eloquest Healthcare ReliaTect™ Post-Op Dressings with CHG are the first to combine CHG in an absorbent, transparent and waterproof design. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Popular Science Sees Record Traffic and Newsstand Sales

Popular Science continued to expand its considerable audience reach in June, with an average monthly audience growth of 38% and an increase in unique visitors to PopSci.com of 32% year over year for June. This milestone comes on the heels of Popular Science’s March/April “Water” issue’s star performance on newsstands at 38.3% year over year. The magazine brand’s total audience grew 31.5% year over year, and ranks third among the top ten magazine brands (source: MPA). “I’m extremely proud of the editorial team for all their hard work, which isn’t going unnoticed by Popular Science’s readers,” says Gregory Gatto, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Bonnier Corporation. “The team has really concentrated on delivering print, digital and social products that are smart, timely, and unique.” Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Oil Near $49 as Market Weighs Lower Stockpiles, Higher Output

Futures added 0.3 percent in New York after dropping 0.8 percent the previous two sessions. U.S. inventories slid by 7.8 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to report Tuesday, while a Bloomberg survey also forecast a decline. The Energy Information Administration marginally boosted its estimates for American production in 2017 and 2018. “The recovery this morning is most likely in anticipation of a sixth inventory decline in crude oil this afternoon” when the EIA releases its weekly stockpiles report, said Ole Sloth Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S in Copenhagen. Gains will be capped by a stronger dollar, he said. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Time to Tackle Back-to-School Shopping

School will be back in session before you know it, meaning there will be supplies to buy, new clothes to try, backpacks to fill, and Box Tops to clip. Since 2011, Boise Paper has contributed nearly $11 million to U.S. schools and remains the exclusive office product partner of Box Tops for Education. Families can support students and local schools by clipping Box Tops from select Boise Paper products. This small action adds up to millions of dollars every year that K-8 schools use to purchase supplies, sports and music equipment, new technology, and more! Purchasing products with Box Tops is just one of five tips Boise Paper has to help you start the school year on a high note. • Start early – Don’t get caught scouring empty store shelves the night before the first day of school. Parents should take stock of what supplies are already at home or what can be reused from last year and begin creating a list of everything needed for the new school year. Once the class supply list is available, shop for essential items right away. For everything else, wait to shop until September when retailers are likely to mark-down supplies even further. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Back To School Note: Paper Still Important For Productive Learning

While the definition of a classroom writing tablet has expanded these days, a recent study shows that paper is still important to productive learning. The Paper and Packaging Board surveyed 4,300 students, parents and teachers in the United States and not only does paper have a role in the classroom, but its use and importance is growing. The study revealed three themes around the value of paper for learning. First, paper boosts engagement in school. Nearly two-thirds of K–12 teachers (64%) feel students comprehend information better and are more engaged (63%) when they read on paper. Close to two-thirds (64%) of K–12 teachers reveal their students even respond better to lessons that are based on paper textbooks. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Mail-Gard® Creates an Advanced Recovery Center in Pennsylvania

Mail-Gard®, a division of IWCO Direct and one of the nation’s leading providers of critical communication recovery solutions, announced it is creating a dedicated Advanced Recovery Center at its Warminster, Pa. campus. With a second dedicated recovery center located in Hamburg, Pa., the expansion of Mail-Gard’s footprint will improve service delivery while providing increased efficiency of operations, training, and shared resources. With a total of 105,000-square-feet at the primary location, the Advanced Recovery Center will also allow for future expansion of technology and staff necessary to support a robust platform of business continuity, disaster recovery, and print-to-mail overflow services. To accommodate the change, recovery equipment will be relocated from Minnesota to Pennsylvania. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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KP Tissue Releases Second Quarter 2017 Financial Results

Revenue in Q2 2017 was $314.4 million, compared to $295.8 million in Q2 2016, an increase of $18.6 million or 6.3%. The increase in revenue was primarily due to higher sales volume and the favourable impact of foreign exchange on U.S. dollar sales. Cost of sales in Q2 2017 increased to $267.1 million, compared to $249.9 million in Q2 2016, primarily due to higher sales volumes, an increase in fibre and natural gas prices and the unfavourable impact of foreign exchange on U.S. dollar denominated costs, as well as higher freight and warehousing costs, partially offset by cost reduction initiatives and the impact of capital projects. As a percentage of revenue, cost of sales were 85.0% in Q2 2017 compared to 84.5% in Q2 2016. Net income in Q2 2017 was $9.9 million, compared to $12.0 million in Q2 2016, primarily due to an increase in the change in amortized cost of Partnership units liability of $2.5 million and an increase in tax expense of $1.3 million. These increases were partially offset by higher Adjusted EBITDA of $1.4 million. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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S&S Has 10% Sales Gain in Q2

Revenue at Simon & Schuster rose 10% in the second quarter ended June 30, 2017, over the comparable period in 2016, and operating income increased 8%, S&S parent company CBS reported. It was the second consecutive quarter that revenue at S&S grew by double digits in 2017. Revenue in the most recent period was $206 million, up from $187 million, and earnings rose to $28 million from $26 million a year ago. The increase was led by growth in print book sales as well as digital audio. Results also include Adams Media, which S&S bought last November. S&S CEO Carolyn Reidy said the company's children's, audio, and international divisions all had double digit sales increase in the quarter, while sales in the adult group rose by single digits. With digital audio posting another strong quarter, sales of the format were up 34% in the first half of 2017 over the same period of 2016. Reidy estimated that S&S will increase its title output of digital audio by 20% to 25% for the year. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Sustainable Forestry Initiative Opens Request for Proposals: Seeks New Partners for Conservation and Community Projects in the U.S. and Canada

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) announced today the opening of its annual request for proposals (RFP) for the SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program. The grants program supports SFI’s work to promote sustainable forest management through partnerships with conservation groups that are contributing to the understanding of critical links between forests and communities across the range of American and Canadian forests, and community groups working at the intersection of sustainable forestry, responsible procurement and thriving communities. "SFI is proud to stand with so many partners that lead the way on positively impacting the future of our forests. This new grant cycle allows us to reassert our role as a sustainability leader that is working beyond supply chain assurances to elevate conservation value and foster community engagement,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc. “We look forward to this round of proposals and how they will contribute to our scientific understanding, long-­standing commitment to forest research, and shared quality of life.” Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Rayonier Advanced Materials and Tembec Announce Approval from Superior Court of Québec in Connection with Transaction

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. and Tembec Inc. announced that the Québec Superior Court issued a final order approving the previously announced statutory arrangement under Section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act involving the acquisition by Rayonier Advanced Materials of all of the outstanding shares of Tembec. The Transaction has already received clearance from Germany’s Federal Cartel Office, and the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission have notified Rayonier Advanced Materials and Tembec that the Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger notification waiting period was terminated. Applications for clearance from the applicable regulatory authorities in Canada and China, respectively, are pending. Subject to obtaining other necessary approvals, as well as the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Transaction, it is expected that the Transaction will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2017.
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Rayonier Reports Second Quarter Results

Rayonier Inc. reported second quarter net income attributable to Rayonier of $26.2 million, or $0.20 per share, on revenues of $194.7 million. This compares to net income attributable to Rayonier of $109.8 million, or $0.89 per share, on revenues of $261.6 million in the prior year quarter. The prior year second quarter results included $0.6 million of costs related to shareholder litigation1 and $101.3 million of income from a Large Disposition.2 Excluding these items, proforma net income3 was $9.1 million, or $0.07 per share, in the prior year period. Second quarter operating income was $46.9 million versus $121.6 million in the prior year period. The prior year second quarter operating income included $0.6 million of costs related to shareholder litigation1 and $101.3 million of income from a Large Disposition.2 Excluding these items, pro forma operating income3 was $20.9 million in the prior year period. Second quarter Adjusted EBITDA3 was $86.4 million versus $45.0 million in the prior year period. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Trade Sales Were a Bright Spot In a Dark Year for Sales

A 1.5% increase in sales in the trade segment was not enough to offset declines in the other major publishing categories in 2016. As a result, industry revenue was 5.1% lower in 2016 than in 2015, dropping to $26.24 billion, according to the final sales estimates released by the Association of American Publishers. Trade sales (including the religious segment) were $15.9 billion in 2016, making trade the largest publishing segment. Within the trade group, sales from religious presses increased 6.9% from the prior year, followed closely by the 6.7% gain in the children’s/young adult fiction category. The increase in sales in the religious segment was attributed by the AAP to the crossover successes of a number of inspirational titles. The gain in the children’s/YA fiction segment was due in part to the blockbuster hit Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, which sold more than four million units. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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InnerWorkings Announces Second Quarter 2017 Results

• Gross revenue was $279.5 million in the second quarter, an increase of 4% compared with $269.2 million in the second quarter of 2016. Year-to-date gross revenue was $546.9 million, a 1% increase compared with $540.3 million in the prior period. • Gross profit (net revenue) was a record $70.2 million, or 25.1% of gross revenue in the second quarter, an 8% increase compared to $65.1 million, or 24.2% of gross revenue, in the same period of last year. Year-to-date gross profit (net revenue) was $134.5 million, or 24.6% of gross revenue, an increase of 6% compared to the prior-year period. • Net income was $4.5 million or $0.08 per diluted share in the second quarter, compared to a net loss of $2.3 million or $0.04 per share in the second quarter of 2016. Year-to-date net income was $10.0 million or $0.18 per diluted share, compared to a loss of $5.0 million or $0.09 per diluted share in the same period of 2016. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Oil Trades Above $49 as Saudis Said to Curb Crude Sales to Asia

Oil in New York rose above $50 a barrel early last week, before slipping as signs of rising global supply eroded optimism that curbs by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners are rebalancing the market. The failure of OPEC’s efforts amid expanding output in Libya and Nigeria and lower compliance by some nations has spurred Saudi Arabia to take more action. Prices “are profiting from Saudi Arabia’s announcement that it will be reducing its oil shipments,” said Eugen Weinberg, head of commodities research at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt. “This announcement is remarkable to the extent that domestic demand declines in September, meaning that more crude oil will be available for export if production remains unchanged.” Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Hearst Magazines Names Jon Gluck Executive Director, Editorial Talent, Development and Special Projects

Hearst Magazines announced that Jon Gluck, formerly managing editor of Vogue, has been named executive director, editorial talent, development and special projects, a new role responsible for senior-level editorial recruiting and magazine development. The announcement was made by Hearst Magazines President David Carey and Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles. Gluck assumes his new position on September 5, reporting to Coles and Scherri Roberts, senior vice president, Human Resources. Gluck will be responsible for senior-level editorial recruitment for Hearst Magazines’ new launches and 20 brands in print, and will work closely with existing editors on magazine development. In addition, he will conceptualize new magazines and special projects, such as live events. “To say that the industry is going through an exciting period of change is an understatement,” Carey said. “Jon will play a central role in the transformation of our U.S. media business, both as we evolve our existing businesses, and acquire and start new ones.”
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Discover how new technologies can advance certification – Join the PEFC Stakeholder Dialogue

Whether it is hardware, software, services or tools, the incorporation of technology within forest certification can overcome many barriers. But what technologies exist, and how can they best be used? Join us for the 2017 PEFC Stakeholder Dialogue ‘Making Certification SMART’ (16-17 November 2017; Helsinki, Finland) to find out more! Wide-ranging applications provide solutions for everyday challenges such as improving transparency in complex supply chains, enhancing the ability to map, monitor or manage forest resources, or establishing new ways to engage stakeholders and improve cooperation. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Appvion Reports Improved Second Quarter 2017 Results

Appvion recorded second quarter operating income of $5.1 million compared to operating income of $3.9 million for second quarter 2016. The improved earnings in second quarter 2017 were driven by volume growth for the Company's tag, label and entertainment (TLE) products and carbonless papers segment. Continued execution of profit improvement initiatives, improved manufacturing performance, and lower selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses also contributed to the earnings improvement. Those results were partially offset by the impact of lower net sales caused by lower market prices for the Company's thermal receipt paper and unfavorable product mix in the carbonless papers segment. Total company shipment volume was relatively flat compared to second quarter 2016. Appvion's second quarter 2017 net sales of $164.0 million were $9.6 million lower than second quarter 2016. Year-to-date net sales of $330.7 million were $23.4 million, or 6.6%, lower compared to the same period in 2016, largely as a result of lower prices for thermal paper products as well as lower shipment volume and unfavorable product mix. Total company shipment volume was down approximately 2% compared to first half 2016. Thermal shipment volume declined more than 3%, while carbonless increased less than 1%. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Quad/Graphics’ Successful QuadMed Health Care Program

It goes without saying that innovation has helped to propel Quad/Graphics, headquartered in Sussex, Wis., to the No. 2 spot on the Printing Impressions 400 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian printing companies. Quad’s dedication to technical innovation is second to none. In its unique approach to providing workplace health care, the company leads not only its own industry, but offers a model for the U.S. manufacturing sector as a whole. This is the legacy of QuadMed, first envisioned by Quad/Graphics founder Harry V. Quadracci in 1990. A year later, he opened the first of what is today a network of 100 on-site clinics in 22 states serving more than 350,000 employees and family members — everyone who works for Quad/Graphics, as well as employees of companies including General Mills, Dow Chemical, Huntington Ingalls and Miller Coors. Joel Quadracci, the current chairman, president and CEO of Quad/Graphics, explains that QuadMed is a self-insured health care program that situates primary care, preventative care and occupational health and wellness services in the workplace, where employees can access them most readily. In the clinics, doctors and other health care professionals spend ample time getting to know their patients and giving them the resources they need to take better care of themselves. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Sealed Air Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Net sales of $1.1 billion increased 3.0% on an as reported basis. Currency had a negative impact on total net sales of 0.7%, or $7 million. As reported, net sales in North America increased 9%. Asia Pacific declined 2% while Latin America and EMEA declined 4% each. Net income from continuing operations on a reported basis was $29 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, as compared to net income from continuing operations of $2 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, in the second quarter 2016. Net income in the second quarter 2017 was unfavorably impacted by $40 million of special items, including $18 million of tax expense and $18 million of charges related the pending sale of Diversey. Special items negatively impacting the second quarter of 2017 also included costs incurred related to the sale of Diversey, and restructuring and other restructuring associated costs. Net income in the second quarter 2016 included $72 million of special items, including charges related to ceasing operations in Venezuela, restructuring charges and other costs associated with our restructuring programs, and a loss on the remeasurement of our Venezuelan subsidiaries. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Time Inc. Announces Strategic Transformation Program and Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Time Inc. reported financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2017. Time Inc. President and CEO Rich Battista said, “I am pleased with our second quarter Adjusted OIBDA of $88 million, which was roughly flat year-over-year. Our revenues continued to be impacted by disruption through the first half of 2017, as we said on our last call. Despite that revenue disruption, we executed in a highly disciplined way, which enabled us to beat Adjusted OIBDA expectations. The third quarter represents an important turning point for the Company as we are seeing strong momentum and sequential improvement of year-over-year trends for total advertising revenues. Today, we are reaffirming our 2017 Adjusted OIBDA outlook.” Battista continued: “On our last earnings call, we outlined aggressive actions—building on what we had accomplished to date—to reduce costs, expand margins, rationalize our portfolio and extend our brands into new growth revenue streams. We’ve been moving with speed and, most significantly, we are announcing today, a strategic transformation program based on a thorough review of Time Inc.’s business. Through this review, we have greater confidence in our path to accelerate the optimization of costs and revenue growth drivers. We have already targeted more than $400 million of run-rate cost savings, with the majority of initiatives expected to be implemented over the course of the next 18 months. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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UPM Raflatac expands its presence in the United States by acquiring the assets of Texas-based Southwest Label Stock

UPM Raflatac, one of the world's leading suppliers of self-adhesive label materials, has completed its acquisition of the assets of Irving, Texas-based Southwest Label Stock. Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price or other transaction details. This acquisition will allow UPM Raflatac to expand its reach in the Texas and the Southwestern U.S. label markets by being highly responsive and offering a wider range of its high-quality products with fast turnaround. UPM Raflatac is also excited to announce a continuation and expansion of Southwest Label Stock's well-known small roll service. With this service, UPM Raflatac customers will be able to purchase single rolls of laminate trimless at 2,500 feet, shipped in boxes throughout North America. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Oil Trades Near $49 as Prices Still Capped by Sufficient Supply

Oil in New York was unable to hold its advance above $50 a barrel last week as signs of rising global supply eroded optimism that output curbs by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners are rebalancing the market. Compliance with cuts was 86 percent in July, according to a Bloomberg survey. “The market has recovered strongly from its lows on signs that the market is normalizing, but further upside at this stage seems unlikely,” said Ole Sloth Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo in Copenhagen. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports July Sales Results

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $9.41 billion for the month of July, the four weeks ended July 30, 2017, an increase of 8.8 percent from $8.65 billion during the similar period last year. For the forty-eight weeks ended July 30, 2017, the Company reported net sales of $113.70 billion, an increase of 6.1 percent from $107.16 billion during the similar period last year. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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FPAC Calls for Federal Government to Rethink Caribou Protection Plans

On behalf of Canada’s leading forest products companies and the 230,000 people we employ in hundreds of communities across the country, I am sending you an urgent letter requesting that the federal government give serious thought to adjusting the procedures and timing of its Caribou Recovery Strategy to achieve a more balanced and sustainable way forward for all. We believe that the current process could jeopardize thousands of jobs and the well-being of hundreds of communities all the while not achieving caribou recovery goals. In some provinces, we believe the current federally mandated process is resulting in a situation where incomplete and ineffective caribou range plans are being developed and may cause unintended harm. We are asking today that the federal government take a step back and reconsider the processes associated with the recovery strategy in order to ensure that the most current science and socio-economic impacts are taken into account. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Gannett Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results of Operations

Second quarter operating revenues increased 3.4% to $774.5 million, including a $9.1 million unfavorable foreign currency impact, compared to $748.8 million in the prior year quarter. The year-over-year increase was due to the contribution from acquired operations2. On a same store basis, operating revenues in the second quarter declined 10.6%, a slight improvement compared to a decline in the 2017 first quarter of 10.8%, as a result of improved domestic print advertising and circulation revenues. Total digital revenues in the second quarter grew 43.5% year-over-year to $242.6 million, or approximately 31% of total revenue, which includes the contribution from ReachLocal acquired in August 2016. GAAP net loss for the second quarter was $0.5 million, including $21.8 million of after-tax restructuring, acquisition, severance, asset impairment, facility consolidation and other related costs; approximately $14.6 million of these charges were non-cash. Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter was $83.7 million compared to $91.7 million in the prior year quarter. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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HPE Announces Details for Expected Completion of Spin-Off and Merger of its Software Business

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company announced that its Board of Directors has set the close of business on August 21, 2017 as the record date for the proposed spin-off of Seattle SpinCo, Inc., which will hold HPE’s software business (“Seattle”). Subject to the satisfaction of the remaining conditions to the spin-off, on the distribution date for the spin-off, HPE will distribute to HPE stockholders one share of Class A common stock of Seattle (the “Seattle common stock”) for each share of HPE common stock held as of the close of business on the record date. As previously announced, immediately following the spin-off, a wholly owned subsidiary of Micro Focus International plc (“Micro Focus”) will merge with and into Seattle, and Seattle will continue as the surviving company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Micro Focus. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Interfor Reports Q2’17 Results

INTERFOR CORPORATION recorded net earnings in Q2’17 of $24.5 million, or $0.35 per share, compared to $19.7 million, or $0.28 per share in Q1’17 and $23.2 million, or $0.33 per share in Q2’16. Adjusted net earnings1 (which takes into account the effects of share-based compensation expense and non-recurring items) in Q2’17 were $28.7 million or $0.41 per share, compared to $22.7 million, or $0.32 per share in Q1’17 and $17.5 million, or $0.25 per share in Q2’16. Adjusted EBITDA1 for the second quarter, 2017 was $77.4 million (or $84.7 million excluding the impact from $7.3 million of softwood lumber duties expense), on sales of $511.4 million versus $60.3 million on sales of $456.8 million in Q1’17. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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An Honest Look at State of the Magazine Industry — Summer 2017

Anyone working in or around the magazine industry knows one thing for certain: Everyone’s got an opinion. Prognostications on the print magazine industry range from doom and gloom to nothing but sunshine and moonbeams. If you’re in the business of print magazines, like we are, you don’t have the luxury of choosing one position or the other. Common business sense requires us to critically examine what’s really going on. Is the print magazine industry in danger of collapse? Let’s take a closer look. Roy Stevenson is a travel magazine writer and industry coach, so he’s deeply in touch with the realities of his market niche. “These naysayers will tell anyone within earshot that the Internet has completely overtaken the print industry,” Stevenson writes on his travel writing site PitchTravelWrite. “One prominent travel blogger even predicted that by the year 2020 print magazines would cease to exist! Naturally, as a print media freelance writer I feel more than a little concern when I hear these gloomy predictions,” he continues. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Metsä Group’s comparable operating result in January–June 2017 was EUR 247 million

President and CEO Kari Jordan: “Metsä Group’s profitability in 2017 has improved from the previous year. The most significant reasons for the improved result are the clearly higher volumes in paperboard deliveries and the increased price of pulp. Metsä Group’s key development projects aiming for profitable growth are progressing according to plan. The construction of the bioproduct mill in Äänekoski, which has proceeded on schedule and on budget, is nearly completed, and the mill’s start-up will begin in mid-August. Pulp deliveries to customers will start at the beginning of September. The new production line at the Kerto® LVL mill in Lohja will likewise start up in August. The construction of the birch plywood mill in Pärnu, Estonia, and the work of converting the old paper machine hall at Äänekoski into a birch veneer mill are proceeding well. The Husum paperboard mill’s new extrusion coating line started up in April, and the related quality feedback from customers has been good. In June, we began work on rebuilding the baking paper machine at the Düren mill in Germany. The new machine will also allow us to expand our cooking paper business in the future. After years of stagnation, Finland’s economy has started to pick up. For this growth to continue, our country needs investments. Metsä Group and Finland’s forest industry in general have met this need. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Mondi Half-yearly Results 2017

Peter Oswald, Mondi Group chief executive, said: “Mondi delivered a robust performance in the first half of 2017, with revenue up 8%, underlying operating profit of €497 million and a return on capital employed of 18.7%, reflecting management’s ongoing value focus and the strength of our business model. Profitability was down on the comparable prior year period, mainly driven by a significantly lower forestry fair value gain in South Africa and the impact of mill maintenance shuts. We continue to drive growth through our capital investment programme. During the period, we commissioned the second phase of our major investment in the ongoing development of our world-class facility in Poland, while good progress is being made on the modernisation of our kraft paper facility in Czech Republic. The integration of acquisitions completed during 2016 and early 2017 is on track. These acquisitions enhance our geographic reach and product portfolio in Corrugated Packaging and Consumer Packaging. The market outlook remains broadly positive. We saw strong demand across Packaging Paper and Corrugated Packa ging in the first half and successfully implemented price increases across certain paper grades, the full effect of which is anticipated in the second half. The second half of the year will be impacted by planned maintenance shuts at a number of our mills and the usual seasonal downturn in Uncoated Fine Paper. While we continue to see some inflationary cost pressures, we remain confident of making progress in the year and continuing to deliver industry leading returns." Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Orchids Paper Products Company Announces 2017 Second Quarter Results

Orchids Paper Products Company reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2017. The following tables provide selected financial results for second quarter 2017 compared to second quarter 2016 and first quarter 2017. Net sales decreased $1.0 million, or 2%. Major factors include: parent roll sales volume increased $3.7 million; converted-product sales volumes declined $2.3 million; and there was a decrease of $2.3 million in average converted-product prices, reflecting both the lower prices associated with new bids which became effective in 2017 and the product mix sold to a changing mix of customers. Cost of sales increased $4.4 million, or 13%. Standard cost of sales for parent rolls increased $2.4 million due to the much higher number of parent-roll tons sold. This leaves a $2.0 million, or 7%, increase in cost of sales that is primarily attributable to converted product sales. Major contributors to this increase include: start-up costs at Barnwell including additional direct labor and overhead, the liquidation of older higher-cost inventory, fiber and other material cost increases, labor usage, and health care cost increases. Additionally, the second quarter of 2016 benefited from the recovery of $1.1 million in business interruption insurance proceeds, which did not reoccur in 2017. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Suzano Reports Strong Operating and Financial Performance in Q2-2017

Suzano Papel e Celulose announces its consolidated results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2017 (2Q17). In the second quarter of 2017, the pulp segment continued to deliver solid results, driven mainly by strong and healthy demand from Asia. The commodity’s positive fundamentals once again supported successive price increases in all regions. The weaker BRL also had a positive effect on industry profitability. The paper segment remained pressured by Brazil’s caustic macroeconomic scenario. The Suzano Mais Program, which works to strengthen relations with agents at the end of the value chain, helped to enhance the profitability of the paper business. Click Read More below for additional detail.
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A group of titles launch ‘Deliver My Newspaper’

The service allows customers to have their favourite daily newspaper delivered to their doorstep with an initial six weeks free from delivery cost. To receive a newspaper via post, the individual needs to search for a local newsagent via DeliverMyNewspaper.co.uk, then fill out a registration form on the site and secure free delivery vouchers. Once the vouchers have arrived in the post they must take them to the selected newsagents, pay for the newspaper they want delivered and arrange the deliveries. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Pekin Insurance Adds Brenva HD Production Inkjet Press to Existing Line-up of Xerox Presses

To keep up with rising volumes of policy and billing statements, insurance provider and in-plant printer, Pekin Insurance, needed an inkjet device that brought speed, reliability and advanced color technology. They also needed a technology partner to support and help expand their applications. Pekin turned to Xerox and the Xerox Brenva HD Production Inkjet Press, which they added to their production family in December 2016. “Since we strictly focus on cut sheet, the Brenva HD made perfect sense for our environment,” said Heidi Hutchison, operations manager for the Illinois-based insurance company. “But, beyond that, we were looking for a modern device that would be able to adapt as our company’s needs change – the Brenva HD was the answer to that as well.” Click Read More below for additional detail.
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Endangered Emojis Postcard & Poster

Esperanto might never have really taken off, but the Internet seems to be in the process of moving us toward a far more successful and truly universal language: emojis. And as Ashley Stone inventively demonstrates in this design-school project, emojis on paper possess the ability to make us think through important issues as we work to decipher them. What I find particularly appealing about her “Endangered Emojis” series is the simple-yet-effective way in which she adapted a real fundraising campaign led by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – its “Stamp out Extinction” initiative – to appeal to teens and twenty-somethings.
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Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Announces Second Quarter 2017 Results

“As we head into the third quarter, which is historically the busiest quarter in HMH’s selling season, we are encouraged by our results for the first half of 2017,” said Jack Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of HMH. “We experienced strong net sales and billings growth within the extensions of our core Basal business, which are comprised of intervention, professional learning and supplemental products and services, and we took important steps to reduce our fixed cost base and improve our operating efficiency.” Joe Abbott, Chief Financial Officer of HMH added, “We remain on track to deliver against the targets we set at the start of the year and continue to progress our next generation program and platform development in advance of the large new adoption opportunities we anticipate in 2018 and 2019.”
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Print 17 Announces 44 Must See ‘Ems

Print 17 announced the 2017 Must See ‘Ems – the exhibits on the show floor that attendees simply can’t miss. The 44 Must See ‘Ems winners named below will be highlighted at Print 17, occurring Sept. 10-14 at McCormick Place South in Chicago, IL. Chosen by a panel of industry experts, these technologies represent compelling advances in 11 categories spanning the print production workflow.
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Berry Global Group, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2017 Results

Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE:BERY) today reported results for its third fiscal 2017 quarter, referred to in the following as the June 2017 quarter. “This continues to be an exciting year for Berry as we celebrate our 50th year in business while also achieving a milestone in the quarter with our placement into the Fortune 500. We achieved quarterly records for net sales and operating EBITDA and continued our work integrating the AEP acquisition. Adjusted free cash flow improved 20 percent, and adjusted net income per diluted share was also 13% higher at 93 cents,” said Tom Salmon, CEO of Berry.
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Accenture Acquires Brand Learning and Search Technologies

Accenture has acquired marketing and sales consultancy Brand Learning and technology services firm Search Technologies, both for undisclosed sums. In terms of the Brand Learning acquisition, a press release states that Brand Learning's advisory team will join the management consulting and industry specialists within Accenture's Customer and Channels practice. The partnership, according to the press release, will enhance Accenture's offerings in terms of marketing and sales strategy, organizational design, industry-specific consulting, and HR and leadership capabilities – allowing the professional services company to deliver end-to-end solutions and help clients create more integrated customer experiences. It will also tap into the digital design and engagement skills of Accenture Interactive, the release reads.
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Delta and Wieden + Kennedy Build On Wall Theme

Delta Airlines is using a wall in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn NY to depict the 133 airport codes that one can fly to from New York City on Delta. The illustrations by Celyn Brazier, who worked with ad agency Wieden + Kennedy in New York to show something special about the city or town they depict.
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How to Protect Your Work with Digital Watermarks

If your design work is out there on the internet, everybody can see it—or steal it. But fear not, for the digital watermark can save you! Stamp your images with a logo, wordmark, or both using any number of apps, including some you might already have. But whether you use visible or invisible digital watermarks, you need to learn how to protect your work using them, and about the pros and cons of using them. And keep in mind that during this day and age of social media and online sharing, you might not need digital watermarks.
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Oil Prices Drop as US Output and Opec Exports Rise

Oil prices edged lower on Friday and were on track for weekly losses, weighed down by rising Opec exports and strong output from the US. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, were trading at $51.61 a barrel at 9.58am GMT, 40c below the last close and heading for a fall of more than 1.5% on the week. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were 40c lower at $48.63 a barrel and were set to drop by just more than 2% for the week.
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Kimberly-Clark Named #1 Employer in Consumer Packaged Goods Category by Forbes

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB) today announced it has been ranked #1 in the consumer packaged goods category on Forbes' 2017 list of America's Best Large Employers. In addition, Kimberly-Clark was ranked #48 among the top 500 employers across all industries, up from #147 last year. The annual Forbes "America's Best Employers" rankings were compiled via an independent survey of 30,000 U.S. employees in 25 industries. Employees were asked how likely they were to recommend their company to friends and family, and which organizations they would choose in addition to their own. The survey also looked at benefits, workplace diversity, career development opportunities and recognition of employee performance.
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Cascades Announces the Construction of a New Packaging Plant in New Jersey

Cascades Inc. (TSX: CAS), the leader in recuperation of recyclable materials and in manufacturing of green packaging products and tissue paper, announces an investment of $80 million USD for the construction of a new containerboard packaging plant in Piscataway, New Jersey, United States. This new plant, which will create 120 jobs, will manufacture corrugated packaging products and will be among the most modern of its kind in North America. It will begin operations in the second quarter of 2018. Once all equipment is installed, total annual production capacity will be 2.4 billion square feet. Ultimately, this represents an increase in the integration rate of approximately 5%. The facilities will have a surface area of more than 400,000 square feet.
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Post Offices ‘Abuzz’ Over Protect Pollinators Forever Stamps

The U.S. Postal Service will pay tribute tomorrow to the beauty and importance of pollinators with stamps depicting two of our continent’s most iconic, the monarch butterfly and the western honeybee, each shown industriously pollinating a variety of plants native to North America. The Protect Pollinators Forever stamps will be dedicated at noon tomorrow at the American Philatelic Society National Summer Convention StampShow in Richmond, VA. Share the news on social media using the hashtags #ProtectPollinators and #PollinatorStamps.
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UPS Commemorates 110-Year Anniversary And Seattle Roots

UPS (NYSE: UPS) celebrated the company’s 110-year anniversary today in Seattle’s Waterfall Garden Park. The anniversary, on August 28, will mark the founding of a messenger service company started by James Casey and Claude Ryan in a six-by-17-foot room beneath a tavern run by Ryan's uncle at what is now 219 2nd Avenue South, in the heart of the city’s Pioneer Square area.
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LSC Communications Reports 2nd Quarter Results

Second quarter net sales were $848 million, down $58 million, or 6.4%, from the second quarter of 2016. After adjusting for the December 2, 2016 acquisition of Continuum and the March 1, 2017 acquisition of Hudson Yards, changes in foreign exchange rates, and pass-through paper sales, organic net sales decreased 6.8% from the second quarter of 2016. The decrease in organic net sales was due to lower volume and price declines in both the Print and Office Products segments.
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Cenveo Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Net sales in the second quarter of 2017 were $355.0 million compared to $410.1 million in the same period last year, a decline of 13.4%. The Company generated net sales of $736.9 million for the six months ended July 1, 2017, compared to $850.6 million for the same period last year, a decline of 13.4%. The sales decline was primarily driven by: (i) lower sales in the envelope segment, primarily due to lower demand in office product and wholesale envelope product lines primarily due to marketplace trends and lower direct mail demand primarily from our financial institution customers; (ii) lower sales volumes in the commercial print group and the publisher services group, primarily driven by lower customer demand and continued pricing pressures; and (iii) lower sales in the label segment, primarily due to the decision to exit our coating operation which was completed in the second quarter of 2016, and lower sales driven by product mix changes.
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Resolute Reports Preliminary Second Quarter 2017 Results

Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) today reported a net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, of $74 million, or $0.82 per share, compared to a net loss of $42 million, or $0.47 per share, in the same period in 2016. Sales were $858 million in the quarter, down $33 million, or 4%, from the second quarter of 2016. Excluding special items, the company reported a net loss of $3 million, or $0.03 per share, compared to net income, excluding special items, of $2 million, or $0.02 per share, in the second quarter of 2016.
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Sappi Delivers Solid Profit During Third Quarter

“I am pleased to report that during the past quarter Sappi delivered profits up 81% from a year ago, reduced debt by a further 17% (US$265 million) year-on-year. We also repaid US$400 million in bonds from cash reserves which will generate savings of approximately US$21 million per annum on our net interest charge. “Sappi’s third quarter is seasonally and historically its weakest quarter due to the slow-down in business activity during the Northern Hemisphere summer holiday period and Sappi’s choice to use this quarter to undertake major annual maintenance shuts. The past quarter’s earnings (EBITDA ex special items) at US$155 million where almost flat on a year ago. Higher volumes were offset by higher raw material prices and a stronger Rand/Dollar exchange rate.
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Neenah Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

"Each of our businesses delivered top line growth in the second quarter, overcoming currency headwinds and global capacity constraints as we ramp-up our new U.S. filtration capacity. Customer qualification of this filtration facility continues to progress well and start-up costs of $3 million in the quarter were in line with projections. Bottom line results also reflected a timing lag as we implement selling price increases to offset the rise in input costs in the first half of the year," said John O'Donnell, Chief Executive Officer. "With our strong financial position and continued success in targeted categories like filtration, performance materials and premium packaging, we remain confident about future investment opportunities for organic and strategic growth that can deliver value for our shareholders."
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Georgia-Pacific Acquires PAX Corrugated Products

Georgia-Pacific continues to expand its corrugated packaging business with the acquisition of Ohio-based PAX Corrugated Products. PAX operates a corrugated sheet plant with more than 100 employees in Lebanon, Ohio. Terms of the deal are not disclosed. “Georgia-Pacific has had a working relationship with PAX Corrugated for many years so we knew their organization would be an excellent fit with the GP Corrugated team,” said Billy Medof, president – GP Corrugated. “The PAX team will continue to deliver quality products and service to their customers as they do today. Their graphics and converting proficiency will accelerate our growth in digitally printed sheets from our Digital Print Solutions business and their display capability will expand our growing display business.”
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Rum Label Is Passport to Caribbean Culture

Project M Plus has designed the label and packaging for Atlantico rum, distilled and blended in the Dominican Republic. To elevate the product and the brand, the designers capitalized on their love of the Caribbean, taking their cues from the culture and lifestyle — including “the beautiful ceramic tiles found throughout the islands, the sun at Golden Hour, the salt on your skin to the salt on your rim.
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Clearwater Paper Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

The company reported net sales of $429.7 million for the second quarter of 2017, down 1.6% compared to net sales of $436.7 million for the second quarter of 2016. Net earnings determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, for the second quarter of 2017 were $8.0 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, compared to net earnings of $20.9 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2016.
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WestRock Reports Fiscal 2017 Third Quarter Results

WestRock Company ("WestRock") (NYSE:WRK), a leading provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, today announced results for its fiscal third quarter ended June 30, 2017. “Our WestRock team delivered strong earnings and cash flow, and grew our differentiated packaging business by completing the acquisitions of MPS and U.S. Corrugated, which have expanded our presence in attractive markets and increased our vertical integration,” said Steve Voorhees, chief executive officer. “We increased our daily box volumes over the prior year by 5.7%. While we continue to face a challenging cost environment, we are focusing on areas within our control – serving our customers well and driving synergy and productivity improvements across our company.”
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PCA Roanoke Partners with Virginia Tech

On April 20 PCA’s sheet plant in Roanoke, Virginia, hosted 35 students from Virginia Tech’s packaging program for their annual Plant Tour and Social Day. Students toured the box plant, watched a presentation about PCA and enjoyed lunch with employees. In addition to the Plant Tour and Social Day, PCA Roanoke is proud to partner with Virginia Tech in a number of other ways. The plant has hired a number of interns from the Packaging School, some of which have gone on to become PCA employees after graduation.
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The Role of Food and Beverage Packaging in Limiting Climate Change

It has been almost a year since the Paris Climate Change Agreement was adopted in December of 2015. The agreement set out a goal and initiated a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. It took most of 2016 for the Agreement to be signed and ratified and the Agreement did not enter into force until November 4, 2016. Key to this process was a joint ceremony on April 22, 2016 in which President Obama of the United States, and President Xi Jinping of China signed and ratified the Agreement on behalf of their respective countries. The US and China are the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases on the planet.
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Sustainably Inspirational Cities

With more than 80 per cent of North Americans now living in urban areas, the actions of city governments, residents and businesses are critical to making inroads in sustainability. We’ve found four examples of inspirational initiatives which are changing cities for the better that mirror the values that drive our sustainable manufacturing practices – from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to conserving water and using life cycle assessment to understand the environmental impact of our products.
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20 Beautifully Illustrated Alternative Movie Posters

At a time when official movie poster reveals are arguably as exciting as opening weekends, it’s no wonder so many creatives are carving out time to create their own alternative movie posters—whether for a client, for self-promotion or just for fun. Similarly, it’s no wonder we can’t help but drool over all the beautiful illustrated and painterly work we’ve seen lately. That’s why we’ve rounded up 20 of our favorite unofficial posters below. You may not have seen these illustrated posters in the wild during the respective film’s marketing campaign days, but they’re just as fun to look at now.
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Parents Magazine Debuts Redesign With September 2017 Issue

Parents magazine unveiled a fresh, new look with its September 2017 issue, on sale nationwide August 8. The dynamic redesign incorporates a modern logo, lively layouts and photography, and an evolved personality that reflects the candor, humor and confidence of today's mom. The September 2017 cover features Rebecca Minkoff – the fashion designer powerhouse and mother of two – as its Back-to-School Mom star with a personal interview and exclusive photos. Under the direction and leadership of Parents Editor-in-Chief Liz Vaccariello, the print redesign focuses on revitalizing the iconic brand. The magazine continues to offer readers its signature trusted content and focus on the needs of diverse millennial women in families of all shapes and sizes. Health and safety articles will advocate for every child's wellbeing, while the lifestyle coverage has evolved to reflect the millennial's unique mindset about food, home and travel. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Quad/Graphics Reports Second Quarter and Year-to-Date 2017 Results

Net earnings improved during the second quarter of 2017 to $7 million, a $15 million increase, versus an $8 million net loss in 2016, despite a 6.7% decrease in net sales to $963 million. Organic sales decreased 4.8% due to ongoing industry volume and pricing pressures after excluding pass-through paper sales (-1.7% impact) and foreign exchange (-0.2% impact). The organic sales decrease is consistent with the Company’s previous guidance. Diluted earnings per share improved to $0.13 compared to a $0.16 loss in 2016 primarily due to lower depreciation and amortization, and cost reductions and productivity improvement activities. Second quarter 2017 Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA decreased $1 million to $97 million compared to $98 million in 2016; however, Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 10.0% from 9.5% in 2016. Non-GAAP Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share improved by $0.21 during the second quarter 2017 to $0.24. The improvement in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share was primarily due to cost reductions and productivity improvement activities. Click Read More below for additional details.
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RR Donnelley Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Net sales in the quarter were $1.65 billion, up $13.4 million or 0.8% from the second quarter of 2016. On an organic basis, consolidated net sales declined 0.8% driven by volume growth in the International and Strategic Services segments and favorable changes in fuel surcharges which were more than offset by lower postage pass through sales in the Strategic Services segment, net volume declines in the Variable Print segment and modest price erosion across all segments. Gross profit in the second quarter of 2017 was $303.1 million or 18.4% of net sales versus $316.4 million or 19.4% of net sales in the prior year quarter. The decline was primarily due to unfavorable mix in several businesses, modest price pressure in all segments and unfavorable changes in foreign exchange rates. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Macmillan Heads Downtown, Leaving Flatiron Building

Macmillan Publishers will be leaving its long-time offices in New York's Chelsea neighborhood in 2019. The publisher, which currently occupies all the office space in New York's iconic Flatiron Building, has signed a 20-year lease at 120 Broadway, called the "Equitable Building," in lower Manhattan. "We are delighted to be moving to 120 Broadway," Andrew Weber, COO of Macmillan, said in a statement. "The move will be great for our people and our planned growth, and the architectural heritage of 120 Broadway means we will be moving from one of New York City's great iconic buildings to another." In moving to lower Manhattan, Macmillan will follow HarperCollins and Abrams who have moved south in search of new offices. St. Martin's was the first Macmillan division to move to the Flatiron Building and over the years other divisions followed. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Barnes & Noble Announces Special Back-to-School Educator Appreciation Days Every Saturday & Sunday in August to Celebrate Pre-K-12 Teachers & Administrators

To celebrate pre-K-12 public, private and homeschool educators and administrators, Barnes & Noble, Inc. will kick off the school year with new Educator Appreciation Days every Saturday and Sunday in August. Starting Saturday, August 5, local stores will feature special discounts* including 25% off most merchandise like books, toys and games; and limited-time giveaways from Sterling Publishing, while supplies last. The offer will also be valid online at www.BN.com Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27. “We are thrilled to announce Barnes & Noble’s Educator Appreciation Days to ring in the new school year,” said Tracy Vidakovich, Vice President, Business Development for Barnes & Noble. “Educators and administrators are one of our most loyal customer bases and we want to continue to show our commitment to them with this initiative and savings on their back-to-school purchases.” Click Read More below for additional details.
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Oil Trades Near $49 on Signs U.S. Stockpiles Unexpectedly Rose

Futures slid as much as 1.2 percent in New York after losing 2 percent Tuesday, the first drop in seven sessions. Inventories rose by 1.78 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to report. A Bloomberg survey showed nationwide stockpiles fell for a fifth week. OPEC output climbed in July as Libya boosted supply, according to a Bloomberg survey of analysts, oil companies and ship-tracking data. “Prices are under pressure as the recent gains are seen as unsustainable,” said Eugen Weinberg, head of commodities research at Commerzbank in Frankfurt. “The API is contributing to the overall situation, and should the DOE data confirm the trend, it’s likely to weigh on prices,” he said, referring to the U.S. Department of Energy figures due for release on Wednesday. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Boise Paper Wins 3M Supplier of the Year Award

Boise Paper, a division of Packaging Corporation of America, was honored with the 2017 3M Supplier of the Year Award in recognition of the company’s contribution to improving 3M’s competitiveness. This year, 3M recognized 15 suppliers – among thousands in its global supply base – for world class performance in providing products and/or services. These suppliers were identified and rated based on strategic spend, contract compliance, actions taken to improve 3M’s relevance and overall supplier performance (quality, delivery, responsiveness, cost, technology roadmaps). An awards ceremony will be held Aug. 4 at the 3M Championship in Blaine, Minn. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Adult Trade, College Material Sales Up in Q1

Sales of adult trade books rose 3.4% in the first quarter of 2017, over the comparable period in 2016, according to the latest figures released by the Association of American Publishers' StatShot program. The adult trade segment was one of three major publishing categories to see an increase in the first three months of the year, over the same time frame in 2016. The higher educational course materials segment experienced the largest gain in the period, with sales up 24.3%. Within adult trade, hardcover sales jumped 18.1% in the quarter, offsetting declines in the paperback formats. Downloadable audio had another strong period, with sales rising 23.1% in the quarter. But e-book sales continued to drop, falling 4.5% in the three-month period. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Crown Honors Three Plants for Sustainability Achievements

Crown Holdings, Inc. has recognized three of its facilities for outstanding sustainability achievements from 2015 to 2016. First introduced in 2012, the biennial Chairman’s Sustainability Awards program honors exemplary contributions made by the employees based in the Company’s international network of 146 facilities. The Chairman’s Award Program consists of three categories: Crown’s Economic Sustainability Award recognizes actions and projects that display a significant, measurable reduction in the Company’s use of resources that enhance Crown’s competitiveness, including energy, water, freight and fuel. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Benefits of Digital Printing for Packaging and Displays

Digital print for packaging and displays has many benefits and is ideal for customers who are looking for alternatives to traditional offset printing which is a plate or tooling driven process. It offers a way to professionally brand protective packaging and in-store signage and displays with custom print without the need for large production runs. Digital printed packaging, labels, and displays is a fast-growing market – and for good reason – it offers many benefits to the customer including: •Cost Effective: Digital print requires no die-cut tooling or print plates which can be an unexpected upfront expense for the customer or out of range cost for smaller businesses. •Small Production Runs: Digital print allows for production of small volume jobs and print runs. •Universal Application: Digital print has a universal application and prints on any substrate including metal, plastic, wood and corrugated paper. Click Read More below for additional details.
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B&NE Steps Up Fight Against Counterfeiters

In another move to combat the spread of counterfeit textbooks, Cengage, Elsevier, McGraw-Hill Education, and Pearson announced an agreement with Barnes & Noble Education to implement the industry’s Anti-Counterfeit Best Practices. The best practices were developed earlier this year by the Educational Publishers Enforcement Group (EPEG) with the goal of assisting publishers and distributors looking to tamp down on the growing availability of counterfeit print textbooks. In agreeing to adhere to the best practices program, B&NE will verify the sources of its textbooks. It will also inspect inventory that has a high risk of being counterfeit, and prevent it from infecting the rest of its inventory. And, according to the agreement, when B&NE finds counterfeit books it will share information about the title and supplier with publishers. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Sealed Air Announces Price Increases for Its North American Product Care Products

Sealed Air Corporation announced that it is implementing a price increase on all products in its North American Product Care division. The increases will be effective September 1, 2017. The price adjustments are the result of escalation in resin costs of over 7% since the start of the year with over 9% of additional increases expected to be announced in the near term. Other raw materials costs have also been on the rise including chemical components (MDI/Polyol) which are up 15% since the start of 2017, and recycled paper and corrugated up with Old Corrugated Container (OCC) costs climbing more than 50% year-to-date with further increases expected. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Smurfit Kappa Group plc today announced results for the 3 months and 6 months ending 30 June 2017

Second Quarter & Half Year Key Points: *Group revenue growth of 5% for the first six months with strong demand in most markets. *Second quarter EBITDA of €292 million with increased sequential EBITDA margin of 13.9%. *Kraftliner demand robust with additional €50 per tonne price increase implemented in the third quarter. *Containerboard price increases feeding through to corrugated price recovery. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Stein Mart Announces Five New Stores Opening This Fall

Stein Mart announced the locations of its five new stores opening this fall to complete its 2017 store plan to open a total of 10 new stores this year. "We look forward to introducing our customers to these new locations where they will always find great values on the best designer and name brand merchandise, in an attractive, easy-to-shop setting," said Hunt Hawkins, CEO of Stein Mart. "With new merchandising initiatives and a new marketing campaign being launched this fall, we invite all of our customers — new and loyal — to come see and hear what's new at Stein Mart this fall." Click Read More below for additional details.
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Book Publishers Begin 2017 with 4.9% Revenue Growth

Revenues for book publishers were $2.33 billion for the first quarter of 2017, a $108 million (4.9%) increase over the first quarter of 2016, according to the StatShot report from Association of American Publishers (AAP). Much of the growth is attributed to increased revenue in the two of the largest categories - Adult books and higher education course materials. StatShot tracks publisher revenue for about 1,200 publishers of trade (fiction/non-fiction/religious), PreK-12 instructional materials, higher education course materials, university presses and professional books. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Torstar Corporation Reports Second Quarter Results

Highlights for the second quarter: • Ended the second quarter of 2017 with $48.4 million of cash and cash equivalents and $9.1 million of restricted cash; Torstar has no bank indebtedness. • Our net loss attributable to equity shareholders was $7.0 million ($0.09 per share) in the second quarter of 2017. This compares to a net loss of $23.9 million ($0.30 per share) in the second quarter of 2016. • Adjusted loss per share was $0.03 in the second quarter of 2017, an improvement of $0.10 from adjusted loss per share of $0.13 in the second quarter of 2016. Adjusted loss per share in 2017 and 2016 included $0.24 and $0.50 per share effects of amortization and depreciation. • Our segmented operating loss was $8.1 million in the second quarter of 2017 which included $19.2 million of non-cash amortization and depreciation expense as well as $6.2 million of restructuring and other charges. Click Read More below for additional details.
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PBS to Unveil America’s Favorite Books in New TV Series

The Great American Read, an ambitious eight-episode documentary series that PBS has just announced, will explore the place of reading in American culture. The show, which is set to start airing in the summer of 2018, will kickoff with a two-hour program that will reveal a list of America’s 100 best-loved books. The inaugural episode of the series, set for May 2018, will feature the list of 100 best-loved books, chosen by the public and by a panel of literary experts. The final program in the fall will unveil a Top Ten list of America's best-loved books, culminating in the first-ever nation-wide vote to reveal America's single best-loved book of all. Funded by the Public Broadcasting System and produced by the TV production house, Nutopia, The Great American Read will marshal the entire PBS network in a multiplatform campaign. The TV series will be supported by social media campaigns and community reading groups, in addition to testimonials and appearances by figures from the worlds of entertainment, sports, news and literature. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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O-I Reports Second Quarter Results

"With half of the year behind us, expected strong business performance through the second half and favorable non-operational tailwinds, we are raising our guidance on our full-year earnings performance." Net sales in the second quarter of 2017 were $1.8 billion, similar to the prior year second quarter. On a global basis, the 1 percent increase in price was offset by modestly lower sales volume and adverse currency translation. For the first half of 2017, the net sales increase of more than 50 basis points reflects a stronger first quarter and softer second quarter which was partly due to higher shipping days in the first quarter. Click Read More below for additional details.
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WestRock Acquires Hannapak

WestRock Company announced that it is expanding its consumer packaging portfolio with the acquisition of Hanna Group Pty Ltd (Hannapak), one of Australia’s leading providers of folding cartons to a variety of markets, including beverage, food, confectionary, and healthcare. The acquisition will build on WestRock’s established and growing packaging business in the region. “Hannapak has built an outstanding folding carton business in Australia based on their superior capabilities and customer service,” said Steve Voorhees, chief executive officer of WestRock. “We have a strong relationship with the company and the Hanna family based on an 18-year partnership as one of our key converting partners in the region, and we are excited about the clear cultural and operational fit between the two companies. This acquisition expands our geographic footprint to better serve global and local customers, and will enable us to improve WestRock’s beverage packaging business in the region while expanding our participation to a variety of other attractive end markets.” Click Read More below for additional details.
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Madison Paper Industries concluded the sale of its hydro power facilities in North America to Eagle Creek Renewable Energy

Madison Paper Industries, a partnership of UPM and Northern SC Paper Corp., a subsidiary of The New York Times Company, concluded the sale of its hydro power facilities to Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC, a hydroelectric power producer, based in Morristown, NJ, USA on 31 July 2017. The transaction was announced by Madison Paper Industries in April 2017.
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Appvion Extends Its Triumph High-Speed Inkjet Paper Line

Appvion, Inc. has extended its Triumph® High-Speed Inkjet Paper line with the addition of four treated products: 9 pt. Triumph Treated Universal in rolls and sheets, 9 pt. Triumph Treated Ultra P in rolls, and 32 lb. Triumph Universal and Triumph Ultra P in rolls. “We continue to expand our portfolio of Triumph High-Speed Inkjet Papers to meet the ever-advancing demands of the inkjet printing industry,” states Scott Harman, Appvion’s director of digital products. “Appvion’s commitment is to add value to paper. With these product extensions, we are offering our customers added value through more high-quality, superior-performing paper choices—all which yield the excellent finish and vibrant color that provide exceptional results to meet their various application needs.” Click Read More below for additional details.
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Oil Rises Above $50 as OPEC Trims Exports, Sets Meeting on Cuts

“There’s been some constructive developments coming out of OPEC,” Tamar Essner, an energy analyst at Nasdaq Inc. in New York, said by telephone. “The data out of OPEC has been bearish.” Oil has rebounded on growing signs that the market is coming back into balance, with futures climbing above the 200-day moving average last week for the first time since May. Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait promised to reduce crude exports. U.S. crude stockpiles have been on a steady decline and are estimated to have dropped further last week. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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MillerCoors Designates CROWN Beverage Packaging Mexico as its 2016 Supplier Of The Year

MillerCoors has named CROWN Beverage Packaging Mexico as its 2016 Packaging Materials Supplier of the Year. Crown’s facility in Monterrey, Mexico supplies MillerCoors with crowns and aluminum roll on closures for glass bottles. “CROWN Mexico has been a longtime supplier to MillerCoors’ operations in the United States, consistently providing us with excellent quality bottle crowns and great customer service throughout the years,” said Tod Galloway, Vice President, US Head of Regional Procurement, MillerCoors. “They continuously strive to innovate with us and help grow our brands, all at a competitive cost within the industry. 2016 was a particularly strong year for CROWN Mexico, and as such, they were presented our Packaging Supplier of the Year Award. We are fortunate to have such a long-standing and reliable partner.” Click Read More below for additional details.
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Glatfelter Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Glatfelter reported a net loss of $5.7 million, or $0.13 per share for the second quarter of 2017 compared with net income of $2.0 million, or $0.04 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2016. On an adjusted earnings basis, the loss for the second quarter of 2017 was $2.6 million, or $0.06 per share compared with adjusted earnings of $2.8 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, for the same period a year ago. Consolidated net sales totaled $387.3 million and $406.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. In the Composite Fibers and Advanced Airlaid Materials business units, net sales increased by 1.4% and 4.9%, respectively, on a constant currency basis. Specialty Papers’ net sales declined 8.6% in the quarter-over-quarter comparison. Click Read More below for additional details.
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International Paper Prices $1.0 Billion of Senior Unsecured Notes

International Paper Company announced that it has priced $1.0 billion of 4.350% senior unsecured notes due 2048. The notes were issued at a public offering price of 99.898%. The offering was made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement. International Paper intends to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with available cash and other borrowings, to make a voluntary cash contribution to its pension plan in the aggregate amount of $1.25 billion by September 15, 2017.
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Klabin Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Klabin, Brazil's largest paper producer and exporter, the leading manufacturer of paper and board for packaging, corrugated board packaging and industrial bags, and the only company in Brazil to produce hardwood, softwood and fluff pulp in the same plant, registered its 24th consecutive quarter of growth in financial results. The company recorded adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of R$595 million in the second quarter of 2017, which is 11% higher than in the same period in 2016. In the second quarter of the year, the company highlights in its balance sheet the strong and sustained performance of the Puma Unit which, after the annual maintenance shutdown at the end of March this year, concluded the ramp-up process and recorded pulp sales volume of 337,000 tons in 2Q17, 12% higher than in 1Q17.Of the total sales volume in the second quarter of this year, 252,000 tons were hardwood pulp and 85,000 tons were softwood and fluff pulp. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Water soluble film by Mondi reduces packaging waste and improves end consumer safety

As a result of its customer focused research and development, Mondi’s technical films business has created and introduced a water soluble film for the smart and convenient packing and dosing of powders, tabs and granulates. Dissolving completely in water, the film is ideal for single doses of dry materials, such as dishwasher and laundry tabs or bath salts. The water soluble film is an example how customers benefit from Mondi’s synergized research and development strategies having its core competencies in areas such as plastic films, packaging, paper and coating brought together under one roof. The film offers excellent sealing and deep drawing properties, provides an effective barrier to oxygen and is completely soluble even in cold water. Consumers are also protected from direct contact with the contents, which adds an extra layer of safety. Customers can bolster their sustainable credentials too, through the environmental benefits water soluble films provide compared to standard plastic films. In addition to reducing overall packaging waste, the films are also considered to be biodegradable, non-toxic and non-inhibitory. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Book Publishing Annual StatShot Survey Reveals Religious Crossover and Inspirational Books Supported Trade Book Growth in 2016

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) announced that the U.S. book publishing industry generated $26.24 billion in net revenue for 2016, representing 2.7 billion in units (volume). Books with religious and inspirational themes from religious presses and trade publishers were among the best-selling books. StatShot Annual estimates the book publishing industry’s size and scope, tracking the sales and volume data for trade (fiction/non-fiction/religious), PreK-12 instructional materials, higher education course materials, university presses, and professional books. While publisher revenue (1.5%) and units sold (2.8%) both increased for trade books, the overall publishing industry saw a decline in revenue (-5.1%.) This may in large part be attributed to a challenging year in the education and scholarly publishing markets, which together comprise about 40% of tracked revenues. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Xerox Reports Second-Quarter 2017 Earnings

Revenues were $2.57 billion in the quarter, down 8.1 percent or 6.4 percent in constant currency. Post sale revenue was 79 percent of total revenue. Second-quarter adjusted operating margin was 13.3 percent, up 0.4 percentage points from the same quarter a year ago. Xerox generated operating cash flow of $343 million from continuing operations during the second quarter and ended the period with a cash balance of $1.25 billion. The company returned $68 million in dividends to shareholders. Click Read More below for additional details.
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InnerWorkings Forms Long-Term Business Relationship with Choice Hotels

InnerWorkings Inc., the leading global marketing execution firm, announced a new long-term alliance with global lodging company Choice Hotels International. Under a multi-year agreement, InnerWorkings will deploy an integrated solution across a broad scope of marketing channels for Choice Hotels, including direct mail, branded merchandise, signage, and other marketing collateral. InnerWorkings will also implement a custom eCommerce and fulfillment platform, delivering a comprehensive marketing supply chain solution to support Choice's extensive brand portfolio. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Next milestone achieved in sustainability – EU Ecolabel available for all UPM graphic paper grades

Following its Biofore approach, UPM Paper ENA has reached the next significant milestone in the company's sustainability journey, as now all its mills produce papers that are awarded with the EU Ecolabel. The UPM Hürth paper mill completed the full range on June 5th, when its products received the EU Ecolabel certificate. The mill achieved the needed reduction in emissions by switching to more sustainable sources of energy. "Being able to provide our customers with EU Ecolabel awarded products from all of our mills is a great achievement, which we can be proud of," says Päivi Rissanen, Sustainability Director, UPM Paper ENA. "The EU Ecolabel criteria covers all relevant environmental aspects and is a good proof of solid sustainability performance." Click Read More below for additional details.
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Sonoco’s 2016-2017 Corporate Responsibility Report shows steady progress

Sonoco has released its 2016-2017 Corporate Responsibility Report. The report, which is available on the Company’s website at www.sonoco.com/sustainability, celebrates Sonoco’s successful projects while reporting on the Company’s significant progress toward long-term sustainability goals. In 2016, Sonoco reduced total water usage by 4.09 percent, total energy usage by 0.52 percent and total greenhouse gas emissions by 3.35 percent (all figures are year over year). Sonoco Recycling recovered the equivalent by weight of 57 percent of the product that Sonoco places into the marketplace. Click Read More below for additional details.
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LSC Communications Acquires Fairrington Transportation

LSC Communications announced that it has acquired Fairrington Transportation, an industry leading full-service mailing and logistics provider. Fairrington’s capabilities include a complete range of logistics services from freight management to postal optimization solutions. Founder and CEO of Fairrington, Victor Warren said, “Fairrington has been providing delivery solutions that meet our clients’ needs for 36 years. We are excited that joining forces with LSC will give us the scale necessary to expand our service offerings.” Thomas J. Quinlan III, Chairman and CEO of LSC, further commented, “Fairrington’s experienced leadership, combined with the fact that publications such as magazines and catalogs are at the core of many of our clients’ businesses make this acquisition a natural fit for LSC. Our strategic focus is to continue to expand LSC’s logistics service offering in ways that add value to our clients’ traditional print supply chains, and beyond.”
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Oil Near $50 as Traders Await U.S. Reaction to Venezuelan Vote

Oil gained last week to rise above its 200-day moving average for the first time since May as concerns eased that efforts by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies to curb output will be offset by rising production elsewhere. Police in Venezuela clashed with demonstrators after a vote Sunday to elect members of a new legislative body that President Nicolas Maduro insisted is needed to restore order after months of protests. “Depending on how the Trump administration decides to proceed going forward, of course that could have implications,” including potentially blocking imports of Venezuelan crude, said Harry Tchilinguirian, a commodities analyst at BNP Paribas SA in London. “It’s very unclear at this stage what course the U.S. administration will follow.” Click Read More below for additional details.
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Cenveo, Inc. to Transfer Stock Listing to the Nasdaq Global Market

Cenveo, Inc. announced that it is transferring its stock exchange listing to the Nasdaq Global Market from The New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), effective August 7, 2017 after market close. Cenveo shares will begin trading as a Nasdaq-listed security on August 8, 2017, and will continue to trade under the symbol CVO. Robert G. Burton, Sr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated: "We are pleased to partner with Nasdaq as the new home for our stock listing. We believe Nasdaq's reputation as the leading exchange for companies launching technology solutions is consistent with Cenveo's leadership in developing product offerings such as Kadena 2.0, a cloud-based platform focused on the performance of print and mail communications, fulfillment and supply chain management for mid to large sized enterprises. Nasdaq's increased share of our stock's trading volume also makes them an ideal trading platform for our company. Additionally, the move will provide Cenveo access to a broad portfolio of tools and services to reach our investors in a cost effective manner all of which will contribute to our profitability improvement plan we announced earlier this year. We thank the NYSE for all their support during the past several years."
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Virgin Atlantic signs a new deal with INK

We are very proud to announce that Ink has signed a new partnership with the UK’s iconic challenger airline Virgin Atlantic, where we will revamp its inflight magazine Vera, as well as represent all media sales. From September, we will create an upgraded magazine for Virgin Atlantic’s loyal customers, with a complete relaunch in October. The new Vera will be a dazzling entertainment and travel magazine, that cleverly connects the onboard entertainment offering with original destination tips from across Virgin Atlantic’s global network. Mark Anderson, Executive Vice President, Customer at Virgin Atlantic said: “Offering our customers a unique and memorable experience is absolutely key to us at Virgin Atlantic; so we are delighted to be working with Ink’s expert team to give our inflight magazine a total makeover. Expect a new and exciting travel and entertainment magazine from October 2017.” Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Koehler Paper Group Ensuring Growth with Record Investments

Following the recent decision of the Supervisory Board of Papierfabrik August Koehler SE, the globally active paper specialist will have invested approximately half a billion Euro in growth by 2020. “We’re able to do this thanks to our position of strength and exceptional business developments in the past,” explains Kai Furler, CEO of the German family-owned company. More than €300 million is also being directed to the Kehl production facility, where Koehler will be creating more than 100 new jobs over the next two years. The primary investment is going to a leading global technology in the form of a specialty paper machine with Yankee cylinder. The off-machine coater will be equipped with multiple cutting-edge coating application technologies in order to help shape attractive market segments in the sector of flexible packaging. The total capacity will be well over 100,000 tons a year. That represents a clear commitment to paper and board, says CEO Kai Furler, as well as the largest individual investment in the company’s 210-year history. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Norske Skogindustrier ASA: Update on recapitalization process

As announced on 14 July 2017, the ad hoc committee of holders of the EUR 290 million senior secured notes and the holders of the EUR 100 million NSF loan notes due 2020 (the "NSF"), who hold approximately 46 per cent. of the group's financial indebtedness (excluding local facilities), have provided Norske Skog with a recapitalization proposal. The company has shared its views on the proposal with the SSN AHC and the NSF holders and the SSN AHC and the NSF holders have shared their proposal with other creditor groups. The company has also received a short-form term sheet from the SSN AHC and the NSF holders relating to the provision of (i) a short term Euro 15 million secured facility guaranteed by certain members of the group and (ii) a backstop guarantee facility to help support the operating business of the company's subsidiaries. The company is in the process of considering these financing proposals. To allow for the conclusion of the ongoing stakeholder discussions to be reflected, the company has also today announced that the deadline for the current exchange offers and consent solicitations has been further extended from 31 July 2017 to 11 August 2017. Click Read More below for additional details.
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What Does a 16% Decline in Magazine Ads Mean for the Industry?

Let's be honest, although many attempt to do so, there is no way to find a positive spin to the data in this industry-wide report showing magazine ads down another 16%. As an industry, we have seen negative numbers every year for a decade. Were you expecting a change? Newsstand sales of magazines have plummeted at least 50%, and periodicals run through the USPS have dropped 55% and diminish each year. Meanwhile ad sales, as seen in this report, continue on their long decline seeking a yet undiscovered plateau. We have seen associations use sleight of hand to try to change the subject and use illusory metrics, like “likes” instead of real data that show magazine growth. Has that helped? We have seen pundits declare that all is well and that print will live and be prosperous forever. Neither of those are helpful as a solution nor a recognition of the situation at hand. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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C-PAC Joins Two Sides

“Two Sides is very proud to welcome C-PAC to our growing network of Canadian member companies. We look forward to working with them to help spread the positive word about the sustainability of print and paper products,” said Two Sides North America President, Phil Riebel. “C-Pac is very excited to be a part of the wonderful work that Two Sides does. Our goal is to work together to promote sustainable papermaking practices and to identify and eliminate greenwashing claims,” said Meagan Siddall, Business Development Manager, C-PAC.
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Verso Announces Price Increase on #4 Web Grades

Effective with all new and existing orders with confirmed delivery dates of September 1, 2017 or later, Verso Corporation is increasing the transaction price of all #4 Web grades by $1.50/cwt USD/$1.93/cwt CAD. This includes, but is not limited to: Liberty® web; Balance® web; New Era® Matte; New Era® ThinBulk. The increase applies to all basis weights, bulks, finishes and related private label grades.
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Verso Introduces Two Specialty Paper Selector Guides

"Verso's focused product development and innovation initiatives have resulted in a portfolio of label and release liner papers that now includes more than 60 unique products, making it the largest offering in North America," said Verso President of Graphic Papers Mike Weinhold. "Verso's breadth of specialty products makes it easy for our customers to choose the paper that best fits their unique needs, and these paper selectors now make that selection easier than ever." "These paper selectors detail the light to heavyweight release liners and multipurpose to special application facestock papers Verso has developed for our customers' pressure sensitive laminating needs," said Ed Buehler, Vice President and General Manager of Verso's Specialty Papers business. "We've highlighted end-use applications, mill locations and specifications for many of our respected brands, all in one simplified printed piece that provides customers with a convenient guide to the right Verso specialty paper to meet their needs, no matter how complex the end-use application." Click Read More below for additional details.
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Quad/Graphics’ Ongoing Strategic Transformation Helps Clients Market More Efficiently and Effectively

Under a new multi-year, multi-million-dollar contract with National Geographic Partners, Quad/Graphics, Inc. will manage comprehensive production services, including paper procurement and management, prepress and printing management. The agreement also expands and extends the print volume Quad/Graphics supplies under contract for the publisher and its titles National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, National Geographic History, National Geographic Kids, National Geographic Little Kids, National Geographic Adventures and National Geographic Expeditions. The newly extended and expanded contract fortifies Quad/Graphics’ long-standing relationship with National Geographic Partners, which also includes books, and demonstrates the iconic brand’s confidence in Quad/Graphics as a strategic business partner. Click Read More below for additional details.
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West Linn Paper Company Joins ColorPRO Technology Program for HP PageWide Web Presses

Sonoma® Jet, a high-speed, digital coated inkjet matte paper, is now qualified for HP PageWide web presses through the ColorPRO Technology program. The Sonoma Jet coatings are optimized for HP’s high-speed, inkjet presses utilizing pigmented inks and will give printers outstanding ink holdout, as well as improved press speeds and performance. Available in 45#, 60# and 70# matte, the Sonoma Jet paper is ideal for book printing, personalized and variable print, inserts, and transactional, healthcare, and financial documents. The Sonoma Jet grade offers excellent opacity, printability, ink mileage, throughput and bindery efficiency which results in enhanced quality, higher speeds and lower costs for the printer. Contact your Midland Paper Sales Professional for additional information.
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Amazon.com Announces Second Quarter Sales up 25% to $38.0 Billion

Net sales increased 25% to $38.0 billion in the second quarter, compared with $30.4 billion in second quarter 2016. Excluding the $502 million unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, net sales increased 26% compared with second quarter 2016. Operating income decreased 51% to $628 million in the second quarter, compared with operating income of $1.3 billion in second quarter 2016. Net income was $197 million in the second quarter, or $0.40 per diluted share, compared with net income of $857 million, or $1.78 per diluted share, in second quarter 2016. Click Read More below for additional details.
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AptarGroup Reports Second Quarter Results

Second Quarter 2017 Summary: • Reported sales were in line with the prior year. • Excluding the negative impact from changes in foreign currency exchange rates, core sales increased 1% as robust core sales growth in the Pharma and Food + Beverage segments offset a decline in Beauty + Home. • Reported net income (11% of net sales) increased to $65 million (+10%) primarily due to a lower effective tax rate. • EBITDA (20% of net sales) decreased to $124 million (-7%) primarily due to decreases in business in certain markets and higher raw material costs. • Reported earnings per share were $1.01 compared to $0.91 reported in the prior year (+11%) and $0.90 in the prior year when adjusting for changes in currency exchange rates (+12%). Click Read More below for additional details.
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Oil Surges Above $49 as Supply Draw Shows Market in Better Shape

Futures climbed 0.6 percent in New York for a fourth day of gains. Kuwait joined the U.A.E. in promising to pump less oil after Saudi Arabia called on OPEC producers to cut more supply. U.S. crude inventories declined by 7.21 million barrels last week to the lowest level since early January, according to the Energy Information Administration. The market is digesting “very strong draws in inventories across the board,” Adam Wise, who runs a $8 billion oil and natural gas bond and private equity portfolio at John Hancock Financial Services Inc. in Boston, said by telephone. “We’ve also seen comments out of Saudi Arabia supporting prices in the form of export reduction. Sentiment is finally being forced to pay attention to the fundamentals.” Click Read More below for additional details.
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Hachette Sales Up 5% in First Half of 2017

Revenue at Hachette Book Group rose 5.4% in the first half of 2017, over the comparable period in 2016, parent company Lagardere reported. The gain excludes $24 million from the Perseus Books publishing division, which Lagardere bought in March 2016. Total revenue at Lagardere’s Publishing unit—Hachette Livre—increased 5.1% , to 1.02 billion euros, over the first six months of 2016. Recurring EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) rose 14%, to 41 million euros. In the U.S., Lagardere said the increase was due mainly to the performance of Hachette Nashville, home of FaithWords and Center Street, as well as to such successful titles such as The Fix by David Baldacci and The Black Book by James Patterson. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Cascades announces the sale of its equity holding in Boralex

Cascades Inc. announces that it has reached an agreement to sell all of its shares in Boralex to the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (the Caisse) for an amount of $ 287.5 million. Cascades was formerly a majority shareholder in Boralex, but has gradually had its ownership stake in the company diluted to 17.3% as Boralex has grown over recent years. Over the last several months, Cascades management has undertaken an in-depth assessment, and has evaluated the Company's alternatives with regards to its investment in Boralex. As a result of this analysis, management made the strategic decision to monetize its investment and selected the Caisse to complete this major transaction. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Domtar Corporation Reports Preliminary Second Quarter 2017 Financial Results

Domtar Corporation reported net earnings of $38 million ($0.61 per share) for the second quarter of 2017 compared to net earnings of $20 million ($0.32 per share) for the first quarter of 2017 and net earnings of $18 million ($0.29 per share) for the second quarter of 2016. Sales for the second quarter of 2017 were $1.2 billion. Excluding items listed below, the Company had earnings before items1 of $38 million ($0.61 per share) for the second quarter of 2017 compared to earnings before items1 of $20 million ($0.32 per share) for the first quarter of 2017 and earnings before items1 of $38 million ($0.61 per share) for the second quarter of 2016. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Expera Specialty Solutions Announces Glass Interleave Family of Brands

Expera is rolling out its refreshed line of Glass-Gard Prime™ and Glass-Gard™ papers, highlighting a diverse portfolio of specialty paper products that span a variety of end-use applications. From highly technical glass applications, to offering protection in automobile manufacturing, tough conditions have met their match. “Glass-Gard Prime™ papers help prevent scratching and particle generation on the finished glass product, which are high priorities in technical glass manufacturing,” explained Robyn Buss, Vice President Sales and Marketing for Expera Specialty Solutions. “Expera has developed proprietary manufacturing processes to remove the components that cause flaws on a finished glass product.” Click Read More below for additional details.
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Retailer-opposed border-adjusted tax on imports is no longer in play

Republican leaders said on Thursday that the proposed border-adjusted tax won’t be part of negotiations on how to overhaul the U.S. tax code—delivering a victory to retailers’ groups that had strenuously opposed the measure. A statement Thursday from the so-called Big Six—which includes House Speaker Paul Ryan, Ways and Means chairman Kevin Brady, White House economic adviser Gary Cohn, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Finance Committee chairman Orrin Hatch—said due to the unknowns associated with the border-adjusted tax, the group “had decided to set this policy aside in order to advance tax reform.” Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Mercer International Inc. Reports 2017 Second Quarter Results

Mercer International Inc. reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017. Operating EBITDA* in the second quarter of 2017 increased by approximately 13% to $39.1 million from $34.7 million in the same quarter of 2016 but declined from $60.2 million in the prior quarter. In the current quarter, strong operating performance was partially offset by a large planned maintenance shut along with foreign exchange losses on foreign currency balances. In the current quarter, we had 22 days of annual maintenance downtime at our pulp mills compared to 21 days in the comparative quarter and no such downtime in the prior quarter of 2017. For the second quarter of 2017, we had a net loss of $2.1 million, or $0.03 per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $4.2 million, or $0.07 per basic and diluted share, in the comparative quarter. In the prior quarter, we had net income of $9.7 million. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Clean cities need clean wood

The forest industry – and its place in sustainable living – took a pivotal role at the 10th Making Cities Liveable Conference in Brisbane, Australia, last month. “Forestry is the oldest and best example of sustainable planning,” said Simon Dorries, CEO of Australian Forestry Standard (AFS). AFS, the PEFC national member for Australia, held an exhibit at the conference, explaining certification systems, chain of custody programs and forest management practices to delegates. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Norbord Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Q2 2017 HIGHLIGHTS: •Adjusted earnings of $1.10 per diluted share, more than double Q2 2016. •Adjusted EBITDA of $165 million, $71 million higher than Q2 2016. •North Central benchmark OSB price averaged $330 per Msf, up 25% from Q2 2016. •Capacity utilization at Norbord's North American mills up 3% year-over-year. •Repaid $61 million in temporary drawings on accounts receivable securitization program. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Tembec Shareholders Approve Transaction with Rayonier Advanced Materials

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. and Tembec Inc. announced that the holders of record of its common shares have approved the resolution authorizing the previously announced statutory arrangement under Section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act pursuant to which Rayonier Advanced Materials will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Tembec. The Arrangement Resolution was approved by 95.04% of the votes cast by Tembec Shareholders at the special meeting held earlier today. The completion of the Transaction remains subject to approval by the Québec Superior Court at a final hearing, which is expected to take place on August 7, 2017. In addition to court approval, the Transaction remains subject to other closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals. It is expected that the Transaction will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2017.
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Copy Express Joins Two Sides

Copy Express, Inc. has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print and paper. “The world as we know it has evolved, but our passion for printing remains as strong as it was when we started in 1975. In all fairness to the digital world that surrounds us, there remains a place in our lives for print and paper. Two Sides North America understands and supports this point of view; we, therefore, choose to join them in the promotion of this environmental dialog,” said Jim O’Leary, President, Copy Express, Inc.
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Glatfelter Announces Cost Reduction Measures in Its Specialty Papers Business Unit

The changes include the shutdown of Paper Machine 24 (“PM24”) at the Company’s Chillicothe, OH facility, the elimination of approximately 50 affected hourly positions at the facility, and a reduction of 70 salaried positions across the business unit. The PM24 shutdown will remove approximately 80,000 tons, or 10%, of capacity from the Specialty Papers Business Unit and reduce the Chillicothe facility’s exposure to purchased pulp. The Company plans for production to be absorbed by the remaining seven paper machines in the business unit. “The supply-demand imbalance in the printing and writing markets continues to put pressure on industry operating rates and selling prices. In light of the challenging market conditions, we must aggressively manage costs by eliminating capacity without impacting our ability to service our customers. While these are difficult decisions, we must take the actions necessary to strengthen our Specialty Papers business and position Glatfelter for long-term success,” said Dante C. Parrini, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Taylor Communications to Move Hundreds of Jobs to Downtown Dayton

The Dayton city commission on Wednesday approved a $1 million development agreement with Taylor Communications — formerly Standard Register Co. — to help fund the renovation of the underutilized downtown building at 111 W. First St., the company’s new home come October. As part of the previously discussed deal, Taylor Communications will move roughly 400 to 500 of its local 700 workers to the 111 building, where they will occupy eight floors. The remaining employees will stay on at Taylor’s current location at 600 Albany St. in Dayton’s west side. According to Dayton Business Journal, the $1 million agreement includes $500,000 from the Montgomery County Economic Development/Government Equity program. Another $500,000 will come from the city of Dayton, and Taylor Communications will spend at least $2.4 million on facility improvements, equipment and other items. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Discover Financial Services Reports Second Quarter Net Income of $546 Million

Second Quarter Highlights: • Total loans grew $6.1 billion (8%) from the prior year to $78.0 billion. • Credit card loans grew $4.6 billion (8%) to $61.8 billion and Discover card sales volume increased 5% from the prior year. • Total net charge-off rate excluding PCI loans increased 52 basis points from the prior year to 2.79% and the total delinquency rate over 30 days past due excluding PCI loans increased 33 basis points from the prior year to 1.93%. • Consumer deposits grew $3.6 billion (11%) from the prior year to $37.7 billion. Click Read More below for additional details.
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KapStone Reports Second Quarter Results

Second Quarter Operating Highlights: Consolidated net sales of $823 million in the second quarter of 2017 increased by $38 million, or 5 percent, compared to $785 million for the 2016 second quarter. Revenue growth in the paper and packaging segment resulted from higher prices and volume. The Company's average mill selling price of $661 per ton in the second quarter of 2017 increased by $37 per ton, or about 6 percent, compared to the second quarter of 2016 due to higher domestic and export containerboard prices, higher specialty paper prices and a more favorable product mix. Revenues in the distribution segment increased $8 million, mainly due to higher prices. Operating income of $41 million for the 2017 second quarter decreased by $2 million, or 5 percent, compared to the 2016 second quarter. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Meredith Reports Record Fiscal 2017 Revenue And Earnings

Meredith Corporation reported record fiscal 2017 full year and fourth quarter results. Meredith introduces an updated market positioning and logo that reflect the strength of Meredith's national and local consumer media brands as well as its expanded portfolio of marketing solutions. "We delivered record revenue and profit in fiscal 2017 as we continue to aggressively execute our multi-platform growth strategies, including rapid expansion of our highly profitable digital activities," said Meredith Chairman and CEO Stephen M. Lacy. "Additionally, we delivered strong cash flow and higher profit margins. This enabled us to continue successful execution of our Total Shareholder Return (TSR) strategy." Click Read More below for additional details.
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International Paper Reports Second Quarter 2017 Earnings

International Paper reported second quarter 2017 net earnings attributable to International Paper of $80 million ($0.19 per share) compared with net earnings of $209 million ($0.50 per share) for the first quarter of 2017 and net earnings of $40 million ($0.10 per share) in the second quarter of 2016. Net earnings in all periods include the impact of special items, if any, non-operating pension expense and discontinued operations. Adjusted operating earnings in the second quarter of 2017 were $270 million ($0.65 per share) compared with $249 million ($0.60 per share) in the first quarter of 2017 and $379 million ($0.92 per share) in the second quarter of 2016. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Bemis Company Reports Second Quarter Results

Bemis Company, Inc. reported financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2017. Refer to the reconciliation of Non-GAAP measures detailed in the attached schedule, including adjusted earnings per share, adjusted EBITDA, and net debt referenced in this release. “Total company profits were less than expected this quarter due to the impact of the challenging economic environment in Brazil. Sales volumes declined sharply in Brazil versus our run rates as consumers, retailers, and our customers reacted to the latest political instability. In our U.S. business, profits were in line with the expectations we shared last quarter,” said William F. Austen, Bemis Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “During June, we initiated a restructuring and cost savings plan to better position the Company in the current environment and for the long term. These efforts are progressing well to create a more agile, streamlined, and efficient business that continues to be successful over the long term.” Click Read More below for additional details.
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Canfor Reports Results for Second Quarter of 2017

Canfor Corporation reported net income attributable to shareholders of $81.3 million, or $0.61 per share, for the second quarter of 2017, compared to shareholder net income of $66.1 million, or $0.50 per share, for the first quarter of 2017 and a net income attributable to shareholders of $36.0 million, or $0.27 per share, for the second quarter of 2016. For the six months ended June 30, 2017, the Company’s shareholder net income was $147.4 million, or $1.11 per share, compared to $62.0 million, or $0.47 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2016. The Company’s adjusted shareholder net income for the second quarter of 2017 was $104.2 million, or $0.78 per share, compared to an adjusted shareholder net income of $59.3 million, or $0.45 per share, for the first quarter of 2017, and adjusted shareholder net income of $26.5 million, or $0.20 per share, for the second quarter of 2016. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Packaging Corporation of America Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results

Packaging Corporation of America reported second quarter 2017 net income of $143 million, or $1.52 per share and $1.52 per share excluding special items. Second quarter net sales were $1.6 billion in 2017 and $1.4 billion in 2016. Excluding special items, the $.27 per share increase in second quarter 2017 earnings compared to the second quarter of 2016, was driven primarily by higher prices and mix ($.25), sales volumes ($.09), and production volumes ($.03) in our Packaging segment, lower annual maintenance outage costs ($.05), lower taxes ($.06) and a partial insurance recovery related to the DeRidder Mill incident ($.02). These items were partially offset by higher costs for energy ($.06), fiber ($.05), labor ($.03) and chemicals ($.01), higher freight ($.02), interest ($.02), depreciation ($.02) and other expenses ($.01), and lower Paper segment prices and mix ($.01). Click Read More below for additional details.
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Oil majors sustain profits despite crude’s slide

Three years into a dramatic slump in oil prices, big oil companies seem to have adapted their businesses to a point where they can still generate cash and reduce debt levels even at current oil prices. European oil giants Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Total SA and Statoil ASA kicked off the sector's second quarter earnings Thursday season with a flurry of reports that highlighted growing cash flow and sustained profits. Though notably better than at the start of 2016 when the price of crude plummeted to $27 a barrel, oil is still more than 50% weaker than in 2014 when prices started to fall. The supply glut that sparked the crash has proved stubbornly persistent despite efforts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major producers to limit output, prompting several large banks to cut their oil price forecasts in recent months. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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Metsä Tissue to rebuild greaseproof paper machine at Düren mill

Metsä Tissue will rebuild paper machine 5 at its Düren mill in Germany. The total investment is approximately EUR 15 million and the rebuild starts immediately. The new volumes will be available on the market during the last quarter of 2018. “We expect the demand for baking and cooking papers to continue to grow during the coming years. This investment will increase Düren mill’s paper production capacity by 10.000 tons, which will help us to secure our leading position as a global supplier of high-quality baking and cooking papers”, says Mariusz Jedrzejewski, SVP Baking & Cooking, Metsä Tissue. “We have production in Düren, Germany, and Mänttä, Finland, where we increased the production capacity in 2016. Both mills play a significant role in our Baking & Cooking business. Our products are made of fresh fibre, and the wood originates from sustainably managed Northern forests. This high-quality raw material combined with our strong production expertise result in high endurance and consistent high quality products.”
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A Renewed Focus on Graphic Novels at San Diego Comic-Con 2017

As more than 130,000 pop culture enthusiasts and comics fans flooded downtown San Diego for Comic-Con International, the news was all about lines—literal and literary. At the annual pop culture show, held July 19-23 at the San Diego Convention Center, the lines—the queues—for exclusive releases, signings, screenings and offsite attractions seemed even more immense than usual. The publishing news involved lines as well—new book lines, imprints, and releases. Comic-Con continues to present a growing awareness of the importance of graphic novels in an evolving comics marketplace. Nevertheless, Diamond Comics Distributors announced at its retailer breakfast that graphic novel and comics periodical sales were flat or worse for the year thus far. Graphic Novel sales are down 13% and periodical sales are down 4%, so far, in 2017. No one has been able to pinpoint a single reason for the slide, although various theories—from a lack of hot titles to the end of the New York Times Bestseller list for Graphic Novels—have been floated. Click Read More below for more of the story.
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S&P Global Reports Second Quarter Results

Highlights: Revenue Increased 2%, Reflects 2016 Divestitures and Acquisitions; Organic Revenue Increased 10%; Diluted EPS Increased 13% to $1.62; Adjusted Diluted EPS Increased 19% to $1.72; Operating Profit Margin Increased 80 Basis Points to 45%; Adjusted Operating Profit Margin Increased 330 Basis Points to 47%. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Tembec reports financial results for its third fiscal quarter ended June 24, 2017

Consolidated sales for the three-month period ended June 24, 2017, were $419 million, as compared to $376 million in the same quarter a year ago. The Company generated net earnings of $17 million or $0.17 per share in the June 2017 quarter compared to net earnings of $9 million or $0.09 per share in the June 2016 quarter. Operating earnings before depreciation, amortization and other items (adjusted EBITDA) was $59 million for the three-month period ended June 24, 2017, as compared to adjusted EBITDA of $26 million a year ago and adjusted EBITDA of $54 million in the prior quarter. Click Read More below for additional details.
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UPS Reports 2Q EPS Of $1.58 As Revenue Grows Across All Segments

For the total company in 2Q 2017: ◦Revenue increased 7.7%, currency-neutral revenue* jumped 8.9%. ◦Revenue increased in all segments and major product categories, as expanded customer demand spread across the company’s broad product portfolio. ◦Operating profit was up 8.7% to $2.2 billion driven by strong performance in the U.S. Domestic and Supply Chain and Freight segments. ◦The favorable year-over-year 2Q EPS comparison includes benefits of about $0.10, primarily from fuel and workers’ compensation. ◦Year-to-date capital expenditures to support investment strategies were $2.0 billion. Click Read More below for additional details.
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The New York Times Company Reports 2017 Second-Quarter Results

The New York Times Company announced second-quarter 2017 diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $.09 compared with $.00 in the same period of 2016. Adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations (defined below) was $.18 in the second quarter of 2017 compared with $.11 in the second quarter of 2016. Operating profit was $27.7 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared with $9.1 million in the same period of 2016, largely due to two special items recorded in the second quarter of 2016. Adjusted operating profit (defined below) was $67.1 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared with $54.5 million in the second quarter of 2016, principally driven by very strong digital revenues, partially offset by higher costs. Mark Thompson, president and chief executive officer, The New York Times Company, said, “We had another strong quarter in which we grew revenue and profitability and made significant changes within the organization to ensure that the acceleration of our digital business continues in the long term. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Deluxe Reports Second Quarter 2017 Financial Results

Second Quarter 2017 Highlights • Revenue increased 7.7% year-over-year, driven by Small Business Services which grew 5.1% and includes the results of several small tuck-in acquisitions and from growth in Financial Services of 18.9% driven by the results of FMCG Direct and Data Support Systems, which were acquired in the fourth quarter of 2016 and RDM Corporation, which was acquired in April 2017. • Revenue from marketing solutions and other services increased 26.3% year-over-year and grew to 38.2% of total revenue in the quarter. • Gross margin was 63.1% of revenue, compared to 64.5% in the second quarter of 2016. The impact of acquisitions, increased delivery and material costs this year, and a favorable adjustment from an environmental reserve in 2016, were only partially offset by previous price increases and continued improvements in manufacturing productivity. Click Read More below for additional details.
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Staples, Inc. Announces Early Termination of Hart-Scott-Rodino Waiting Period

Staples, Inc. announced that on July 26, 2017 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission granted early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (the "HSR Act") with respect to the pending acquisition of Staples by investment funds managed by Sycamore Partners, a leading private equity firm. The termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the pending acquisition, which remains subject to other customary closing conditions, including Staples' stockholder approval.
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