AF&PA and Industry Partners Aim to Set the Record Straight – Pizza Boxes Are Recyclable, Grease and Cheese Not an Issue

The American Forest & Paper Association released new industry guidance that aims to clear up consumer confusion regarding the recyclability of pizza boxes. The guidance resulted from a study conducted by WestRock – an AF&PA member company – that found the presence of grease and cheese at levels typically found on pizza boxes does not impact manufacturing in a negative way. “Corrugated pizza boxes are successfully recycled every day at paper mills throughout the country, yet consumers remain confused by mixed messages suggesting that some boxes should not be put in the recycle bin,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. “So, let’s be clear: pizza boxes are recyclable. Consumers should not be concerned about grease or cheese – simply remove any leftover pizza and place the box in the recycle bin. We encourage communities to update their residential recycling programs guidelines to explicitly accept pizza boxes that are free of food.”
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Company to expand paper capacity at 306-job West Feliciana Parish mill (theadvocate.com)

The Hood Container paper mill in West Feliciana Parish is undergoing a $50 million upgrade to boost its efficiency and capacity. The project is expected to support 75 construction jobs but not add new permanent jobs to the mill's 306 existing employees, company, state and local officials announced Thursday. The mill has a $23 million annual payroll. The announcement was made by Wayne Morgan, senior vice president of Hood Container of Louisiana LLC, and Gov. John Bel Edwards.
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PARENTS Magazine Debuts List Of 100 Books To Inspire Your Kids And Launches Book Club

Meredith Corporation's PARENTS magazine's August "Raise a Reader" issue, available now, debuts its first-ever list of 100 Books to Inspire Your Kids covering a wide range of titles to help turn children of all ages into readers. To create the list, PARENTS asked celebrated authors to share the book that opened their or their children's eyes to the joy of reading. The issue's cover story features NBC's TODAY co-host Jenna Bush Hager, who shares how literacy has touched her life. Other features include tips on how to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read and the announcement of Raising the Future Book Club that will launch August 7. The Raising the Future Book Club launches with its first selection, Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi, Ph.D., who will lead a discussion of the book on PARENTS' Instagram on August 7 at 3:00 P.M.(ET). For details, visit http://parents.com/bookclub.
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Print Units Post Surprising Increase in First Half of 2020 (publishersweekly.com)

In what is perhaps the biggest surprise in publishing since the Covid-19 pandemic sent the U.S. economy into turmoil this spring, print unit sales saw a 2.8% increase in the first half of 2020, over the comparable period in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The number of copies sold was 322.1 million in the six-month period, up from 313.5 million in the first half of 2019. The increase was led by a combination of children’s nonfiction books aimed at helping parents educate and entertain their children following the closing of most schools in March, as well as a spike in sales of books on race relations and social justice following the killing of George Floyd by members of the Minneapolis police department in late May.
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McClatchy Concludes Auction Process; Chatham Asset Management Deemed Successful Bid

McClatchy announced that the auction held as a part of its court-supervised sale process has concluded with Chatham Asset Management deemed the successful bid. Under terms of the proposed agreement, which will be finalized and filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the coming days, McClatchy will transition out of Chapter 11 as it entered it: in its totality, as one company serving 30 communities across America through its iconic local news titles, from the Miami Herald and The Charlotte Observer to The (Raleigh) News & Observer, The Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The Sacramento Bee.
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California Sends Warning Letters Over CCPA Violations (mediapost.com)

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has already sent warning notices to online companies over alleged violations of the state's new privacy law, a state official said Thursday. Companies that receive the notices will have 30 days to come into compliance, or risk lawsuits by the state. The California Consumer Privacy Act gives state residents the right to learn what information has been collected about them by companies, have that information deleted, and prevent the sale of that data to third parties. The measure went into effect in January, but wasn't enforceable until July 1.
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Torstar Corporation Announces 17.5% Price Increase Under Nordstar Acquisition To $0.74 Per Share

Torstar Corporationannounced that it has entered into an amendment to the arrangement agreement dated May 26, 2020 between Torstar and NordStar Capital LP, pursuant to which NordStar has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding Class A shares and Class B non-voting shares of Torstar (the “Shares”) by way of a statutory plan of arrangement at an increased price of $0.74 per Share. The amended purchase price constitutes an increase of 17.5% from the $0.63 per Share payable under the original NordStar Agreement. The amendment to the NordStar Agreement results from discussions with NordStar following Torstar’s receipt of an unsolicited offer from a private investor group, pursuant to which such group proposed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding Shares for a combination of $0.72 per Share in cash and the issuance of one non-transferable contingent value right per Share, with payments (if any) on such right being based on proceeds of dispositions of, and distributions from, select Torstar non-core assets in certain circumstances following issuance.
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Intertape Polymer Group Provides Update on 2020 Second Quarter Results

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. announced its preliminary estimated revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2020. The Company estimates that its revenue is approximately $267 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to the outlook range communicated on May 13, 2020 of $235 million to $250 million. With the outperformance of revenue, management also expects adjusted EBITDA(1) to be greater than the top end of the outlook range of $34 million that the Company communicated on May 13, 2020 as well.
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Mondi Syktyvkar commissions a new crude tall oil plant

Mondi has commissioned a crude tall oil plant (CTO-plant) at its Syktyvkar pulp and paper mill. The new equipment allows processing of all sulphate soap generated as a by-product of the pulp production process in the mill. As a result of this investment, the mill will be able to produce up to around 40,000 tonnes of crude tall oil annually. The new CTO-plant produces softwood and hardwood tall oil obtained through sulphuric acid treatment of sulphate soap which is a by-product of the pulp cooking process. Softwood tall oil is used at Mondi Syktyvkar to mitigate pitch deposits at the digesters, while hardwood tall oil is sold to external companies dealing in petrochemical, road construction, paint and coating. In recent years, tall oil has been intensively used for biodiesel fuel production primarily in Scandinavian countries.
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MSP Installs their First W+D 410 Easy Enveloper to Enhance their Direct Mail Offerings (whattheythink.com)

W+D North America Inc. announces the installation of a “solo tending” 410 Easy Enveloper with MSP in Freedom, PA. The W+D 410 Easy Enveloper offers a reduced manpower solution for running direct mail and transaction letter mail sizes up to 500 envelopes per minute while simultaneously reducing paper waste with its “drier chain run out” capability. The 410 Easy Enveloper’s built-in “Expert On-Line Help” service offers immediate troubleshooting without the need for outside technical support/service visits. According to Doug Wright, Chief Operating Officer of MSP, “the 410 Easy Enveloper has allowed us to optimize our internal web printing process with faster ‘time-to-mailbox’ solutions as we can literally go from web printing to envelope converting to inserting without losing a beat.
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Sappi to close PM2 at its Stockstadt mill in Germany, PM9 and energy complex at its mill in Westbrook, ME

Sappi announces the closure of Paper Machine 2 at its Stockstadt Mill in Germany as well as Paper Machine 9 and the energy complex at its Westbrook Mill in the USA. Following an exhaustive consultation process an agreement was reached with mill employee representatives to permanently close PM2, which has a Coated Woodfree paper production capacity of 240 000 tons per annum. Stockstadt will now focus on its strong and growing uncoated woodfree offering. Approximately 170 employees will leave the company with production expected to cease on 30 September 2020. After a period of review, Sappi North America has decided to permanently shut PM9 and the majority of the energy complex at its Westbrook Mill in the State of Maine. Approximately 75 employees will be impacted. The impacted assets are expected to close by end of calendar year 2020.
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Sur La Table files for bankruptcy with plans to close nearly half its stores (chainstoreage.com)

Sur La Table is slashing its store footprint as it seeks to prosper under new ownership. The nearly 50-year-old, upscale kitchenware retailer said it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after considering the "rationalization of its national store footprint and “certain store closures to prosper in the current retail environment.” On its FAQ page, the privately held Sur La Table said it has decided to close over 50 of its 121 stores (see list at end of article). Great American Group LLC and Tiger Capital Group LLC will conduct the liquidation sales, which are expected to last eight to 12 weeks. “We have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to reduce the company’s expenses and recover from the financial impact of the COVID-19 crisis,” the company stated on its FAQ page.
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Booksellers Select the Top Ten Titles from the First Half of 2020

Barnes & Noble Inc. announced that booksellers from across the U.S. selected ten titles as the Best Books of 2020 (So Far), including books that address our current moment, share lessons from the past, and bring memorable characters—both real and imagined—to life. “Our passionate bookselling team has undertaken the distinct challenge of narrowing down our favorite books from the first half of 2020 into a short list of ten diverse and thought-provoking titles. The result is a unique range that includes the informative and historical, to electrifying new novels and even a heartwarming children’s tale about a dog, a gorilla, and an elephant,” Jackie De Leo, Vice President, Bookstore, Barnes & Noble. “I am really impressed with our booksellers’ selections, and I am pleased to recommend these titles to our customers.”
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Ingram Upgrades Printing, Shipping Networks (publishersweekly.com)

Citing industry shifts as well as disruptions in the publishing supply chain caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ingram Content Group said it is investing millions of dollars in an upgrade to its global printing and distribution network. In the U.S., Ingram said it is investing “millions of dollars” to increase capacity in its print-on-demand manufacturing plants located in Allentown, Pa., Jackson, Tenn., and La Vergne, Tenn. New printing, binding, trimming, and shipping/sortation equipment will be installed now through October, which the company said will increase U.S. capacity “by double-digit percentages,” adding that it expects to “hire hundreds of new associates in these facilities.”
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Torstar Corporation Acknowledges Receipt of Acquisition Proposal

Torstar Corporation confirmed that it has received a non-binding unsolicited offer from a private investor group, pursuant to which the New Offeror has offered to acquire all of the issued and outstanding Class A shares and Class B non-voting shares of Torstar. The Torstar board of directors has determined that the New Offer may reasonably be expected to constitute or lead to a “Superior Proposal” under the arrangement agreement dated May 26, 2020 entered into between Torstar and NordStar Capital LP, and is engaging in discussions and negotiations with the New Offeror regarding its non-binding proposal.
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Walgreens Boots Alliance Reports Fiscal 2020 Third Quarter Results

Fiscal 2020 third quarter net loss attributable to WBA was $1.7 billion compared with net earnings of $1.0 billion the same quarter a year ago. Net loss per share1 was $1.95 compared with net earnings per share (EPS) of $1.13 the same quarter a year ago. The results reflect $2 billion in non-cash impairment charges related to goodwill and intangible assets in Boots UK reflecting deteriorated business conditions including the adverse impact of COVID-19 and resulting future uncertainty. Sales in the third quarter were $34.6 billion, an increase of 0.1 percent from the year-ago quarter, and an increase of 1.2 percent on a constant currency basis, as the pandemic sharply curtailed footfall in retail pharmacies. The company had an operating loss of $1.6 billion in the third quarter, compared to operating income of $1.2 billion in the same quarter a year ago, primarily due to impairment charges in Boots UK of $2 billion.
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Intertape Polymer Group Publishes 2019 Annual Sustainability Report

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. published its 2019 annual sustainability report, titled “We Package, We Protect & We Sustain”. The report provides an overview of the Company’s sustainability progress in 2019 and highlights IPG's sustainability opportunities in the years ahead. The report was prepared with reference to certain Global Reporting Initiative (“GRI”) standards with details provided in the index section of the report. “Sustainability is a core pillar of our long-term strategy and we believe it is a key component to meeting the needs of our stakeholders as well as the growth of our business,” said Greg Yull, President and CEO of IPG. “While this year’s report is published as society is dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our approach to sustainability is a long-term initiative that requires consistent and continuous support. In fact, the ingrained culture of health and safety within our daily operations at the plant level underpinned our ability to maintain ongoing operations in the face of the pandemic.”
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American Meteorological Society Expands Agreement with Sheridan and Adopts New Workflow Solution that Integrates Production and Online Hosting

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) has chosen to streamline and optimize its journal production workflow by partnering exclusively with Sheridan for all stages between accepted manuscripts and online hosting. Sheridan’s unique offering integrates production and online hosting, eliminating the traditional hand-off between the composition vendor and a third party online hosting platform to further accelerate the publishing process. The new 5-year agreement between AMS and Sheridan, beginning in 2021, adds automated XML composition, web-based author proofing, and a fully integrated online hosting platform to the long-standing production and print services provided by Sheridan.
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RRD Announces New Solution to Help Retailers Better Customize In-Store Marketing Materials

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company introduced a retail solution that streamlines the process of creating in-store promotional materials, while reducing production time and labor costs. Through its work for 52 of the National Retail Federation’s top 100 retailers, RRD found that many retailers still rely on manual processes for creating their visual merchandising materials for floor displays, aisle end caps, window signage, and more. This entails everything from creating the design of materials and converting files from one format to another, to proofing and editing – tasks which are all time and labor intensive. To solve these challenges, which are particularly acute in today’s environment, RRD developed Variable Content Automation for Retail. This new offering enables companies to create tailored-to-location marketing kits while cutting the project cycle from as many as 15 steps down to as few as four.
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TC Transcontinental Packaging Launches New Sustainable Packaging Website Section

TC Transcontinental Packaging is proud to announce the launch of a new website section on sustainability and flexible packaging. The section is available at www.tc.tc/packaging/sustainability and is accessible through desktop and mobile. The content has been updated to share with clients and consumers the benefits of flexible packaging, including its positive impact for the environment. It is modern, engaging and full of resources. From TC Transcontinental’s 2025 commitment to a 10-step journey to create sustainable packaging, the new website section sets out what brands and CPG’s need to consider to help them achieve their sustainability objectives.
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AF&PA Applauds EPA‘s Proposed Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) Rule

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock issued the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) proposed rule: “AF&PA is pleased the EPA has moved forward in proposing an achievable Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rule. This is the result of more than two decades of work that gives the forest products industry regulatory certainty while encouraging the use of renewable, carbon-neutral fuel. “While limits for several boiler types have become more stringent, we believe they are feasible and affordable. Already, to date, our industry has invested $1 billion in controls to meet Boiler MACT obligations.
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Grand River Pellets Helps UK Achieve Greenest Month

For the first time in 230 years, Britain has completed 67 days, 22 hours and 55 minutes without burning coal to generate electricity, due in part to our renewable wood pellets. The last time coal was burned at any of Britain's four coal-fired power stations was April 10, 2020, and began again on June 16, according to the National Grid, marking the longest period without deriving energy from the fossil fuel since 1790, the start of the Industrial Revolution. This coincides with the one year anniversary of Grand River Pellets. These pellets displace coal and other fossil fuels in power generation and heating and have played a role in achieving this historic environmental milestone in the UK. The pellets come from wood sourced from environmental certified forests owned or managed by Irving Woodlands.
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A trillion trees is not enough

How many trees are there on Earth? It sounds like an impossible question, but researchers at the Crowther Lab have come up with a number: 3.04 trillion – or roughly 422 trees per person. That may seem huge, but it is a far cry from what it used to be. Collecting data from over 400,000 forest plots worldwide, the Zurich-based ecological lab setup by British ecologist Tom Crowther estimated there are 46% fewer trees today than when human agriculture started 12,000 years ago, but humans could reset the dial and tackle the climate crisis through mass tree planting. According to Crowther’s report, planting one trillion trees globally could remove up to 200 billion tonnes of carbon over the next 50-100 years.
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Campaign Building Blocks (jschmid.com)

Crafting memorable creative that will compel and delight an audience is likely the most challenging task in the campaign process. Without a creative, brand-right theme, the campaign won’t get traction and meet objectives. That said, coordinating and executing the big idea is just as important. If the campaign isn’t organized and executed well the investment will be wasted. Here are the five essential steps for getting a marketing campaign off the ground: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/campaign-building-blocks-coordinate-your-campaign/
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Lecta Group Recapitalisation Effective Date

The Company is pleased to announce that all necessary conditions precedent required for the implementation of Recapitalisation have been obtained and it is expected that the Recapitalisation Effective Date will be 16 July 2020. The Company welcomes this positive development and is confident that following the Recapitalisation the Company will emerge with a solid liquidity position and healthy balance sheet. In particular, the Company considers that the Recapitalisation will significantly improve the Group’s liquidity profile, reduce the Group’s net leverage and increase the Group’s flexibility.
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Bed Bath & Beyond in big store closing move (chainstoreage.com)

Bed Bath & Beyond plans to close about 200 stores during the next two years as it looks to return to profitability. The embattled home furnishings retailer, which operated a total of 1,478 stores as of May 30, announced the decision to “right-size” its real estate portfolio in reporting its first-quarter results. Bed Bath & Beyond said the closings, which will mostly affect its 955 namesake locations, and other cost restructurings should generate annual cost savings of between $250 million and $350 million, excluding related one-time costs. The company reported that its net loss narrowed to $302.29 million, or $2.44 per share, for the quarter ended May 30, from $371.09 million, or $2.91 a share, in the year-ago period. Sales tumbled 49% to $1.31 billion from $2.57 billion a year ago, as the retailer’s stores were temporarily shuttered for much of the quarter amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Sonoco FRESH to Host Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit, Sneak Peek Webinars and Sustainable Packaging Design Workshop

Sonoco FRESH (Food Research Excellence for Safety and Health), a Sonoco and Clemson University initiative to develop new technologies and new forms of packaging to optimize the fresh food lifecycle, is pleased to host a series of events focused on innovations in packaging. With the theme of “Safe. Secure. Sustainable.,” the February 2021 Summit, hosted on the campus of Clemson University, will offer a unique opportunity to stimulate high impact discussions on how the issues associated with each part of the food value chain can be used as opportunities to drive business and benefit society. Attendees, industry and academic experts will participate in presentations, panels and roundtables to foster knowledge growth and solutions. Registration for the Summit will open in late summer 2020. In preparation of the Summit, Sonoco FRESH will host sneak peek webinars September 22-23, 2020.
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PRINTING United Alliance Opens Annual Product of the Year Awards Competition (piworld.com)

PRINTING United Alliance, the largest and most comprehensive member-based printing and graphic arts association in the United States, today announces that the call for entries has opened for the annual Product of the Year Awards competition. The competition includes more than 85 categories spanning the printing industry and judging this year will take place over a new virtual event format. The deadline to submit entries online is September 8, 2020. This year, the coveted program features a streamlined entry site along with a new virtual gallery for displaying entries, which will be available at: poy.printingunited.com. The program is open to inkjet output devices as well as non-output products that are currently available for sale. Winning companies achieve worldwide recognition and the ability to market their product as a winner of this prominent contest during PRINTING United Month this October, further highlighting the transition of the previously scheduled show in Atlanta, now taking place digitally over four power-packed weeks of industry engagement.
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Canada’s Forest Sector Promotes International Award for Innovation

The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) recently announced its biennial international Blue Sky Young Researchers Award contest to generate interest and raise awareness around innovations taking place in the world of forestry. The ICFPA is an international group representing twenty-eight countries from around the world that liaises with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) on forest policy development and shares leading practices. It supports important dialogue across this global network to promote global forest policy commitments on sustainable forest management, recycling, innovation, water conservation, mitigating climate change, ensuring a safe and inclusive workplace, and optimizing the use of environmentally-friendly wood and paper-based products.
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Mondi Consumer Flexibles to expand printing capacity and portfolio offering in Russia

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, is investing in its flexible packaging plants, in Aramil and Pereslavl in Russia, to provide customers with improved flexibility and a broader portfolio, including sustainable packaging solutions. To meet rising demand in Russia for sustainable packaging for the confectionary, food and dry and wet pet food markets, Mondi will broaden the range of competitive packaging solutions. The plant in Aramil will also install a nine-layer co-extrusion line to produce high-barrier films by the end of 2020. This updated product portfolio will offer a range from mono-materials to multi-layer high-barrier laminates, many of which already meet current sustainability criteria, such as recyclability.
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Sappi commits to setting science-based emission reduction targets

To coincide with World Environment Day and South Africa’s Environment Month, on 04 June 2020, Sappi Limited committed to set science-based targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The SBTi is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Through heightening our focus and ambition on climate action, we look to increase our contribution to building a resilient, thriving world. Within the context of Sappi’s 2025 sustainability targets, we have established a global specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target of 17% reduction in combined Scope 1 & 2 emissions under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action. By region this translates to a 2025 GHG reduction target of: • Europe: 25% reduction from FY19 baseline • South Africa: 20% reduction from FY19 baseline • North America: 5% reduction from FY19 baseline
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ADA and the Web (cohereone.com)

Web accessibility lawsuits are occurring at an alarming pace. Understanding the legal and technical guidelines of what is mandated is often tricky and confusing. Although the ADA (Americans with Disability Act) laws don’t formally specify compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set of technical standards, private business sites have to be accessible, and it’s well-accepted that compliance with WCAG is the best way to achieve that standard. Unfortunately, this growing trend in claims is also due in part to the significant complexity in implementing the WCAG guidelines. As a result, the painful reality is that the majority of sites do not meet these standards. Resolving issues manually or without technical expertise can be a struggle or even cause additional accessibility problems. Further complicating matters is that by its nature, ecommerce is driven by dynamic change, continually coming in from all directions. Often, the number of people contributing to the site increases the challenge to remain in compliance. In this environment, not having a plan to protect your business from these accessibility claims could leave merchants with significant legal exposure.
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Retail group asks U.S. governors to mandate wearing face masks (chainstoreage.com)

The Retail Industry Leaders Association on Tuesday sent a letter to the National Governors Association in which it urged every governor to require customers to wear a mask when entering a retail store or other enclosed public space. The letter encourages uniform, statewide orders “to create clarity for businesses, customers and law enforcement,” noting that different rules around the country have made it confusing for shoppers and often lead to arguments between customers and store employees who trying to enforce company policies.
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Upcoming USPS Postal Promotions for the Summer (arandell.com)

We recognize it’s a crazy time but with everything happening in the world today, we wanted to make sure you are aware of the two upcoming USPS postal promotions. If you still haven’t read our blog post sharing the full scope of this year’s postal promotions, we highly encourage you to do so here: https://arandell.com/news-events/2020-postal-promotions-calendar-approved-by-usps/ . 2020 Mobile Shopping Postal Promotion (Registration: June 15 — December 31, 2020 | Effective: August 1 — December 31, 2020 | 2% of eligible postage); 2020 Informed Delivery Postal Promotion (Registration: July 15 — November 30, 2020 | Effective: September 1 — November 30, 2020 | 2% of eligible postage)
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Xerox Adaptive CMYK+ Kit for Xerox Versant Expands Color Palette to More Than a Million

Xerox announced the Xerox Adaptive CMYK+ Kit for Xerox Versant®, the print market’s first adaptive technology kit that adds seven specialty colors to an existing production press, enabling instant digital print enhancements. The kit transforms a four-color Xerox Versant® 180 Press into an 11-color Beyond CMYK press capable of creating a million color hues and shades by adding gold, silver, white, clear and fluorescent colors of yellow, magenta and cyan. Digital enhancement of print is projected to be a $25 billion market¹, but access to that opportunity usually requires a capital investment in a new press with the ability to print Beyond CMYK. The Xerox Adaptive CMYK+ Kit for Versant gives print providers the ability to simply swap out toners to print colors and enhancements that increase profitability and deliver higher margins without needing a new press.
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Notary Publics and Paper Still Matter in a Digital World

In our digital world, you can pay bills and bank online, sign online contracts with an e-signature and click to accept terms and conditions. In fact, you don’t need to use a written signature for most day-to-day transactions. But there are still plenty of situations where it’s legally required to put pen to paper, and often those legal documents require a seal from a notary public. “People appreciate the added security that a notarized piece of paper brings,” says Ginger Shore, senior funding sales officer and notary public at North Carolina State Employee’s Credit Union. “I find myself providing notary services every single day. It’s still a very necessary part of the business and legal world.” A notary public is an official appointed by the state government to serve as an impartial witness and fraud deterrent during the signing of important documents.
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Kimberly-Clark Introduces Ambitious Sustainability Strategy for a Decisive Decade

Kimberly-Clark has announced its new 2030 sustainability strategy and goals, aimed at addressing the social and environmental challenges of the next decade with commitments to improve the lives and wellbeing of one billion people in underserved communities around the world with the smallest environmental footprint. "These extraordinary times remind us why our purpose is more important than ever. Our values, that have guided us for nearly 150 years, will continue to shape our response to the challenges ahead," said Mike Hsu, Chairman and CEO, Kimberly-Clark. "I am inspired by our ambition to advance the well-being of one billion people around the world and proud of the significant environmental commitments that we are making to address the impact our products have on the environment." The ambitious strategy is outlined in the company's 2019 Global Sustainability Report, which reflects progress towards the company's Sustainability 2022 strategy and its pivot to 2030.
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Genera announces hiring push for new ag-based pulp and molded fiber products

Genera, a US manufacturer of domestically sourced and produced ag-based pulp and molded fiber products, has named Timothy Watkins and Tyler Winston to two top engineering positions at the company's East Tennessee facility. The announcement marks continued progress toward full production of Genera's innovative Earthable® line of sustainable, ag-based fiber products later in 2020. Genera will manufacture molded fiber food service products like plates, bowls, and takeout containers. These products will be fully biodegradable and compostable.
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Giving a voice to the people: How forest certification improves lives

Join us next Wednesday for our latest ‘In conversation with…’ webinar! We’ll be joined by Coen van der Veer from Building and Wood Worker's International (BWI) to discuss how forest certification improves the lives of the people living and working in the forest. The webinar is free to attend and takes place 15 July at 11:00-12:00 CEST. Do you know how many people worldwide are directly affected by forests? The formal forestry sector employs around 13 million people globally, while forests contribute to the livelihoods of some 1.6 billion people worldwide. The figures are impressive.
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New insights into consumer attitudes towards responsible packaging

Global packaging leader Amcor today published results from its latest research into consumer perceptions of sustainability and packaging. The proprietary insights give Amcor and its customers a unique understanding of evolving preferences, including a willingness to pay more for differentiated products from top brands. Michael Zacka, Amcor’s chief commercial officer, said consumers are increasingly making buying decisions that factor in environmental considerations and expect brands to provide more responsible packaging options. The survey of more than 4,000 participants found differences in perception between countries, but that overall consumers are increasingly aware of the impact of their choices. Across the countries surveyed, 83% say they check on-pack instructions to know how to dispose of packaging.
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Fresh Attitude salads now sold in 100% recycled plastic packaging produced by Cascades

Vegpro, the largest fresh baby lettuces producer in Canada, and Cascades have established a partnership aimed at replacing all Fresh Attitude salad containers, traditionally made from virgin plastic, with 100% recycled and recyclable plastic containers. Custom-designed for Vegpro by Cascades, these containers are manufactured at the Cascades Inopak plant in Drummondville, Québec. The two companies have teamed up to offer consumers a container with a smaller environmental footprint that also helps to extend the shelf life of salads. The containers improve airflow and prolong conservation time by limiting the build up of excess humidity. This way, the baby lettuces remain fresh and crisp longer.
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MacDermid Graphic Solutions Partners with Digimarc

MacDermid Graphics Solutions announces a strategic partnership with the Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: DMRC) to expand the application of Digimarc for packaging in the global flexographic printing market. MacDermid is delighted to be the first flexographic plate manufacturer to partner with Digimarc. MacDermid’s world-class products and technical support enable printers to deliver the highest print quality to meet the demands of brand owners. MacDermid’s vast expertise in flexographic printing, combined with the Digimarc Platform, provides brand owners with increased product traceability throughout the supply chain. Additionally, brands can heighten the consumer’s pre-purchase and post-purchase experiences through interactive and dynamic data embedded in the packaging designs.
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5 Ways PSPs Are Supporting Their Business Communities (piworld.com)

During the early days of the COVID-19 crisis, many printing companies scrambled successfully to be designated as essential businesses. For the future of many of these businesses, this was a life or death move — a valiant effort to protect both the business and the jobs therein. As the crisis has developed over the past few months, numerous companies have proven how truly essential they are to the communities they serve, providing capabilities, expertise, and a lifeline for other businesses. Here are a few ways PSPs are supporting their local communities — both during this crisis and well beyond. 1. Finding the Way - Addressing the need for social distancing, and to apply order to what, before the crisis, was a free-form shopping experience, many PSPs with wide-format printing capabilities are producing floor graphics urging social distancing, specifying “one way” in retail aisles, and signifying spacing in check-out or register queues. 2. Creating Functional Barriers - One of the ways the world of retail shopping has changed due to the COVID-19 crisis is the creation of barriers between customer and cashier.
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SAGE Advises Single Use Paper Towels Should Be Used In Public Washrooms to Help Control COVID-19

As people get ready to reopen many businesses, SAGE (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies that provides scientific and technical advice to support government decision makers during emergencies) has reviewed the evidence on the spread of COVID-19 and the efficiency of mitigation measures. One of the issues considered is washroom hygiene with a large amount of useful information on cleansing and air flows. Specifically on hand drying the documents states: Replacement of jet dryers with paper towels. Rationale: Jet air dryers can aerosolise microorganisms from poorly washed hands. Incomplete drying of hands means that contamination can persist on hands. The full SAGE document can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transmission-of-sars-cov-2-and-mitigating-measures-update-4-june-2020
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In search of safe and sustainable food packaging

Food packaging is incredibly important to our day-to-day lives but pressing sustainability issues mean that alternative materials are becoming a requirement rather than an option. The next time you’re in a grocery store imagine that food packaging didn’t exist. Your bananas and oranges don’t need packages, but buying milk or flour is suddenly a whole lot more complicated. Many foods wouldn’t be available at all, because they wouldn’t remain fresh. Food packaging is extremely important to our modern lives and plays a critical role in both the safety and sustainability of our food supply. Food packaging must be a good marketer so that people want to buy the product. It must also be cost-effective. Increasingly, people demand sustainable packaging. Perhaps most importantly, packaging must be a protector, so the food remains safe.
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Meredith To Launch ‘Reasons For Hope In America’ Campaign (mediapost.com)

Meredith Corp. is launching a company-wide, cross-platform editorial initiative this fall in response to the difficult events this year, called “Reasons for Hope in America.” The project will focus on the “inspiring stories of community, giving thanks, inspiring change and reflecting on what matters most,” according to the publisher. "Reasons for Hope in America" — which will span across print, digital, video, broadcast and social — is inspired by the People franchise “100 Reasons to Love America.”
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Print Units Jump at the End of June (publishersweekly.com)

With all major categories posting gains, unit sales of print books jumped 18% in the week ended June 27, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The YA nonfiction category had the biggest increase over the week ended June 29, 2019, with unit sales skyrocketing 111.6%. The increase was led by Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, which sold more than 30,000 copies, a 145% increase over the week ended June 20. The adult nonfiction category also had a big increase over 2019, with John Bolton’s The Room Where It Happened selling more than 221,000 print copies in its first week, making it the #1 title overall for the week.
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Flow Cosmetics chooses sustainable Metsä Board paperboards for its range of natural products

Flow Cosmetics, a Finnish natural cosmetics company, has selected paperboard from Metsä Board, part of the Metsä Group, as its packaging material of choice, for its innovative range of shampoos, body and face soaps. Bar-shaped cosmetic products are ecological to use as well as to transport and store. MetsäBoard Natural FBB was selected for the packaging board for its visual appearance, lightness, and ecology. In addition, the uncoated surface of the paperboard has a pleasing natural look and feel. “As part of our zero waste principle, we chose sustainable MetsäBoard Natural FBB board. We wanted to ensure that our products are natural all the way through to the packaging, and that they comply with stringent quality requirements,” says Riitta Jänkälä, Founder and CEO of Flow Cosmetics. "It's also important to us that all our packaging boards are recyclable after use."
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CJK Group Acquires Assets of Quad’s Kentucky Book Manufacturing Facility

CJK Group, Inc., announced today that it has completed an agreement with Quad/Graphics, Inc. to acquire the assets associated with its Versailles, Kentucky, book manufacturing facility. The 1,000,000 sq. ft. facility specializes in the production of softcover and hardcover books as well as a variety of other publication types, featuring state-of-the art prepress technology, a fleet of inkjet and web offset presses, all paired with robust bindery and finishing capabilities, distribution, and mailing services. CJK Group will acquire the equipment and assume the customer contracts at the facility. The new entity will operate under the name Sheridan Kentucky and will align under the Sheridan division of the CJK Group. This is an exciting acquisition for CJK Group―one which significantly expands its capacities and capabilities. The facility serves many high profile publishing houses in the areas of educational textbooks, trade books, children’s books, and scientific/technical books.
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Crown Van Gelder & Eneco

Crown Van Gelder is investigating together with Eneco a next step into a sustainable future by maybe building an electrical boiler of 25 megawatt onsite! (big water cooker). This boiler can be powered by electricity provided by an offshore wind farm close to the factory. With the boiler Crown Van Gelder is able to power down the gas burning turbine during days with enough wind! Hopefully there is enough wind and funding to make this happen. Check this Dutch spoken movie with English subtitles by clicking read more below.
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New Pennsylvania Recycled Pulp Mill Under Construction (scrapmonster.com)

The construction of Empire Recycled Fiber mill in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania is scheduled to commence this fall. The work on the mill project had started almost a year ago. The financing for the project is expected to close during Q3 2020. The construction works may take 12-14 months, thus gearing up for a 2022 startup. Upon full operations, the plant will employ approximately 110 full-time manufacturing employees. According to company press release, the mill will be constructed at an investment of $125 million. The facility will take in over 500,000 tons per year of recovered fiber and produce almost 440,000 tons per year of recycled paper pulp to be used as raw material by paper manufacturers.
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Campaign Building Blocks (jschmid.com)

The following article is part of an ongoing series from J.Schmid with the critical elements and insights you need to strategize, execute and launch successful omnichannel campaigns. Watch your email and follow #CampaignBuildingBlocks on social media to keep up with the full story. Any successful campaign, at its core, is about storytelling. The iconic signature photo. The memorable language. The heart-tugging anthem video. The humorous Instagram posts. Content … it’s what tells your campaign story. How you engage on a sensory level. How you connect with your audience. How you use content is vital to the effectiveness of the campaign. Fortunately, there are more ways than ever to capture engaging content. And with increasingly tighter budgets, it’s more important than ever to maximize your efforts while saving money.
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Quad Continues to Advance Strategic Transformation as a Marketing Solutions Partner During COVID-19

Recent Actions: *Quad completed the sale of its Versailles, Ky., book manufacturing plant, to CJK Group, Inc., which serves book, magazine, catalog, and journal publishers. This initiative was the first step in the previously announced strategic decision to divest the Company’s book business to optimize its product portfolio. Quad expects to use the proceeds from the sale to reduce debt. *The Company obtained an amendment to its existing April 28, 2014, senior secured credit facility that widens the leverage ratio by an estimated 0.75x to 1.0x turn through the third quarter of 2021. As a part of this agreement, Quad maintains the ability to complete certain acquisitions during the relief period and has agreed to reduce the revolver capacity, which was previously expanded to support a subsequently terminated acquisition, from $800 million to $500 million. The agreement’s maturity remains January 2024, and Quad’s next nearest debt maturity is the 7% senior unsecured notes due May 2022. *Quad recently strengthened its leadership team at its integrated marketing agency, Periscope, with the addition of new President, Cari Bucci-Hulings. Bucci-Hulings is an industry expert who has driven highly successful product development and business growth platforms, and most recently served as President of MARC USA, one of the largest independent agencies in the country. *The Company also continues to scale Accelerated Insights, its proprietary virtual testing platform, to help clients in multiple industry verticals predict which combination of format, offer, message and imagery will be most effective in print. The unparalleled testing methodology drives improved response at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional testing. Quad recently brought aboard senior-level data analytics and business insights talent to expand the solution beyond direct mail and catalogs to packaging and other retail uses.
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California Begins Enforcing New Privacy Law (mediapost.com)

Despite objections by the ad industry and business groups, California's Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Wednesday he will begin enforcing the state's new privacy law. “Today we begin enforcement of the California Consumer Privacy Act,” Becerra stated. “We encourage every Californian to know their rights to internet privacy and every business to know its responsibilities.” He added: “The website of every business covered by the law must now post a link on its homepage that says ‘Do Not Sell My Personal Information.'”
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DS Smith Announces Full Year 2019/2020 Results

For the full year, revenue (continuing operations) declined 2 per cent on a constant currency basis. There was a positive contribution from European corrugated box volumes (£22 million) and an incremental c. nine month contribution from Europac (which was acquired in mid January 2019) of £376 million, offset in Europe by reduced pricing of external paper, recyclate and box prices (together down £285 million year on year), and a decline in other volumes particularly due to increased paper and recyclate integration and reduced volumes of corrugated sheet (down £175 million). The reduced sales price across the European operations was driven principally by a fall in testliner and kraftliner pricing, which partly fed through into corrugated packaging pricing progressively through the year as indexed contracts adjusted for the market price of paper, the main input cost. The North America business also recorded a fall in revenue (down £63 million), principally reflecting lower paper prices into the export market. Operating profit improved 6 per cent (constant currency) to £455 million (2018/19: £427 million).
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Smurfit Kappa launches Bag-in-Box packaging solution for hand sanitiser

Smurfit Kappa’s Bag-in-Box packaging is perfectly suitable for sanitiser due to it being a hygienic, easy-to-use and flexible solution that is available in a range of sizes from 1.5 to 20 litres and is suitable both for end consumers or as a refill solution. Furthermore, Bag-in-Box’s high performance films have a high oxygen barrier to protect products from air and light so the hand sanitiser’s physical and chemical properties remain intact. The packaging also brings a number of environmental benefits including the ability to optimise the supply chain and reduced weight and plastic in comparison to other traditional packaging. For instance, a 5L Bag-in-Box pack uses 54% less plastic than to a 5L PET bottle.
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Innovating together for a sustainable future

Lund University and Tetra Pak have recently signed a five-year strategic partnership agreement, expanding on their rich history of collaboration on packaging logistics, food technology and packaging materials. Together, Lund University and Tetra Pak will aim to create new industry-academia development opportunities, promote the sharing of resources and competencies, explore opportunities to enrich ideas, and create a platform of exchange between students and professionals. Collaborative working is key to how Tetra Pak operates as a business and this partnership makes no exception especially to collectively address areas such as circular and bio-based economy. Industry-academia cooperation is critical for the company to fostering new solutions within the food value chain and perfecting numerous industrial processes. By collaborating with Lund University, Tetra Pak has been able to advance the mixing of industrial emulsified products and the forming of new package shapes and formats.
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Universities Can Create a Safe Return to Campus This Fall with RRD’s Experience-Led Communications Solution

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company introduced an integrated, comprehensive solution in response to COVID-19 for universities and colleges that ensures a safe, in-person return to school for students, faculty, and staff. To ease concerns and contribute to the health and safety of both students and staff, RRD has mobilized its expert resources to offer institutions of higher education a custom-built care package of solutions composed of: *Touchless communications – connecting digital interactions (e.g., payments, registrations, and ticketing) with labels and/or physical signage via Near-Field Communication (NFC) and/or QR-Code (QRC) technologies to accommodate demand for contactless engagement *Custom program support – from integrated email and direct mail campaigns to multichannel billing and payment systems *Signage and wayfinding – production and distribution of high-quality signage and customized graphics for all campus facilities and spaces *Wellness and safety materials – industry-standard safety materials (e.g., face shields, thermastrips, and customized experience kits) for students, visitors, and staff.
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Sun Chemical and DIC Corporation Completes Acquisition of Digital Inks Business from Sensient Technologies Corporation

Sun Chemical and its parent company, DIC Corporation, have completed the purchase of 100 percent of the shares of Sensient Imaging Technologies and certain other assets related to the production of inks. The strategic investment in Sensient Imaging Technologies, a supplier of digital inks, will allow Sun Chemical and DIC to expand its inkjet ink capabilities and expertise using complementary technologies that will further strengthen the highest standards of services and solutions to its customers and distributor partners. The acquisition also underscores Sun Chemical’s ongoing commitment to sustainability by expanding its offering of inkjet inks for textile and dye sublimation printing – technologies known for their improved sustainability profile. Inkjet is a strategic segment for Sun Chemical and DIC, and the investment in Sensient Imaging Technologies demonstrates Sun Chemical and DIC’s commitment in the digital segment.
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AF&PA Celebrates New Chapter for North American Trade Under USMCA Agreement

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock issued the following statement regarding the newly implemented U.S. – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA), which marked its entry into force today: “The American Forest & Paper Association recognizes that today is a historic day marking the entry into force of the U.S. – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will preserve free and fair trade in North America and commit the countries to combat illegal logging and associated trade."
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Solenis Joins Global Consortium to Pilot Alternatives for Plastics

Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, is participating in the Piloting Alternatives for Plastics project, a global initiative to help develop the next generation of fiber-based materials to replace plastics used in food packaging, filters, hygiene products and other goods. Solenis is joining more than 50 other companies in the technical consortium, including major packaging and paper manufacturers, led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT). During the 30-month project, the group will work to identify materials and manufacturing methods best suited for full-scale development. The goal is to reduce the time it takes to move projects from initial laboratory results into commercial production.
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Periscope Reshapes Leadership Team in a Quest to Provide Marketers with a Preferred Alternative to the Traditional Agency Model

Infused with new capital from an unconventional parent company and energized by an expanding client base, Minneapolis-based Periscope is fortifying its executive team in pursuit of double-digit growth. The integrated marketing agency today announced that Cari Bucci-Hulings will join as president, effective July 6, in addition to other recent high-profile hires. Bucci-Hulings most recently served as president of MARC USA, one of the largest independent agencies in the country. In the role, Bucci-Hulings will be responsible for accelerating Periscope’s mission to do things people love and growing the business into new offerings and markets. She will report to Eric Ashworth, vice president of Agency Solutions for Quad, the creative engineering company that acquired Periscope in 2019.
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Neenah Completes Successful Debt Refinancing

Neenah, Inc. announced that the Company has entered into a Term Loan Credit Agreement, providing a Term Loan B Facility of seven years in the amount of $200 million. The Facility is rated BBB-by S&P Global Ratings and Ba3 by Moody's Investors Service. Neenah also announced today that it is calling its outstanding 2021 notes for redemption in full on July 16, 2020. Proceeds under the new Facility will be used to redeem the $175 million of outstanding 5.25% 2021 notes, repay borrowings under the Company’s senior secured revolving credit facility, and for general corporate purposes. The Company also has amended its Global Asset Based Lending Agreement to reduce the revolving credit facility from $225 million to $175 million and make certain other changes related to the refinancing and resizing. The interest rate under the new Facility will be determined based on LIBOR or other published rates, with an expected initial rate of approximately 5.00%. The Term Loan Credit Agreement contains no financial maintenance covenants and includes other customary covenants for agreements of this nature. The Facility may be prepaid with a one percent call premium for the first 12 months, after which it may be prepaid, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty.
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Macy’s, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2020 Results

Macy’s, Inc. reported results for the first quarter of 2020. As previously reported, the company had net sales of $3.017 billion. Nearly all of the company's stores have now reopened, including stores in the major metropolitan regions. Stores continued to perform ahead of expectations through May and June, and the company's digital business sales remained strong across geographies. The company continues to expect a gradual sales recovery. Primarily as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company’s long-term projections and market capitalization changed, requiring interim impairment assessments for its goodwill and long-lived assets. As a result of these assessments, the company recognized pre-tax, non-cash goodwill and long-lived asset impairment charges of $3.1 billion and $80 million, respectively, during the 13 weeks ended May 2, 2020. The company is now reporting a Diluted loss per share of $11.53 and Adjusted Diluted loss per share of $2.03.
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Active Interest Media Sells Several Magazines to Pocket Outdoor Media (foliomag.com)

Active Interest Media has sold off its healthy living, fitness and outdoor divisions, collectively representing several of its largest publications, to Pocket Outdoor Media, a Colorado-based publisher of a handful of enthusiast magazines, the two companies announced Tuesday. Included in the sale are Backpacker, Better Nutrition, Clean Eating, Climbing, Muscle & Performance, NatuRx, Oxygen, Ski, Vegetarian Times and Yoga Journal magazines, as well as the digital outlet SNEWS and the action sports film studio Warren Miller Entertainment, among other properties.
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Stein Mart, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2020 Results

Net loss for the first quarter of 2020 was $(65.7) million or $(1.38) per diluted share compared to net income of $4.0 million or $0.08 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2019. First quarter 2020 results include non-cash pre-tax asset impairment charges of $10.3 million or $0.22 per diluted share. Net sales for the first quarter of 2020 were $134.3 million compared to $314.2 million for the first quarter of 2019. Net sales were impacted by the temporary store closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Omni sales for the first quarter increased 17 percent over last year. In April, omni sales were 47 percent higher than last year driven by fulfillment from closed stores where allowed. Gross profit for the first quarter of 2020 was a loss of $(10.0) million or (7.5) percent of sales compared to $87.5 million or 27.8 percent of sales in the comparable period last year. The lower gross profit reflects deleverage of occupancy costs as a percentage of sales and higher markdowns.
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UPS Publishes 18th Annual Sustainability Report Highlighting Progress

UPS announced the launch of its 18th annual Sustainability Report, “Accelerating Sustainable Solutions.” The digital Report is fully interactive and details efforts that took place during 2019 to advance the company’s 2020 and 2025 sustainability goals in alignment with its enterprise strategy. Most notable is surpassing four goals one year ahead of schedule, including: $123.8 million in charitable contributions, 21.7 million employee volunteer hours, 15.4 million trees planted, and, a 3.1% reduction in auto accident frequency.
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Executive Director of Canadian Parks Council Joins Sustainable Forestry Initiative Board of Directors

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada), an initiative of SFI, are pleased to welcome Dawn Carr, Executive Director of the Canadian Parks Council, to SFI’s 18-member Board of Directors. Carr has a successful track record of collaborating with SFI and PLT Canada. Notably, through the Canadian Parks Council and its network of national, provincial and territorial parks, she has supported, and continues to support, hundreds of high-quality work experiences for youth across Canada as part of PLT Canada’s Green Jobs program. “I’m thrilled to be joining the SFI and PLT Canada Board of Directors. It is a welcome opportunity to contribute to an organization that is clearly committed to sustainability and growing the community of future forest and conservation professionals,” says Carr. “Nurturing a conservation ethic among young professionals is critical for sustaining nature and our collective health and wellbeing. I’m really looking forward to contributing my time and energy to help make a positive difference.”
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Lawn and garden brand upgrades to bio-based packaging solution

Espoma Organic, a lawn and garden brand, continues to showcase their commitment to the environment by replacing fossil-fuel-derived polymers in their packaging with more sustainable alternatives. In response to Espoma Organic’s mission to “develop the finest organic gardening products that work in harmony with nature, grow beautiful gardens and make a greener world for the future,” global packaging company Amcor partnered with the brand to innovate more sustainable packaging and launch a new bio-based polymer package. The polyethylene (PE) film contains 25 percent bio-based material, derived – in this case – from sugar cane. “We know consumers increasingly are paying attention to product packaging as they make purchasing decisions,” said Troian. “The use of renewable materials in packaging offers brands a new way to stand out on store shelves while driving down the total carbon footprint of their products.”
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Ahlstrom-Munksjö filter media included in the new face masks manufactured by sport and lifestyle brand BUFF®

Ahlstrom-Munksjö establishes a partnership with Spanish sports and life style accessories company BUFF® to provide filter media for face masks. The BUFF® face masks are now available in the United States and Canada following a launch in Europe in June. Each BUFF® face mask includes five single-use filters in the original packaging. Replacement filters are sold separately in packs of 30 units.
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From Revolution to Evolution: Celebrating the USPS

July 1 is National Postal Worker Day and National U.S. Postage Stamp Day. This special day recognizes the men and women who deliver our mail, rain or shine, and the many unsung heroes who also play an important role in mail delivery, like the workers who process the mail, drive the trucks, and fly the planes. It also celebrates the ease and simplicity with which we can send and receive mail thanks to the humble postage stamp and the United States Postal Service (USPS). For nearly 250 years, the USPS has kept pace with evolving technology and expanded its services to include package delivery and retail sales. That agility has kept the organization relevant and capable of adapting to the fluctuating needs and culture of the country.
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J.D. Irving, Limited 2019 Sustainability Report

Some highlights from the 2019 report. 60% green energy use from renewable fuels like biomass – up by 7% from 5 years ago; 22% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the past 5 years; 12% reduction in water usage over the past 5 years per tonne of tissue product made; 6% reduction in overall (all operations) water usage of the past 5 years; 32% increase in conservation sites over the past 5 years as part of our voluntary, award winning Unique Areas program in Canada and the U.S.; 17% increase in waste that is diverted from landfill for beneficial use over the past 5 years.
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Kotkamills’ water-based dispersion coated ISLA® Duo barrier board receives industrial compostability certification

Kotkamills’ easily recyclable and biodegradable ISLA® Duo barrier board has received the Seedling and DIN-Geprüft certifications for industrial compostability. The internationally recognized certificates have been issued by DIN CERTCO to demonstrate the biodegradability of the environmentally friendly product and the compliance of ISLA® Duo with the European standard EN 13432. “The certificates issued to ISLA® Duo are a result of dedicated product development and a very fine achievement. Developing environmentally friendly products and sustainable solutions is our main objective,” notes Kotkamills’ CEO Markku Hämäläinen.
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Dr. Fabian Gaus complements the LEIPA Group GmbH as managing director

Dr.-Ing. Fabian Gaus, 39, has joined the management board of LEIPA Group GmbH on 1 July 2020. He takes over the newly created function of Chief Sales Officer (CSO). His central field of responsibility in this function will be the goal- and future-oriented development of the LEIPA Group's sales activities. With a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering, Dr. Gaus has extensive knowledge in the manufacturing and energy industries, and with asset-heavy businesses in particular. Most recently, Dr. Gaus was Managing Director and CFO of Innogy Renewables US and Georgia Biomass, two subsidiaries of European utility innogy group in the United States. Georgia Biomass operates the largest wood pellet plant in the world.
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Mondi designers share how they designed award-winning packaging

Mondi won five awards for its innovative and sustainable designs at the 2020 WorldStar Packaging Awards. This year’s award ceremony was cancelled due to COVID-19, so Mondi’s designers are sharing their insights on the thinking behind their design packaging. Designers and the award-winning products: *Herbert Reitbrugger, UpliftBox in the Household category from Mondi Corrugated Solutions Grünburg, Germany *Marco Rammler, DashV1Box in the Transit category from Mondi Corrugated Solutions Ansbach, Germany *Eva Hrychova, Stabilization Box in the Other category from Mondi Corrugated Solutions Bupak s.r.o, Czech Republic *Nadja Nickel, Sales Manager for Protector Bags in the Transit category from Mondi Paper Bags and aPak, a Swedish Packaging dealer *Jens Koesters, StripPouch in the Household category from the German cleaning products maker Werner & Mertz and Mondi Consumer Flexibles
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WestRock Honored for Outstanding Merchandising Achievement

WestRock Company received 19 awards at this year’s Outstanding Merchandising Achievement (OMA) Awards – the most of any entrant – including the distinguished Creative Award. The OMAs celebrate merchandising and design excellence in the retail space. They are presented by SHOP! Association, a global non-profit trade association dedicated to enhancing retail environments and experiences. WestRock won the distinguished Creative Award for a permanent display for a large personal care consumer goods company that was launching a new shaving product designed specifically for women. The WestRock-designed display reinforced the company’s brand messaging with elements of playfulness and humor.
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New innovation specialist hired at WestRock

Banavali will focus on building materials science capabilities that can be used as the basis for creating new products, processes and services across the company. He will also partner with WestRock’s commercial, digital, marketing and innovation teams to advance the company’s innovation strategy with a strong focus on more environmentally sustainability products, breakthrough packaging designs and the digitalisation of packaging.
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Print Sales Enjoy an Unexpected High (publishersweekly.com)

In early spring, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced most bookstores to close and disrupted print book sales through Amazon, no one could have predicted that by summer unit sales of print books would be up 1.4% for the year to date over the same period in 2019, nor that sales would hit a weekly high for the year. But that is what happened in the week ended June 20, when unit sales from outlets that report to NPD BookScan topped 15 million—22.9% higher than the similar week last year—and total units sold for the year hit 295.7 million, up from 291.6 million in the first 24 weeks of 2019. The increase came from a combination of continued strong sales of books on racism and social justice, as well as from Father’s Day books. Sales also benefitted from the slow reopening of more bookstores and continued solid online orders.
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Microsoft to Permanently Close All Retail Stores (mytotalretail.com)

Microsoft said on Friday it will permanently close all of its 83 store locations and will instead focus on its e-commerce business, where customers can visit for support, sales, training and more. The decision comes after Microsoft temporarily closed stores in March due to the spread of the coronavirus. Microsoft said the thousands of workers from these stores have already transitioned to new roles where they're providing sales, training, and support to customers from Microsoft corporate facilities or remotely. Total Retail's Take: Microsoft opened its first brick-and-mortar store in 2009, where people could go to try the company's software and hardware. This decision was made after Apple, its main competitor, was enjoying great success and popularity with its modern, clean retail outlets. Over the past decade, Microsoft expanded its retail presence in an effort to create a shopping experience similar to Apple’s.
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Sustainability: EFI Nozomi White Ink Delivers Unique Vibrant Full-Color Print on Brown Board and Achieves OCC Certification from Western Michigan University

High-graphic, efficient digital inkjet corrugated printing on EFI™ Nozomi C18000 ultra-high-speed single-pass inkjet printers continues to reach new benchmarks for packaging providers, including the achievement of another important certification addressing key recyclability needs. Electronics For Imaging, Inc. has received an additional validation from the Western Michigan University (WMU) Recycling, Paper and Coating Pilot Plant – a leading certification organization for corrugated recycling – that further verifies the recycling and repulpability of boards printed with white EFI Nozomi UV LED inks. The WMU Pilot Plant provided an OCC (old corrugated containers) certification to EFI Nozomi white inks, extending the solid, research-driven evidence that Nozomi inkjet-printed corrugated boards can safely, efficiently and effectively enter recycling streams. This new certification follows the WMU Pilot Plant’s initial OCC certification provided for the EFI Nozomi C18000 printer’s CMYK four-color process ink set.
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Appvion Operations, Inc Sustainability Policy

Appvion is a North American leader in specialty papers and coatings. We aim to achieve sustained profitable growth for continued successful business development and improved corporate citizenship through responsible business practices and integrity. We are committed to building environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and effective corporate governance into all aspects of our business while ensuring that ecological stewardship is a key component of our corporate responsibility. Our approach to sustainability is focused on four key areas: Environment; Community; Workplace; and Economy.
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Mondi Upgrades its Paper Bags Facility in Hungary

Mondi, leading global packaging and paper group, has successfully completed the implementation of a new state-of-the-art paper sack converting machine at its Nyíregyháza site in Hungary. The machine – a Windmöller & Hölscher AD 8320 / AM 8115 – allows the plant to produce a new line of sophisticated paper sacks for food packaging. The site will be capable of producing more than 130 million sacks annually. The Mondi Nyíregyháza plant, which employs more than one hundred people, serves the Hungarian, Romanian, Austrian and Bulgarian market in many industries and sectors. It produces industrial paper sacks (open mouth and valve bags) for applications such as cement, building materials, food-feed-seed, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
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TAPPI names WestRock CEO as TAPPI/PIMA exec of the year

TAPPI has named Steve Voorhees, chief executive officer of WestRock, as the TAPPI/PIMA Executive of the Year. WestRock, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a global provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions. “Since taking the helm at WestRock in 2015, Steve has expertly managed its electrifying growth, helping WestRock more efficiently and economically serve customers,” says Larry N. Montague, TAPPI president and CEO, in a statement.
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‘The Washington Post’ To Expand Graphics And Design Team, As Visual Journalism Draws Subscribers (mediapost.com)

The Washington Post plans to add 14 new positions to the graphics and design teams. “We live in an increasingly visual society, and communicating information with the powerful visual tools we now have is proving to be particularly effective – in explaining complex subjects, encouraging readers to explore subjects more deeply and attracting more readers and subscribers,” Marty Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post, told Publishers Daily. Six of the seven most visited stories in WaPo's history have been graphics, including the coronavirus simulator that became the most visited article in the publisher's history.
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Certification Body Training Recognition Programme launched: register now

We are holding two sessions as part of our PEFC Training Recognition Programme (TRP) for certification bodies. The sessions will focus on technical calibration for the 2020 standards and the certification body internal training recognition requirements. Following this training, certification bodies can apply for recognition of their internal trainings. Once approved, they can provide internal PEFC training to their own auditors. Both sessions will be held online over three half-days, approximately four hours a day. We are holding the sessions at two different times, to ensure certification bodies around the world are able to attend.
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Distilled by the Sea, Packed by Crown

For the first time in its history, Fishers Gin (Fishers), a spirit inspired by the quaint coastal town of Aldeburgh, U.K., is available for purchase in an eye-catching tin that reflects the brand’s seaside origins and premium appeal. Known as the ‘Gin Distilled by the Sea,’ Fishers worked closely with Crown Aerosols & Promotional Packaging Europe to produce a design that captures the signature colors and netted style of its standard bottle. This cohesiveness ensured the new package remained true to the brand’s well-established identity. Fishers approached the design process with enthusiasm and a desire to push the envelope. The brand engaged Crown for its expert advice and guidance from the beginning of the project, having been inspired by its diverse and creative metal packaging portfolio. Using the concept of a white tin and fishnet look as a starting point, Crown’s design and in-house engineering team counselled Fishers on the overall style of the tin, as well as how to attain the best graphic results when printing on metal. Crown and Fishers collaborated on each detail of the gifting tin, testing different concepts and combinations until the tin achieved the desired premium look and feel.
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Ahlstrom-Munksjö launches sustainable “from Plastic to Purpose” campaign with launch of CelluSnack™ Papers

As part of its continued focus on global sustainability leadership, Ahlstrom-Munksjöhas initiated its ‘from Plastic to Purpose’ campaign, highlighting first its new brand of CelluSnack™ snack packaging papers. “Our ‘from Plastic to Purpose’ campaign aims at raising awareness around the world regarding the possibility of fiber-based solutions as a renewable packaging option,” said Robyn Buss, Executive Vice President of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Food Packaging & Technical Solutions Business Area. “Consumers and brand owners are demanding more sustainable solutions that reduce their impact on the environment and also have a positive end-of-life story – anywhere from compostability and biodegradation to recyclability. By promoting the story of ‘from Plastic to Purpose’ we are encouraging food and industrial packaging producers globally to consider fiber and paper-based solutions as they innovate products for their customers.”
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U.S. Lobby Group’s Review of Canada’s Forests Misses the Mark

Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Canada’s forest products industry has been hard at work delivering urgently needed, critical products that are helping Canadians and Americans weather this unprecedented crisis. Our industry is a vital part of supply chains that produce a range of in-demand goods like masks and gowns for the health care sector; packaging for food, pharmaceuticals, and online purchases; and hygiene products like tissue and toilet paper. Because of its important role, the Government of Canada designated the forest sector an essential service, to prevent shortages of key items we need and use every day. Despite the value placed on our products, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a U.S.-based lobby group, has chosen this time to release a report critical of Canada’s forest sector. Regrettably, this report misrepresents our industry and makes numerous false claims and accusations. It states, for example, that toilet paper production is putting the boreal forests at risk. In reality, forest products from Canada’s boreal region can be counted among the most responsibly made in the world.
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Peter Greven and Solenis Sign Exclusive Distribution Agreement

Peter Greven GmbH & Co. KG, a leading manufacturer of oleochemical additives, signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Solenis Switzerland GmbH, a leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals. Effective immediately, Solenis will be the authorized distributor for Peter Greven's calcium stearate dispersions for paper coating applications in the European Union,the United Kingdom and Russia. "Calcium stearates are used in paper coating formulations, mainly in printing grades,as lubricants to facilitate the process of coating the paper," said Jose Santolaya, director, Product Management EMEA. "As the channel to market for these dispersions in the paper industry, Solenis will provide these products under our Nopcote™ coating lubricants brand. We have one of the largest lubricant product portfolios on the market today including standard and specialty lubricants."
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Big cutbacks announced at Royal Mail (printweek.com)

Alongside its year-end results the postal operator's interim executive chair, Keith Williams, outlined a new three-step plan to get the business back on track. "In recent years, our UK business has not adapted quickly enough to the changes in our marketplace of more parcels and fewer letters. Covid-19 has accelerated those trends, presenting additional challenges,” he said. Some 2,000 management jobs will go, more than 20% of the current total of 9,700 management positions. Royal Mail said the biggest reductions would be in “senior executive roles and non-operational functions”. The restructure will cost about £150m, and will result in annual savings of £130m. Capex will be reduced by £300m across the group over the next two years, with £250m of the cutbacks affecting the UK.
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The Last Step For Success (cohereone.com)

In the last two blogs written by Michelle Houston, she covered the importance of using Contribution Per Order (CPO), instead of ROAS when evaluating the performance of marketing programs. At the end of one of those blogs, she talked about the importance of also assessing and understanding the significance of lifetime value (LTV) as part of the equation. I wanted to continue that thread and take it a step further by incorporating LTV as the last step of the proper analysis into the equation. As covered in past discussions, LTV is an important metric to track as it will vary widely by acquisition source. When applied to the first order for a new customer, CPO is the equivalent to cost or profit per customer acquired. This will vary by acquisition source as well. When CPO is combined with LTV, those metrics are a powerful tool in driving your company in the right direction (or wrong direction if you’re not careful). In the analysis below, we can evaluate the total effect that CPO and LTV have on the current and future business.
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Berry Global to Supply Medicom in Support of British Government’s Mask Manufacturing Mandate

Berry Global Group, Inc. announced its collaboration with The Medicom Group, (Medicom), to design the manufacturing solution and guarantee the supply of nonwoven fabric intended for use in producing hundreds of millions of face masks annually as part of Medicom’s agreement with the British Government. Medicom is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of medical and respiratory masks. To do so, Berry is investing in a new state-of-the-art meltblown nonwovens line, to be outfitted with its proprietary charging technology, at one of its UK based facilities to increase capacity of material necessary in the production of European-standard Type IIR and N99-equivalent FFP3 masks. The masks will be manufactured and sold under Medicom’s European Kolmi brand.
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Lecta Introduces its New Adestor Laser 60 LB DFE Product

Lecta expands its offering of Adestor self-adhesive products for the healthcare industry with the launch of Adestor Laser 60 LB DfE. Hospitals and laboratories handle chemical samples and tests that require a high degree of traceability to ensure the monitoring of all the coded data on test tubes. The identification of the containers, through variable labeling, requires label integrity, both in terms of adhesion and data legibility. The new Adestor Laser 60 LB DfE facestock, with greater environmental efficiency, provides excellent performance for all small-diameter labeling applications used in the most frequently performed analysis processes in laboratories. This new product is also ideally suited to different variable data printing technologies.
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Student Spending on College Course Materials Continues Multi-Year Decline

Average student spending on college textbooks and digital course materials has steadily declined in recent years, according to new data unveiled from Student Watch, which is funded by the National Association of College Stores Foundation, and Student Monitor, an independent research firm. In its new annual report, Student Watch reports a decline in student spending on course materials of 35 percent over the past six years, while Student Monitor’s semi-annual report similarly indicates a 39 percent decline over the same time period. “Students are actually spending less on college course materials than we have seen them spend before,” commented Brittany Conley, Research Analyst, On Campus Research for the National Association of College Stores (NACS). “We saw that students spent about $413 across the academic year on course materials. Ten years ago, that number was closer to $700.”
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External recognition and awareness raising: an expression of trust in PEFC

By buying PEFC-certified products, we can all help support local communities to continue looking after our forests. Learn more about the importance of supporting sustainable forest management from our CEO Ben Gunneberg! “Although we have already been reaching out to over a million people to safeguard the forests and to manage them in a sustainable way, we do have a problem. When the shoppers in the shop see a wooden product, they still think that they are participating in the destruction of trees,” he explains. “They are not realising that by buying these products they’re helping local communities and they’re safeguarding those forests that they love.”
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ePac Flexible Packaging Announces Expansion in Sacramento

ePac Flexible Packaging announced plans to open its next facility near Sacramento, serving the Northern California area. The company has begun accepting orders, with fulfillment handled by other ePac U.S. locations until its manufacturing facility opens. The Sacramento facility is scheduled to open in 3Q 2020. ePac Sacramento is a joint venture between Karma Packaging and ePac Holdings, and will be managed by Pete Rogers, a long-time Sacramento native and business owner. The ePac manufacturing facility will be located at 1601 Aviation Blvd Suite 125, Lincoln, CA 95648.
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RRD Introduces Innovation Platform to Help Businesses Accelerate Transformation and Stay Relevant in the Digital Era

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company introduced The_Loft@RRD, a new innovation platform that connects companies with people, technologies and strategies to accelerate their digital transformation and achieve innovation at scale. Investment in transformational technologies is growing at a 17.5% compound annual growth rate and is expected to reach $7.4 trillion between 2020 and 2023, according to IDC. Yet this investment does not always translate into strategic improvements. In 2018, Gartner found that while 66% of CIOs believed they were transforming their businesses, only 10% actually were doing so, based on their descriptions of the digital initiatives in place. To close this gap and help enterprises execute on their goals, The_Loft @RRD is an “Innovation-as-a-Service” platform physically located in RRD’s Chennai center.
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TC Transcontinental remains one of Canada’s Top 10 Corporate Citizens in Corporate Knights’ 2020 Best 50 Ranking

TC Transcontinental is proud to be named once again as one of Canada’s 50 best corporate citizens, placed in 10th position in the renowned Corporate Knights’ 2020 Best 50 Ranking. According to Corporate Knights, TC Transcontinental ranks among the Top 10, overall thanks namely to its high clean revenue score, strong gender diversity at the board and executive levels, its solid safety record, as well as its strong energy and water productivity. “We are very proud to be in Corporate Knights’ prestigious Top Ten ranking for the second year in a row” said François Olivier, President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Transcontinental. “This announcement comes at a time where the pandemic that hits our world reminds us more than ever, of the importance for all stakeholders across the value chain to act together to carry out responsible business strategies. Our Corporation continues to be deeply committed in demonstrating how our business practices can have a positive economic, social and environmental impact on both people and planet for generations to come."
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Euro-Graph Publishes Monthly Statistics of the European Graphic Papers Industry

Total European shipments of graphic papers in April 2020 were down 29.1% vs. April 2019 and are down 12.7% year-to-date. Total European shipments of newsprint in April 2020 were down 25.5% vs. April 2019 and are down 11.0% year-to-date. Total European shipments of sc-magazine in April 2020 were down 35.9% vs. April 2019 and are down 16.1% year-to-date. Total European shipments of coated mechanical reels in April 2020 were down 35.1% vs. April 2019 and are down 18.7% year-to-date. Total European shipments of uncoated mechanical (improved & others) in April 2020 were down 14.4% vs. April 2019 and are down 4.0% year-to-date. Total European shipments of coated woodfree in April 2020 were down 36.2% vs. April 2019 and are down 15.9% year-to-date. Total European shipments of uncoated woodfree in April 2020 were down 23.5% vs. April 2019 and are down 8.1% year-to-date.
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Paper Excellence Announces Corporate Knights Best 50 Win for Catalyst

Paper Excellence Canada today announced that Catalyst Paper Corporation has been voted amongst Canada’s Best 50 corporate citizens by Corporate Knights. This is the thirteenth time that Catalyst Paper, which operates pulp and paper facilities in Crofton, Port Alberni, and Powell River, British Columbia, has achieved the Best 50 Award with Corporate Knights. The Best 50 Award is judged using 21 key performance indicators that relate to the organization’s raw resource use, emissions profile, innovation, women in key positions, safety performance, and percentage of revenue from clean sources. Paper Excellence’s VP of Environment, Health and Safety, Graham Kissack, said “We’re extremely proud to be part of this group of leading Canadian companies demonstrating that sustainable business practices can be both profitable while offering long term stability and protection of our ecosystems.”
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Pend Oreille PUD Statement on Ponderay Newsprint Company

Public Utility District No. 1 of Pend Oreille County General Manager Colin Willenbrock issued the following statement regarding the indefinite idling of Ponderay Newsprint Company: “Ponderay Newsprint has long been an outstanding employer and community partner in the Pend Oreille valley. While recent news of the mill being indefinitely idled has long been anticipated, it still hits us hard to know this chapter in our community’s story may be coming to a close. We will be creating a page on our website for customers – including PNC employees who live in Pend Oreille County – to learn about energy assistance programs, financial resources, and other helpful information as we make this transition together.
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Worzalla Completes $12.5 Million Modernization and Expansion Plan

Worzalla has announced the completion of its modernization and expansion plan. In October 2019, Worzalla had declared it would be investing $12.5 million in new machinery and capital improvements to the company’s headquarters in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. “In Worzalla’s long history, we have always adapted and evolved to be leaders in our industry and deliver for our customers,” said Jim Fetherston, President and CEO at Worzalla. “We’re proud to celebrate this milestone and the completion of the modernization and expansion plan as we look ahead to the next 125 years.” Worzalla honored the occasion with a small virtual ribbon cutting ceremony featuring partners and customers from across the book printing industry.
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Amazon Announces 2020’s Best Books of the Year So Far

Amazon announced its choices for 2020’s Best Books of the Year So Far, selecting Abi Daré’s debut novel, The Girl with the Louding Voice, as the top pick. Throughout the year, the Amazon Books editorial team pores over thousands of pages to determine the Best Books of the Month, Best Books of the Year So Far, and Best Books of the Year, debating new releases across various categories—including literary fiction, mystery and thriller, biography, children’s books, and young adult—all to help customers find their next great book. For Best Books of the Year So Far, the Amazon Books editorial team read and selected titles released between January 2020 and June 2020. This year’s list includes the first adult novel of a longtime children’s book author, a sought-after tattoo artist’s memoir on assimilating to American culture after leaving Vietnam, and a gripping true story of a family trying to understand how schizophrenia has affected their lives and future.
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GNC files for bankruptcy; plans to sell itself (chainstoreage.com)

GNC Holdings Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with plans to close at least 800 to 1,200 stores as it looks to cut its debt and restructure amid the COVID-19 crisis. The struggling, 85-year-old vitamin and supplement retailer said it has reached an agreement with the majority of its secured lenders and key shareholders to pursue a dual-path restructuring process that will allow the company to emerge as a standalone business or for it be sold as a going concern. The plan allows GNC to restructure its balance sheet and accelerate its store optimization strategy.
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Macmillan Forms Trade Management Committee to Address ‘Key Issues’ (publishersweekly.com)

Macmillan Publishing's trade group will establish a new 13-member "trade management committee" to set goals and objectives for all publishers, divisions, and departments under its purview, the company announced in two letters to staff on Monday, one from CEO John Sargent and another from president Don Weisberg and COO Andrew Weber. The new management team will set company-wide goals and objectives, though the publishing houses will remain as independent companies, and the publishers will continue to report directly to Weisberg. As for his role, Sargent said he will "step back from day-to-day management to make room for new voices" in the U.S. trade publishing operation, although he will remain in charge of the overall Macmillan global businesses. Macmillan's college operations are not part of the new initiative. The move is the most significant to date at Macmillan to address issues of diversity and representation in the publishing business, and comes two weeks after an industry-wide collective action protesting racism initially organized by five Macmillan employees took place (an action on which the publisher declined to comment).
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Two Sides North America Launches “Love Paper” Campaign

Two Sides North America today announced the launch of Love Paper, a new campaign designed to raise consumer awareness of the unique and inherently sustainable characteristics of print, paper and paper-based packaging. The centerpiece of the campaign is a consumer-friendly website, lovepaperna.org, where the click of a mouse reveals surprising facts about how print and paper products contribute to a sustainable future for us all. “As consumers become increasingly concerned about the environmental impacts of the publications they read, the products they buy and the packaging those products come in, they need factual, science-based information to make informed purchasing decisions,” says Two Sides North America President Phil Riebel. “But all too often, they have little more than unsubstantiated marketing claims like ‘go green, go paperless’ or ‘going paperless saves trees’ to guide them. We created the Love Paper campaign to make it easy for anyone to get verifiable facts about the sustainability of print and paper products from a wide variety of trusted sources.”
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DS Smith showcases Circular Design Principles to help eliminate packaging waste

DS Smith was joined by its global partner the Ellen MacArthur Foundation for a virtual event to explore the packaging company’s brand-new Circle Design Principles. With over 700 packaging designers developing hundreds of thousands of packaging specifications every year, DS Smith is helping its customers to optimize packaging for their individual supply chains every day. The new Circular Design Principles, which have been developed in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, equip the designers with a framework to stimulate innovation and offer customers more sustainable packaging designs.
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New EFI MarketDirect Solution Gives Print and Packaging Businesses an Easy Entry into Fulfillment Services

Printing and packaging businesses seeking growth by offering pick-and-pack fulfillment have an important new, automated offering from Electronics For Imaging, Inc. Newly launched EFI™ MarketDirect Fulfillment software is designed for easy implementation. The new inventory management product is part of the MarketDirect suite of web-to-print, eCommerce and cross media solutions. Equipped with intuitive and flexible administration tools, the new fulfillment offering creates a seamless order-to-fulfillment workflow that businesses can use to expand service offerings, create efficiency in warehouse operations, and drive even greater customer loyalty. The new software offering delivers out-of-the-box functionality for existing MarketDirect StoreFront web-to-print/eCommerce users, with a structure designed to reduce the time and complexities needed to start and manage print fulfillment operations. MarketDirect Fulfillment also leverages the latest in web eCommerce technology to provide a brilliantly simple and powerful administrative dashboard to manage both clients and orders.
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PRINTING United Transitioning to a Comprehensive Online Experience in 2020 (piworld.com)

PRINTING United, originally scheduled to take place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on October 21-23, 2020, will now move to a powerful online experience this fall due to constraints surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The health and safety of all attending and involved with the show remains paramount. The decision to terminate the in-person expo comes after extensive conversations, up-to-the-minute surveys, and projections that the team has been navigating since the onset of the pandemic. Details regarding the new online event experience are forthcoming. PRINTING United has met continuously with experts from the Georgia World Congress Center, the city of Atlanta, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security specializing in mass gatherings, and local authorities on guidance and recommendations on best practices as related to all aspects of the event.
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Enhance package recyclability with new UPM Raflatac RW85C wash-off solutions

When packages come and go, label choice matters. A truly closed loop solution is here with new and improved UPM Raflatac RW85C wash-off label materials for PET containers, now available in the Americas market. Part of the UPM Raflatac SmartCircle™ sustainable product range, products with RW85C adhesive offer best in class wash-off technology. Because PET plastic packaging is lightweight and economical to manufacture, it is in high demand. Although PET has the highest recycling rate among plastics, less than half is collected for recycling, and the vast majority that is recycled is downcycled because it is not suitable for turning back into bottles or food containers. This can be due to the labels not separating well during the recycling process. As more and more global brands seek recycled content in their packaging materials, label choice has never been more important.
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Macy’s, Inc. Announces Restructuring to Address Sales Impact from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Macy’s, Inc. announced details of a restructuring that will align its cost base with anticipated near-term sales as the business recovers from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the closure of stores from March 18 through May 4, 2020 and gradual re-opening. The company will reduce corporate and management headcount by approximately 3,900. Additionally, Macy’s, Inc. has reduced staffing across its stores portfolio, supply chain and customer support network, which it will adjust as sales recover. The company expects the actions announced to generate expense savings of approximately $365 million in fiscal 2020 and approximately $630 million on an annualized basis. These savings will be additive to the anticipated $1.5 billion in annual expense savings announced in February, which the company expects to fully realize by year-end 2022.
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New start-up program launched to support entrepreneurs building circular economy

The U.S.-based nonprofit Food System 6 (FS6) announces the launch of a comprehensive startup program in partnership with global sustainable food packaging leader Huhtamaki. The Huhtamaki Circular Economy Startup Program by Food System 6 is designed to accelerate the development of young and promising companies working for a more sustainable future. It will focus on identifying and developing early-stage companies with innovative and promising sustainable solutions in areas such as waste diversion, sustainable packaging alternatives, new materials innovations, and regenerative production models. “Our program is happening at a critical time. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the vulnerabilities that already existed in our fragile food system,” said Caesaré Assad, Chief Executive Officer of Food System 6. “We need solutions now that will support regeneration and circularity across agriculture, food distribution and production. By supporting entrepreneurs, we can rectify the problems that impact people and our planet to create a stronger, resilient, and equitable world.”
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Amazon Establishes Counterfeit Crimes Unit to Bring Counterfeiters to Justice

Amazon announced it has established a new Counterfeit Crimes Unit, dedicated to bringing counterfeiters that violate the law and Amazon’s policies by listing counterfeit products in its store to justice. Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit is a global, multi-disciplinary team composed of former federal prosecutors, experienced investigators, and data analysts, and will join Amazon’s extensive work to drive counterfeit to zero. Amazon’s first objective is to prevent a counterfeit from ever being listed in its store, and its comprehensive proactive anti-counterfeit programs have ensured that 99.9% of all Amazon products viewed by customers did not have a valid counterfeit complaint. In 2019, Amazon invested over $500 million and had more than 8,000 employees fighting fraud, including counterfeit. Amazon’s efforts have blocked over 6 billion suspected bad listings in 2019 and blocked over 2.5 million suspected bad actor accounts before they were able to make a single product available for sale.
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More awards for Ink!

Ink is proud to announce that we have just won a huge number of awards in two prestigious international media competitions. Firstly, our video series for American Airlines, "One Day, Two Ways," has just won two Silver Telly Awards for Travel/Tourism and Non-Broadcast Production at the 41st annual competition. The Telly Awards “honour video and television across all screens to winners that tell great stories.” Secondly, we we have won an astonishing 21 Communicator Awards! In fact, 11 of our projects received the competition’s highest honour, the Award of Excellence – on top of 10 awards of Distinction.
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Cochrane Announces New 10-Year Publishing Agreement with Wiley

Cochrane is delighted to announce the signing of a new contract with John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., to publish the Cochrane Library for the next 10 years from January 2021. The agreement guarantees major investment into future development of the Library to sustain Cochrane as the world’s pre-eminent collection of high-quality evidence to inform global healthcare decision making. Cochrane’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Wilson, warmly welcomed today’s announcement: “The Cochrane Library is central to Cochrane’s mission of producing and making available to the world high-quality, relevant, accessible systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis. Traffic to the Library has greatly increased over the past seven years as we have made it accessible in 12 languages and we have built a publishing platform that will enable us to deliver new journals, new databases and new features that will help us meet that mission as never before. We are confident we have a strong strategic partner with whom to work on the longer-term publishing challenges and opportunities.”
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Royal Mail Market Reach launches ‘Physically Irresistible’ showcasing the power of direct mail

As we come out of lock-down, more opportunities for businesses are emerging and it’s important for marketers to seize them. Direct mail is perfect for doing that as it can build more personal connections with the people who value your brand. It’s a topic we recently spoke about in our article ‘Direct mail provides opportunity for brands to cut through the noise‘. Mail is highly targeted and has a format which enables a longer narrative, perfect for sparking conversations. People like receiving, sharing and discussing it. And it is measurable – so you can track and optimise your campaigns.
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ATA Truck Tonnage Index Fell 1% in May

American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index contracted 1% in May after falling 10.3% in April. In May, the index equaled 106.1 (2015=100) compared with 107.2 in April. “While tonnage fell in May, even though other economic indicators like retail sales and housing starts rose, I’m not overly concerned,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “First, while down over 10 percent sequentially in April, truck tonnage did not fall as much as other economic indicators that month. This means that any rebound is tougher since tonnage didn’t fall substantially to begin with. Second, there are indications that freight continues to improve as more and more states and localities lift lockdown restrictions.” April’s drop was revised up to -10.3% from the 12.2% decline reported in our May 19 press release.
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Scholle IPN Announces New Corporate Brand

Scholle IPN, a global leader in flexible packaging solutions, has announced today a major rebranding to reflect the company's focused efforts on sustainable packaging. Ross Bushnell, President and CEO of Scholle IPN, said of the rebranding initiative, "This is a really exciting time for the Scholle IPN business and for our team around the world. The opportunities are endless for sustainable, leading-edge solutions crafted around film, fitments, and equipment offerings. We believe that our brand should more accurately reflect those tremendous opportunities and we are excited to launch the new brand campaign at this time."
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Mactac Expands PUREapply™ Adhesive Offering

Unlike any other adhesive on the market, PUREapply delivers a unique combination of initial open time and ultimate secure adhesion. It was designed for any semi-rigid or rigid plastic container substrates and is often used in beverage, cosmetics, toiletries, household goods and food packaging labeling. It is also suitable for cold, damp labeling applications. “PUREapply was custom-engineered for any and all plastics or glass – it doesn’t matter what type if it’s high or low energy, treated or untreated, and so on – PUREapply is the right choice,” says Kim Hensley, Senior Marketing Manager, Mactac Performance Adhesives. “No other comparable products on the market today are able to match PUREapply’s level of initial open time and still ensure long-lasting, secure label adhesion.”
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Eco-Products’ Award-Winning Line of Compostable Plates, Bowls Now Available Nationwide

Eco-Products® announced today its award-winning new line of molded fiber plates and containers – once in limited release – is now available to all customers nationwide. The groundbreaking new line – called VanguardTM – is made from sugarcane and uses proprietary compounds to achieve grease resistance without the use of conventional chemistry, known as PFAS. “Vanguard demonstrates our deep commitment to providing new choices for those seeking grease-resistant packaging,” said Sarah Martinez, Senior Marketing Director for Eco-Products. “Our goal is to stay at the cutting edge of innovation, and the Vanguard line keeps us right there. It’s another outstanding option for our customers.”
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Smurfit Kappa demonstrates truly impactful sustainability at leading kraftliner mill

Smurfit Kappa’s industry-leading new recovery boiler is now operating at its Nettingsdorf paper mill in Austria. The unveiling of the state-of-the-art boiler marks an important milestone in Smurfit Kappa’s Future Energy Plant project, which was a €134 million investment to increase the sustainability and efficiency of the leading kraftliner mill. The innovative new boiler will enable the plant to further boost energy optimisation at the mill. By recovering energy from the biomass contained in black liquor from pulp production, the new boiler is set to cut CO2 emissions by 40,000 tonnes, which equates to about two-thirds of the current emissions at the site, and 2.4% of those from Smurfit Kappa Europe.
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Pregis launches color-rich tissue paper void-fill portfolio; pairs it with high-speed automation system to create custom void-fill solutions

This custom branded tissue paper is dispensed from the Easypack Quantum™ on-demand, void-fill system. By using an automated packaging system that dispenses paper directly into the box, Inspyre paper offers the high throughput required by operations while delivering the branded unboxing experiences sought after by marketing. A study conducted by research firm Package InSight revealed custom branded paper had a significant impact on how participants valued both products and brands. Products packaged in branded tissue paper had a 24% higher perceived value than generic packaging. Brand impressions improved by 86%, brand recall increased by 40% and the likelihood of sharing on social media rose by 64% when participants unboxed products packed with custom branded tissue paper.
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5 Easy Things You Can Do to Improve Your Catalog Marketing Strategy (arandell.com)

You’ve got a catalog marketing strategy in place that runs like a well-oiled machine. You provide your print partner with the creative, you get your in-home date, your website sees that uptick in web traffic, and you see that spike in sales that’s always so satisfying. As a catalog printer that’s been in business for nearly a century, we can tell you that this is how many long-time catalogers have run their programs. It’s not a bad thing, as consistency, repetition and reinforcement are what creates a brand. However, that isn’t to say there isn’t room to improve – especially when you’re looking to stand out better in the mailbox. If you’re not ready to make those types of changes, there are other options that are easier and free-er. Here are a few ways to improve your catalog marketing strategy that are quick, easy and painless: click read more below
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Transcontinental Advanced Coatings announces the launch of reflex™ CE Gloss, clear gloss hardcoated polyester film

Transcontinental Advanced Coatings announces that it has added reflex™ CE Gloss high-performance films to its reflex™ line of hardcoated films. The new reflex™ CE Gloss is a clear gloss, hardcoated film formulated on optical grade, highly stabilized polyester. It is coated in a certified ISO Class 7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom. The product boasts a scratch-resistant, proprietary hardcoat formulation on one side of the film and a print receptive coating on the other, enabling printing with both solvent and UV screen print inks. The performance characteristics of reflex™ CE Gloss include excellent optical clarity and haptic functionality, exceptional hardness, chemical resistance, and flexibility that enables embossing. The price-performance point of reflex™ CE Gloss makes it the ideal product for next-generation Electronic Displays, Membrane Touch Switches (MTS), Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), Printed Electronics, Functional Controls, Sensors, Capacitive Touch Interfaces, and Durable Labels. Tested to over 3 million actuations, reflex™ CE Gloss has industry-leading flex life.
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Paper is a Recycling Success Story. Pulp and Paperworkers Explain Why.

The U.S. paper industry has met or exceeded a 63 percent recycling rate since 2009. Paper and wood products are widely used across the United States — from toilet paper and paper towels to corrugated and paper bags used to deliver items to your home. And these essential products have something in common — recyclability. Recycled wood fiber can be used at least seven times to create new products, and approximately 80 percent of U.S. paper mills depend on recovered fiber from recycling operations to make the everyday, essential products we rely on.
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Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s sustainability work awarded with fourth consecutive EcoVadis Gold rating

Ahlstrom-Munksjö has been awarded with EcoVadis Gold rating for the company’s sustainability management and performance for the fourth consecutive year. Compared with the results from the previous year, progress was especially made in sustainable procurement. EcoVadis is a globally recognized business sustainability rating provider. The Corporate Social Responsibility assessment criteria include four themes; environment, labor practices, sustainable procurement and fair business practices. The EcoVadis method is based on internationally adopted principles for sustainability reporting, such as the Global Reporting Initiative, United Nations Global Compact and ISO 26000, and is audited by independent sustainability experts.
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Pure Performance by KM7, the world’s most modern board machine

BillerudKorsnäs launches Pure Performance, a White Top Kraftliner that combines high strength, excellent printability and purity in one material. Pure Performance is a unique paper product that offer packaging material reduction thanks to its 3-ply construction. Pure Performance is one of the first products from the world´s most modern board machine KM7 at BillerudKorsnäs and has received great appreciation among customers within the corrugating industry. Pure Performance offers extraordinary strength thanks to a 3-ply construction with optimized fiber properties: *The top ply contains well distributed short white fibers optimized for excellent printability. *The bottom ply has unbleached long fibers for highest strength. *The middle ply is used to create bulk in order to maximize stiffness and minimize washboarding.
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Five Times Valuable Papers Made Headlines at Auction

Paper plays a special role in our everyday lives, bearing witness to our achievements, our relationships, our intentions and our creativity. It’s also an important link to the past. Valuable papers, such as historical documents and original works of art, offer a tangible way to connect with our ancestors and the people who shaped the world. From time to time, valuable papers come up for auction, where they can attract bids in the millions of dollars from collectors who want to own a piece of history. Check out these valuable papers that made headlines at auction. click read more below for details
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Resignation of Michael Korenberg

KP Tissue Inc., which holds a limited partnership interest in Kruger Products L.P., announces that Michael Korenberg has, effective today’s date, resigned as Chairman and a director of KPT and as a director of KPGP Inc., the general partner of KPLP. We sincerely thank him for his four years of service and leadership on the Board. With Mr. Korenberg's resignation, KPT is now seeking the appointment of a new independent director on its board, who will also serve as a nominee of KPT on the board of KPGP Inc.
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Seniors and Consumer Groups Petition to Cabinet Restore Paper Billing for Koodo Wireless Customers

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the National Pensioners Federation (NPF) filed yesterday a Petition to Cabinet of the Federal government to reverse the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) decision to allow Koodo Mobile (owned by TELUS Communications Inc.) to change their customers’ monthly bill from paper to electronic format. “Canadian consumers deserve a paper bill if they want or need one,” said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel of PIAC. “The CRTC and wireless companies pretend that seniors and others will not be hurt but that’s not what we heard,” he added. PIAC and NPF’s Petition asks the government to reverse the CRTC’s decision in order to ensure that customers know what their bill is, to be able to control their payments, and to avoid late fees and extra charges and possible disconnection.
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Amazon Announces $2 Billion Climate Pledge Fund to Invest in Companies Building Products, Services, and Technologies to Decarbonize the Economy and Protect the Planet

Amazon announced The Climate Pledge Fund to support the development of sustainable technologies and services that will enable Amazon and other companies to meet The Climate Pledge—a commitment to be net zero carbon by 2040. This dedicated venture investment program—with an initial $2 billion in funding—will back visionary companies whose products and services will facilitate the transition to a zero carbon economy. Last year, Amazon and Global Optimism co-founded The Climate Pledge, a commitment to reach the Paris Agreement ten years early and be net zero carbon by 2040. Verizon, Reckitt Benckiser (RB), and Infosys recently joined the pledge—sending an important signal to the market that there will be rapid growth in demand for products and services that help reduce carbon emissions. Amazon’s new Climate Pledge Fund will accelerate investment in innovations for the zero carbon economy of the future.
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10 Missions Media Expands Portfolio through Major Acquisition (pubexec.com)

10 Missions Media, the leading business-to-business publisher in the automotive industry, has acquired the automotive aftermarket division of Bobit Business Media, a deal that adds Modern Tire Dealer and Auto Service Professional to 10 Missions Media’s publishing portfolio that already includes FenderBender, Ratchet+Wrench, National Oil and Lube News, and ADAPT. In the deal, which closed June 11, 10 Missions Media also takes on ownership of Dealer Strategic Planning (DSP) 20 Group, a training operation for tire dealers.
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Gannett Announces Elimination of the CEO Position for the Operating Company and the Departure of Paul Bascobert

Gannett Co., Inc. announced that the Board of Directors has decided to streamline the operating structure of the Company by eliminating the position of CEO of the operating company, Gannett Media Corp. Given this decision, the Board and Paul Bascobert have mutually agreed for Mr. Bascobert to terminate his employment with the Company. Mr. Bascobert’s departure is not the result of any inappropriate action by Mr. Bascobert, any violation of company policy, any accounting irregularity or any material deterioration in the business of the Company. Michael Reed, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gannett, has assumed Mr. Bascobert’s responsibilities. While the Board does not intend to conduct a search to fill the role of Chief Executive Officer of Gannett Media, the Board does remain focused on attracting and retaining individuals whose skills and diversity will contribute to the Company’s digital transformation.“
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Grainger Announces Agreement to Divest Grainger China

Grainger announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its distribution business in China, Grainger China LLC (Grainger China), to a purchaser owned by the Grainger China management team and Sinovation Ventures, a China-based venture capital firm. This divestiture will better enable Grainger to focus on its key businesses and geographies. To support this portfolio, the company will maintain its Global Sourcing operations based in China. Grainger's Global Sourcing provides the company with private label products in categories that include safety, cleaning, electrical, motors and tools.
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Zondervan Leadership Team Moves to Nashville (publishersweekly.com)

HarperCollins Christian Publishing is moving the Zondervan Books and Zondervan Thrive imprints from Grand Rapids, Mich., to HCCP’s corporate office in Nashville. The move, HCCP said, will allow it to share best practices across the company’s trade book publishing program for both the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishing groups. “Creating a more cohesive structure for our trade book publishing imprints allows for us to manage our nonfiction brands under Don Jacobson’s leadership,” said Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing and HarperCollins Focus, in a statement. “We believe that having the Zondervan Books and Zondervan Thrive leadership in Nashville will help the teams better manage author relationships and allow them to collaborate on larger corporate initiatives.”
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139 Printers Achieve Largest Group Certification to the SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to announce that 139 printers have certified to the SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard. This is the largest SFI group certification of any industry to the standard. The group includes printers from coast to coast in major cities and markets in the U.S. This certification allows a greater number of printers to be able to use the SFI on-product label. SFI on‑product labels help customers and consumers make sustainable choices. The regional affiliated organizations led the group certification through its Regional Affiliate Certificate Group (RACG) program.
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Miyakoshi enters digital press for flexible packaging market

While marketing focus steadily shifting from a mass to a more personalized approach, and each consumer increasingly has their own individual tastes and needs, analogue printing technologies such as gravure and flexography can not always caater to such requirements. This has lead to vendors needing to create an ever increasing variety of products but of smaller quantities, a phenomenon which has led to a constant reduction in the size of production lots. The Miyakoshi MJP30AXF includes features such as: *Water based ink, safe for food packaging *Minimizing of inventories and waste helping to achieve sustainable goals *Optimized production with a variety of small jobs on one single web *High resolution 1200 x 1200 dpi with latest inkjet printhead technology *Digitally printed white, enabling high quality colour reproduction *750 mm(30 inch) print width and 50 meter per minute printing speed *No make-ready time such as plate/drum making, and ink change.
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According to a recent study ecological packaging material is an increasingly important factor in consumers’ purchasing decisions

According to the LOHAS2020 study, a growing number of consumers are considering the consequences of their consumption behaviour. Up to two out of three Finnish consumers would like to have more information on which packaging would be the best choice for both the environment and the shelf life of the product. “This was the third LOHAS consumer survey to address packaging issues extensively. Compared to previous studies conducted in 2011 and 2014, a lifestyle that supports both personal health and sustainable development has become an increasingly important factor in driving consumer behaviour. The coronavirus pandemic has probably further increased consumers' understanding of the core benefits of packaging,” says Virpi Korhonen from Sense N Insight.
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Industry Digital Inkjet Leader Scott Schinlever Returns to EFI as Inkjet Chief Operating Officer

Industry digital inkjet leader Scott Schinlever has re-joined Electronics For Imaging, Inc. in a new role as chief operating officer for EFI’s global inkjet business. Schinlever, who starts in his new position today, has been charged with further expanding EFI’s market-leading industrial inkjet portfolio, while facilitating the analog-to-digital transformation throughout the industry for EFI’s current and future customers. Schinlever will be responsible for all equipment, ink, and service solutions throughout the vast EFI™ portfolio in Display Graphics, Textiles, Packaging and Building Materials. Schinlever, who most recently was president and COO of Automation Solutions for Tolland, Connecticut-based Gerber Technology, had a long career managing the marketing, growth and development of EFI VUTEk® printers and other EFI inkjet technologies. He joined the digital print industry in the late 1990s, working with the Xerox® Office Systems Group. In 2001, he took on a marketing position at the pioneering superwide-format printer manufacturer VUTEk, a company EFI acquired in 2005. Schinlever continued to rise through the ranks at EFI following that acquisition, becoming senior vice president and general manager for EFI Inkjet Solutions – the company’s largest business unit – before joining Gerber Technology in 2018.
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Glen Taylor Promotes Industry Veteran Charlie Whitaker to CEO of Taylor Corporation

Charles "Charlie" Whitaker, a 30-year paper industry veteran who joined Taylor Corporation in 2012 and most recently served there as executive VP, has been named CEO of the North Mankato, Minn.-based international printing conglomerate. He replaces company founder Glen Taylor, who remains as chairman and owner of the privately held, multibillion-dollar company. “Charlie was a trusted supplier and friend to Taylor for many years,” Glen Taylor said in a news release. “We were excited when he joined the Taylor team and his energy, experience, and enthusiasm made an immediate difference for our company. His recent leadership through our business transformation and his guidance through the global pandemic has proven that Charlie is ready for this top leadership role.”
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ANDRITZ to supply pulp production technologies and key process equipment for Sun Paper’s new mill in Beihai, China

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Sun Paper to supply pulp dewatering and white liquor plant technologies and key process equipment for their new pulp mill in Beihai, China. Start-up is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2021. The scope of supply on EPS basis includes the following equipment: Wet lap system with two production lines for a capacity of 1,120 admt/d bleached hardwood kraft pulp, each consisting of a Twin Wire Press for pulp dewatering, a cutter-layboy and a baling line. Evaporation plant with a high-concentration section for a total evaporation capacity of 1,100 t/h and a final dry solids content of 85%. Ash re-crystallization (ARC) system, with an ash handling capacity of 400 t/d, to treat the ash from the electrostatic precipitator by decreasing the chloride and potassium content while recovering sodium and sulfate.
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Kimberly-Clark Receives SBTi Approval for its Expanded Science-Based Climate Goals

On the doorstep of a decisive decade for climate change, Kimberly-Clark has announced expanded new targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and aligned with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Kimberly-Clark's ambitions for 2030 include a commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations and supply chain for its trusted brands, including Huggies®, Kleenex®, Cottonelle®, Scott®, Kotex® and Depend® by 50 percent for absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions (direct and indirect) from its operations. The commitment also includes a 20 percent reduction in absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services and end of life treatment of sold products. Both targets are based on a new 2015 base year.
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Rails Instead of Roads – Koehler Invests 1 Million Euros

As part of sustainable logistics concepts and in order to increase supply chain reliability for an important raw material, pulp, Koehler is making greater use of rail transportation. “We have expanded the existing rail connection, which was too small, added manual underground switches to it, and also purchased a modern shunting robot. This will enable employees to handle shunting work at the plant independently and flexibly and to process four times as much incoming tonnage,” explained Andreas Riedlinger, logistics team leader at Koehler. Total investments amounted to EUR 1 million. Since the start of the year, three to four weekly block trains have re-placed deliveries by truck, which amounted to as many as 15 per day.
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UPM Raflatac partners with Vellamo for bottled water industry’s first and only wood-based clear plastic label material

UPM Raflatac is partnering with Vellamo, Finland’s award-winning natural mineral water for a truly innovative sustainable label. Vellamo’s bottles feature UPM Raflatac Forest Film PPTM, the world’s first and only wood-based polypropylene plastic label material. This transparent label material is constructed from UPM BioVerno naphtha, a 100 percent wood-based solution made from tall oil, a residue of pulp production, originating from sustainably managed forests. “This is an ideal collaboration to showcase how labels matter when it comes to sustainable packaging,” says Timo Kekki, Vice President, Films Business, UPM Raflatac. “Our innovative labeling material answers brand owners’ needs to replace traditional fossil-based virgin materials with renewable ones. The collaboration with Vellamo is an excellent example of how we are labeling a smarter future beyond fossils together with our partners.”
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Shutterfly Takes Kids’ ‘Thank You’ Creations To Next Level (mediapost.com)

The U.S. may be reopening, but Shutterfly, the personalized products company, wants the gratitude for essential workers to keep on flowing. It’s featuring children’s thank-you drawings in out-of-home installations in a new campaign, kicking off in New York City’s Times Square and Grand Central Station. Throughout the pandemic, Shutterfly has been encouraging users to make messages of gratitude with its “Create Thanks” campaign. People all over the U.S. have been touched by kids’ homemade “Thank you, essential workers” messages. Besides taping the drawings up in living room windows, making sidewalk chalk drawings or tacking them up on front porches, many uploaded their handiwork to the company's content hub, says Jim Hilt, president of Shutterfly’s consumer products divisions.
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Bertrams Goes Bankrupt (publishersweekly.com)

The drawn-out saga of the potential sale of the Bertram Group, one of two major U.K. wholesalers, came to a conclusion today with the news that the business has gone into administration. A statement on behalf of administrators Turpin Barker Armstrong (TBA) was received by the U.K. publishing newsletter BookBrunch confirming the company had gone bankrupt. “We can confirm that Bertram Trading Limited, the global book wholesaler, has entered administration along with Education Umbrella Limited, a supplier of textbooks and digital education resources and Dawson Books Limited, an academic and professional library supplier," the statement reads.
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Trucking Industry Applauds House Advancing Highway Funding Bill

The American Trucking Associations praised the leaders and members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their work in advancing the INVEST in America Act to the House floor. “Chairman DeFazio and the entire committee have produced a solid piece of legislation that authorizes a real and significant increase in funding for our roads and bridges, as well as a broad range of policies to improve highway safety,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “ATA supports this bill and appreciates the hard work of the committee members and staff, and we look forward to working with Congress to further improve this important bill as it continues through the process, and securing bipartisan support for an infrastructure investment package that provides real money for our roads and bridges.”
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Paragon Films Brings Patent Infringement Lawsuit against Berry

Paragon Films, Inc., a leading stretch film manufacturer in North America, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Berry Global, Inc. in the U.S. Federal District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. The lawsuit alleges that Berry’s Fortitude products directly infringe four U.S. patents protecting Paragon Films’ Torque hand film products. The lawsuit seeks to recover damages as well as an injunction to prevent Berry from continued acts of infringement. “Innovation is one of Paragon Films’ core values,” said CEO Darin Tang. “Commitment to industry-leading performance, quality, and value to our customers drives our team. We must and will protect our intellectual property rights in the marketplace.”
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Tetra Pak introduces first-of-its-kind low energy pr​ocessing line for juice, nectar and still drinks

Tetra Pak has launched a new, first-of-its-kind low-energy processing line for juice, nectar and still drinks (JNSD) to take beverage processing to a new level of efficiency. Innovatively using a unique combination of Pasteurization, Filtration and UV Light technology to treat beverages in two separate streams, which are aseptically blended together into the final beverage. Instead of pasteurizing the whole volume of the product, the new production line separates out water and pasteurizes only the concentrate. Water is treated separately with Filtration and UV Light which requires a lot less energy. In the new JNSD line customers reduce energy consumption up to 67% and water consumption used for cleaning-in-place, sterilisation and product change-over is cut up to 50%.
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Meredith Announces Intention To Redeem Series A Preferred Stock And Raise $710 Million In New Debt; Provides Capital Structure Updates

Meredith Corporation announced its intention to raise $710 million aggregate principal amount of proposed new secured debt, subject to market and other conditions. A combination of cash on hand and proceeds of the new debt will be used to redeem all of its outstanding Series A preferred stock ("Series A Preferred Stock") and pay fees and expenses incurred in connection with the financing and redemption transactions. The company also announced it has secured an amendment with its revolving line of credit lenders allowing for greater access to the credit facility. "We believe these steps will create significant benefits for all of our stakeholders as we pursue our previously communicated strategy to ensure ample liquidity and enhance our financial flexibility," said Meredith President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Harty.
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Northern Pulp Nova Scotia and certain affiliates file for voluntary CCAA creditor protection

Paper Excellence Canada announced that 1057863 B.C. Ltd, Northern Pulp Nova Scotia, Northern Timber Nova Scotia and other related non-operating affiliates (collectively, “Northern Pulp”) have obtained an initial order under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”). The initial order stays proceedings against Northern Pulp in order to provide it with an opportunity to restructure its business and financial affairs. Paper Excellence Canada has not sought relief in the CCAA proceedings. Northern Pulp owns a pulp mill in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. The pulp mill, which had been operational since 1967, was forced to stop production by January 31, 2020, after the Province of Nova Scotia’s decision to require Northern Pulp to cease using the Boat Harbour Effluent Treatment Facility (BHEFT). This left the mill with no ability to treat or transport pulp effluent. Since January, Northern Pulp has been conducting a safe and environmentally sound hibernation of the mill, which would allow it to reopen in the event a proposed new Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) receives the necessary approvals.
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Let the Results Do the Talking (cohereone.com)

Last week I wrote an article about why Contribution Per Order (CPO) should be the critical revenue metric that businesses use rather than Return On Ad Spend (ROAS). As a reminder, while ROAS is an efficient measuring metric, it cannot assign health to a channel, making it a relatively useless tool. In contrast to ROAS, Contribution Per Order (CPO) brings in the magnitude of the campaign segment targeted. This metric subtracts the marketing cost and cost of goods from each order to determine how profitable each of those segments is contributing to top-line demand and bottom-line profits. In one of my side comments in this blog, I mentioned the need to analyze Paid Search programs utilizing the same metrics and by further separating into branded terms vs. non-branded terms. In a recent year-end seasonal review with one of my clients, Paid Search was only reporting at a macro level (combining branded and non-branded search), which can be misleading. As shown below, Paid Search has a relatively positive CPO compared to traditional print prospecting (+$1.16 vs. -$2.15). Without understanding the full impact, this client was considering marketing decisions to expand Paid Search, reduce print prospecting, and potentially eliminate print programs—leading to potentially devastating results.
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Bauer Media Group Sells Australian, New Zealand Titles (mediapost.com)

German-based Bauer Media Group has sold the print and digital assets of the magazines it operates in Australia and New Zealand, to Australian private equity firm Mercury Capital. The firm’s newly expanded portfolio includes 43 brands across women’s entertainment and lifestyle, fashion, beauty and health; homes; food; motoring and trader lifestyle categories. Titles include the Australian and New Zealand Women’s Weekly, Harper’s Bazaar Australia, Elle Australia and New Zealand Listener, among others. The deal also includes Pacific Magazines, which publishes Better Homes & Gardens, New Idea and Marie Claire.
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REI Statement on Passage of The Great American Outdoors Act

REI Co-op applauds the June 17 passing of the Great American Outdoors (GAO) Act by a resounding 73-25 bipartisan vote in the U.S. Senate. The Great American Outdoors Act ends a history of underfunding the Land and Water Conservation Fund and not addressing the maintenance backlog on federal public lands - efforts that have been attempted in the past and have been unable to move through the legislative process. It provides $9.5 billion to address that backlog, and $900 million annually for the LWCF.   This legislation will help dramatically reduce the growing maintenance backlog on federal public lands and will – for the first time -- provide full and consistent funding for the LWCF’s conservation and recreation goals.
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Ronpak Joins Two Sides

Ronpak has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print, paper and paper-based packaging. “Ronpak is pleased to join Two Sides North America and we welcome the opportunity to help promote the sustainability of print, paper, and paper-based packaging. We look forward to working with Two Sides and its members to expand awareness of the benefits of paper for the packaging industry and the world at large,” said Mary Beth Vitale, Director, Client Services, Ronpak.
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Cascades Launches a New Packaging Line for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Industry

Cascades is pleased to announce the launch of its new range of Cascades Fresh packaging products for fruits and vegetables. Designed for producers, packers and retailers, Cascades Fresh packaging solutions meet the needs of this key industry while also addressing consumers' concerns about the environmental footprint of their foodstuffs. Through this new range of products, Cascades brings the circular economy to life by using different types of cardboard and recovered plastics to offer a full and multi-material range of eco-friendly, recycled and 100% recyclable products to reduce the environmental footprint of packaging used in the produce sector. The various products include trays made from PETE, LDPETE and cardboard, baskets, carriers and corrugated cardboard boxes as well as a number of sturdy and leakproof options.
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Green recovery is the only viable way forward (Huhtamaki)

While our minds and hearts are at the moment very much focused on managing the COVID-19 crisis and the economic recovery we must not lose sight of our long-term sustainability ambitions. We must continue to strive towards a greener economy and invest in the development of forward-looking technologies that help bring about a circular, carbon-free economy. To get there, we must start partnering across the value chain, designing for circularity while ensuring an effective use of renewable resources and energy. Only together we can deliver innovation for next generations that continue to protect the health and safety of consumers but also of the planet, including sustainable food production and biodiversity. These are all building blocks of the EU Green Deal — and they should also guide our green recovery. To ensure this, we must also secure that European regulation provides a clear and predictable framework to enable us to move in this direction together. Otherwise it may not encourage businesses to invest in the next generation of environmental innovation. And we will lack viable solutions to reach our goals.
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Constant Evolution Drives Continued Growth (piworld.com)

Color Ink, based in Sussex, Wis., is a family business that has never stopped evolving. From its original roots as an advertising agency in the 1970s, to the decision in the 1980s to branch into commercial printing, to the full-service visual marketing services company it is today, Color Ink embodies the concept of convergence in action. “The company was started in 1975 by my grandfather, Jim,” Austin Meissner, sales and sourcing manager for the shop, says. “He decided to start his own ad agency, but because he was brokering out so much print, he decided to get into commercial printing in 1984. In the late ’80s, the company had become successful enough to move into a dedicated space in Hartland, Wis., before outgrowing that and then eventually moving into its current location, with two buildings and 105,000 sq. ft. of space. But just as Color Ink evolved from an ad agency to a commercial printer, it also embraced new technologies and the shifts in the market as time has progressed. Today, Austin Meissner reveals, they see themselves not as being a commercial printer as much as a boutique printer — heavily involved in a wide mix of projects that include everything from event space, pop-up retail locations, and even interactive elements with light and sound.
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Neenah Announces Refinancing Plans and Q2 Update

Neenah, Inc. announced that the Company is seeking to refinance its $175 million of unsecured Senior Notes which are due in May 2021. The Company anticipates refinancing the Notes with the proceeds of a new $200 million Term Loan B facility with a tenor up to seven years. The objectives of the refinancing are to increase the Company’s financial flexibility and extend its weighted average debt maturity. Terms of the potential refinancing will be disclosed upon the completion of the transaction, which is expected later this month. The proposed refinancing is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance that it will be completed.
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1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. Raising its Fiscal 2020 Full Year Guidance

♦ Company is experiencing strong ecommerce demand in its Gourmet Foods and Gift Baskets brands and its 1-800-Flowers Consumer Floral business, including a strong Mother’s Day holiday period as well as increased demand for every-day gifting occasions. ♦ Total consolidated revenues for Fiscal 2020 are now expected to grow in a range of 16-to-18 percent, compared with the prior year, up from a previous range of 8-to-9 percent.
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Store Closing Sales are Now Underway at Select JCPenney Stores

A team of disposition firms consisting of Gordon Brothers, Hilco Merchant Resources, Great American Group, and Tiger Group announced that they have commenced store closing sales at 137* J. C. Penney Company, Inc. stores across the United States. The closures are the Company’s first step in implementing a planned store optimization strategy. As the Company remains focused on its Plan for Renewal transformation strategy and driving sustainable, profitable growth, it intends to reduce its store footprint and focus resources on its strongest stores and powerful eCommerce flagship store, jcp.com. Throughout all closing stores, customers can take advantage of storewide discounts of 25-40% off original prices. All merchandise is on sale, including deeper discounts of 40% on all fine jewelry and window treatments. New seasonal essentials, such as swimwear and sunglasses, are also discounted at 25-30% off. All sales will be final starting June 25.
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Print Unit Sales Had Small Gain Last Week (publishersweekly.com)

Print sales of unit books rose 1.6% last week over the week ended June 6, 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. While the juvenile categories have usually led the week-to-week gains since the pandemic hit, last week it was the adult categories that led the increase, in particular adult nonfiction. Unit sales rose 4.4% last week in the adult nonfiction segment. According to BookScan, print sales in the history/law/political science segment, where most titles about race and social justice are classified, jumped 28.7% in the week.
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Certified throughout: ÖPSO re-imagines sustainable home fragrances

In the development of a truly sustainable product, fragrance producer ÖPSO takes an extra step forward. The company’s home fragrances are entirely PEFC-certified, from the ingredients to the packaging. ÖPSO Marketing Manager Jens Neumann explains what makes the product unique. What will be the next big innovation in ambience? This has been the big question since the beginning of this project in 2017. To help us solve it, we involved consumers and fragrance experts in the development process. The main outcome was that all air fresheners are artificial because they are based on petrol. For more than 18 months we worked together with perfumers, consumers and creatives in the development of this innovation, which we believe will be a breakthrough in the world of air freshening. To this end we have created ÖPSO, the first home fragrances made from natural tree resin.
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Aptar Releases 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report

AptarGroup, Inc. released its 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report. The 2019 Sustainability Report highlights Aptar’s extensive sustainability initiatives that have been implemented across its global operations. As in previous reports, Aptar summarizes several milestones measured and achieved in three key areas of people, planet and product. In 2019, Aptar signed the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, joining forces with other businesses and governments committed to changing how plastic is produced, used and reused. Since the last report, Aptar also formalized its Science Based Targets, pledged its support to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and joined the United Nations Global Compact initiative. Aptar is committed to increasing the usage of post-consumer recycled resin (PCR) and researching additional opportunities for more sustainable resins and the recyclability of its products. Aptar’s aspirations, safety programs, societal impact of products and community outreach initiatives are also featured in the report.
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Fortum and Metsä Group to launch a joint EUR 50 million R&D programme in circular bioeconomy

Fortum and Metsä Group join forces with Business Finland to create a world-class R&D programme with pulp fibre from renewable and sustainable sources as its node. The 4-year joint R&D programme, called ExpandFibre, aims to develop ground-breaking technologies and smart business concepts that are required to convert straw and wood pulp fibre into novel bioproducts, such as textile fibres. The R&D programme has been granted EUR 20 million from Business Finland. ExpandFibre will be part of a global innovation ecosystem. The ExpandFibre partners Fortum and Metsä Group want to encourage members of the ecosystem to significantly accelerate their efforts within the circular bioeconomy. Members of the ecosystem can apply for financing from Business Finland or from the EU.
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New research reveals sustainability is transforming businesses’ approach to packaging innovation

*One-third of companies say sustainability is driving all R&D and new product development *Companies are investing most heavily in using recycled materials in their products and packaging *68% of businesses view materials used in packaging as the most challenging area for sustainability *37% of consumers rate packaging design as important when making a purchasing decision. A new survey by paper-based packaging leader Smurfit Kappa has revealed sustainability is transforming the innovation agenda as businesses rethink their products and packaging solutions in an effort to tackle environmental waste. The Sustainability and Profitability Survey, which was conducted among 200 senior business executives in the UK, showed that sustainability is driving all R&D and new product development in more than a third of companies.
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Tredegar Surface Protection Expands Development Capabilities

Tredegar Surface Protection announced that it has commissioned a state-of-the-art manufacturing line for developing innovative surface protection films. Recognized for its industry-leading quality and supply reliability, Tredegar Surface Protection plays a critical role in protecting the sensitive surfaces of optical films used in displays and other substrates during manufacturing, converting and transportation. In response to increased demand for high-quality surface protection films and faster design cycles in the LCD and OLED markets, the Company has invested approximately $5 million for a scale-up line in its Richmond Technical Center located in Richmond, Virginia. “New technologies such as 8K resolution and foldable displays are driving the need for new surface protection films that meet increasing quality and performance requirements. This scale-up line will enable us to commercialize new products faster to ensure we can satisfy industry quality requirements and keep pace with the rapid introduction of new models in the mobile phone and television markets,” said Bapi DasGupta, President of Tredegar Surface Protection. “Tredegar Surface Production has a long track record of supplying innovative high-quality materials for masking applications, and this expansion will enable us to continue our tradition of providing increased value to improve our customers’ productivity and bottom line.”
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TC Transcontinental Announces Closure of Transcontinental de la Capitale and Transcontinental Qualimax Plants

Following the June 12 decision by the Coopérative nationale de l’information indépendante (CN2i) to permanently stop publishing its newspapers during the week, TC Transcontinental announces the definitive closure of the printing plants Transcontinental de la Capitale (Québec City) and Transcontinental Qualimax (Gatineau), both located in the province of Québec. These plants were primarily dedicated to printing CN2i’s daily newspapers, formerly owned by Groupe Capitales Médias. These closures unfortunately result in the loss of approximately 30 jobs per plant. TC Transcontinental had maintained these plants in operation at the request of CN2i, publisher of Le Soleil, Le Droit, Le Nouvelliste, Le Quotidien-Le Progrès, La Tribune and La Voix de l'Est, because of their market proximity. Following CN2i's decision at the end of March, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, to cease the publication of its paper editions during the week, TC Transcontinental temporarily closed the abovementioned plants. The business from these plants’ customers, including the Saturday editions of CN2i dailies, was then transferred to Transcontinental Transmag in Montréal, where the company recently invested in highly efficient, state-of-the-art printing presses, and where that business will remain.
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American Forest & Paper Association Releases May 2020 Packaging Papers Monthly Report

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in May increased two percent compared to May 2019. They were up three percent when compared to the same five months of 2019. The operating rate was 83.8 percent, down 1.8 points from May 2019 and down 1.4 points year-to-date. Mill inventories at the end of May increased 18,000 short tons from the previous month and were up 18,000 short tons compared to May 2019.
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American Forest & Paper Association Releases May 2020 Containerboard Monthly Report

Total Containerboard production in May increased one percent compared to May 2019. It was up six percent when compared to the same five months of 2019. May 2020 production of containerboard for export increased 42 percent compared to the same month last year; it was up 41 percent year-to-date. The containerboard operating rate was 90.3 percent, essentially flat (-0.2 pts.) from May 2019 and up 4.4 points year-to-date. Mill inventories of containerboard at the end of May increased 39,000 short tons from the previous month and were up 77,000 short tons compared to May 2019.
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Ahlstrom-Munksjö introduces FortiCell® , a new product platform specifically designed for energy storage applications

Ahlstrom-Munksjö takes further steps into the energy storage market and pre-launches Ahlstrom-Munksjö Forticell®, its new platform of fiber-based solutions for energy storage applications. Electricity is the fastest growing source of energy and demand for energy storage is expected to grow significantly in coming years, driven by vehicle electrification, a shift towards renewable energy, an increasing demand in stationary applications and effective electricity supply chain management. Fiber-based materials are widely used in energy storage devices and, thanks to the Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s extensive expertise in cellulose, microglass and specialty nonwoven materials, the company is developing a complete range of solutions to its customers.
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Minerals Technologies Signs Agreement with Phoenix Paper to Rebuild and Operate a 35,000 Ton Per Year Satellite PCC Plant in U.S.

Minerals Technologies Inc. announced today that it has signed an agreement with Phoenix Paper LLC to re-establish a 35,000 ton per year satellite precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) plant at its paper mill in Wickliffe, Kentucky. This paper mill had been idled for the past five years and was recently purchased and restarted by Phoenix Paper, a subsidiary of Shanying International, a Chinese-based company focused on entering the North American paper market. MTI has been providing its PCC from nearby sources to the Wickliffe site since the facility restarted operations in November of 2019. "We are very pleased to collaborate with Phoenix Paper to support production of higher value grades from their paper machine in Wickliffe, Kentucky, using our PCC technology," said Douglas T. Dietrich, Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to see the redeployment of our PCC assets in North America through this opportunity."
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Promotions & Incentive Programs for First-Class® & USPS Marketing Mail®

At this time, all mailing promotions are proceeding as scheduled with no changes. We will continue to evaluate existing and upcoming promotions in light of the rapidly changing circumstances due to COVID-19. If changes to an existing or upcoming promotion occur, notice will be provided in an Industry Alert and posted here, on our main PostalPro Promotion page: https://postalpro.usps.com/promotions Building upon the success of the Promotions Calendars over the last few years, the Postal Service has developed a Promotions Calendar for Calendar Year (CY) 2020. The 2020 Promotions continue to encourage marketers, printers, and mailers to utilize new technology and print techniques that enhance the traditional benefits of a physical mailpiece. This in turn can drive higher response rates and increase the overall return on the mailer’s investment in mail. By encouraging the use of technologies integrated in mail, the Postal Service expects to increase the value of direct mail and retain the volumes of transactional mail, thereby ensuring long-term product growth.
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Two Sides Anti-greenwash Campaign Gets Results, Builds on Success

The potential consequences of misleading marketing claims – from negative public relations and customer dissatisfaction to legal action and financial penalties – make rigorous factual and legal scrutiny of product and service claims a fundamental step in today’s corporate marketing process. So why do so many otherwise diligent companies skip this step and shoot from the hip when it comes to making environmental claims about the use of print and paper? In part, the answer lies in the fact that the “go paperless, save trees” mantra has been repeated so often over the years that it is accepted as gospel by many corporate gatekeepers. If paper comes from trees and we use less paper, we save trees and protect our forests, the reasoning goes. And since using less paper is good for the environment, the electronic bills, statements and other customer communications that replace it must be a better environmental choice, right? Wrong. But lots of big-name North American companies are making this unsubstantiated leap as they encourage their customers to switch from paper to electronic communications, ironically sidestepping best practices for environmental marketing under the banner of going green.
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April Bookstore Sales Tumbled 65.3% (publishersweekly.com)

Bookstore sales took an unprecedented plunge in April, tumbling 65.3% compared to April 2019, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. April sales fell a total of $412 million from 2019, dropping to an anemic $219 million. In March, bookstore sales fell 33.4% compared to a year ago. March sales were $392 million, meaning April sales declined 44.3% from March to April. Total retail sales dropped 19.4% in April compared to 2019 after falling 6.6% in March from 2019.
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InnerWorkings Announces First Quarter 2020 Results

Financial and Business Highlights: *Gross revenue was $261.4 million in the first quarter of 2020, a decrease of 2% compared to $267.2 million in the first quarter of 2019. Excluding currency impact, gross revenue decreased 1% in the first quarter of 2020. *Gross profit was $63.4 million, or 24.3% of gross revenue in the first quarter of 2020, compared to $62.0 million, or 23.2% of gross revenue, in the same period of last year. *Net loss for the first quarter of 2020 was $(2.8) million, or $(0.15) per diluted share, compared to net loss of $(2.0) million, or $(0.04) per diluted share in the first quarter of 2019.
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US nonstore retail sales jump nearly 25% in May (digitalcommerce360.com)

After a gruesome showing in April with U.S. total retail sales plummeting to recession-level numbers, May spending made an unexpected recovery as states allowed more retail stores to reopen. The easing of coronavirus-related business closures and stay-at-home orders gave overall retail a much-needed boost, yet the recent surge in online and other nonstore sales as people were forced to place orders from the safety of their own homes showed no signs of slowing last month, new U.S. Department of Commerce data shows. Consumer spending through nonstore channels increased 24.6% year over year in May—the highest growth rate ever recorded for the month, according to a Digital Commerce 360 analysis of the Commerce Department’s advance monthly figures released Tuesday. Numbers exclude estimated fuel sales. The jump also represents the second-largest year-over-year uptick of any month in the history of the agency’s available data, falling behind only December 2019, when nonstore sales swelled by 25.7%.
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Ulta Beauty and Credo Beauty Partner to Elevate Industry Leadership, Guest Choices

Ulta Beauty, the nation’s largest beauty retailer, today announced its partnership with clean beauty pioneer, Credo Beauty. The unique collaboration will offer Ulta Beauty guests an exclusive, clean beauty collection with more choices and unrivaled transparency related to sourcing, fragrance and ingredients. The clean beauty collection will premiere with eight exciting clean beauty brands, including EleVen by Venus Williams x Credo SPF, Innersense Organic Beauty and One Love Organics, among others, across 100 Ulta Beauty stores and on Ulta.com this fall. The collaboration reinforces the companies’ shared leadership in educating, guiding and simplifying clean beauty choices. As the partnership grows, Credo Beauty and Ulta Beauty will leverage their collective expertise to continue pushing this important space forward.
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Maverick Concepts Invests in Future Growth with 2nd VUTEk FabriVU Printer and EFI ERP Workflow

Maverick Concepts, a creative design and fabrication business serving top retailers and major consumer packaged goods companies, has completed new investments to drive new opportunities. The Garland, Texas-based company purchased two advanced print technology solutions from Electronics For Imaging, Inc. – an EFI™ VUTEk® FabriVU® 340i dye-sublimation printer and EFI Midmarket Print Suite MIS/ERP workflow software. The new printer – Maverick’s second EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340i model – delivers high efficiency on premium soft-signage textile graphics, with speeds up to 5,381 square feet per hour. The 133-inch wide printer is also the only production-level solution in its class that offers direct-to-fabric production and in-line sublimation without the need for a separate calendar/heat press. As a result, Maverick Concepts’ direct-to-textile prints are immediately ready for finishing and shipping after printing. VUTEk FabriVU printers – which are also available in 70- and 205-inch widths – use aqueous dye-sublimation inks and give Maverick Concepts more firepower to provide its brand clients outstanding quality with a 2,400 dots per inch (dpi) maximum resolution.
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New Inkjet Printing Press Tops List of New Product Launches from Kodak (piworld.com)

Eastman Kodak is stepping up its comeback campaign with the launches of significant new products, including an inkjet press it describes as a potentially game-changing solution for commercial and publication print. The newest star of the lineup is the Kodak PROSPER ULTRA 520, a rollfed inkjet press that Randy Vandagriff, senior vice president, print, called “virtually indistinguishable” from offset lithography in print quality. He said closing the gap with the ULTRA 520 will hasten the migration of work from offset to digital, including jobs requiring heavy ink coverage.
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Circular economy for plastic: TC Transcontinental’s Recycling Group Acquires Assets of Enviroplast Inc.

TC Transcontinental announces the acquisition of the assets of Enviroplast Inc., a company dedicated to recycling flexible plastics in the province of Québec. The equipment acquired will be used for converting plastic waste recovered from sorting facilities and other commercial, industrial and agricultural sources into recycled plastic granules. “The circular economy is the way of the future," said Sylvain Levert, Senior Vice President, Recycling Group, TC Transcontinental Packaging. This equipment acquisition is part of our goal to vertically integrate the recycling of plastics in our packaging production chain in Canada, the United States and Latin America, ultimately ensuring stable procurement of recycled resin. We are proud of this first step and are counting on the collaboration of public and private stakeholders to meet the plastic recycling challenge, and to promote the creation in Québec of a centre of expertise in the circular economy of plastics.” The Corporation's goal, which is also the goal of many of its customers, is to differentiate itself by offering eco-responsible packaging products that contain recycled plastic, to accelerate their development and to create a true circular economy of plastic that is beneficial from an environmental, economic and social standpoint.
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American Forest & Paper Association Releases May 2020 Printing-Writing Monthly Report

According to the report, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 35 percent in May compared to May 2019. U.S. purchases of total printing-writing papers decreased 30 percent in May compared to the same month last year. Total printing-writing paper inventory levels decreased three percent when compared to April 2020. *Uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments decreased 34 percent compared to May 2019, while the inventory level decreased four percent compared to April 2020. UFS imports and exports both decreased compared to April 2019, down 28 percent and 29 percent respectively. *U.S. purchases of coated free sheet (CFS) papers in May decreased 31 percent compared to last May, while the inventory level decreased two percent compared to April 2020. CFS imports and exports both decreased compared to April 2019, down two percent and 25 percent respectively. *Coated mechanical (CM) paper shipments decreased 36 percent compared to May 2019, while the inventory level decreased three percent compared to April 2020. CM imports and exports both decreased compared to April 2019, down 32 percent and 13 percent respectively. *U.S. purchases of uncoated mechanical (UM) papers in May decreased eight percent compared to last May while, the inventory level decreased three percent compared to April 2020. UM imports and exports both decreased compared to April 2019, down 27 percent and 42 percent respectively.
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American Forest & Paper Association Releases May 2020 Boxboard Monthly Report

Total Boxboard production in May increased two percent compared to May 2019. It was down one percent when compared to the same five months of 2019. The boxboard operating rate was 96.6 percent, up 5.3 points from May 2019 and up 0.9 points year-to-date. *Solid Bleached Boxboard production in May increased two percent compared to May 2019. It was down three percent when compared to the same five months of 2019. *Recycled Boxboard production in May increased four percent compared to May 2019. It was essentially flat (+0.4 percent) when compared to the same five months of 2019. *Unbleached Kraft & Gypsum production in May increased one percent compared to May 2019. It was essentially flat (-0.3 percent) when compared to the same five months of 2019.
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Canfor Subsidiary to Acquire Strategic Assets

Canfor Corporation announced that its 70%-owned subsidiary, Vida Group, has entered into an agreement to purchase three sawmills located in Sweden from Bergs Timber for a purchase price of CAD$43 million plus working capital. The three mills, which are located in Vimmerby, Mörlunda and Orrefors, Sweden, will add approximately 215 million board feet to Vida’s annual capacity. With additional investment, Vida anticipates the production capacity of the mills can be increased to 300 million board feet. After taking into account this additional production capacity, Sweden represents 22% of Canfor’s globally diversified operating platforms, plus 43% in British Columbia, 31% in the Southern United States and 4% in Alberta.
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BillerudKorsnäs simplifies its organizational structure

As a step in the ongoing process to improve efficiency and enhance the company’s ability to adapt to major changes in the outside world, BillerudKorsnäs intends to implement a simplified organizational structure as of August 1, 2020. The new organization will be built along the business flow around three functional areas: Wood Supply, Operations and Commercial. In parallel, the resources for sustainability and innovation will be grouped in a common new function, Sustainability & Strategic Development. “We need to cater for rapidly changing customer needs for sustainable products and solutions. The organizational structure now being implemented is one important step on a journey creating conditions that will allow a more optimal utilization of our resources and enhance our ability to adapt to changes in the outside world,” says Lennart Holm, acting CEO of BillerudKorsnäs. As of August 1, the Executive Management Team will consist of the following members; Lennart Holm, acting CEO, Ivar Vatne, CFO, Helene Biström, EVP Commercial, Tor Lundqvist, EVP Operations, Uno Brinnen, acting EVP Wood Supply, Ulf Eliasson, EVP Sustainability & Strategic Development and Paulina Ekvall, EVP HR.
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Diaper Need: A Growing Problem During a Global Pandemic

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, people have been loading their pantries with household staples like toilet paper, paper towels, wipes, diapers and hand sanitizer. This panic buying — sometimes even hoarding — has depleted store shelves and disrupted supply chains. It’s also exacerbated a growing problem in the United States: diaper need. Low-income families and parents who have lost jobs due to the pandemic are struggling to afford diapers for their babies. Diminished diaper supplies and concerns about going to the store have put added pressure on families. Even senior adults with incontinence and adults with disabilities are experiencing greater diaper need during these challenging times. Under normal circumstances, one in three families experience diaper need. Diaper banks try to fill the gap by distributing free diapers to those who need them. Now, with widespread unemployment and a disrupted diaper supply chain, such organizations are struggling to meet increased demand with fewer resources.
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Monadnock Announces 100% PCW Recycled Selections for HP Indigo Sheetfed Presses

Monadnock announces line of RIT HP Indigo 3-Star Certified media made with 100 percent post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled fiber. The line includes uncoated and coated options under its flagship Astrolite PC 100® line of fine recycled printing papers. Astrolite PC 100 Digital+ for HP Indigo is available in weights ranging from 80 lb. text to 130 lb. double-thick cover. Astrolite PC 100 Velvet C2S with a universal coating optimized for HP Indigo (LEP), dry toner (EP) and offset lithography presses, available in weights ranging from 80 lb. text to 150 lb. cover. This single ply 150 lb. cover is unique to the industry. All products in the Astrolite PC 100 line have a matching shade. The surface is crafted using the best formulation chemistries for optimal LEP print performance. The Velvet coating provides an exquisite matte print surface that is unlike any other coated fine printing paper. The grades are available in a full range of sizes including 12×18” to 29.5×20.75” to accommodate the full portfolio of HP Indigo sheet fed digital presses.
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Mondi donates 100,000 medical grade N95 face masks to protect healthcare workers in KwaZulu Natal

These higher grade medical masks, which are much sought after, have been donated with the assistance of The Solidarity Fund to the KwaZulu Natal Department of Health on Monday 15 June. This donation is at a cost of just under R10 million and the result of a truly collaborative effort across the global Mondi network. "As MEC of Health in Kwa-Zulu Natal, I am deeply appreciative of Mondi’s contribution. The FFP3/N95 respiratory masks are in high demand because they are designed to protect medical staff when caring for patients known or suspected to be infected with a newly identified infectious respiratory virus. The masks will be distributed to public hospitals across the province over the coming weeks," said KZN Health MEC Ms Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu.
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Norske Skog to enter the European packaging markets

Norske Skog will take a major step in its continued transformation towards a growing and high-margin business by converting two newsprint paper machines into renewable containerboard production. The conversions at Golbey and Bruck will introduce 765,000 tonnes of competitive containerboard capacity to meet the growing demand for renewable packaging. Following the conversions, both mills will have access to green energy and have reduced their carbon footprints to become among the best performers in the industry. Norske Skog will continue to be a reliable supplier of all publication paper grades after the planned conversions. Newsprint capacity will be reduced with 360,000 tonnes, balancing the market for the Norske Skog’s remaining European publication paper capacity. Norske Skog plans to invest approximately EUR 350 million in the conversion projects over an 18-month period commencing in H2 2021. The investments are expected to generate an annual EBITDA of approximately EUR 70-80 million at full utilisation, based on historical prices for containerboard and recovered paper.
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Huhtamaki launches high-quality face masks to help a responsible return to a new normal

Huhtamaki, the global leader in sustainable food-on-the-go and food-on-the-shelf packaging solutions, is launching a range of high-quality affordable and reusable face masks today. The Huhta Masks are suitable for everyday use and help reduce the spread of droplets into the environment*. The comfortable masks are breathable and washable, and are made of high-quality fabric with anti-microbial and fluid repellent properties. The Huhta Masks will be available at retailers across the UK in July, and will also be distributed globally via supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and foodservice outlets. The initial range includes two sizes, one comfortably fitting adults and one for children (36 months and older). Both sizes are available in Lavender Grey and Delft Blue. The shelf-ready packaging includes 10 packs, each with one mask, that can be displayed on a shelf, end pedestal, podium or hook.
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