Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports December Sales Results

If 2020 was anything but business as usual in the world of direct mail, 2021 is most certainly cut from the same cloth. From lockdowns in the beginning of the year to – what appears to be – a sharp economic rebound, the COVID-19 economic roller coaster is ever-present in the acquisitional direct mail markets. At the time of this post, we have seen paper supplies become constricted and schedules move out, all while marketers appear to be clamoring to reach their consumers (flush with cash and new-found freedoms) in reliable and effective ways. Direct mail contractors that understand today’s paper market, forge and maintain strong alliances with their vendors, and understand the importance of a schedule will be far better equipped to fair the tumultuous seas of 2021. For a decade, mills have been shuttering doors one-by-one to try to control the supply-demand equation. Today, however, mill operating rates are well above 95%, have put all its customers on allocation (which prevents hoarding and is typically a function of historic usage), and have little to no flexibility in scheduling. It’s widely expected that mills will have another increase this summer (some are announcing at the release of this memo) and that schedules will stay tight through the end of the year.

For the fifth consecutive year, Midland Paper will be a co-sponsor for Inkjet Summit 2018 to be held April 9-12 in Ponte Vedra, FL. The Inkjet Summit is an invitation-only, hosted event designed for senior managers and business executives who want to understand how inkjet technology trends, software, consumables and finishing solutions will impact their businesses and help them shape their strategies for the future. During the event, David Field, Midland Paper’s Senior Business Manager Inkjet Technologies, will present a ‘Case Study’ illustrating effective print media options across various production inkjet platforms. “The production inkjet equipment market continues to expand with OEM press announcements unveiled at a rapid rate, including a whole new wave of sheet fed inkjet options. In addition, new OEM inks are being developed for web and sheet fed configurations which can add to the complexity for printers who are aiming to make an inkjet equipment investment,” said Field. Click Read More below for additional information.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Pearson have announced a new collaboration to create educational products and services that will equip people with the necessary skills to thrive in an ever-changing global economy. Over the past decade, digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence have reshaped industries and created new skillset requirements for workforces everywhere. These changing conditions have only accelerated in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, where necessary public lockdowns and workplace closures have transformed the nature of work, education, and daily life. In this context, ICC and Pearson will work together to co-create educational programmes that will reskill workers in a rapidly developing global economy. At the same time, the partnership aims to empower companies to retrain and retain their employees and offer workers the opportunity to have their skills formally recognised through certificate programmes.