Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Paper versus Plastic

Plastic is once again expected to increase is share of the market to 53% (in pounds) in 2010. However, this understates plastic’s true share, since less plastic is required than paper given it’s lighter weight.
The plastic market share will expand at a slower rate going forward, estimated at 3% per year. Highest growth markets for plastics are pet food applications, frozen foods, fruit beverages, and detergent markets.
Paper for packaging for 2005 was 11,830million tons estimated to grow to 12,030million tons for 2010; while plastic was 11,790million tons in 2005 growing to 13,630million tons in 2010.

Marketing Budgets Mixed for 2007

Web based marketing budgets are forecasted to be down for 2007 and Free Standing Inserts (FSI) up. FSI are those printed supplements found in the Sunday newspapers. Experts report that 2007 marketing budgets will only allow for 16% allocated to online marketing – this includes email, internet ads and online media spending. This is a big drop from the 23% share online marketing enjoyed as recently as 2006. We should note that overall marketing budgets for 2007 were forecasted to be cut in total by 11% from 2006.
Judgment is still out comparing “e-mail to p-mail”. The US Postal service has recently witnessed an improvement in bulk mail. Most experts agree that a combination of electronic advertising and print works best. Certainly, the past growth of online marketing had eaten into paper demand.
Paper.com, one of the largest web based marketer of paper in the world, exclusively promotes its products online.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Newspapers enjoy Circulation Boost in Internet Age

In past, we have been exclusively reporting on USA Newspaper reading and consumption declines. However, Newspapers from around the world witnessed nearly a 2.5% increase in circulation in 2006 and growth in advertising revenue despite the raise in digital media. Sales have increased 9.5% in last 5 years while advertising revenues in paid dailies rose almost 4% according to World Association Newspapers (WAN).
When adding free dailies into the mix, global distribution grew slightly over 4.5% last year. North American is reported to be the only continent to show a decline in newspaper sales – having dropped 1.9% last year and over 5% in the last five years.
It was reported that over 515 million people in the world buy a newspaper every day with average readership estimated at over 1.4 billion people a day. China is the biggest newspaper market with almost 100 million copies sold daily, followed by India (88 million); USA (52.3 million); and Germany (21million).

Mohawk Continues to Lead Environmental Effort

Mohawk recently announced it would increase its purchase of wind energy electricity from 45million kWh to 60million kWh annually. This is an increase of 60% of all the energy in the consumption Mohawk uses in their production of paper. Mohawk promotes an entire line of products manufactured by non-polluting; wind energy electric produced from windmills in upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Mohawk’s division, Beckett Paper, in Ohio, recently introduced a grade line called Beckett Concept – made with ‘carbon neutral’, which means the grade is made 100% with renewal energy.
This grade, and many other environmentally friendly products, can be all found in the Environmental Store at Paper.com. Paper.com now has nearly 40,000 items in stock and ready for immediate shipment.

Appleton’s Xero / Form II Carbonless

Appleton continues to expand its product offerings of carbonless paper. The NCR Paper Xero brand is specially formulated for printing forms using high speed digital imaging equipment. Xero Form II is available in a wide range of sizes and colors. In addition, a print-side identifier on the ream edge reduces waste by eliminating paper loading errors.
This grade, and many other carbonless products, can be all found in the Office Store at Paper.com. Paper.com now has nearly 40,000 items in stock and ready for immediate shipment.

Domtar Introduces Environmental Friendly Grade

Domtar Corporation now offers an extensive line of high quality environmentally friendly responsible papers called EarthChoice. The fibers used in this line are from forests that have been certified by Forest Stewardship Council and include post-consumer recycled pulp. Domtar’s EarthChoice is the only line of paper that is supported by Rainforest Alliance, WWF-Canada, and Forest Ethics.
This grade, and many other environmentally friendly products, can be all found in the Environmental Store at Paper.com. Paper.com now has nearly 40,000 items in stock and ready for immediate shipment.

Manufacturing Edges Higher

U.S. manufacturing grew more rapidly last month as factory managers restocked depleted inventories. The Institute for Supply Management said its index of national factory activity rose to 55.0 last month from 54.7 in April. Wall Street economists had put the number at 54.0, according to a Reuters poll. A reading above 50 denotes growth. The paper industry typically tracks along the same pace as this index.

St. Francisville Mill Shut could revive US Coated Paper Markets

US paper analysts say Tembec's plan to indefinitely idle its 325,000 tons/yr St. Francisville, LA, coated paper mill next month
is positive for the sector and for major North American producers like NewPage, Stora Enso, Sappi, Verso and Bowater.
The facility is classified as a coated free sheet producer (CFS) because the recent replacement of its groundwood pulp line with a Kraft fiber line last year qualifies the product as coated free sheet. The capacity of the
mill's three machines represents 6.6% of US coated free sheet capacity, or 6.4% of coated groundwood production.
The pending capacity closure, together with countervailing duties and anti-dumping duties on US imports of Asian coated paper, could end recent weakness in coated paper markets and precipitate a potentially steep upturn
in the second half of the year, according to Lehman Bros. analyst Peter Ruschmeier.

UPM announces Shutdown at its Miramichi Mill

UPM will close its Miramichi mill operations in August for up to one year. The paper mill is scheduled to close late in
August for 9 to 12 months. The Miramichi mill has two machines, producing lightweight coated paper,
with an annual capacity of 450,000 tonnes. Despite best efforts, Miramichihas not been able to turn its exports to the US profitable. The mill issuffering from unprecedented strength of the Canadian dollar. Also, marketprices for the coated magazine paper have been decreasing in North America.Demand for magazine grades in North America has been stable, but globally,there continues to be overcapacity in magazine paper, suppressing the salesprice.
In Europe, UPM has permanently ceased production of 530,000 tonnes ofcoated magazine paper during 2006-2007 to reduce the structuralovercapacity and improve profitability of the business. The Voikkaa mill inFinland was permanently closed and a production line in Jämsänkoski,Finland, was converted to another business area. UPM also closed 150,000tonnes of coated fine paper capacity at its Kymi mill, Finland last year."UPM's target is to improve the long-term profitability of the coated paper business. Paper.com has many of the major domestic and foriegn papers on their website.