FRANKLIN, VA—International Paper will permanently shut down its No. 3 uncoated freesheet paper machine here on Nov. 23 due to a decline in demand. The move will reduce IP's annual paper production capacity by 150,000 tons and cost 50 workers their jobs. Additionally, 60,000 tons of lack-of-order downtime will be taken out of the company's U.S. uncoated freesheet mills during the fourth quarter.
As a nation, we've witnessed dramatic financial swings over the last few years - from boom times to economic lassitude. Most frustrating of all, there's no foolproof way to predict the economy's next move. The only thing that is certain is change. Graphic communications service providers that have made the right investments are thriving in this challenging economy. They have invested in infrastructure and staffing to deliver profitable value added services. They have established annuity based programs with clients. They have developed super-efficient workflow to be the most cost effective provider.
Join Printing Impressions, Barb Pellow and HP for this webinar, designed to share with you how graphic communications firms have repositioned their organizations for double digit revenue growth despite difficult economic conditions.
In the session you will also hear from graphic communications service providers and how they have:
* Retooled manufacturing to be come the most cost effective service provider
* Implemented "web to print" for customer self service and maximize customer service efficiency
* Re-engineered product and service offerings to drive annuity based programs
If you feel challenged in today's market, this webinar will share strategies to stabilize your business.
Mark your calendar and click here to register today!
MONTREAL—Domtar Corp. is permanently shutting down the paper machine and converting operations of its Dryden, Ontario, mill, reducing the company's annual paper production capacity by about 151,000 short tons of uncoated freesheet. The Dryden papermaking and converting operations are expected to cease by the middle of November, and it will result in the loss of 195 employees.
MEMPHIS, TN—Verso Paper intends to take about 30,000 tons of downtime related to coated groundwood production during the fourth quarter of 2008. Roughly 9,000 tons of downtime will be taken at its Sartell Mill in Minnesota over a two-week period beginning October 5. The balance of facilities to be impacted will be determined during the fourth quarter.
CINCINNATI—September 15, 2008—xpedx today announced it will open the xpedx Technology Center at its metropolitan Cincinnati headquarters to provide U.S. print professionals a single location where they can learn about, test and purchase new equipment and technologies covering all aspects of offset and digital printing. The center is set to open in January 2009.
MEMPHIS, TN—Verso Paper will begin transitioning the No. 1 paper machine at its Bucksport Mill in Maine to manufacture specialty papers beginning September 22. With this move Verso will begin supplying value-added specialty papers to customers, which leverage Verso’s core coating and lightweight paper production techniques. Once fully transitioned, this change will reduce Verso’s coated…
NORCROSS, GA—August 27, 2008—Unisource Worldwide, Inc., one of the leading distributors of paper, packaging and facility supplies in North America, has announced that it will institute a fuel surcharge. In a letter to customers, Ken Winterhalter, President, Sales, for Unisource, said, “As all of us are painfully aware, fuel costs have escalated at a rapid rate in 2007 and 2008. Up until this point, Unisource Worldwide, Inc. has been able to offset these costs by maximizing our delivery routing and truck fleet utilization. Today though, diesel fuel costs have reached a level for which Unisource can no longer compensate internally.” As a result, effective
SCHAUMBURG, IL—Citing significant and continuing rises in raw material, energy and transportation costs, INX International Ink will increase ink prices 10-12 percent across all product lines, effective September 1. Rick Clendenning, INX president and CEO, said that the magnitude of multiple cost increases continues to challenge his company’s ability to absorb them.
KIMBERLY, WI—NewPage Corp. will close its coated freesheet paper mill here at the end of August. The move will result in the loss of 475 jobs, in addition to the 125 employees impacted by the shutdown of its No. 95 paper machine last May. The mill, which has two paper machines left, produced roughly 500,000 tons of coated freesheet per year for a variety of commercial printing and specialty applications. According to Mark Suwyn, chairman and CEO of NewPage, the move was in response to a slowdown in demand for coated paper, as the weak economy has taken a bite out of print advertising.
HEILDELBERG, GERMANY—07/31/08—In the course of the re-alignment of the Management Board responsibilities, the Postpress division of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), supervised by Chief Technology Officer Stephan Plenz, will be newly arranged. In the future, Thomas Krischke (46) will be responsible for Postpress Commercial with the Ludwigsburg, Leipzig, Padua and Sidney sites. The managerial responsibilities of the different sites stay unchanged. Dr. Friedrich Denkhaus (52) has requested to release him from his duties as Head of the Postpress division. Dr. Denkhaus will leave the company by mutual agreement. Dr. Denkhaus has been responsible for several executive functions at Heidelberg since 1991, from 1999
