Being a good corporate citizen starts at "home" with a comprehensive review of the environmental impact of your company's practices. From paper, water and energy conservation to waste management, recycling and commuting-the opportunities for doing business without needless harm to the environment are plentiful. What's more, solutions exist that save money and resources.
PITTSBURGH, PA—October 6, 2008—Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) is seeking to honor an individual who has unselfishly made significant contributions toward environmentally-sound practices in the printing industry. Nominations for the William D. Schaeffer Environmental Award are due November 3, 2008.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA—October 3, 2008—The Sappi International Printers of the Year Awards are the world’s most prestigious accolades of excellence in print. This year the much anticipated 2008 gala event was held on Friday, 03 October 2008 in Cape Town at Rhodes House (formerly Groote Schuur), residence of adventurer businessman Cecil John Rhodes and a succession of South African Prime Ministers and State Presidents.
METSA, FINLAND—M-real Corp., a subsidiary of Metsäliitto Group, has signed an agreement to sell its graphic papers business to Sappi Ltd. for an enterprise value of 750 million euros. The deal consists of 500 million euros in cash and assumed debt, 200 million euros in a vendor loan note from Sappi to M-real and 50 million euros of newly issued shares in Sappi.
HEIDELBERG, GERMANY—10/02/2008—Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will, based on first calculations, achieve sales between 800 and 820 million Euro in the second quarter of the current financial year 2008/2009 (July 1 to September 30). Thus, sales volume is less than expected for the quarter following drupa trade fair and decreased by 10 percent compared with the same quarter in the previous financial year. Based on orders generated at drupa, Heidelberg had expected a stronger increase in sales in comparison to the first quarter of the current financial year, but recognises significant reluctance to invest in all regions because of the actual economic situation.
Industry consolidation, economic uncertainties, soaring costs for raw materials and energy and many other forces are changing our industry at the speed of thought. At NPES’ 75th Annual Conference, November 15-17 in St. Pete Beach, FL, participants will have an opportunity to learn firsthand how one progressive print organization managed to overcome these challenges. Read on for this preview of how, by developing strategic partnerships with industry manufacturers and service providers, the Valpak Manufacturing Center in St. Petersburg, FL has become a showcase of automated print production—and has managed to hold the line on costs for its customers, increased its productivity and morphed its employees into a skilled workforce for tomorrow. Valpak is one of North America’s leading direct marketers with $260 million in annual revenue and about 1,200 employees in Pinellas County. Valpak reaches more than 45 million unique addresses each month in the United States and Canada and is owned by Largo-based Cox Target Media.
IN 2002, I spoke at an industry gathering lamenting the dwindling profit margins in the printing industry as a result of the post 9/11 economy, the post-Y2K phenomena and the then-new concepts of e-commerce, reverse auctions and corporate RFIs. I was cautiously optimistic about an economic recovery, but concerned that we, as an industry, would not be able to harness the momentum behind a recovery and convert it into growth and profits.
IT’S THE $60 million question. What do print buyers want? If print providers only knew...With the first installment in an exclusive series of articles, Printing Impressions went right to the source and asked several print buyers for their open, honest opinions. Interestingly, all of them were more than willing to provide no-nonsense insight into what they expect from their print providers, as well as what turns them on (and off) and how to win (or lose) their print business.
WARNING! This column may be monitored or recorded for quality purposes. This means you, Marvelle Stump. No cussin’ while you are reading. No snoring. No spillin’ barbecue sauce on the pages of this magazine. No sassy back talk! No drinking Jack Daniels, chased with Pabst Blue Ribbon, while you’re reading this column.
Printing Impressions' Sustainable Printing News for October 2008
