Official Board Markets articles from February 2008

Official Board Markets archives from February 2008

Build a sustainability plan: Wal-Mart execs, industry leaders, say companies must development their own sustainability initiatives.(AICC CONFERENCE)
February 2, 2008... With the implementation of Wal-Mart's Packaging Scorecard on Feb. 1, Wal-Mart executives and board converters highly involved in the sustainability movement clarified some of its misconceptions last week during the Association of Independent...

Transacted containerboard prices.
February 2, 2008... Average transacted price levels are tabulated by obtaining paid prices from independent converters purchasing linerboard and medium. All prices are intended as a reference standard only. Transactions may be concluded at any time at any price...

SSCC might kick off new price increase attempt.
February 2, 2008... Paper industry analyst Mark Wilde, Deutsche Bank, New York City, believes that Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC), Chicago, will soon announce a $40 per ton containerboard price increase, effective March 1. He says a number of well-placed...

SSCC fourth quarter profit jumps.(BUT 2007 NET LOSS WIDENS)(Financial report)
February 2, 2008... Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC), Chicago, reports net income rose 86 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter, aided by price increases and cost cutting. Quarterly profit totaled $41 million, versus $22 million in the prior-year period....

Wal-Mart buyers put scorecard into practice.(AS OF FEB. 1)
February 2, 2008... Last week, Wal-Mart Stores officially began using its packaging scorecard to rate suppliers on their progress toward developing sustainable packaging, as well as their ability to help Wal-Mart reach its company-wide sustainability goals to...

Mondi to install lightweight recycled board machine.(N POLAND)
February 2, 2008... Thomson Financial News Limited reports that the Mondi Group "confirmed its lightweight recycled containerboard machine will be situated at the Swiecie mill in Poland." A statement from Mondi notes that its board has approved the release of...

BVP release 8.6.(Product Update)
February 2, 2008... VantagePoint Systems introduces the latest release of its core business software solution for corrugated packaging manufacturers, Business VantagePoint[TM] (BVP). BVP release 8.6 includes numerous functional improvements and enhancements to the...

SSCC's Klinger to address AICC Spring Meeting.(MARCH 26-29)
February 2, 2008... The Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC) 2008 Spring Meeting will be held March 26-29, at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, Calif. On Thursday, March 27, the meeting will feature an industry...

Aldabra to change name to Boise Inc.(PENDING SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL)
February 2, 2008... Aldabra 2 Acquisition Corp. has been cleared to file an application to list its common stock and warrants on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Listing on the NYSE is subject to completion of Aldabra's proposed acquisition of the packaging...

Eska to raise Graphic Board prices.(BY 7 PERCENT)
February 2, 2008... Effective Feb. 21, Eska Graphic Board USA BV, Chesapeake, Va., will implement a 7 percent board price increase. According to the company, historically high energy and raw material costs have made it necessary to pass these increases through to...

National Adhesives has published Corrugating Finishing Adhesives, an informative flyer that provides insights on how National's adhesives add value in four specific applications.(Product Update)
February 2, 2008... National Adhesives has published Corrugating Finishing Adhesives, an informative flyer that provides insights on how National's adhesives add value in four specific applications: * Glued laps: Available in resin-based emulsion or hot melt...

Should OBM report new MP pricing?(CHANGING WITH THE TIMES)
February 2, 2008... For decades OfficialBoard Markets (OBM) has been reporting prices for Mixed Paper (MP) #1, which is defined by Paper Stock Industries (PSI) as "A clean, sorted mixture of various qualities of paper not limited as to type of fiber content." The...

Sustainable packaging event set.(FROM 'GREEN TO GREAT')
February 2, 2008... Join JoAnn Hines, "The Packaging Diva," in exploring what really works in the world of sustainable packaging innovation. Find out how you can take innovative, best sustainable practices and incorporate them into your brand. Hines is one of...

Ox Paperboard optimistic about Halltown acquisition.($13 MILLION IN 2008?)
February 2, 2008... Hanover, Pa.-based Ox Paperboard's recent acquisition of the Halltown Paperboard Co. in a November auction has spared 70 paper mill jobs in Halltown, W.Va., according to The Journal, Martinsburg, W.Va. The mill had failed to repay a loan and...

VantagePoint to host summit Customer Conference.(OCT. 22-23)(Conference news)
February 2, 2008... VantagePoint Systems, a Vancouver, British Columbia-based supplier of business software for packaging manufacturing companies, and its subsidiary HRMS Inc., are gearing up for the 2008 Customer Conference. "Summit 2008--Maximum Information,...

Bobst sets October date for Direction '08 open house.(ALSO PREPARES FOR DRUPA)
February 2, 2008... Bobst has been diligent in its preparations for drupa 2008, which is being held in Dusseldorf, Germany, from May 29 through June 11. The company will be showcasing many machines from its product range, with its folding carton and flexible...

AICC Canada to host March meeting.(REGION ELEVEN)
February 2, 2008... Ever left a negotiation thinking you got a great deal, only to learn later you could have negotiated a better deal? Become a leader in negotiation, not the follower, by attending the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters' (MCC's)...

Washington Mills participate in ecology study.(INDUSTRIAL FOOTPRINT)
February 2, 2008... According to the Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, Wash., Port Townsend Paper Corp. is participating in a study with the Washington Department of Ecology on its 31 S-employee kraft paperboard mill's industrial footprint. The study aims to...

Sam's Club to require RFID from suppliers.(BY 2010)
February 2, 2008... According to a report by RFID Update, Alexandria, Va., Wal-Mart subsidiary Sam's Club is going to require its suppliers apply radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to individual products by Oct. 31, 2010. "That is one of several new RFID...

Paper Recovery relocates office.(IN NORTHBROOK, ILL.)
February 2, 2008... As of Feb. 15, all correspondence to Paper Recovery Inc. should be addressed to its new location. The information is as follows: Paper Recovery Inc. 3100 Dundee Rd., Suite 506 Northbrook, IL 60062 Phone: 847-291-1776 Fax:...

Transacted paper stock prices--low grades.(Statistical table)
February 2, 2008... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--Low Grades Mixed Boxboard Paper Cuttings News (1) (4) (6) Chicago $85-90 (0) 90-95...

OCC export demand intensifies.(MARKET REPORT)(old corrugated containers)
February 2, 2008... If you stop and think about it for a moment, the current OCC price dynamics are fascinating. They should remind everyone of what happened a year ago when China was raising the price it was willing to pay for this valued commodity. Here we go...

Transacted paper stock prices--high grades.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
February 2, 2008... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--High Grades White Coated New DLK News Soft Wht. Cuttings Blanks Shavings ...

ASTM International workshop to focus on distribution packaging.(ON APRIL 7)
February 2, 2008... ASTM International Committee D10 on Packaging will present a Distribution Packaging Workshop on April 7, from 10 a.m. to noon. The workshop, which is being organized by the committee's university liaison subcommittee, will occur during the...

NYC Mayor Bloomberg praises Pratt.(REMIX PROGRAM)
February 2, 2008... New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is praising environmental business leader Anthony Pratt for his role in helping to clean up the city. Pratt, chairman and ceo of Pratt Industries, Conyers, Ga., was singled out last week at a press...

Wal-Mart entices suppliers to go green.(CAMPAIGN ROLLOUT)
February 2, 2008... According to the U.K. publication Packaging News, "Wal-Mart suppliers will have to satisfy specific environmental standards as part of their contracts, but those that meet expectations could be paid more and receive preferential treatment."...

Alpine offers free recycling.(TO QUALIFIED DENVER HOTELS)
February 2, 2008... Alpine Waste & Recycling, the largest privately held waste and recycling collection company in the Denver area, has offered a year's worth of free recycling to Denver-area hotels that can divert half their waste stream away from landfills. ...

FFTA to offer Flexo productivity workshop.(ON MARCH 5)
February 2, 2008... Join the Foundation of the Flexographic Technical Association (FFTA) at Arizona State University, Mesa, Ariz., on March 5 for its next regional workshop highlighting flexo productivity quality. The workshop's focus is to capture and communicate...

Transacted boxboard prices.
February 2, 2008... The prices tabulated here are intended only as a reference standard to the current levels commonly prevailing in a representative proportion of the U.S. contract transactions. The prices listed do not connote any agreement or commitment by any...

Sustainability study now available.(SECOND IN SERIES)
February 2, 2008... The global packaging supply chain understands the positive bottom-line impact of sustainability. What is less clear is how to begin the process of creating more sustainable packaging technologies and processes that generate and maintain those...

NJPRA to host Cascades rep.(DAVE BERGELIN)
February 2, 2008... The New Jersey Paper Recycling Association (NJPRA) will hold its next meeting on Feb. 18. The guest speaker will be Dave Bergelin, regional manager, Cascades Inc. He will discuss Cascades' demands for recovered paper in the future. The...

Box shipments take a hit.(FBA REPORTS)
February 9, 2008... Last year's corrugated box industry shipments fell 1.4 percent on an actual basis and 2.1 percent on an average week basis, the Fibre Box Association (FBA) reports. They reached 389.498 billion sq ft, versus 394.842 billion sq ft in 2006. It's...

Recycling services will need OCC.
February 9, 2008... Recycling Services Inc. (RSI) will soon open a new paper mill in Alexandria, La., using mostly old corrugated containers (OCC) to make dry felt paper to use under roofing shingles, reports News Channel 5 in Alexandria. President Ken Moran...

Stockholders approve Boise acquisition.
February 9, 2008... Last week stockholders approved Aldabra 2 Acquisition Corp.'s acquisition of Boise Cascade, LLC's packaging and paper manufacturing businesses. Aldabra plans to change its name to Boise Inc.

Transacted containerboard prices.
February 9, 2008... Transacted Containerboard Prices Average transacted price levels are tabulated by obtaining paid prices from independent converters purchasing linerboard and medium. All prices are intended as a reference standard only. Transactions may be...

SSCC says it's $50/ton, not $40/ton.(CONTAINERBOARD PRICE INCREASE ATTEMPT)
February 9, 2008... Earlier this month Mark Wilde, paper industry analyst for Deutsche Bank, New York City, reported that Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC), Chicago, was telling its customers to expect a $40 per ton containerboard price increase, effective...

Fire hits shorewood pkg carton plant.(IN DANVILLE, VA.)
February 9, 2008... No one was injured after an explosion and fire hit Shorewood Packaging Corp.'s folding carton plant in Danville, Va., on Feb. 1, reports the Danville Register and Bee. Firefighters and ambulance were called to the scene, where a piece of...

FBA to host Zogby as meeting speaker.(NATIONAL POLLSTER)
February 9, 2008... Praised as the "most accurate pollster" by USA Today, John Zogby, president and ceo of Zogby International, is set to address attendees at the Fibre Box Association Annual Meeting in Palm Desert, Calif., as part of the "Power Session" on the...

IP, TI earnings up.(INCREASING PROFITS)(International Paper Co.)(Temple-Inland Inc.)(Financial report)
February 9, 2008... International Paper, Memphis, Tenn., preliminary full-year 2007 net earnings total $1.2 billion compared with $1.1 billion in 2006. The company reports fourth-quarter 2007 net earnings of $327 million compared with $217 million in the prior...

Diamond Packaging launches green website.(PART OF NEW INITIATIVE)(Website overview)
February 9, 2008... Rochester, N.Y.-based Diamond Packaging introduces www.diamondpackaging.com/ green, its new green website that coincides with the debut of its Diamond greenbox initiative, the company's commitment to research, design, and implement packaging...

HGS releases 2008 solutions tour dates.(FLEXO SEMINARS)
February 9, 2008... Harper GraphicSolutions[TM], the technical service division of global anilox supplier Harper Corp. of America, is once again offering its popular series of free, one-day seminars that focus on troubleshooting and solving specific flexographic...

Growing business through sustainability and design.(FOR SALESPEOPLE, TOO)
February 9, 2008... Designers and salespeople need to work together to get a company's sustainability message out there. Andy Pierson, president of Mid-Atlantic Packaging Inc., Montgomeryville, Pa., says sales and design people need to become one group. He...

SSCC completes safest year in company history.(1.05 RCR)
February 9, 2008... Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC), which has led its industry in safety performance every year since 2001, completed its safest year in company history in 2007 by achieving a 1.05 recordable case rate (RCR). The previous best mark was 1.15,...

Kemiart liners mill sets production record.(COATED WHITE TOP KRAFTLINER)(Brief article)
February 9, 2008... M-real has reached a major milestone with the production of the 2 millionth metric ton of its Kemiart coated white top kraftliner. The achievement was celebrated with M-real's customers Jan. 23 at the Kemiart liners mill in Finland. ...

Heidelberg USA.(People Update)
February 9, 2008... Edmund Young has been named vice president, field sales, for Heidelberg USA, Kennesaw, Ga. He also has been appointed to Heidelberg's executive management team and will report to Bob Boyer Sr., senior vice president, sales and service.

Linerboard inventories rise significantly.(AF&PA REPORTS)
February 9, 2008... Linerboard inventories at mills rose 9.2 percent between the end of last November and December, reports the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA). Specifically, they went from 223,700 tons in November to 244,300 tons in December. A...

AICC seminar focuses on increasing sales performance.(AUDIO WEB SERIES)(Association of Independent Corrugated Converters)(Brief article)
February 9, 2008... More than 170 sales associates recently learned strategies to grow their business as well as how planning and tracking tools can increase productivity. The Association of Independent Corrugated Converters' (AICC's) first audio web seminar of...

Paperboard mill performance.
February 9, 2008... Paperboard Mill Performance U.S. paperboard production by furnish, current and cumulative totals in 1000 short tons, as reported by the American Forest & Paper Association. Un- ...

Producer price indexes-1982=100.
February 9, 2008... Producer Price Indexes--1982=100 Rate Year Oct Nov Dec Y-T-D 2005/2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 Total...

Transacted paper stock prices--low grades.(Statistical table)
February 9, 2008... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--Low Grades Mixed Boxboard Paper Cuttings News (1) (4) (6) Chicago $85-90 (0) ...

Next AICC sales webinar set.(FOR MARCH 18)
February 9, 2008... The Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC) will present "Selling to Corrugated Structural and Graphics," a new Audio/Web seminar, on Tuesday, March 18, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Offset lithography and flexography have a...

NJPRA changes meeting date.(TO MARCH 3)
February 9, 2008... Because of the Presidents Day holiday, the New Jersey Paper Recycling Association (NJPRA) has moved the date of its next meeting from Feb. 18 to March 3. The guest speaker will still be Dave Bergelin, regional manager, Cascades Inc. He will...

PSI to host meeting, reception.(FOR PAPER WEEK)
February 9, 2008... Paper Stock Industries' chapter meeting will occur Monday, March 31, from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Waldorf=Astoria, Promenade A. The keynote speaker will be Myles Cohen, division vice president and general manager of Sonoco Recycling. The Paper...

MeadWestvaco's profits triple.(NET INCOME OF $148 MILLION)(Financial report)
February 9, 2008... MeadWestvaco Corp.'s fourth quarter profit more than tripled from a year ago, thanks to a major gain from the sale of forestlands and increased income from its specialty paper and packaging unit. It reported net income of $148 million, up from...

Transacted paper stock prices--high grades.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
February 9, 2008... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--High Grades For detailed chart explanation, see page 11 New DLK White Coated Cuttings News Soft Wht. (13) ...

New products for box makers featured.(AT CHICAGO TAPPI)
February 9, 2008... Last week 100 box making industry executives and suppliers learned about some of the latest machinery and software developments in the industry by attending Chicago TAPPI's "What's New in Corrugated meeting at the Marriott Oak Brook in Oak...

TAPPI.(People Update)
February 9, 2008... Three experienced professionals have been newly elected to positions on the board of directors of TAPPI, Norcross, Ga. All will serve a two-year term and were elected by membership vote. The new members are: * Thomas Garland, executive...

Ivy-Dry[R] honors Disc Graphics.(2007 SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR)(Ivy-Dry Products)(Brief article)
February 9, 2008... Ivy-Dry Products, which manufactures over-the-counter anti-itch medications, awards Disc Graphics its supplier of the year honors for 2007. After reviewing all of its suppliers, the company recognized Disc Graphics, based in Hauppauge, N.Y.,...

SL adds KBA Rapida 162a.(IN LOS ANGELES)
February 9, 2008... Late last year, Superior Lithographics (SL), a Los Angeles-based supplier of litho labels, top sheets, and folding cartons, installed a fully automated KBA Rapida 162a 64-in, six-color sheeffed press with UV coating. Superior President and...

BST Pro Mark makes sales changes.(FOR CANADA, WESTERN U.S.)(appointment of Kevin Burham at Webconvert Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 9, 2008... Webconvert Ltd. of Toronto has been appointed BST Pro Mark's sales representative for the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. In addition, the Elmhurst, Ill.-based company has hired Kevin...

New brochure.(Product Update)
February 9, 2008... A new brochure on the EASY-PAC[TM] Package Sealing Solution explains how the system virtually eliminates downtime on packaging lines caused by char, clogged nozzles, and nozzle replacements, and provides packaging operations with the lowest...

Where is SSCC headed now? Major integrated board and box producer is judiciously cutting the fat and adding muscle to its mill, recycling and box converting divisions.(EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW)(Interview)(Company overview)
February 16, 2008... The changes that have occurred at the top six U.S. containerboard producers over the past few years have been tumultuous. The key executives at these companies have had to take a tough, hard look at all their operations. They have had to...

Transacted containerboard prices.
February 16, 2008... Transacted Containerboard Prices Average transacted price levels are tabulated by obtaining paid prices from independent converters purchasing linerboard and medium. All prices are intended as a reference standard only. Transactions...

Arkay plans $4.5 million expansion.
February 16, 2008... Arkay Packaging Corp. will soon nearly double the size of its Roanoke facility, reports The Roanoke (Va.) Times. A $4.5 million expansion is in the works that will add 62,000 sq ft, and potentially add 30 employees to the 170-strong work...

Almost all integrateds pushing increase.($50 PER TON MORE FOR CONTAINERBOARD)
February 16, 2008... Virtually all the major integrated containerboard producers have now come out with a $50 per ton price increase. Earlier this month Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. told its customers that it would be raising its prices by $50 per ton, effective...

Chesapeake expands pharma operations.(RELOCATING TO HICKSVILLE, N.Y.)
February 16, 2008... Richmond, Va. -- based Chesapeake Corp. is expanding its pharmaceutical packaging operation on Long Island, N.Y., and relocating from its current location in Lake Success to nearby Hicksville. Chesapeake's pharmaceutical and healthcare...

G-P to close Batavia box plant.(NEAR CINCINNATI)
February 16, 2008... The Kentucky Community Press & Recorder reports that the Georgia-Pacific Corp. brown box plant in Batavia Township, Ohio, will close within the next couple months. Approximately 100 hourly and salaried employees will be affected. G-P...

Fire breaks out at PCA plant.($21 MILLION+ IN DAMAGES)
February 16, 2008... On Feb. 4, Packaging Corp. of America's Lakeland, Fla., box plant caught fire--gutting the building and causing more than $21 million in estimated damage. At press time, no injuries were reported and the cause of the fire was unknown. ...

Weyerhaeuser earnings increase to $790 million.(FOR 2007)
February 16, 2008... Weyerhaeuser Co., based in Federal Way, Wash., reported net earnings of $790 million for 2007, or $3.59 per diluted share, on net sales of $16.3 billion. This compares with net earnings of $453 million for 2006, or $1.84 per diluted share, on...

Wal-Mart scorecard deadline ignored by smaller vendors.(ABOUT 80 PERCENT COMPLIANT)
February 16, 2008... Reuters reports that Wal-Mart made Feb. 1 the deadline for its 60,000 suppliers to comply with its infamous packaging scorecard initiative, but "many of the company's smaller vendors--which represent roughly 20 percent of the goods the company...

Equipment interest rate index.
February 16, 2008... Current monthly payments for 100 percent financing for 84 months on $1.0 million range from $14,490 to $15,375, depending on credit strength and equipment being purchased. [GRAPHIC OMITTED]

M-real opens Port of Baltimore warehouse.(CONSOLIDATES BULK SHIPMENTS)
February 16, 2008... On the morning of Jan. 23, a ribbon was cut for the opening of a new warehouse at the Port of Baltimore. The $26 million, 215,000 sq ft, state of the art facility is responsible for shipping, receiving, and stocking M-real's paper and...

Empire's new owners upgrade to Gen/2.(MODERNIZING OPERATIONS)
February 16, 2008... Empire Container Corp. of Carson (Calif.) has signed an agreement to upgrade its existing business software to Gen/2, the latest version of the HRMS core business software for corrugated packaging manufacturers. As part of the overall software...

Transacted paper stock prices--low grades.(Statistical table)
February 16, 2008... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--Low Grades Mixed Boxboard Paper Cuttings News (1) (4) (6) Chicago $85-90...

Wilmington partners with Traders Intl.(FOR EXPORT SALES)
February 16, 2008... Nini Krever, president of the export brokerage firm Traders International Corp., has joined forces with Stuart D. Lurie, president of Wilmington Paper/Recycling Management Systems, to manage Wilmington's export sales. Based in Pine Brook,...

Paper Week registration opens.(FOR AF&PA)
February 16, 2008... The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has opened registration for its 131st annual Paper Week event, taking place March 30-April 1 at the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York. Sponsorship opportunities are still available; contact...

SSCC recycling division sets record.(7 MILLION TONS COLLECTED)
February 16, 2008... Smurfit-Stone Container Corp.'s recycling division achieved a company record in volume in 2007, collecting more than 7 million tons of recyclable materials. In addition to paper recycling, Smurfit-Stone continues to grow in the areas of...

Amtech to host April seminar in Tennessee.(MATERIALS CONTROL STRATEGIES)
February 16, 2008... Amtech will host "MRP & Inventory Control (Forecasting)," April 23-24 in Chattanooga, Tenn., at the Sheraton Read House Hotel. During this continuing education seminar for material requirements planning, attendees will learn the features in...

Alpine installs dual compactor.(RECYCLING EFFORTS)(Alpine Waste & Recycling)(Brief article)
February 16, 2008... Alpine Waste & Recycling, Denver, has installed a dual recycling compactor that allows the customer to recycle alongside its regular waste stream. Cushman Wakefield Property Management in Denver received the compactor recently as part of...

CSXT launches carbon calculator.(CLIMATE DATA TOOL)
February 16, 2008... Jacksonville, Fla.-based CSX Transportation introduces an online carbon calculator, giving shippers and others the ability to make the best environmental choice of transportation options. The user-friendly tool quickly calculates the carbon...

Transacted paper stock prices--high grades.(Statistical table)
February 16, 2008... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--High Grades For detailed chart explanation, see page 11 White Coated New DLK News Soft Wht. ...

DuPont sets price increases.(IN NORTH AMERICA)
February 16, 2008... Effective March 1, DuPont Packaging Graphics, Wilmington, Del., will raise prices in the U.S. and Canada on all DuPont Cyrel products. The increases range from 3 percent to 8 percent, depending on the product. Bob Zoelle, North American...

Weyerhaeuser lobbying tactics made public.($1.9 MILLION IN 2007)
February 16, 2008... The Associated Press reports that Weyerhaeuser Co. spent almost $1.9 million last year to lobby the U.S. government on energy and patent issues. According to the Senate's public records office, the Federal Way, Wash.-based company spent $1.1...

Shorewood invests in presses.(IN THREE PLANTS)
February 16, 2008... Shorewood Packaging, a business of International Paper, has installed new top-of-the-line offset lithographic printing presses at three of its facilities in an effort to continue to meet and exceed customer expectations with expanded printing...