Official Board Markets articles from June 2009

Official Board Markets archives from June 2009

Caraustar files for bankruptcy protection.(BENEFICIAL RESTRUCTURING)
June 6, 2009... Caraustar Industries Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and will go private. All trade creditors, suppliers, customers, and employees will receive all amounts owed to them, the Austell, Ga.-based paperboard and packaging maker...

Transacted containerboard prices.
June 6, 2009... 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...

Norampac mill receives money for upgrades.
June 6, 2009... Norampac's Trenton, Ontario, corrugating medium mill is receiving $3.3 million (Canadian) from the province for the construction of two high-efficiency wood residue boilers that will save the company millions each year in energy costs. ...

SSCC closes Raleigh box plant.(RESTRUCTURING)
June 6, 2009... Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC) has closed its corrugated packaging plant in Raleigh, N.C., as part of a restructuring that has the firm shuttering facilities throughout the U.S., the Triangle Business Journal reports. SSCC filed for...

Agnati reorganizes.(TAKES ON NEW INVESTOR)
June 6, 2009... Corrugator maker Agnati S.p.A. has reorganized file structure of the company, including taking on a new Italian investor Gruppo Brivio Pierino & C. The new company, BP-Agnati S.r.l., will remain located in the same, historic manufacturing...

Greif reports sales decrease.(TO $647.9 MILLION)(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 6, 2009... Greif, Inc., Delaware, Ohio, reports net sales decreased 29 percent (20 percent excluding the impact of foreign currency translation) to $647.9 million in the second quarter of 2009 from $918.0 million in the second quarter of 2008. Net...

Bell recognized by Postmaster General.(FOR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS)
June 6, 2009... Postmaster General John Potter recognized Bell Inc., Sioux Falls, S.D., among a handful of U.S. Postal Service suppliers, for best practices that helped the Postal Service provide mail service to the American public in 2008. The award...

Webinar focuses on UV/EB food pkg.(POSITIONED FOR GROWTH)(Keller and Heckman L.L.P.)(RadTech International North America)(Brief article)
June 6, 2009... RadTech, with Keller and Heckman LLC, will present a webinar on new opportunities in UV/EB food packaging on July 1 at 2 p.m. EST. This webinar presents the basic requirements for compliance of UV and EB cured formulations with U.S. FDA...

PPC sets leadership conference speakers.(OCT. 29-30 IN AUSTIN, TEXAS)(Conference news)
June 6, 2009... Thought leaders in innovation and sustainability will converge to offer insight, analysis, and resources during the 2009 Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) Fall Meeting and Leadership Conference, Oct. 29-30 at the Barton Creek Resort in Austin,...

Congressman visits Haire.(HOW'S BUSINESS?)
June 6, 2009... Late last month, longtime U.S. Congressman Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) visited The Haire Group, Merrillville, Ind., to discuss current business conditions. Pictured from left, Keith Umlauf and Herb Passo from Haire, Visclosky, and Jeff Quinn and...

Flint Group.(People Update)
June 6, 2009... Geoff Barba assumes the newly created position of business development manager--corrugated market, U.S. and Canada, for the Flint Group. He will use his broad-based background in the corrugated container industry, along with his marketing and...

Board inventories keep falling.(AF&PA REVEALS)
June 6, 2009... Total containerboard inventories (at mills and box plants combined) dropped 4.7 percent between the end of March and the end of April, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) reports. Specifically, they went from 2,426,700 tons at the...

AICC Annual Meeting registration opens.(ONLINE)
June 6, 2009... Online registration is now open for the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC) 2009 Annual Meeting. It is being held Oct. 5-7 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. The AICC 2009 Annual Meeting offers an affordable location,...

Interstate seeks single source in Futura.(CREATIVE FINANCING)(Interstate Container Corp.)(Futura Services )(Brief article)
June 6, 2009... Interstate Container has selected Futura Services to provide hardware and installation services in support of its IT consolidation project in the New England region. Futura will be providing servers, software licensing, and installation...

Average sheet prices.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
June 6, 2009... Average Sheet Prices Based upon a survey of sheet plants. Per 1000 sq. ft., 25,000 sq. ft. single item orders, including delivery charges. Southeast/ East South North...

Paperboard mill performance.
June 6, 2009... 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. Unbleached ...

Producer price indexes--1982 = 100.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
June 6, 2009... Producer Price Indexes - 1982=100 Year Feb Mar Apr 2007/2008 2009 2009 2009 Total Paperboard 201.7/217.9 221.6 217.0 211.4...

OCC prices jump up.(MARKET REPORT)(old corrugated container)
June 6, 2009... If you've ever visited London, you've probably ridden on the underground tube and heard the automated announcer say, "mind the gap" as the train doors open. That's exactly what OCC buyers have been doing in recent weeks, except the gap they're...

Transacted paper stock prices--low grades.
June 6, 2009... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--Low Grades Prices are per short ton. They change the first issue of each month. Unless otherwise noted, they're effective for the calendar month. Grades and preparation requirements are as defined...

Study: cartons are eco-friendlier than other packaging types.(CUT CO2 EMISSIONS)(Brief article)
June 6, 2009... The carton is the eco-friendliest type of packaging next to other mediums like pouches, metal cans and glass jars, according to a study from the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research that looked at factors like carbon emissions and...

Transacted paper stock prices--high grades.
June 6, 2009... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--High Grades For detailed chart explanation. see page 11 Prices are per short ton. They change the first issue of each month. Unless otherwise noted, they're effective for the calendar month. Grades...

Sonoco adapts to downturn.(SHIFT TO CONSUMER PRODUCTS)
June 6, 2009... Sonoco Products Co., Hartsville, S.C., felt the recession's pinch in 2008 with a 23 percent drop in yearly earnings, but is adapting through innovation and shifting toward consumer products, which are less sensitive to economic downturns, the...

MeadWestvaco mill talks resume.(UNION NEGOTIATIONS)
June 6, 2009... MeadWestvaco Corp.'s paperboard mill in Covington, Va., and the United Steelworkers International (USW) Local 8-675 are set to resume contract negotiations June 8, after a two-year hiatus, The Roanoke Times reports. The negotiations will...

Transacted paper stock prices: export/low grades.
June 6, 2009... Transacted Paper Stock Prices Export/Low Grades All prices are Port FAS Mixed Paper News OCC (1) (8) (11) Chicago $61-64...

Weyco sells former box plant site.(FOR $20 MILLION)
June 6, 2009... Weyerhaeuscr Co. closed a deal to sell its shuttered box production plant site in Iwilei, Hawaii, to Island Flooring Co. Inc. for $20 million, according to Colliers Monroe Friedlander Inc., the commercial real estate firm representing...

The Strive Group upgrades to latest business software.(FROM SOLARSOFT)
June 6, 2009... The Strive Group, Chicago, has upgraded its business software to the latest version of Solarsoft Business Systems' corrugated business software, HRMS Gen/2. Solarsoft's HRMS Gen/2 software includes a more versatile purchase order module,...

Transacted boxboard prices.
June 6, 2009... Transacted Boxboard Prices 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...

WM/recycle America: bent but not broken: the past 8 months have been brutal for the recovered paper industry. Here's how one major player is dealing with unprecedented tough times.(RECOVERED PAPER)(Interview)
June 6, 2009... Recently I had the opportunity to discuss the tumultuous recovered paper market of late 2008-early 2009 with Pat DeRueda, president of WM Recycle America (WMRA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Waste Management Inc., Houston. He joined Waste...

Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc.(People Update)
June 6, 2009... Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc. appoints Eric Motley, Ph.D., to its board of directors. He is the second of three individuals set to join the board in 2009, enhancing the strength and diversity of its membership as they apply a broad range of...

How independent recyclers survive.(IN A WORLD OF GIANTS)
June 13, 2009... In light of the tough times all paper recyclers have been going through during the past eight months, how do independents make a profit nowadays? Many answers were provided at a panel session conducted during Recycling Today's 10th Annual Paper...

Transacted containerboard prices.
June 13, 2009... 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...

Tesco says packaging weight isn't sole criteria.
June 13, 2009... Retailer Tesco, which is growing in California, has cut its 2010 packaging weight reduction target by 10 percent, citing that weight alone "may not be the most beneficial and environmentally comprehensive measure" to tackle the packaging waste...

IP debt levels drop sharply.(HEARD AT ANALYSTS MEETING)
June 13, 2009... At an analyst meeting held in New York City last week, International Paper (IP), Memphis, Tenn., disclosed its debt and cash levels as of May 31 dropped more sharply than expected to $9.6 billion versus $10.5 billion on March 31 and $11.8...

Bankrupt AbitibiBowater gets loan.($600 MILLION)
June 13, 2009... Earlier this month, AbitibiBowater Inc. won final bankruptcy court approval of as much as $600 million in financing to help fund operations while the company reorganizes, reports Bloomberg. The newsprint producer received approval April 17...

SSCC lays off box plant workers.(IN KNOXVILLE, TENN.)
June 13, 2009... Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC) laid off 12 employees on May 1 at its corrugated box plant in Knoxville, Tenn., reports the Knoxville News. Previously, the Chicago-based company laid off 11 people on Feb. 28.

Tweet: 'savvy IT--after August '08'.(OPTIMIZE YOUR IT SPENDING)
June 13, 2009... In our household, my adult children have a quick comeback whenever I begin a recession-related rant, likely regarding the status of my 401K--"Dad, that is sooo last August." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Peter Whatnell, CIO, Sunoco, was...

L&M purchases top gun software.(ENHANCES WAREHOUSE FUNCTIONS)
June 13, 2009... L&M Container, a multi-plant operation located in Zion, Ill., and Platteville, Wis., has purchased Amtech Software's Top Gun[c] inventory management system. The box maker hopes to benefit from Top Gun by improving the material handling process,...

ICPF, AIAS recognize chair affair winners.(STRUCTURAL DESIGN)
June 13, 2009... The International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF) and the American Institute of Architecture Students (ALAS) Chair Affair fifth bi-annual competition attracted architecture and package design students from 49 colleges and throughout...

OCC and ONP swaps start tracking higher.(RECOVERED PAPER)
June 13, 2009... Led by higher offers, mid-market swap prices for OCC #11 and ONP #8 moved up against the OBM Chicago High price this month. A number of factors appear to be behind the rise, including some evidence of a pickup in the physical OCC market as...

New corrugated packaging study digs deep.(EVALUATES 60 MAJOR SEGMENTS)
June 13, 2009... Business Development Advisory- (BDA), Marietta, Ga., has completed a new study on the North American corrugated packaging market that identifies, quantifies, and evaluates over 60 major segments that make up the overall market. These segments...

Transacted paper stock prices--low grades.
June 13, 2009... Prices are per short ton. They change the first issue of each month. Unless otherwise noted, they're effective for the calendar month. Grades and preparation requirements are as defined in the current ISRI Scrap Specifications Circular (now...

Where are recovered paper markets headed?(TOUGH TIMES FOR DOMESTIC BOARD MILLS)
June 13, 2009... In this year's first quarter, consumption of recovered paper was down 18 percent, or 1.5 million tons, over last year's first quarter, says Jim Bowen, senior vice president of Sonoco Recycling, Hartsville, S.C. He discussed the current factors...

Transacted paper stock prices--high grades.
June 13, 2009... Transacted Paper Stock Prices-High Grades For detailed chart explanation, see page 11 White Coated New DLK News Soft Wht. Cuttings ...

Paper Stock Industries.(People Update)
June 13, 2009... Paper Stock Industries, Washington, D.C., appoints Cory Tomezyk of Industrial Recyclers of Wisconsin as member-at-large on the executive board. In addition, Bill Moore of Moore & Associates is the new chair of government affairs.

Finding shipping containers could get tough.(IMPORTS MUST RISE)
June 13, 2009... U.S. exporters are expected to face a shortage of shipping containers in the coming months as a result of the recession, reports The Journal of Commerce. The shortages could worsen if imports do not increase significantly. The equipment...

Metro Packaging upgrades.(NEW SOFTWARE)
June 13, 2009... Metro Packaging and Imaging, Wayne, N.J., upgrades to Advantzware V10 from Advanced Software. It runs on any Windows platform, including 2008 and Vista. Advantzware automates all aspects of its box plant and office and features many...

Shorewood provides new coating.(COLLABORATIVE EFFORT)
June 13, 2009... Shorewood Packaging, a business of International Paper, now offers a new high-luster metallic coating, Shorebrite II. It is applied first, followed by up to seven translucent ink colors and optional coating finishes. The process produces rich,...

Solarsoft enhances integration.(NEW RELEASE)
June 13, 2009... Solarsoft Business Systems, Vancouver, B.C., now provides a new software release for its enterprise-level corrugated business software, Business VantagePoint. It further enhances the integration between Business VantagePoint and corrugator...

E/bak SF 0.120 inch.(Product Update)
June 13, 2009... Rogers Corp. has expanded its product line of E/bak[TM] cushions with the commercial release of E/bak SF 0.120 inch in a 44-inch width for use on smaller machines. By offering both choices in width, printers will be able to reduce excess waste...

Transacted paper stock prices: export/low grades.
June 13, 2009... Transacted Paper Stock Prices Export/Low Grades All prices are Port FAS Mixed Paper News OCC Chicago $61-64 (+16) 71-74 (+5) 83-86 (+8) NewYork 82-85 (+19) ...

IADD-FSEA Odyssey celebrates fifth anniversary.(IN ATLANTA)(Brief article)
June 13, 2009... The IADD-FSEA Odyssey celebrated its fifth anniversary early last month in Atlanta. Every two years it brings together the industry's most innovative and progressive companies under one roof. For three days it offers a comprehensive program...

Flexo Concepts donates MicroClean unit.(AT MARK ANDY DEMO CENTER)
June 13, 2009... Flexo Concepts has teamed with Mark Andy to install a MicroClean[TM] unit in the press builder's Milford, Ohio, demo center. The MicroClean model is being used to clean anilox rolls between press demonstrations and confirm its status as a...

International Forest Products Corp.(People Updates)
June 13, 2009... Sergio Larrain joins International Forest Products Corp. as exclusive sales and marketing representative for the Chilean market. He is a 30-year veteran of the South American forest products industry. His responsibilities will include...

Paper Stock Industries (PSI).(People Updates)
June 13, 2009... Earlier tiffs month, Paper Stock Industries (PSI) awarded four $2000 scholarships to students of PSI member firms, with the funds sent directly to their college or university. The winners for 2009 were: Jessica Chee, Catalyst Paper Corp.; David...

Box shipments keep falling.(WEAK FOR ALMOST A YEAR)
June 20, 2009... Last month's industry shipments of corrugated products sank 12.4 percent on an actual basis and 8.1 percent on an average week basis, the Fibre Box Association (FBA), Chicago, reports. May 2009 had one less shipping day (20) than May 2008. The...

Transacted containerboard prices.
June 20, 2009... 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...

Canadian gov't lights back on black liquor.
June 20, 2009... Canadian pulp and paper producers who invest in improved energy efficiency and environmental performance may quality for funding from a new $1 billion (Canadian) Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program. It intends to provide funding of 16...

Will black liquor loophole be closed?(ALTERNATIVE FUEL)
June 20, 2009... On June 11 Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released a legislative staffdraft proposal to clarify the types of fuels that qualify for the alternative fuels tax credit and...

Hazmat team cleans up spill at Evergreen.(35 GALLONS OF ADHESIVES)
June 20, 2009... Firefighters and the hazardous materials team cleaned up an adhesives spill at Evergreen Packaging Inc.'s folding carton plant in Clinton, Iowa, last week, The Clinton Herald reported. No injuries were reported. About 35 gallons of...

Great Northern facility becomes FSC certified.(IN OSHKOSH, WIS.)
June 20, 2009... The Oshkosh, Wis., facility of Great Northern Corp. has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as meeting its stringent chain of custody (CoC) criteria. "This certification by the Forest Stewardship Council is another...

KBA moves headquarters.(TO DALLAS)
June 20, 2009... KBA North America has completed its move to its new 60,000sq-ft state of the art headquarters (on the Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport complex) for all sheeffed and web operations. The general mailing address for the new corporate location is: KBA...

FP&G installs Suprasetter.(FROM HEIDELBERG)(Florida Packaging and Graphics )(Brief article)
June 20, 2009... Since Florida Packaging & Graphics (FP&G) installed a Heidelberg Suprasetter A105 with Prinect prepress workflow late last year, the company has been enjoying better and more consistent print quality, as well as a marked reduction in makeready...

Harper Corp. donates to ICGQ.(ANILOX ROLLS)
June 20, 2009... Harper Corp. of America recently allocated a donation of anilox rolls to the Quebec Institute of Graphic Communications (ICGQ). Canttexographics Ltd., the exclusive Canadian distributor of Harper's extensive anilox roll and equipment line,...

Caraustar receives DuPont Award.(PACKAGING INNOVATION)
June 20, 2009... Caraustar Industries, Inc., Atlanta, was one of eight recipients of DuPont's prestigious Noteworthy Accomplishment Award, which was earned in recognition of packaging innovation that simultaneously enhanced sustainability and performance. The...

IBox upgrades to Solarsoft HRMS.(RELEASE 2006)
June 20, 2009... IBox Packaging Ltd., Delta, British Columbia, upgraded its business software to Solarsoft HRMS Release 2006. IBox provides its customers a wide range of corrugated packaging solutions, including custom corrugated packaging --anything from jumbo...

Mark Andy Launches new website.(CUSTOMER SERVICE)(Website overview)
June 20, 2009... MAX, the customer service and support team of Mark Andy, Inc., St. Louis, introduces its new website, www.yourfriendinflexo.com. The recently-launched site enables customers to maximize their productivity and profitability by taking care of...

PaperSpecs webinar focuses on varnishes, coatings.(JULY 2)
June 20, 2009... PaperSpecs' webinar, "The Standard on Varnish and Coatings," will reveal the versatility and excitement of using these budget friendly coating and varnish techniques. The webinar will be held at 2 p.m. EST on July 2. The guest speaker,...

U.S. containerboard statistics.
June 20, 2009... U.S. Containerboard Statistics May 2009 Data (000's) Short Tons, Change Except As Noted Compared to: ...

Global brakes.(Product Updates)(Magpowr)(Brief article)
June 20, 2009... MAGPOWR now has available global brakes in sizes to deriver more than 250 lb-ft of torque. The performance advantages of the Magnetic Particle Brake can be used in higher-torque requirements instead of settling for the friction-based options of...

Recycled Fiber Full Roll Perfed roll cradle.(Product Updates)
June 20, 2009... Rollguard [R], part of Great Northern Corp.'s Specialty Group, showcases its new Recycled Fiber Full Roll Perfed roll cradle. The new perforated fiber roll cradles were created specifically for the converter market. By creating perforations at...

What's outlook for ONP.(HEARD AT RECYCLING CONFERENCE)(Brief article)(Conference notes)
June 20, 2009... The past few years has seen newsprint use down 11 percent to 12 percent annually. What does that mean for #8 news? In the short-term, domestic demand for the grade will remain soft while export demand will percolate, says AbitibiBowater...

Transacted paper stock prices--low grades.
June 20, 2009... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--Low Grades Mixed Boxboard Paper Cuttings News News (1) (4) (6) (8) Chicago ...

Nordson debuts online video lab.(CUSTOMERS CAN VIEW LIVE)
June 20, 2009... Nordson Corp. has formalized a new initiative to conduct live video demonstrations online for customers who want to test Nordson's adhesive dispensing systems without the time and expense of traveling to a Nordson test facility. Offered as a...

CDX now represents Marsden.(NEW AGREEMENT)(Brief article)
June 20, 2009... Marsden, Inc. and CDX, Inc. have formed an agreement in which CDX will now offer Marsden's M2 Gas IR emitters and Gas IR systems to its customers. Marsden manufactures Gas IRsystems and Gas IR replacement emitters for process heating...

Heidelberg rolls out foundation design option.(INSTALLATION RELOCATION SERVICE)
June 20, 2009... Heidelberg Systemservice now offers a new Foundation Design option as part of its installation and relocation service for companies looking to install a new press, relocate production, or combine multiple plants. In developing this turnkey...

Transacted paper stock prices--high grades.
June 20, 2009... Transacted Paper Stock Prices--High Grades For detailed chart explanation, see page 11 White Coated New DLK News Soft Wht. Cuttings ...

Bobst debuts new MASTERFOLD.(NEW GENERATION FOLDER-GLUER)(Bobst Group Inc.)
June 20, 2009... The re-design and updating of the entire Bobst product line, which began more than two years ago, has now reached high-end cormgated specialty folder-gluers. Conceived with productivity in mind, while taking into account the need to cope with...

Microsoft eliminates Xbox corrugated box.(ELECTRONIC LABEL ONLY NOW)
June 20, 2009... Microsoft Corp. will no longer provide corrugated packaging for Xbox 360 customers who wish to send their consoles back for repairs, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Instead, the company will distribute an electronic label that can be...

H+A launches Media Group.(DEVELOP A STRATEGY)
June 20, 2009... H+A International, Chicago, a marketing communications firm, has formed a new Social Media Group within the firm to help converting and package printing equipment manufacturers enhance their online presence. As part of this new initiative,...

Transacted paper stock prices.
June 20, 2009... Transacted Paper Stock Prices Export/Low Grades All prices are Port FAS Mixed Paper News OCC (1) (8) (11) Chicago $61-64 (+16)...

SSCC to move Chicago offices.(EFFECTIVE MID-AUGUST)
June 20, 2009... Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC) plans to relocate its Chicago corporate office from its current location at 150 N. Michigan Avenue to 222 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago. The move will be effective mid-August. The main switchboard number,...

Yip is honorary Chair Affair chairman.(ICPF STUDENT COMPETITION)
June 20, 2009... Developed to alert architecture students to exciting structural design careers in corrugated, there is a new, special promotional element in the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF) Chair Affair student design competition this...

Reduce, rebox, recycle ...: the business of reusing corrugated boxes creates a win-win-win situation.(ANOTHER OPTION)
June 20, 2009... Everyone knows that a corrugated box can be used more than once. So then why do companies recycle boxes after only using them one time? When that question was posed to officials at Ben & Jerry's, South Burlington, Vt., late one night in...

Newman & Co. expands line.(TAN BENDING CHIP)
June 20, 2009... Newman & Co., Philadelphia, now makes tan bending chip in calipers from 0.018 to 0.024. Its Small Quantity Division inventories multiple stock sizes. It also inventories all of the other grades it makes, including plain chip, solid black, SBS,...