International Paper

BY MARK SMITH Predictions of the paperless office may have lost their edge, but not the threat of a paperless printing plant. One only has to go as far back as 1995 to find the last time some printers were faced with shutting down their presses for a lack of paper to run through them. The buyer's market of recent times saw printers, and their clients, being doubly blessed with a ready supply of paper at historically low prices. Everyone knew it was just a matter of time before the market swing came, though. In the case of paper, the more apropos saying would

From Quad/Graphics’ perspective, 2002 will be remembered as the most difficult in the company’s 31-year history. In July alone, a storage facility collapse and fire at its Lomira, WI, plant claimed the life of a contracted worker and, weeks later, company founder Harry V. Quadracci died after drowning in a lake near his home. Such tragedies would bring lesser companies to their knees. But Quad/Graphics has demonstrated an industry model, a corporate ideology, that bears both witnessing and emulating. Thomas Quadracci is surrounded by employee children at one of Quad/Graphics’ in-house day care centers. Tom Quadracci, who succeeded his brother as president and

MBO America Hosts "Octoberfest" WESTAMPTON, NJ—More than 150 existing clients and prospects, representing both commercial printers and trade binderies, attended MBO America's open house, which was held over three days recently at its headquarters facility here. With more than a dozen pieces of equipment specially set up for the open house, highlights included a B26-S/644 Perfection buckle folder equipped with an ASP-66ME mobile stream delivery unit, a Navigator control system with touchscreen interface and networked to MBO's Data Manager digital integration software. Also, the highest interest was over a B30-S/4 Perfection folder with a preslitter shaft unit, configured with a Herzog &

BY CAROLINE MILLER Two years ago, it seemed as if everyone in the paper industry was switching dance partners. Among the major acquisitions was International Paper's purchase of Champion—a deal worth nearly $7.3 billion, excluding net debt. Then came the almost soap-opera-like saga, the Weyerhaeuser hostile takeover of Willamette Industries that dragged on for 14 months and finally ended with an agreement that called for $6.1 billion in cash, or $55.50 per share, including the assumption of $1.7 billion of Willamette debt. At $19 billion in combined sales, the deal created one of the larger companies in the paper industry. And of recent

Blue Ridge Paper Products has relocated its corporate headquarters. The new address is 41 Main St., P.O. Box 1429, Canton, NC 28716. The new phone number is (828) 454-0676. QTI became the first web auxiliary equipment provider to sell a closed-loop color control system in the Latin American market. At PRINT 01, Rotomagno SA de CV, of Guadalajara, Mexico, purchased QTI's Color Control System with Instrument Flight for its new four-unit Mitsubishi Diamond 16 web press. Newly formed distributor Enovation Graphic Systems has named Steve Gryder regional vice president, Central. Jim Purcell has accepted the position of regional vice president, Midwest. John Solwold was appointed regional

STAMFORD, CT—The long-awaited paper merger has finally become a reality. Only the participants are a bit surprising. No, Weyerhaeuser did not acquire Willamette. That should take a while. And it wasn't International Paper and Stora Enso (see Paper Mill Watch), which for now is only a rumor. How about Mead Corp. and Westvaco Corp.? On August 29 the companies jointly announced a $3 billion merger, with a combined annual revenues total of $8 billion. The newly created company will be called MeadWestvaco Corp. and will be headquartered here. The move essentially launches MeadWestvaco from mid-sized player into worldwide competition with IP and Georgia-Pacific.

STAMFORD, CT—While a report in an August edition of the Swedish business daily Dagens Industri indicated that International Paper and Stora Enso were in merger talks that would create the largest worldwide paper concern at $40 billion, it seemed unlikely to happen any time soon. Citing unnamed sources, Dagens Industri reported that talks have been ongoing for the past year. Both IP, based here, and Stora Enso, with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden, refused to comment on the report, calling it a market rumor. A merger between the two paper giants is an attractive concept. IP is the worldwide leader in terms of sales

STAMFORD, CT—Only weeks after announcing that 3,000 jobs would be eliminated from its domestic work force, International Paper reported that it would be letting another 655 employees go in a move that coincides with the plan to indefinitely shut down production capacity of 670,000 tons within its containerboard and coated papers businesses. Three paper machines at its Savannah, GA, mill and one at its Hudson River mill in Corinth, NY, will be shut down indefinitely. The shutdowns will result in reductions of approximately 610,000 tons of the company's U.S. containerboard capacity (12 percent) and 60,000 tons of its coated freesheet capacity (7.5 percent). "These are difficult

BY CAROLINE MILLER As a weak U.S. economy continues to batter the printing industry, several pulp and paper producers have announced that they are either closing mills or cutting production. In a flurry of first quarter earning statements, companies such as International Paper, Weyerhaeuser and Sappi Fine Paper North America, among others, have announced plans to cut production in response to a softening economy. In its first quarter earning report, Weyerhaeuser says that it expects the slowing global economy to result in a weaker demand for production in all its major pulp, paper and packaging product lines. This resulted in Weyerhaeuser's decision to

IP Contest Winner Headed for VacationMEMPHIS, TN—International Paper Commercial Printing Papers has announced the winners of "The Best Ideas on Paper Sweepstakes," an online contest designed to encourage commercial printers to visit the company's Website, www.ipcommercialprinting.com. After 41 years of service with the Bobst Group, Joe Fuchs, vice president, has retired. Fuchs trained in Switzerland as a diecutter specialist before moving to the U.S. full-time in 1967. He was promoted to vice president in 1978, where he was responsible for directing the service activities for all Bobst products sold here. Georgia-Pacific has announced the appointment of Andrea Day as market manager