Rayonier Advanced Materials Selling Lumber, Newsprint Facilities to GreenFirst
Rayonier Advanced Materials is selling all of its lumber and newsprint facilities and related assets located in Ontario and Quebec to GreenFirst Forest Products. The purchased assets include six lumber mills in Chapleau, Cochrane, Hearst and Kapuskasing in Ontario and in Bearn and La Sarre in Quebec as well as one newsprint mill located in Kapuskasing, Ontario. “This is a tremendous opportunity,” said Paul Rivett, incoming chairman of GreenFirst Forest Products and chairman of NordStar Capital. “This represents a large step forward to our previously announced strategy of building GreenFirst as focused on lumber, newsprint and forestry investments.” GreenFirst’s head office is in Vancouver, British Columbia. Rayonier’s corporate headquarters are in Jacksonville, Florida.
Kodak Acquires Assets of ECRM’s CTP Business
Eastman Kodak announced today that it has acquired the assets of ECRM Incorporated’s CTP (computer-to-plate) device business for the graphic arts and newspaper industries. Based in Massachusetts, ECRM is a manufacturing company in imaging technologies for the graphic communications industry. The transaction includes the equipment, contracts, inventory and intellectual property of the business.
The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.“This acquisition reflects Kodak’s commitment to the printing industry and our focus on investing in growth,” said Jim Continenza, Kodak’s executive chairman and CEO. “In the wake of a challenging pandemic year, and on the anniversary of ECRM’s 50th year, we decided that this is a good time to rest on our past successes, yet protect and service our many long-term customers with an established company of appropriate size, CTP competence, and resources. We are pleased today to place our company assets with Kodak,” said Rick Black, chairman and CEO of ECRM.
Lee Enterprises Begins Trading on Nasdaq
Lee has started trading today as a Nasdaq-listed security under the symbol “LEE.” President and CEO Kevin Mowbray and other members of the Lee Enterprises team will ring the Nasdaq Stock Market opening bell in a virtual bell-ringing ceremony on Tuesday, April 20. The ceremony will be webcast live beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET at this link. In other Lee news, the company announced last week that it’s laying off nine newsroom staffers at The Roanoke Times, effective April 23, according to the Timesland News Guild.
NYT Tech Workers Form Union
Tech workers at The New York Times said last week that they had formed a union and would request that the company recognize it, the paper said. The group includes software engineers, designers, data analysts and product managers. It will be represented by the NewsGuild of New York. The groups consists of upwards of 650 workers. Most of the group signed cards supporting the move to form a union, said the paper. The Times has increased its hiring of tech staff in recent years, said the paper.
Alden Global Capital Still on Track to Buy Tribune Publishing
Alden Global Capital appears closer to buying Tribune Publishing. In news release today, Tribune Publishing said it was told over the weekend that Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss has dropped out of an offer for the company. The offer was made with Choice Hotels Chairman Stewart Bainum. Tribune Publishing has stopped discussions with Bainum, says the Chicago Tribune. “At this time, the Tribune Board continues to recommend, and has not withdrawn, qualified or otherwise modified its recommendation, that stockholders of Tribune vote in favor of the approval of the Alden Merger Agreement,” said the release.
Virtual.Drupa Happening This Week
Virtual.drupa, an online event for the print industry, will take place April 20 to 23. The virtual event will offer three areas to visitors.
-The Conference Area will feature live streams with high-ranking and international speakers on trend topics artificial intelligence, circular economy, connected consumers and the platform economy.
-The Exhibition Space will showcase live web sessions by exhibitors and presentation of their innovations and products in online showrooms.
–Networking Plaza will facilitate business leads, networking and matchmaking with visitors and exhibitors worldwide.
Following are a few vendor highlights:
–Ferag will showcase high-speed transport of newspaper products and compensating stackers for all bundling requirements.
–Fujifilm North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division plans to announce several new print solutions behind the “Never Stop Believing in Print” approach. Fujifilm will showcase new a processless thermal CTP plate, Superia ZX, offering improvements in printability resulting from the addition of next-generation technologies, according to a news release from Fujifilm. Fujifilm is also launching a new model of the J Press 750S. Additionally, as announced on March 31, Fujifilm’s Graphic Systems Business Division and Fujifilm Business Innovation’s Graphic Communication Services Business Group will be integrated into a new Graphic Communication Business Division as of July 1. To introduce both companies’ solutions, a new Fujifilm website will be launched on April 20.
–Koenig & Bauer, with its focus on the newspaper industry, will highlight its press relocations and enhancements as a turnkey service, from the preparation of the quotation through dismantling and transportation to reassembly and commissioning of the printing press. In addition, the company will showcase its web-fed printing machines (coldest), which include the compact presses Cortina (waterless) and Commander CT (wet offset) and the flexible automation of the Commander CL.
–Eastman Kodak Company will be showcasing the Kodak Prosper Ultra 520 Digital Press for inkjet production printing, which uses Kodak Ultrastream inkjet technology. Kodak Prinergy On Demand Business Solutions, a managed business software portfolio, includes MIS/ERP, e-commerce, and collaboration applications. This scalable solution gives customers a single platform to work from and one vendor to work with, says the company.Also on tap, Sonora Xtra, Kodak’s next-generation process-free plate. The Kodak Magnus Q800 Platesetter with T-speed is capable of imaging up to 80 plates per hour, says the company. The Kodak Magnus Q4800 Platesetter is a new solution for extra-large format (XLF) plate imaging.
–Muller Martini will be part of virtual.drupa with new machine and business solutions as well as a webinar. In addition to the latest machine highlights, ideas will be offered for both Smart Factory and conventional print production. Visitors to virtual.drupa can expect an overview of the machine premieres planned by Muller Martini at drupa 2020. In addition to the new products, proven machine solutions will also be on show. See more here.
More News
- Gannett is going to sublease the third floor of the Indianapolis Star’s office space at 130 S. Meridian St., the paper reported. The 50,000-square foot floor above IndyStar’s newsroom is currently unoccupied. In 2012, the paper put its building at 307 N. Pennsylvania St. on the market and moved two years later to Meridian Street.
- The Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff) is moving its press operations and commercial printing projects to the Arizona Republic in May, the paper reported. The 20,000-square-foot facility on Thompson Street where the Sun has been printed for more than 25 years will be put up for sale, the paper said. Lee owns the paper.
- The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado) will outsource printing of the paper to the Montrose Daily Press facility starting July 7, The Daily Sentinel reported. Seaton Publishing owns the Daily Sentinel. Wick Communications owns the Montrose Daily Press.
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