Family Dollar has started its new chapter as a standalone private company under new owners. Dollar Tree Inc. has completed the sale of its struggling Family Dollar business to private equity firms…

It seems businesses are finally bouncing back after the past two years of the pandemic. However, even though business is picking up, there is one glaring issue: The availability of paper stocks has become limited and unpredictable, and as a result the price of paper stock is inevitably increasing. Supply chain issues have been throwing curveballs at various manufacturing segments, and the printing industry is no exception. The availability of paper stocks has become slim as raw material costs rise, mills enact allocations and price increases, and labor shortages continue. So, are we doomed? Not even close. During an hour-long Printing Impressions and In-plant Impressions webinar, Marco Boer VP of I.T. Strategies and President of Midland Specialty Paper & Film Mike Ratcliff discussed the reasons for printing paper supply shortages, the steps printing companies can take to address the limitations head-on, and what print providers can expect in the future of the paper supply chain.

Tractor Supply on Thursday reported that Q2 net sales rose 4.5% year over year to $4.4 billion, with store comps up 1.5% — the retailer’s “largest sales quarter ever,” CEO Hal Lawton told analysts. A year ago, the company saw comps drop 0.5%. Gross margin expanded to 36.9% from 36.6% last year, as net income rose 1.1% to $430 million. The company reaffirmed its full-year outlook, saying it expects net sales to rise 4% to 8%, comps to be flat or rise as much as 4% and net income to land between $1.07 billion and $1.17 billion. In Q2 the retailer opened 24 new Tractor Supply stores and two under the Petsense by Tractor Supply banner, and closed one Petsense by Tractor Supply location. The plan is to open 100 new stores in 2026, with the help of the recent acquisition of 18 Big Lots locations, executives said Thursday.