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The Eastern Energy Alliance, Kruger Energy, and Potentia Renewables close $521 M in financing for the Saint-Paul-de-Montminy Wind Farm Project

The Saint-Paul-de-Montminy Wind Farm Project will comprise 28 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 196 MW, to be distributed over the municipalities of Saint-Paul-de-Montminy and Sainte-Apolline-de-Patton. Both municipalities, which will be hosting the wind farm project, will receive more than $20 M in fixed payments over the project’s life, allocated proportionally based on the number of MWinstalled in each municipality. The wind farm is slated to be commissioned in December 2027. In addition to supporting Québec’s energy transition, the Saint-Paul-de-Montminy Wind Farm Project will generate considerable benefits for Eastern Energy Alliance community members: 15 RCMs in Eastern Québec, the Magdalen Islands Maritime Community, and the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation.

7UP Debuts Lime-Forward Reformulation and Vertical Logo Redesign

Beginning mid-August, Keurig Dr Pepper, owner of the 7UP brand in the United States, is rolling out a reformulated 7UP with new packaging designed to differentiate the brand in the $5 billion lemon-lime category. The refresh is the “most significant brand evolution in more than 15 years,” the company says. It affects the brand's four core variants: 7UP Regular, 7UP Zero Sugar, Cherry 7UP, and Cherry 7UP Zero Sugar. The packaging redesign will affect all package sizes and formats of these variants. It features a vertical logo orientation, bolder colors, more distinctive graphics, and a new “Lime Lemon” designation that signals the reformulated flavor profile. According to the brand, the design was selected from 10 tested concepts and offers what it describes as “a modern take on iconic elements from 7UP’s past.” “By giving lime the spotlight, we’re rewriting the rules of the lemon lime category,” says Drew Panayiotou, chief marketing and innovation officer at KDP. He positions the move as "transforming a beloved heritage brand into a modern disruptor.”

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Publishing Revenues Totaled $33.4 Billion for Calendar Year 2025

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) released the StatShot Annual report covering the calendar year 2025, estimating that the U.S. publishing industry generated $33.4 billion in aggregate publishing revenue for books and course materials across print and digital formats. U.S. Publishing revenue is up 2.5% as compared to $32.5 billion in revenue in 2024, and up 16.1% when comparing 2021 to 2025. “This year’s report reflects a healthy and agile publishing industry,” commented Syreeta Swann, Chief Operating Officer, Association of American Publishers. “Print formats continue to dominate Trade publishing, accounting for 76.3% of Trade revenue, while Digital Audio and digital course materials remain strong.”

Metsä Board awarded EcoVadis Platinum rating again – among the top 1% of the best-rated companies in its category

Metsä Board, a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and part of Metsä Group, has once again achieved the highest Platinum level in the EcoVadis sustainability assessment. The company ranks among the top 1% of paper, paperboard and packaging manufacturers globally, with a score of 90/100. Metsä Board has maintained the highest rating level continuously since 2017. The EcoVadis assessment evaluates companies’ sustainability management and performance across four areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. Metsä Board received high scores across all categories.

Pricing actions dominate quarterly fiber discussions

Pricing proved to be a central topic during major fiber companies’ second-quarter earnings calls. Executives frequently cited higher transportation and raw material costs as reasons for significant price hikes from companies including Packaging Corporation of America, Smurfit Westrock and others, which have since prompted some blowback. Containerboard producers also noted signs of improving supply and demand dynamics. Clearwater Paper’s Q2 shipment volumes were up 8% year over year. The company reduced net debt by $59 million in the quarter. The Spokane, Washington-based company recently announced its second $60 per ton price increase of 2026 for all products. Executives expect it will take a couple quarters for that to be recognized in Fastmarkets RISI’s index. For Finland-based Huhtamaki, which has 18 locations across North America, overall net sales in Q2 were relatively flat year over year at 1 billion euros. But North American net sales decreased by nearly 10% year over year. Adjusted EBITDA was down 2% year over year to 151.7 million euros. The flexible packaging segment was a leader for the company, with a nearly 11% year-over-year increase in net sales. Fiber packaging net sales increased 6.7% year over year. U.K.-based Mondi, which has 13 locations across North America, offered a look at its first half of the year, showing a 1.7% increase in revenue compared with the first half of 2025. Revenue for the corrugated packaging segment came in at 1.98 billion euros, a 4.4% year-over-year increase, while the flexible packaging segment charted a 1.1% year-over-year decrease to just over 2 billion euros. 2026 is a transition year,” said Sylvamo CEO John Sims during an Aug. 7 earnings call. The Memphis, Tennessee-based company launched its “lean transformation” intended to improve operations and results. Sylvamo’s net loss grew to $11 million during Q2 compared with a net loss of $3 million in Q1. Net sales increased 1.3% year over year.

How Limited-Edition Packaging Creates Lasting Impact

A humorous summer release reveals serious lessons about limited-edition packaging. I hadn’t thought about Capri Sun in years — not since my kids were very young. But last summer, the brand caught my attention with a creative limited-edition packaging campaign. To celebrate the longest day of the year, Capri Sun introduced the “Solstice Pouch,” an extra-long pouch filled with 3x the usual amount of Capri Sun. And, yes, it even included an equally long straw. This campaign is both funny and clever. Everyone associates Capri Sun with its distinctive pouch, and by making it comically oversized, the brand reminds shoppers that its fruit punch is still around. Limited editions give brands permission to loosen up and break their own rules. Because print runs are smaller, the risk to the brand is lower, but the reward is remarkably compelling because consumer attention is heightened.

Toys are hot — and here’s what’s driving industry growth

The U.S. toy industry delivered its strongest first-half performance in six years as it continues to undergo a major demographic shift. Dollar sales from January through June 2026 increased by 17% year over year, according to a report by Circana. Unit sales grew 12%, while the average selling price increased 4%, led by high demand for trading cards, collectibles, licensed products and fandom-driven play. Growth was fueled primarily by trading cards, collectibles and sports-related products. Building sets, arts and crafts, and action figures & accessories also posted healthy gains across dollars, units and pricing, the report said.

Burning Questions — What Happens to Brand Loyalty When Prices Rise?

Consumers aren’t abandoning brands. They’re reassessing value and brand loyalty. A brand you love raises prices by 20%. What happens next? We asked 250 consumers whether they’d stay loyal, shop less often, switch brands, or start comparing alternatives. The answers revealed something interesting: people aren’t abandoning brands. They’re reassessing value. More than half of respondents said they’d start comparing alternatives. Far fewer said they’d immediately switch brands or remain completely loyal. One respondent put it this way: “No brand is worth unconditional loyalty. If prices change, I’ll consider other options.” Another said: “I want to make sure they were competitive.” The message is clear: when prices rise, people look around and decide what’s worth it. But that’s only part of the story. click on the link to get the full story. Burning Questions — What Happens to Brand Loyalty When Prices Rise? | J. Schmid

Prices for everyday household goods in July up 2.6% versus 2025

Consumers’ concerns about higher prices remains near record highs even as inflation slowed in July. Prices for everyday household purchases decreased 0.4% in July following a 0.7% increase in June and a 0.5% increase in May, according to the Numerator Consumer Goods Price Index. In July, prices for everyday goods are up 2.6% versus a year ago, down from 3.4% in June.

Retailers stocked up for upcoming holiday season

Retailers are likely well-stocked for the coming holidays as this year’s peak shipping season is coming to an end, National Retail Federation Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said in a statement Friday. The Global Port Tracker report released Friday by NRF and Hackett Associates found a 13.2% year-over-year increase in 20-foot containers or their equivalent at major U.S. ports in June. That’s lower than the industry group’s previous projection of nearly 19% growth in June. Additionally, July imports are now expected to be down 7.6% year over year, though the Global Port Tracker previously predicted July imports would “hit a new all-time record,” per a press release last month. Ports have not yet reported August numbers, but the industry group projects 20-foot equivalent units at major U.S. ports in August will decrease 4.2% year over year.

Top Trends in Beverage Packaging, mid-2026

Recently, during a visit to the gym, a friend of mine noticed an interesting trend that aligns with my expertise as a packaging designer: a refrigerator stocked with a variety of protein-rich beverages. Everything from water and juice to traditional shakes and even coffee — all pronouncing the addition of protein. Moving beyond the food category, protein has now also taken over our beverages. This is just one trend we’re seeing in the beverage category. Mocktails, home delivery, reusables, protein, Internet of Things (IoT), and Quick Response (QR) codes are all having a profound impact on how beverages are packaged and sold. The beverage industry has made significant progress in a relatively short time, driven by factors such as consumer demand for sustainability and the industry’s adoption of innovative technologies for smart, interactive packaging.

Kraft Heinz pours nearly $100M more into marketing to drive turnaround

Kraft Heinz is heaping another $100 million on its turnaround plan, with most of that investment concentrated on marketing, the company said in prepared remarks for its Q2 earnings. Marketing will now represent at least 6% of net sales in 2026, up half a percentage-point. The move follows the packaged foods giant stating it “overdelivered” on expectations in the first half, when it began deploying $600 million of incremental spend into areas including product superiority, pricing, marketing, sales and research and development. The marketer of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Jell-O and Ore-Ida has been directing its dollars toward a smaller number of heavier-hitting media partners as part of the turnaround. That approach recently manifested in major sponsorships, including a five-year pact with the NFL and work around America250 celebrations, as well as a strategic partnership with The Walt Disney Company that encompasses the House of Mouse’s media outlets, cruise lines, parks and events.

Retail sales maintain momentum in July for 10th straight month

Mid-summer sales events and early back-to-school deals gave a boost to retail sales in July, which rose for the 10th consecutive month. Core retail sales (excluding restaurants, auto dealers and gas stations) inched up 0.3% month over month in July and were 4.72% year over year, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor released by the National Retail Federation Retail sales gains in July were led by digital products, such as electronic books and games. Sales declined in four categories: electronics and appliance stores; furniture and home furnishings stores; building and garden supply stores; and sporting goods; and hobby, music and book stores.

The wellness M&A hot streak shows no signs of slowing down

Acquisitions in 2026 are proving to be all about health and wellness. Last week, Procter & Gamble announced its acquisition of supplement brand Thorne for $3.8 billion, part of a wave of high-profile acquisitions in the wellness space. It’s another strong signal that large CPG conglomerates are increasingly seeking out science-backed, high-growth brands to add to their portfolios as consumer priorities shift toward longevity, functional health and the nutritional demands of the growing GLP-1 user base. The Thorne buyout is the latest high-profile supplement acquisition of 2026. Earlier this year, three-year-old gummy multivitamins startup Grüns was acquired by Unilever for an undisclosed figure. The P&G deal comes after a series of ownership shifts for Thorne, including an IPO in 2021. Since then, the company, founded in 1984, was taken private by L Catterton in a deal valued at $680 million. According to Thorne, its annual revenue surpassed $500 million in 2025.

Ralph Lauren is on a winning streak

Ralph Lauren revenue increased 14% year over year to $2 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, beating the company’s previous estimates and driven by strong growth in North America and Asia. North America revenue grew 13% to $740 million for the quarter. Year-over-year comps for the company’s largest region rose 9%, with a 10% increase in brick-and-mortar growth and an 8% increase in digital. Wholesale revenue in the region was up 22%. Asia revenue increased 24% to $589 million, led by China, which was up more than 40% year over year. Meanwhile, Europe revenue grew 7% to $594 million, where there has been “ongoing uncertainty in the consumer environment from elevated energy costs and disruption to Middle East partner sales and tourism,” CFO Justin Picicci said on a call with analysts.

Interfor Expects US$76 Million Duty Charge

Interfor Corporation expects to record a non-cash incremental expense of approximately US$76 million in the second half of 2026 following an increase in preliminary U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber. The estimate, which includes interest, is based on a preliminary combined anti-dumping and countervailing duty rate of 25.18%. The rate applies to Interfor under the “all others” category of the seventh administrative review conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Preliminary Rate Remains Subject to Change The Department of Commerce issued its preliminary anti-dumping and countervailing duty rates on April 9, 2026. The review covers shipments made during the year ended December 31, 2024. On June 30, 2026, the preliminary countervailing duty rate was increased by 0.35 percentage points, bringing the combined “all others” rate to 25.18%.

Microplastics concerns drive calls for safer plastic packaging design

A white paper released by experts at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Business School, Australia, underscores the business risks of failing to respond to scientific evidence and consumer awareness of the potential harms associated with microplastics, including those originating from plastic packaging. The white paper, titled Microplastics: Preparing for Australia’s Next Regulatory Shift, highlights evidence that global plastic production now exceeds 450 million metric tons per year and could almost triple to 1.2 billion metric tons under a business-as-usual scenario. Martina Linnenluecke, professor at the UTS Centre for Climate Risk and Resilience, and co-author of the white paper, tells Packaging Insights: “Packaging is an important potential source of microplastics because large volumes of short-lived plastic can fragment during production, use, and disposal. The highest risks arise from thin films, foams, small components, and packaging exposed to heat, friction, ultraviolet light, or poor waste management.

Here’s what retailers learned the hard way from new packaging EPR deadlines

Most retailers still talk about Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as something that happens to their vendors: A CPG brand misses a filing, a supplier scrambles to reclassify a material, a buyer gets looped in only when a compliance question holds up a purchase order. Two reporting cycles ago, that was a reasonable way to think about it. But then May 31, 2026 arrived, and six states —California, Colorado, Oregon, Minnesota, Maryland and Washington — all required producers to file Annual Supply Reports on the same day, the first time multiple state EPR programs have converged on one deadline. A lot of retailers found out last minute how much of the reporting obligation was actually theirs. Before your next planning cycle, four things are worth confirming: -Whether your private-label lines make you the producer of record; -What packaging data you're requiring from vendors and in what format; -Whether e-commerce and fulfillment packaging is explicitly built into your compliance plan; and -How your footprint maps against every state with an active EPR program.

Kimberly-Clark to build$100 million alternative fiber pilot facility in Arizona

Kimberly-Clark will invest more than $100 million in a new pilot facility in Yuma, Arizona, aimed at extracting fibers from hesperaloe, a drought-tolerant plant native to the US Southwest. The 50,000-square-foot facility is already under construction and is expected to begin operations in 2027, according to an August 3 announcement from the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation (GYEDC), the City of Yuma and the Arizona Commerce Authority. The project is expected to create around 50 full-time jobs. The facility will process fibers from hesperaloe, a rapidly renewable, low-water-use plant, for potential use in Kimberly Clark's future hygiene products.

Student Watch Reports 44% Decline in Student Spending on Course Materials over Last Decade

Student Watch’s annual study reports that average student spending on college course materials, including textbooks and digital materials, was just $338 for the 2025-2026 academic year. The figure represents a dramatic decline of 44% as compared to student spending in the category ten years ago. “Since about 2014, the role of digital in the course material space has really grown,” said Lacey Wallace, Research Analyst for the National Association of College Stores, which produces the Student Watch Report. “This year about 40 percent of purchased course materials were digital, compared to about 38 percent last year. Digital course materials can save students money because they’re often cheaper than print alternatives.”

WK Kellogg ahead of schedule for cutting BHT in cereal packaging

WK Kellogg will fully remove artificial colors and the preservative BHT from its cereals and packaging later this year, nearly 12 months ahead of schedule — a move the company hopes will provide much-needed momentum to a category that has struggled during the last decade. Butylated hydroxytoluene is a human-made chemical preservative to prevent oils or fats from turning rancid or otherwise deteriorating the quality of processed foods. It’s often added to packaging, such as plastic or wax linings, instead of to the processed food products, and it has been shown to migrate into food.

Novo Nordisk Awards U.S. Media To Omnicom

Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has awarded its U.S. media assignment to Omnicom following a review, the company has confirmed. The firm spends upwards of $600 million annually on media, according to agency research firm COMvergence. The firm previously worked with WPP on the account. WPP's Wavemaker was awarded U.S. duties in 2020 after a review.

Postage Went Up. Now What?

Another USPS postage increase is here. For direct mail marketers, the immediate concern is not simply that every piece will cost more. It is that plans made months ago may no longer work as expected. Direct mail programs are rarely planned one campaign at a time. Annual budgets, mailing volumes, testing strategies, production schedules, and revenue forecasts are often established well in advance. When postage changes during that planning cycle, the effects can ripple through the entire program. A budget that once supported twelve campaigns may now support only eleven. A carefully designed test may need to be reduced. An acquisition campaign may face a higher cost per response before the first piece enters the mail. That is why the most useful question after a postage increase is not simply, “Should we mail less?” It is: “How do we protect the plan?”

News Corp posts record profitability, 11% jump in Q4 revenue

News Corp, posted its highest profitability on record on Wednesday, driven by growth in its Dow Jones, digital real estate and book publishing divisions. The New York-based media giant said its fourth-quarter revenue grew 11% to $2.34 billion, beating analyst expectations. News Corp saw $230 million from continuing operations, or 33 cents a share — a whopping 167% increase compared to $86 million in the prior year. During the quarter, News Corp’s financial results were powered by a 7% jump in revenue to $644 million at its Dow Jones unit, which publishes The Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch. The firm saw a 19% increase at its real estate division to $553 million and a 15% jump in book publishing revenue to $566 million.

The Digital Fade

Originally published in The Page_ Spring 2026 edition By Paul Bobnak Consumer tolerance for digital messaging is shrinking. According to a February 2025 survey by the Harris Poll for Quad, 81% of Gen Z adults and 78% of millennials often wish they could disconnect from digital devices more easily. The Two Sides Trend Tracker 2025, a comprehensive global survey investigating consumer attitudes toward paper-based products, mirrors these findings. For example, 55% of U.S. consumers said that they “don’t pay attention to most online marketing advertisements”; for Canada, the figure was 60%. The survey also showed that personalization in print is valued similarly by consumers in the U.S. and Canada. 35% of Canadian consumers agreed that they “are more likely to act when marketing materials are personalized to their needs and consumption habits. That figure rose to 41% for U.S. respondents. Digital fatigue and continued affinity for offline channels like mail is one factor causing marketers to shift their spending. In Lob’s State of Direct Mail: Business Insights 2026 Report, 90% of marketing leaders say that the direct mail share of their marketing budgets increased this year.

Sales Up, Profits Down at HarperCollins in Fiscal 2026

Led by a strong fourth quarter in which revenue rose 15%, total sales at HarperCollins increased 6% in the fiscal year ended June 30, to $2.29 billion. Profits, however, fell 3%, to $287 million. HarperCollins parent company News Corp attributed the big fourth quarter to good performances in its General Books group, which benefitted most of the year from Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series, plus higher sales in its children’s publishing division and in the U.K. For the full year, sales in its Christian publishing program also did well.

North American newsprint output falls 33% in H1, with exports down 52%, domestic shipments 10% lower y-o-y

North American newsprint production fell sharply in June and remained down by nearly one-third through the first half of 2026, while domestic shipments showed a more moderate decline and overseas exports continued to contract, according to the latest statistics from the Pulp and Paper Products Council (PPPC). North American mills produced 103,000 tonnes of newsprint in June, down by 29.5% from 146,000 tonnes in June 2025. For the first six months of 2026, production totaled 618,000 tonnes, down by 32.8% from 919,000 tonnes in the same period last year. The operating rate, adjusted for idled capacity, was 90% in June, compared with 85% in June 2025, while the year-to-date operating rate was 77%, compared with 89% a year earlier. As reported by RISI/Fastmarkets.

America — And Tyson — Sing The Beef Blues

Tyson Foods' third-quarter results not only missed Wall Street expectations, but also painted a sad picture: Consumers are trying hard to balance the pressure of rising costs against their love for beef, which has gotten so pricey that ground hamburger is turning into more of a luxury than a basic. Tyson, the country's largest meat producer and owner of brands like Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm and Ball Park, says sales for the quarter were flat at $13.87 billion. But those results, bolstered by healthy gains in chicken and pork, mask a 16% decline in beef unit sales. Because the price of beef has risen so dramatically -- an increase of about 12% compared to the comparable period a year ago -- dollar sales fell less, slipping to $5.4 billion from $5.6 billion in the third quarter of 2025. And the beef segment generated an operating loss of $138 million for the three-month period. The beef industry's problems are complex, and as much an issue of supply as demand. America's cattle herds are now at a 75-year low, due to persistent challenges, including rising feed costs, drought and international competition, all driving more ranchers out of the cattle industry.

Dutch Bros in big expansion move via acquisition — here are the locations

Dutch Bros is accelerating its expansion by acquiring the real estate of a bankrupt fast-casual salad chain. The fast-growing drive-thru coffee chain said it has entered into an agreement to acquire the real estate and related site assets of up to 65 Salad and Go locations across Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas. (See list of locations at end of article.) The purchase price was not revealed. Salad and Go filed for bankruptcy on Aug. 4, and abruptly closed all its locations on the following day. Similar to Dutch Bros, Salad and Go operated a drive-thru model. Its menu featured made-to-order salads, breakfast options and more. Dutch Bros expects to convert the Salad and Go locations its format in 2027. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter. Earlier this year, Dutch Bros acquired the 20-unit Clutch Coffee Bar chain. The coffee chain has set a goal of 2,029 shops in 2029, with a long-term goal of 4,000 shops in the next 10-to-15 years. (As of June 30, it had 1,225 locations.)

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August 6, 2026
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August 6, 2026
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EcoVadis: 80% of Tier 1 Suppliers Have No Process for Managing Sustainability Risks in Their Own Supply Chains

Companies in tier 1 supply chains are making progress on climate goals and human rights inside their own operations. Move one tier deeper into the supply chain and that progress stalls. Four out of five (80%) companies rated by EcoVadis have no documented process for identifying or managing sustainability risks within their own supply chains. Seventy-three percent have no Scope 3 upstream emissions reporting and 77% have no downstream tracking. Only 2% have an external grievance mechanism that workers deeper in the supply chain can actually use to flag human rights violations. There is also a transparency bottleneck, with fewer than 1% reporting granular, decision-grade sustainability data to buyer organizations. These figures come from the 10th edition of the EcoVadis Sustainability Ratings Index, drawn from nearly 200,000 scorecards of the more than 100,000 companies rated globally between 2021 and 2025.

As The Odyssey brings the Mediterranean to big screens, the sea is on an epic journey of its own

For Odysseus, the Mediterranean Sea was a world of dangers, love and destiny. From six-headed monsters to bewitching sirens and unpredictable gods, every island on his journey home brought a new adventure. More than 2,500 years after Homer’s epic was first told, director Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has put this journey on big screens worldwide. But beyond the film’s blockbuster storytelling lies another character that is facing an odyssey of its own: the sea itself. With its shores now home to more than 500 million people – and some 25 coastal metropolitan areas – the Mediterranean’s importance has only grown. Today, it supports massive industries of fishing, tourism, shipping (it’s home to the world’s busiest shipping lanes) and a growing list of others. It’s also an ecological treasure chest. Covering just 1 per cent of the world’s ocean surface, it contains up to 18 per cent of all known marine species – more than a quarter of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

Rocket Targets Record Credit Card Debt, Touts Home Equity

It's no secret that economic pressures are weighing heavily on American consumers, with current credit-card debt topping a record $1.277 trillion by the end of last year. Rocket Mortgage wants to ease some of that debt load, with a new campaign positioning home-equity loans as a solution. Rocket Mortgage's spots highlighting the anxiety consumers already feel about too-high credit card balances -- like tossing and turning in bed, or being afraid to open a credit card statement. And they make it clear that with a second mortgage from Rocket, people can make a clean start. The average credit card interest rate is 21%. By contrast, home equity loans range from 5.76% to 10.75%, according to Bankrate, with an average just over 8%.

GPI lowers guidance, aims for $85M in 2026 cost cuts

Price increases and additional headcount reductions are among the strategies to recoup costs, executives said. Graphic Packaging International executives described during Tuesday’s second-quarter earnings call the momentum for removing costs amid persistent input cost inflation and other economic challenges. Inflation now is expected to add at least $150 million in costs for the year instead of the previously predicted $60 million to $65 million. Despite a consumer environment that “remains challenged and uneven, we delivered results that were in line to modestly above expectations,” said CEO Robbert Rietbroek.

Think Patented Acquires Clark & Riggs Printing

Think Patented, a marketing execution company headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, has acquired Clark & Riggs Printing, Inc., a Louisville-based provider of commercial printing, fulfillment, and marketing services. The acquisition unites two privately held companies built on the same foundation: quality craftsmanship and long-term customer relationships. Both organizations have built their success by serving as trusted, single-source partners for their customers, offering broad capabilities backed by responsive, relationship-driven service. With operations now spanning the Dayton region, Cincinnati, and Louisville, the combined organization expands its overall capabilities, footprint and distribution strength for customers nationwide; a reach sharpened by Louisville's position as home to the UPS Worldport.

The One Town That Wants a Data Center

The YIMBYism of Jay, Maine-Home to the Androscoggin Mill Opposition to data centers may be the singular unifying issue in American politics. Seventy percent of Americans are against data-center construction in their communities. They worry about the environmental dracularity of these facilities, the electrical costs they may impose, and the imperiousness with which tech companies target struggling communities while drastically altering the landscape. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have spoken out against data centers; so have Steve Bannon and the right-wing podcaster Matt Walsh. Jay, Maine (population: 4,620; motto: “Proud of our past and working for our future!”) wants a data center. It had one in the works, and town officials lobbied the governor to preserve it. Mills listened. “We must consider the perspective of the Town of Jay,” she wrote. Fascinating article from The Atlantic on a former mill town and its desire to build a data center.https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/08/jay-maine-wants-data-center/688043/?gift=MVwpCrggHJ34j2jmxOPPkTjBsoxoFd1X3t2zTMEbj8s

A+E Global Media To Become a Wholly Owned Hearst Business

Hearst announced an agreement with subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) where Hearst will acquire Disney’s 50% interest in A+E Global Media for approximately $1.2 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close in September, subject to customary closing conditions. Upon closing A+E Global Media will become a wholly owned Hearst business within its Entertainment group. A+E Global Media, launched as A&E (the Arts & Entertainment Network) in 1984, today reaches more than 414 million households across 200 territories in 40 languages, and its well-known brands include A&E®, Lifetime®, The HISTORY® Channel, LMN®, FYI® and VICE TV®. Hearst is one of the nation’s largest global, diversified information, services and media companies.

Gibson to open ‘Garage’ store in Las Vegas next year

Gibson is bringing its immersive retail concept to Sin City. The iconic guitar brand will open a 9,000-sq.-ft. Gibson Garage in 2027 at the Miracle Mile Shops on the Las Vegas Strip. The location will mark the brand’s fourth Gibson Garage location, and will follow the opening of Gibson Garage Miami, which is slated to debut on Sept. 10. Gibson Garage Las Vegas will showcase the full Gibson family of brands, including Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer and more, in a highly-interactive and high-energy environment that brings together the brand's signature craftsmanship, rare and collectible guitars, live performances, music history, art and more.

How Amazon became one of the world’s top chip companies in a decade

When Amazon acquired chip design company Annapurna Labs in 2015, the AI boom was still years away. The bet was straightforward: if you design chips specifically for cloud workloads rather than relying on general-purpose hardware, you can deliver better performance at lower cost. A decade later, that bet has become one of the fastest-growing businesses in Amazon’s history. Amazon’s chip business—spanning Trainium for AI training and inference and Graviton for general cloud computing (and increasingly, agentic AI)—all based on the Nitro System for security and networking—recently exceeded a $25 billion annual revenue run rate, growing triple-digit percentages year over year. Rather than relying solely on off-the-shelf processors, Amazon designs chips from the ground up for specific workloads. The approach is vertically integrated: hardware and software engineers collaborate from chip design through server deployment, working backwards from the system to create silicon tailored for the workloads customers actually run.

Crocs tops $1B in quarterly revenue for the first time

It was just a 0.4% bump, but the Crocs brand’s return to growth in North America snaps a losing streak of five straight quarters of declines, as measured by Needham analysts led by Tom Nikic. “Crocs enjoyed a strong sandal season, as well as successful clog innovations” like the Echo 2 and Crocband Runner This won’t be the story for the whole year, but growth in North America remains a priority at both brands, CEO Andrew Rees told analysts. “The second quarter continued to build on our strong start to the year as consumers responded positively to product newness and marketing activations across channels and geographies,” Rees said.

The Rise of Slow Commerce: Why Print Is Winning in a World Tired of Speed

Retail has spent years accelerating with faster shipping, faster browsing, faster checkouts, faster everything. But today, consumers are signaling something different. They’re tired. Tired of rushing. Tired of impulse buying. Tired of digital noise. Tired of the pressure to make decisions instantly. A new movement is emerging in response: slow commerce. Slow commerce isn’t about being sluggish. It’s about being intentional. It’s about thoughtful shopping, meaningful storytelling, and purchases that feel grounded rather than reactive. And it’s a shift that plays directly to the strengths of catalogs. Why Slow Commerce Is Gaining Momentum Consumers are pushing back against the “buy now” culture for several reasons including overstimulation, quality concerns, and emotional fatigue. Shoppers are craving experiences that feel human, tactile, and trustworthy. They want to slow down, consider their options, and choose products that align with their values. Consumers are pushing back against the “buy now” culture for several reasons including overstimulation, quality concerns, and emotional fatigue. Shoppers are craving experiences that feel human, tactile, and trustworthy. They want to slow down, consider their options, and choose products that align with their values. This is exactly where catalogs excel. Click on the article link to discover more on this fascinating subject.

International Paper Completes $250M Riverdale Conversion

The company confirmed the milestone in its second-quarter results. It had originally targeted completion during the third quarter of 2026. International Paper has not disclosed the converted machine’s expected production capacity or confirmed when full commercial output will begin. Before the conversion, the No. 16 machine supplied Sylvamo with approximately 260,000 short tons of cutsize uncoated freesheet annually. The supply arrangement was wound down in May 2026 as International Paper prepared the machine for its new role.

You don’t have to be there: World cup shows why merchandise is becoming the new ticket

The biggest FIFA World Cup 2026 audience wasn’t in the stadium; those fans were everywhere else. That shift is reshaping how brands think about fan engagement. According to Nielsen’s 2026 World Cup research, only one in four self-identified fans had planned to attend a match in person. That’s both a practical necessity and a choice, reflecting a broader cultural shift: for most fans, being part of the World Cup didn’t require a seat in the stadium. For brands, that gap between attention and access is creating new opportunities. “Merchandise is no longer just a promotional tool,” said Liz Grabek, Senior Vice President of Consumer Strategy at Betty, a Quad agency. “It’s a tangible way for brands to participate in a cultural moment while helping fans express their identity and giving them a greater sense of belonging.” The numbers reinforce the trend. The global football jersey market is expected to reach $8.7 billion in 2026, growing at a 7.2% annual rate, with World Cup years driving the biggest demand spikes. It’s evidence that merchandise isn’t simply a keepsake; it is increasingly how fans express their identity and connection to the moments that matter most.

99.9% of Fedrigoni Special Fine portfolio certified as recyclable

An early milestone toward Fedrigoni Special Papers’ ESG 2030 goal of 100% recyclability. Over the past year, Fedrigoni Special Papers carried out a comprehensive assessment of the recyclability of its entire specialty papers portfolio using the Aticelca method. The company adopted this independent, third-party certification scheme to provide a robust and transparent evaluation. This initiative is part of Rethink Eco Design and Circular Approach, the second pillar of Fedrigoni Special Papers’ ESG strategy, which focuses on transforming industrial practices through innovation in eco design and circular economy principles. The assessment resulted in a certified recyclability rate of 99.9% across the tested portfolio as of 2026.

Walmart brings drone delivery to Florida

Walmart is following through with plans to deliver online orders via drone in a major Florida metro market. The discount giant is now offering its drone delivery service in Orlando via a partnership it launched with Wing, an on-demand drone delivery provider powered by Google parent company Alphabet, for drone delivery in the Dallas-Fort Worth market in August 2023. Walmart is now delivering to more than 50,000 homes, businesses, and apartment buildings surrounding Supercenter locations in Apopka and Clermont, Fla. The retailer plans to expand the drone delivery program throughout Central Florida, including three Supercenter locations in Ocoee, Clermont and Haines City in the coming weeks.

You Don’t Have an AI Problem. You Have a Job Description Problem.

AI's real gift to print and packaging is not a tool. It is the chance to move your technology leaders from firefighting to strategy. I spent years as the CIO of a print company. I know exactly how that job goes, because I lived the version nobody puts in the org chart. You do not spend your days setting strategy. You spend them keeping the lights on. Password resets. A down press that needs its integration babied back to life. An EDI feed that broke overnight and a customer who needs their file by 10. The strategic project, the one that would actually move the business, gets pushed to next quarter. Every quarter. For years. That is not a personal failure. It is the structural reality of IT in print and packaging. Most shops spend the overwhelming majority of their technology budget and their people just running the business, keeping legacy systems alive and answering the same requests over and over. Whatever is left for building, for growth, for anything new, is a rounding error. We have accepted this for so long that we stopped calling it a problem. We just called it IT. In print, our foundation is rarely clean. The estimating logic lives in a spreadsheet that has grown legs over 15 years. The job history sits in an MIS nobody has fully trusted since the last upgrade. The pricing rules live in one person's head. That is not a reason to wait on AI. It is the first work AI readiness actually requires. Before you accelerate, get the foundation right. Every dollar you spend fixing it comes back the first time a model runs against data it can finally trust.

The Anatomy of an Irresistible Offer

You've invested in great design. The copy is polished. The mailing list is solid. Everything is printed beautifully and dropped at the post office on schedule. Then the responses trickle in. What happened? More often than not, it isn't the list, the design, or even the timing. It's the offer. An irresistible offer gives people a compelling reason to stop, pay attention, and take action. Without one, even the most creative direct mail campaign can fall flat. After all, recipients are asking one simple question every time they open their mailbox: "What's in it for me?" If your offer answers that question clearly and convincingly, you're already ahead of most marketers. Read the full article to get the complete story.

Nowhere is the power of brand more obvious than in the water category

Jimmy Kimmel Live's team proved it again last week, pouring cups of Erewhon's new $12 "sacred water" in LA. People swirled it, noting notes of nutmeg, a clean mineral finish, a little tingle of energy... one guy asked if water this good was even legal. It was hose water. From the parking lot behind the studio. And now the internet is going wild in the comments section. I've seen a lot of blind taste tests in my years working with CPG brands, and the results (still) always surprise me. The product is identical across every player in this category. The gap between a $12 cup and the hose is marketing. Nobody in that clip was lying; the water genuinely tasted better to them because the cup told them it would. That's the power of marketing (and placebo). Stay hydrated, brand builders💧

Smurfit Westrock nearly sold out of most grades in ‘tight’ paper market

Smurfit Westrock executives said during Wednesday’s earnings call that they’re overall pleased with second-quarter performance and anticipate a stronger second half of the year. North American corrugated volumes were down 4.5% year over year, which was “in line with our expectations as we continue to execute on our value-over-volume strategy,” said CFO Ken Bowles. Company executives and analysts all noted that the containerboard market is strengthening and has tightened significantly in roughly a six-week period this summer. “People did not expect for the market to change so rapidly,” said CEO Tony Smurfit. “Nobody would have been pre-buying.” Barring Smurfit Westrock’s limited sales of coated recycled paperboard, the company is essentially sold out for all paper grades and is in “catch-up mode” for the remainder of the year, he said. “Global paper markets today are as strong as I have seen in my lifetime within this industry,” Smurfit said, adding that conditions for nearly all grades are “as tight as I can remember.”

Shutterfly Invests in Four New Scodix Ultra 2500 SHD Presses

Scodix, the global leader in digital print embellishment, today announced that Shutterfly, one of the world's leading web-to-print providers of personalized products and custom gifts, has made a significant investment in four new Scodix Ultra 2500 SHD presses, expected to be accompanied by a five-year agreement for Scodix consumables and service. The new presses will be installed over the coming months to support Shutterfly's 2026 peak production season. The investment builds on a successful partnership that began in 2018, when Shutterfly first adopted Scodix technology to introduce premium digital embellishment into its personalized product offering. Today, digital embellishment has become an established part of Shutterfly's business and growth strategy, enabling the company to offer premium, value-added products at the speed and scale required for one of the world's largest web-to-print operations.

UPS shift away from Amazon shows bigger payoff

United Parcel Service parcel volumes fell during the second quarter as it completed the phase out of low-margin Amazon business, but revenue per piece and profits increased behind a focus on premium shipments, efficiency gains, and strong pricing amid ongoing economic volatility. UPS has worked with Amazon over 18 months to eliminate unprofitable shipments from its network, which accounted for half the volume tendered by the retail marketplace — its largest customer. In total, UPS eliminated 2 million pieces per day of Amazon volume and $4.5 billion in related expenses. The drawdown, along with slower overall parcel demand, led UPS to initiate a network reconfiguration aimed at aligning capacity with market demand. The initiative involved closing 150 parcel sort facilities, eliminating 30,000 positions and 50 million labor hours, and adding technology to improve the throughput of existing distribution stations.

Zavida Coffee Roasters Bets On Digitally Printed Corrugated

On the shelf at Costco, you may see a coffee box with a green tree frog printed on it, perched on a leaf so finely rendered it looks like it could be behind glass. It may seem like an odd amount of visual ambition for a corrugated shipper, but for Zavida Coffee Roasters, that's the point. The Concord, Ontario-based brand chose that image deliberately not only to tell its story of its sustainable product but also to make a technical point about the packaging: that a plain corrugated shipper box, printed directly and without lamination, could hold color and detail as well as anything wrapped in glossy film. That box also represents another bold move for the coffee roaster: its first entry into Keurig-compatible pods at Costco, a 76-count format built from the ground up. It's not a redesign or a new label on an old structure but an entirely new package, in format, size, and graphics, developed for a single limited-time run."This was an 'in-and-out' program, so timing was critical to capitalize on the opportunity," says Adi Montas, marketing commercialization manager at Zavida Coffee Roasters. "We needed a solution that allowed us to move quickly without compromising quality, visual impact, and brand equity."

Adidas apparel outshines footwear during World Cup quarter

Adidas’ World Cup efforts were a bright spot for the retailer in Q2, according to CEO Bjørn Gulden “Being the CEO of Adidas is a privilege,” Gulden said in a statement. “Being the CEO of Adidas during a World Cup is even better. This World Cup was like a fairy tale for me! I am so proud of what our teams around the world achieved. I do not think we could have scripted it better.” On a call with analysts Thursday, the chief executive noted that consumers tend to buy more apparel products surrounding stadium events such as the World Cup versus footwear. The company expects footwear to remain flattish in Q3, with growth returning in the fourth quarter.

Rethinking Packaging: From Cost Center to Marketing Gold

For packaging professionals, the pressure has never been higher: reduce costs, meet compliance, and now, prove impact beyond the shelf. At the same time, brands are trying to buy attention in an increasingly expensive and inefficient media landscape. But the brands actually breaking through aren’t outspending the market. They’re outthinking it. They’re reimagining packaging not as a cost to manage, but as a marketing platform built to earn attention. Most brands are competing for attention in the same places, using the same playbook. When done right, packaging can function as a high-performing marketing platform, driving awareness, engagement, and purchase without relying solely on continuous media spend. Mini Moments give brands a faster, lower-risk way to generate conversation, test bold ideas, and create impact people actually remember.

Kruger statement on coated groundwood tariff

After review of our coated groundwood products, and consultation with industry trade experts, we now believe that our 50#, 55# and 60# CGW grades, all brightness levels, would be subject to this recent tariff threat on Canadian goods, should it be imposed. As part of the plan to mitigate the impact on our customers, for future production we plan on offering a temporary 48.5# basis weight in all levels of brightness, similar to the 50# equivalent grades (specifications forthcoming). The 48.5# temporary basis weight would not be subject to the tariff and is 3% lighter than 50#. Many customers have already moved to our 45#, which is also not part of this tariff.

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Costco partners to take DC off the grid with independent, on-site energy system

Costco Wholesale Corp. is pioneering energy energy independence at its distribution center in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The warehouse club giant, in partnership with Trinity Energy, has taken the center off the grid with the launch of an independent, on-site energy system. The solution, which combines solar power, battery storage and electric fleet charging into one integrated platform, is capable of generating enough power to ensure 24/7 energy reliability for all mission critical energy loads, including data centers and other technology that cannot tolerate outages. The newly commissioned independent energy infrastructure is designed to establish a new model for how large facilities such as large hyper-scale data center operators and major logistics/warehouse operators can take greater control over their energy. Businesses can operate with reliable, self-directed power while still supporting the broader energy system. The fully integrated solar and battery platform was installed significantly faster than installing a traditional energy backup system from local power providers, enabling Costco to accelerate its operational readiness, bypass lengthy grid interconnection queues and permitting delays, and benefit from substantial cost savings, according to Trinity.

More producers announce price hikes for containerboard, boxboard

Smurfit Westrock and International Paper announced containerboard price increases days after PCA’s, which is being called unprecedented. And boxboard producers announced increases for SBS and FBB. Smurfit Westrock and International Paper both announced price increases for containerboard to take effect Sept. 1, according to Tuesday memos to investors from Michael Roxland, Truist Securities senior paper and packaging analyst, citing containerboard industry contacts and Fastmarkets RISI. IP’s hike is for $80 per ton. SW’s is for $100 per ton, as is its increase for kraft paper prices. The latter company reportedly cited reasons such as sustained demand, tight supply across its mill network and ongoing cost pressures. Smurfit Westrock told customers on July 7 that it would raise prices by 4% to 6% on SBS folding carton, commercial print and foodservice grades as of Aug. 10. Sappi’s July 20 announcement was similar, noting a 4% to 6% increase on all boxboard grades as of Aug. 20. Manchester Industries, a converter owned by Clearwater Paper, announced a 5% increase on SBS and FBB products, effective Aug. 24. And Finnish company Metsä Board announced a 4% to 6% increase on fresh-fiber FBB and barrier products in the Americas, effective Sept. 1, Roxland relayed.

Aptar Named One of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies by TIME for Third Consecutive Year

Aptar announced that it has been named one of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2026 by TIME for the third consecutive year. Aptar is ranked 261 out of 750 global companies evaluated by TIME and its partner Statista. The World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2026 ranking recognizes leading companies in corporate social responsibility from around the globe. Over 5,000 leading companies were assessed, considering factors like data transparency, environmental & social stewardship, and adherence to the UN Global Compact or alignment with the Science Based Targets Initiative. Each company was awarded a score out of 100, with the top 750 companies earning a place on the World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2026 list.

2026 Printing Impressions 300 Ranking: Something for Everyone

Pulling together the list of the 300 largest printing companies in the U.S. and Canada, as ranked by annual sales, isn’t easy. It’s a team effort that takes months of coordination, follow-up, analysis, and dedication. Over the years it’s become even more challenging due to the impact of consolidation and various headwinds affecting annual sales for many companies. This year feels different though. The Printing Impressions 300 is more than a ranking — it’s an annual snapshot of an industry that continues to adapt, invest, and evolve. We’re proud to bring it to you each year, and we hope the insights it provides help you better understand not only where the industry stands today, but where it’s headed next. Last year, the 300th company reported total sales of $3.7 million. This year, that number increased to $5.3 million. Request the list from Printing Impressions here: 2026 Printing Impressions 300 Free Research Report

The Color Of Commerce, Literally

Consumer brands like Tiffany (blue), UPS (brown) and T-Mobile (magenta) have long had their own trademarked colors identifying their brands, but in an ad-tech industry first, ecommerce platform ROKT has one too. In fact, it is now an official color in color-matching platform Pantone’s matching system: Beetroot by ROKT. Developed in partnership with the Pantone Color Institute, recognized as a global authority on color, Beetroot by ROKT standardizes the bold fuchsia that has been part of ROKT's identity since the company's founding in Sydney in 2012. The certification establishes a proprietary color standard that will serve as a consistent visual signature across the company's physical, digital, and experiential presence worldwide. "Color has the power to create immediate recognition and establish a lasting connection with audiences," Pantone Vice President Laurie Pressman says in a statement announcing the new ROKT "owned" color.

Graphic Packaging Enters Uncoated Recycled Paperboard Market with Launch of PaceSetter Ridgeline™

Graphic Packaging Holding Company , a global leader in sustainable consumer packaging, announced the launch of PaceSetter RidgelineTM, marking the company's entry into the uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) market. The URB offering — a high-performing solution for folding cartons, laminations, edge protectors, tubes and cores, and other specialty purposes — positions Graphic Packaging to serve a broader spectrum of paperboard and consumer packaging customers. Made from 100% recycled fiber, with at least 45% post-consumer recycled content, PaceSetter Ridgeline is available in 14- to 30-point calipers and produced at Graphic Packaging's state-of-the-art Waco, Texas, paperboard mill. The Waco facility enables seamless transitions between coated and uncoated recycled paperboard, giving the company flexibility to respond quickly to shifts in customer demand. Its advanced technology also supports sheet squareness, color consistency, quality assurance and converting performance across high-volume applications.

PCA’s $140/ton containerboard price increase considered unprecedented

Packaging Corporation of America’s announced increase is double the typical amount, shocking industry observers. The reported action sent PCA’s — and competitors’ — stocks soaring on Friday. Packaging Corporation of America announced a $140 per ton containerboard price increase set to take effect Sept. 1, according to a Friday memo to investors from Michael Roxland, senior paper and packaging analyst at Truist Securities, citing industry contacts. This amount is double what producers typically announce for increases, with numerous industry participants and observers calling it unprecedented and shocking. This is PCA’s third announced containerboard increase in 2026 so far, and other top producers have previously announced similar increases at the same times. All of the companies’ previous hikes this year had been for $50 to $70 per ton.

Sandy Alexander Acquired by the Marth Group

After months of industry speculation, Sandy Alexander, one of the most recognized and respected names in commercial print and integrated marketing services, announced it has been acquired by the Marth Group, the parent company of ENPOINTE (Minneapolis, MN) and Digital Lizard (NJ and Idaho). The acquisition marks the beginning of a bold new chapter — one built on the foundation of Sandy Alexander's iconic 60+ year legacy, amplified by the combined capabilities, talent, and geographic reach of the Marth Group family of companies. Under the terms of the acquisition, the Sandy Alexander brand will continue, with Mark & Barbara Marth assuming the roles of Co-CEOs of Sandy Alexander in addition to their responsibilities as owners of the Marth Group, owners of ENPOINTE in Minneapolis, and Digital Lizard in New Jersey and Idaho. ENPOINTE and Digital Lizard, along with Sandy Alexander, will create a unified platform across the Midwest, East Coast, and West Coast. Together, the combined organization will operate facilities in Clifton, NJ; Brooklyn Park, MN; Post Falls, ID; Westwood, NJ; Orlando, FL; and Burbank, CA — delivering a true national footprint of print and marketing services that few can match.

Hope for quick plastic market normalization fades as Iran conflict escalates

Fighting in July squashed the promise of a June ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, along with packaging converters’ hopes for relief from plastic material price spikes. In June, hope abounded that a preliminary U.S. ceasefire with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz reopening would renormalize plastics markets following war-related supply chain disruptions and price spikes. But in July, the conflict again escalated, causing disturbances and uncertainty, and pushed some converters further toward swapping out virgin materials for recycled resins. Experts believe one thing is clear for both virgin and recycled markets: Impacts will now last into 2027 regardless of when the conflict potentially ends.