PPWC and Unifor head to the bargaining table together

Unifor and Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC) have decided to work together in the next round of pulp and paper bargaining in Western Canada.

Both companys — considered to be two of the country’s largest unions in the pulp and paper sector, met in Vancouver last week to re-establish the Joint Pulp and Paper Caucus for upcoming negotiations in 2017.

"Working together will help us better resolve issues in an industry that has significant challenges," Scott Doherty, assistant to the national president at Unifor said. >> continued

Printing shipments remain flat

Despite the positive numbers showing healthy growth, printing shipments are, in reality, closer to flat. Two factors account for the positive math: there was a small increase in the fall, but the larger reason for the positive showing in 2014, is that Statistics Canada resumed tracking shipments in Alberta, which were excluded in 2013. B.C., which had also fallen off the radar, is back for 2015.

Shipments (in millions)	2014	2013	% change
October	$735.1	$648.0	%13
November	$670.2	$607.1	%10
December	$638.2	$552.0	%16
January	$641.7	$591.3	%8.5

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Avanti appoints new vp of sales

Avanti Computer Systems Limited, a print management software provider, has appointed John P. Alden as vice president of sales, responsible for leading sales and business development efforts worldwide.

Alden comes to Avanti after 17 years at Xerox Corporation, where he spent the last four of those years as production color sales director. >> continued

B.C. company develops an environmentally friendly paper

Social Print Paper, an affiliate of Royal Printers, a family-owned commercial printing business, is making news with its environmentally friendly paper made from waste derived from wheat farming. The Wheat Sheet is made in Northern India, and contains 60% wheat straw fibres and 5% wood fibre from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship. Canopy, a Canadian non-profit is even stating that straw from North American wheat production is enough to save 830 million trees each year. Read more on Business In Vancouver.com. >> continued

New for Xerox: The Versant 80 and the Color 800i/1000i

Xerox has released its latest digital colour devices, the Versant 80 Press and the Color 800i/1000i Press.

Versant 80
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Transcontinental sees revenue increase in first quarter

Transcontinental’s revenue increased by 1.1% in its first quarter to $504.6 million from $499.3 million.  The increase is attributed to the acquisition of Capri Packaging and the Quebec newspapers from Sun Media Corporation. Transcontinental also signed a new printing and distribution agreement in 2014 that contributed to the revenues increase.

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The WLU Press finds a new home with Laurier library

The Wilfrid Laurier Press (WLU) will not have to phase out its services, as previously recommended. The Press will be integrated into the administrative structure of the Wilfrid Laurier University Library.

The director of the WLU Press will now report to the university librarian. The Press will become a part of the new vision for a Library Cultural and Learning Commons, and will aim to become a financially sustainable press without subsidy from the university. MIT, Stanford, Purdue and the University of Michigan are some of the schools that have also undergone a library-press integration. >> continued

manroland's Evolution wins Red Dot Award

manroland’s ROLAND 700 Evolution press is the winner of a 2015 Red Dot Award for product design.  Launched at the end of 2014, the 700 features an ergonomic operating user interface with touch-screen controls, Direct Drive technology, and feeder, delivery and dampening units specially designed for high-speed production. 

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Canada’s first elan 500 is installed

Delphax Technologies Canada Limited, a global provider of high-speed digital printing equipment, is installing an elan 500 cut sheet MICR inkjet press, for Public Works and Government Services Canada in Quebec City.

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Joint venture brings Chinese CTP equipment to North America

Chinese manufacturer CRON and ECRM have formed a joint venture to sell CRON’s CTP product line in North America and Mexico. The new company, CRON-ECRM cut the ribbon on its North American headquarters and showroom in Tewskbury, Mass., earlier this week with CRON founder and board chairman Mike Xiang, ECRM executives, and local and state dignitaries in attendance.
“While others look to digital, CRON will focus on CTP. There are hundreds of thousands of offset presses in the world that will keep working for a long time to come and they will need CTP,” said Xiang. Mike Xiang founded CRON 20 years ago >> continued