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We can now put a date on the beginning of the final gasps of the use of paper for communications purposes. It was the last week of February/first week of March 2010.
Here are the events I noticed in this time frame:
White Birch filed for bankruptcy. We now have the number 1 and number 2 producers of newsprint in North America in bankruptcy. This includes the most efficient, productive and best logistically located (for its prime markets) newsprint mill in the world: the one in Dublin, Georgia, USA.
The US Postal Service seriously put forward the idea of eliminating Saturday delivery after a 26% drop in mail volume in 2009. There was a time, in major cities, where mail was delivered twice per day.
At the same time, The Economist magazine's February 27th issue noted that Google now processes 1 Petabyte of data per hour. In 5 hours, Google processes as much data as all the mail delivered by the aforementioned US Postal Service in one year, according to the same article.
Rick Perry, the current Governor of Texas won what was, six months ago, considered a tight re-nomination primary against Kay Bailey Hutchinson on Tuesday March 2nd. Mr. Perry did not use any mailings or yard signs--it was the first major all electronic campaign and the savings in paper and postage were duly noted by many political pundits.
Amazon is now directly advertising the Kindle electronic reader as a device for saving trees (click here).
So we move on. But what do we do? Of course we concentrate on packaging, tissue and cellulose-based chemicals. Those who want a future in using paper for communications purposes (other than the printing on packaging) are going to necessarily need to be very clever in order to thrive.
It can be noted that the communications paper demise is related to information that travels long distances quickly and is quickly obsolete. There are some communications grades, such as copier and personal printer paper, which do not travel long distances and yet are disposable--these will survive for a long time in some form. So will printed books, guides and other such items, although they will certainly experience a long term decline.
In the past, some of you have wanted to rant, rave, and/or be sorrowful over the decline in the printed word printed on paper. You can, of course, choose to behave this way. However, it doesn't change the facts and it does not move our industry forward. I would suggest a better and more positive approach is to support our pulp and paper schools and research centers around the world. Bright young people, unencumbered by personal memories, can think of more ways to use paper, perhaps some of them even involving the printed word, easier than any of us with craniums full of past experiences. Our hope is in the future and in encouraging bright young people to join our industry.
In the meantime, of course, we must be safe. No matter your role, no matter your place, make safety your first priority.
Be safe and we will talk next week.
Second Page...
[Adv.] Process Laboratories
We wanted to mention our friends at Process Laboratories again today. According to their website, "Process Laboratories Corporation provides specialty technical services to pyroprocessing industries. Our considerable experience with rotary kilns world-wide enables us to effectively combine current research and modern instrumentation with the necessary expertise to optimize your rotary equipment's performance." Mike Ryan, President, is a real professional. And everytime I talk to Mike, he is at a client's site somewhere in the world--obviously his services are in high demand.
Please check them out today. And, let Mike know you heard about his company on Nip Impressions.
Thanks,
Jim
Riddles by Travis:
Yao Ming and several other basketball players are longer than what record-holding feature of Caithness, Scotland?
Note: Emails are organized in the order received, with first received at the top.
***
Dear Jim,
My name is {withheld} and I work for {withheld} in Brazil.
I have been reading your texts and advices for the past 2 months and would like to express that most of the subjects you deal with in your weekly written texts are entirely applicable to the South American Market, specially in Brazil.
Same problems, same subjects, same conclusions.
Especially this last text about putting together all bosses and name them as bad apples.
My career is still in the beginning, since I graduated on chemical engineering only {withheld}.
But my position in the company as a {withheld} gives me the opportunity to see the company in a different way compared to most of employees at my age.
Your text are certainly helpful and every now and then I spread your words here among colleagues and friends.
Please keep up the good texts!
Best regards,
{withheld}
---
Dear {withheld}
The reason I {withheld} many things in your letter was I was concerned if your name and employer were identified, my next assignment would be to rewrite your resume after you were terminated! Thank you much for your honest appraisal, and I would urge you to stay true to your convictions, even if it does cause you to change employers in the future. Give my regards to your mother and father, who obviously did a great job of teaching you as a child and young adult.
Jim
***
Jim:
Oh, my!
I think I spent my entire career educating bosses, up to and including my board when I became CEO. I'm sure my subordinates did the same to me. The toughest sell was my dad, Stanton. He was the ultimate conservative (I sometimes use "conservator"). Loved sulfite when we were dying for the lack of kraft's strength.
Personally, I always believed in "managing by walking around." We always had good union relations; even our strikes were "friendly."
But there are rumors about me to this day. Can't be helped, just go with the flow.
George Mead Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
---
George:
The context here was the bad apples; they can't be trained.
Jim
###
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A convenient shortcut:
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And call me today to talk about your marketing and advertising program for 2010. (See our Media Kit at "More" below). We reach the pulp and paper industry worldwide every week--no exceptions.
Regards,
Jim Craven Associate Publisher, Nip Impressions, PaperMoney and Capital Arguments
As I travel, I am always looking for someone to go to dinner with, share a barbeque sandwich lunch and so forth. If you are in the area of any of these events (or along the way, since I often drive), give me a call on my cell phone (404.822.3412). I would be delighted to visit with you.
Also, I accept a limited number of trips per year to mills for reimbursement of travel expenses only (I am a cheap date). I like to visit mills and talk, and I'll be happy to hang around a day or two and talk to your professionals, shift teams and so forth, in a formal setting or just out in operations. Contact me for arranging such a visit.
One caveat: clients may require my presence at a time or place that conflicts with these. Clients get priority for every date but my wife's birthday or our anniversary.
13 - 22 Mar 10: Brussels and Paris
30 Mar 10: Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
1 May 10: Light Green Machine Workshop, Atlanta, Georgia
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you, the readers, for you are the source of our success at Paperitalo Publications. You avidly read Nip Impressions, PaperMoney and Capital Arguments. You pass them on to others. You save them in your own electronic files for future reference. We are deeply grateful for your enthusiastic support.
There are a few suggested actions we would like to offer you to assure our continued success in the future.
First, be vocal with your suppliers--tell them what you read! Suggest to them that if they have an advertising budget, they just might want to spend a tiny bit of it in the family of publications that you actually read--Paperitalo Publications. If you are really enthusiastic, email our associate publisher, Jim Craven (jcraven1@charter.net) and he will be happy to provide you with the email for the advertising manager at the supplier(s) of your choice so you can email the decision maker directly to let them know how you feel. You, the reader, have more influence on current and prospective advertisers than anyone else.
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We are going to take a break on new questions for a couple of weeks while our quiz wizards think up some new questions that will inspire you to vote.
(note: all respondents are confidential; the software is programmed in such a way that neither we nor anyone else can determine who responded)
Last week we asked: How confident are you in your corporate management?
28.6% said "Very Confident"
19% said "Somewhat Confident"
14% said "Neutral"
9.5% said "Somewhat Unsure"
28.6% said "Very Unsure"
Comments included:
May have a vision, but whatever it is, it is not communicated in a way that helps the mill allocate capital in the best manner possible. The usual low cost, best customer service is there, but business unit leaders seem to change often enough to assure that long term commitments won't be needed.
Very confident. But, I'm in equipment insurance business - all equipment, not just pulp & paper. Although, nearly everything I do is pulp & paper - at this time.
Want to be heard on other subjects? Be sure to watch for "Paperitalo Second Tuesday Surveys."
Travis Hale
The Muppets help you get in the St. Patrick's Day spirit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCbuRA_D3KU
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For your reading pleasure...
What Clients Love by Harry Beckwith
Beckwith has written several sales and marketing books that are superb; not your usual sales blather.
Available at amazon.com
How Capitalism Will Save Us: Why Free People and Free Markets Are the Best Answer in Today's Economy by Steve Forbes and Elizabeth Ames
Available everywhere.
Team of Rivals, the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
It may seem strange to have a "popular" book here, but this is one of the best books on management (by example) I have ever read. It is also a very well researched book, assembled in a remarkable manner. It is five stars for sure.
Available everywhere.
Chemical Additives for the Pulp and Paper Industry by Professor Stephan Kleeman, Ph.D. et al.
If you have a new work you would like rated and featured, please email jthompson@taii.com for information.
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In order to have your picture added, please follow the instructions on this form. We can not accept any photos without the form being complete and submitted. Please use either jpg or gif formats.
Green, Chuck (view from Chuck's winter office, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA, 12 Jan 10)
Thompson, Jim (taken in my office, Duluth, Georgia, USA, 6 Jan 10).
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The characters from the novel "The Osage Mill" are fictional and copyright, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Talo Analytic International, Inc., all rights reserved.
NOTICE
Paperitalo Publications has recently experienced a situation where emails and articles purportedly published by Paperitalo Publications have been circulated to various persons by others not associated with our staff. If you are in receipt of any email or article carrying one of our logos but which you believe may be fraudulent, please email jthompson@taii.com for verification.
Be safe, and we will talk next week,
Jim Thompson
Paperitalo Publications Publications people read (TM)
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