Displaying items by tag: global

Over the past two years, forest stakeholders have collaborated to revise part of PEFC's Sustainability Benchmarks, with the enquiry draft becoming available for public consultation shortly.

As the new standards will impact the management of the majority of the world's certified forests, PEFC has organized a number of seminars and workshops during the revision process to gather stakeholder input, culminating in a Stakeholder Dialogue on 26 May 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland, to provide opportunities to gather additional feedback, input and suggestions from all interested parties.

Venue
Maison des Associations
Rue des Savoises 15
1205 Geneva - Switzerland

Date
Wednesday, 26 May
2010
9:00 – 17:000 hrs, followed by a cocktail.

Click here to register

Background
PEFC as the world's largest forest certification system and the system of choice for small and family forest owners has a special responsibility in the promotion of the sustainable management of forests globally and locally.

The opportunities that forest certification provides in improving and verifying sustainable forest management are enormous, though the barriers to a further expansion are increasing. With many of the forests in countries with well-designed and –enforced forest laws, long traditions of forest management, and good governance certified to one of the two global forest certification systems, there is a real need to revisit forest certification requirements in detail and ensure their applicability in countries with less favorable structures, especially in the tropics, in Asia, South America and Africa.

At the same time, forest certification must demonstrate continuous improvement in countries where it enjoys broad support to increase its effectiveness in contributing societal challenges such as climate change.

Ultimately, mainstreaming forest certification is required to safeguard forests as the world's most valuable terrestrial ecosystem, with global and local stakeholders joining forces to further develop certification systems such as PEFC to fully utilize the potential it offers.

Objective
PEFC, an international non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management, works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards.

As a learning organization, PEFC understands that sustainable forest management is an evolving process, and the parameters defining it change over time based on the latest scientific knowledge and society's understanding of the concept.

Over the past two years, the organization has been revising its forest management standard, its requirements for developing national certification standards, and requirements for group certification, a tool that is of specific importance for family- and community forests owners. PEFC's benchmark applies globally, though it promotes local adaptation.

The specific objective of the Stakeholder Dialogue therefore is to discuss the relevance and appropriateness of the suggested revised internationally applicable criteria at global, regional and national levels.

Have your say: Discuss and provide feedback on the revised criteria from a global – and local – perspective. Share your knowledge and engage with stakeholders from the region on issues relevant to sustainable forest management.

Who Should Participate?
All stakeholders working to improve the forest management at global, regional and national levels. Participants will include representatives from:

* Non-governmental and community-based organizations
* Forest managers and owners
* Forest-based industries
* Governmental and intergovernmental entities
* Certification initiatives
* Members of the Standards Revision working group and  EFC Members

Content
The Stakeholder Dialogue will feature plenary sessions with presenters providing in-depth information about

* PEFC revision process
* Draft requirements for standard setting
* Draft requirements for group certification
* Draft requirements for sustainable forest management

and roundtables on topics centered around the following issues:

* Standard setting
* Group forest certification
* Sustainable forest management boreal, temperate forests and plantations
* Sustainable forest management – natural tropical forests

Published in Financial News

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) has completed the restructuring announced in November 2009 and identified further potential for improving efficiency. From April 1, 2010, the Group will be split into the Heidelberg Equipment, Heidelberg Services, and Heidelberg Financial Services divisions. "We are starting the new financial year with a leaner and more efficient organization. This will enable us to also provide our customers all over the world with a faster and more focused service," said CEO Bernhard Schreier. 
The company is also responding to the changing structures in the global print media industry by expanding the Heidelberg Services division in the future, which is relatively independent from economic cycles. The objective is to provide services that will help Heidelberg customers enjoy greater business success on a sustainable basis.

"The new structure has paved the way for Heidelberg to be even more powerful in the strategic core businesses of equipment and services," continued Schreier.

New corporate structure geared towards strategic core businesses and expected market volumes
The aims of the Heidelberg Equipment division are to build on the company's market-leading position in the commercial printing segment, and to achieve growth in packaging printing and the associated postpress operations. The new Heidelberg Services division also strengthens the company's claim to be the preferred service partner for print shops in the print media industry.

The company's restructuring has involved optimizing processes and streamlining the entire organization. This will result in the planned shedding of up to 450 jobs worldwide in administrative and sales.

The slight upward trend in the print media industry has continued over recent months, but no major upturn is as yet apparent. Heidelberg plans to adjust the production workforce so as to gear capacities to the continuing economic uncertainty in 2010. This will result in the loss of up to 400 jobs - primarily at the Wiesloch/Walldorf site.

From financial year 2011/2012, the lowering of structural and personnel costs will result in annual savings of approximately EUR 80 million. The plan is to achieve EUR 60 million of these savings already in financial year 2010/2011. Some EUR 30 million of the costs resulting from these job cuts will be additionally booked in financial year 2009/2010, with a further EUR 20 million to be booked in the next financial year.

"The order situation in the print media industry has stabilized over recent months. The higher demand is still coming mainly from emerging markets such as China and Brazil. There is no prospect of a significant increase in the industry's investment volume in 2010. We are adapting our company's capacities and structure accordingly. As a result, the level of sales at which we achieve an operational break-even result has been lowered once again, to less than EUR 2.5 billion. The objective of this measure is to achieve a break-even operating result for the next financial year assuming stable economic development and furthermore an economic value added (EVA) in all areas of business in the medium term," said Schreier. The company will provide at the earliest an outlook for the new financial year at the Annual Press Conference.

The company intends to negotiate the additional personnel adjustments with employee representatives and the union straight away.

Business at Heidelberg in the fourth quarter of the current financial year 2009/10 is in line with the company's expectations. As already forecasted, sales will be up slightly on the third quarter, which will also improve the operating result. Heidelberg will thus achieve its most recent forecast for 2009/2010 as a whole.

Heidelberg Services
In addition to its proven Heidelberg Systemservice and Original Heidelberg spare parts, the "Heidelberg Services" division offers customers worldwide Saphira consumables, Prinect software solutions - including plate imaging equipment - services, consultancy, and training at all levels, thereby helping print shops to enjoy long-term success. Key focal points include improving machine availability, boosting productivity, enhancing process efficiency, and providing consultancy services geared towards environmentally friendly printing. Customers around the globe have access to the Heidelberg service team, with around 4,500 employees in some 170 countries.

Heidelberg Equipment
The Heidelberg Equipment division offers products and technologies along the entire process and value added chain for print media companies in the commercial and packaging printing sectors. This division develops, produces, and markets precision presses - in the sheetfed offset format classes 35 x 50 cm (13.78 x 19.69 in) to 120 x 162 cm (47.24 x 63.78 in) - and postpress equipment. Innovation projects such as Linoprint - for customized decoration and labeling of folding cartons, labels, and blister packs based on inkjet technology - and printed organic layers round off the portfolio.

Heidelberg Financial Services
In an environment dominated by customers from small and medium-sized businesses, financial services are a great help when it comes to making economically astute investments in Heidelberg products. The associated opportunities and risks require unique know-how and transparency that has little to do with more traditional areas of business. All sales financing activities will still be combined in a dedicated segment. In addition to direct financing through one of the Group's own financing companies, this primarily involves putting customers at small and medium-sized companies in touch with Heidelberg financing partners.

For additional details, please visit the Internet Press Lounge at www.heidelberg.com.

Other dates:
Publication of the preliminary figures for financial year 2009/2010 is scheduled for May 11, 2010.

For further information, please contact:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Public Relations
Thomas Fichtl
Phone: +49 6221 92 5900
Fax: +49 6221 92 5069
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Important note:
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and estimations by the Management Board of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft. Even though the Management Board is of the opinion that those assumptions and estimations are realistic, the actual future development and results may deviate substantially from these forward-looking statements due to various factors, such as changes in the macro-economic situation, in the exchange rates, in the interest rates and in the print media industry. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft gives no warranty and does not assume liability for any damages in case the future development and the projected results do not correspond with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Published in Financial News

Sonoco one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced that its retail point-of-purchase (P-O-P) display and packaging services business won eight Outstanding Merchandising at Retail Achievement Awards (OMAs) at the 52nd Annual Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) competition.

POPAI's annual OMA competition recognizes the most innovative and effective retail promotions. Judges from the P-O-P industry evaluated more than 450 entries from 100 companies in 26 industry categories during a two-phase selection process in determining the winners. Entries were judged on design, innovation, interactivity and the proven ability to lift sales.

"Being recognized for excellence by your peers is gratifying. However, it really speaks to the effectiveness of Sonoco's talented retail merchandising team's ability to effectively communicate our understanding of the power of marketing at retail for our global customers," said Gerson Heiderich, division vice president/general manager, Sonoco CorrFlex.

Sonoco won Gold OMA awards for its BIC Create-A-Pack Mark-it(R) Permanent Marker Display for Staples, Novartis Consumer Health Prevacid(R)24HR Launch Displays and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Pallet Bridge Displays for Lowe's. The Company also won a Silver OMA for its Elizabeth Arden Ornaments Counter Display for CVS. Four Bronze OMAs were won for Cadbury Adams USA Halls(R) National Display Program; Elizabeth Arden CVS Holiday Fragrance Tower Display; Procter & Gamble Pampers(R) Mixed Wipes 3X Floorstand Display; and Cadbury Adams USA Halls(R) 8+2 Permanent Counter Display.

Photos of these award-winning displays are available at the following link: http://www.box.net/shared/yo7fgh8h74

Published in European News
Tagged under

Sonoco one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced that its 2009 Annual Report to Shareholders is now available on the Company's Web site at www.sonoco.com, in the "Investor Relations" section. The annual report entitled, "Lean, Fit and Ready to Grow," reviews Sonoco's financial performance in 2009 while highlighting how Sonoco has leaned its cost structure, further reduced debt to create one of the fittest balance sheets in the Company's history and continued to focus on growth.

"Clearly, 2009 was one of the most difficult, and yet one of the most rewarding years for Sonoco. The continuation of the deepest global recession in decades significantly impacted volumes Companywide, particularly in our businesses which serve industrial markets," Harris E. DeLoach, Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer, wrote in his letter to shareholders in the 2009 Annual Report.

"In response we moved quickly to lean our business by sizing our manufacturing footprint to meet the new market realities of our served markets. In addition, we realigned our businesses and streamlined our management organization. By proactively 'managing the guts' of our business, we significantly reduced costs, achieved record productivity and improved annual gross profit margins to the highest level since 2007."

Throughout the 2009 Annual Report, case studies are outlined that illustrate Sonoco's strategy and successes during the year, including: the "game changing" Flavor Lock Lid and new composite paperboard can that Sonoco produces for Kraft Foods' Maxwell House coffee; Sonoco's successful packaging services and growth in Wroclaw, Poland; and Sonoco Recycling, Inc.'s growth in residential recycling in the Southeast United States.

Sonoco has mailed the 2009 annual report and proxy statement to its shareholders in preparation for its annual meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Center Theater, 212 North Fifth Street, Hartsville beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. For those unable to attend the meeting in person, a live webcast can be accessed via the Internet at http://www.sonoco.com/, under the "Latest News" section. Those planning to participate should plan to connect to the live webcast at least 10 minutes prior to the start. The meeting webcast also will be archived on the "Investor Relations" section of Sonoco's Web site.

SOURCE: Sonoco

Sonoco
Roger Schrum, 843-339-6018
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in European News
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 08:08

ABB takes industrial productivity to new heights

Award-winning ABB technology has improved productivity by 9 percent at a complex and energy-intensive industrial facility in Europe.

The improvements were made at Nordkalk's Lohja limestone processing plant in Finland and are indicative of the huge gains in productivity that are being achieved with an award-winning ABB process control and optimization solution for industrial facilities, Expert Optimizer.

Expert Optimizer has successfully delivered substantial improvements in productivity and energy efficiency at more than 200 production facilities worldwide and was awarded the Global Fuels Award for 'Most innovative technology for electrical energy efficiency' in 2008.

Originally developed for the cement industry but now available for all process industries, Expert Optimizer coordinates the optimal operating parameters of the various parts of the process and immediately detects any deviations that occur.

Once the deviations have been detected Expert Optimizer is able to stabilize and re-optimize the process. It is also able to calculate optimal production schedules for the entire plant. Typical increases in productivity range from 3-10 percent.

Nordkalk is the leading producer of high-quality limestone-based products in northern Europe. The company operates 20 sites in five countries. Lohja (above) in Finland is one of the largest. The site consists of an underground mine, crushing plant and lime kiln.
ABB took over site-wide maintenance activities at Lohja in 2006 as part of an ABB Full Service® contract in which it undertook to improve productivity and reduce maintenance costs at the plant, one of the largest limestone processing facilities in northern Europe.

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ABB has more than 150 Full Service agreements in operation worldwide

Drawing on its expertise as the world's leading supplier of power, automation and optimization solutions for the cement industry, ABB was able to propose the installation of Expert Optimizer to help solve a production and fuel problem in the kiln, which is the heart of the lime-making process.

Prior to the installation of Expert Optimizer it had been difficult to determine the optimal operating point of the process as the kiln uses several different types of feed material, each with different properties. Expert Optimizer resolves this difficulty by finding the best operating conditions to maximize output and minimize fuel consumption for each type of feed.

The overall result was a 9 percent increase in production.

In a typical Full Service agreement ABB and the customer jointly agree on the targets to be achieved in areas like maintenance expenditure, plant availability, equipment reliability, energy efficiency and safety.

ABB has more than 150 Full Service agreements in operation in a broad spectrum of industries worldwide – from cement plants to petrochemical refineries, pulp and paper mills, oil and gas sites, steel mills, and consumer goods factories.

Published in European News

The forest and paper sector is changing. It's a matter of survival. Take the next step towards transforming into a more profitable business by joining PricewaterhouseCoopers at our 23rd Annual Global Forest & Paper Industry Conference. Find out about emerging trends, new innovations, and other ways forest products companies are transforming to add value for customers and improve their bottom line.

New revenue streams, strategic partnerships, new technology or simply making the most with what you already have. . . it's on the agenda.

link to Conference media

May 11, 2010
Vancouver, Canada

For more info contact:
Erica McEvoy
Marketing
Tel: +61 (03) 8603 4827

Published in Exhibitions

Metso's biggest single investment in India – Metso Park – was inaugurated on Wednesday, March 10, in the city of Alwar in Rajasthan. Paving the way for an even more significant operational and manufacturing presence in India, the investment comprises multifunctional premises, including workshops, offices, engineering, logistics and training centers. Metso Park will be completed in phases from 2010 onward, and upon completion the EUR 30 million industrial center will extend to an area of almost 47 acres and will provide employment opportunities for up to 700 people.

Metso Park will cater to meeting the rapid growth in demand for the products and services of Mining and Construction Technology in India and Metso's other rapidly growing markets in Asia Pacific. The products manufactured at Metso Park will be primarily delivered to our mining and construction industry customers in India and neighboring areas. Some of the products will also be transported to our other manufacturing units for adaptation for global markets. During the first operational phase, Metso Park will manufacture components for mobile crushing and screening plants, vibrating screens and vibrators, slurry pumps and rubber products.

"During the past five years we have significantly strengthened our presence in Asia and particularly India and our ability to serve our customers locally. Metso Park is the largest single investment ever made in India by Metso and its Mining and Construction Technology, confirming our confidence in the potential market growth in India and in line with our strategy of growing our presence in emerging markets. The investment will also significantly improve our competitiveness not only in India, but in the whole of Asia Pacific market area. In terms of our image, Metso Park is an integral complement to our supply and manufacturing network," says Matti Kähkönen, President of Metso's Mining and Construction Technology.

In addition to Metso Park, Metso´s Mining and Construction Technology operations in India consist of a factory in Bawal, a foundry in Ahmedabad, and regional sales and service offices in New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Thane, Hyderabad and Chennai. Metso Group has currently altogether 17 units and 735 employees in India.

Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automation, recycling and the pulp and paper industries. We have about 27,000 employees in more than 50 countries. www.metso.com

Further information for the press, please contact:

Matti Kähkönen, President, Mining and Construction Technology, Metso, tel. +358 20 484 3100

Sudhir Srivastava, Senior Vice President, Asia and Pacific market area, Mining and Construction Technology, Metso, tel. +91 124 2351575

Published in European News
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 13:30

Metso’s Annual Report 2009 published

Metso Corporation's year 2009 Annual Report, Sustainability report, complete Annual Accounts of the parent company and group (including Board of Director's Report) and Auditor's Report have been published today in Finnish and English.

PDF documents of the Metso reports and other related material are available at www.metso.com/reports. The printed reports can be ordered from the same web address.

Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automation, recycling and the pulp and paper industries. We have about 27,000 employees in more than 50 countries. www.metso.com

Further information, please contact:
Johanna Henttonen, Vice President, Investor Relations, Metso Corporation, tel. +358 20 484 3253

Attachments:

Annual accounts 2009, pdf

Annual report 2009, pdf

Sustainability report 2009, pdf

Auditors Report 2009, pdf

Published in Financial News
Tagged under

Rottneros have released thier Year-end results for 2009

• Income after net financial items amounted to SEK 0 (-169) million for the fourth quarter of 2009

• Income after net financial items amounted to SEK -69 (-385) million for the full year 2009

• Cash flow from operating activities amounted to SEK 84 (-49) million for the full year 2009. Loans were repaid by SEK 407 million for the full year 2009

• Operations at Rottneros' pulp mill in Miranda, Spain ceased at the turn of the year 2008/2009

• Rockhammar Mill's fixed assets were sold to Korsnäs Rockhammar AB on 1 April

• During the fourth quarter, Rottneros implemented a new issue of shares, which added SEK 202 million to equity following a deduction for guarantee and issue expenses. The company also implemented a new issue aimed at Rottneros' bank syndicate, which involved offsetting loans equivalent to SEK 200 million

• Net loan debt, amounting to SEK 729 million as at 31 December 2008, has been transformed into an interest-bearing net loan receivable of SEK 10 million following amortisation and the new issues of shares implemented

• The pulp market remains strong and demand has increased. At the same time, global pulp stock levels are generally low, which has resulted in a positive price trend; also, further price increases have been announced for January and February 2010

• The company will not be providing a full-year forecast for 2010

• Following the end of the reporting period, Kjell Ormegard was appointed chair of the board up to and including the annual general meeting in April owing to Rune Ingvarsson having requested his immediate resignation from the board of Rottneros for personal reasons.

The full official release here

Published in Financial News