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24 Jul 22

Updated: 25 Jul 22

Economic growth
gains still +2-3% 

Yellen US TreaSec: "Not a
market that's in recession!"

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said today U.S. economic growth is slowing, but a recession was not inevitable. Meanwhile, UK reported strong May/June numbers. These factual reports defy the Wall Street recession obsessed pundits' negative narrative in spite of strong consumer spending from high employment numbers...

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23 Jul 22

Updated: 25 Jul 22

Amazon rolls out
EV's in 100 cities

Bezos '19 Climate Pledge
takes giant step forward

Amazon and Rivian are rolling out thousands of custom electric delivery vehicles to more than 100 cities, including Seattle, by the end of 2022 with plans to expand to 100,000 cities in the U.S. by 2030.

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22 Jul 22

Updated: 22 Jul 22

Acme recovers
supply backlog

Huge price hikes boost
cutting tools, safety sales

Cutting tools and safety supplies maker Acme United announced a recovery from its severe China supply shortages in its Q2'22 financial results. ceo Walter Johnsen reported on the  difficulties and the welcome reduction of  its strong order backlog 

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22 Jul 22

Updated: 22 Jul 22

StoraEnso's huge
+40% price hikes

Packaging volume plunge
Paper demand crashes

Top packaging-papermaker Stora Enso reported a big volume plunge in Q2'22, boosted by +40% price increases. Enterprising ceo Annica
Bresky detailed huge printer paper volume falls & capacity closures, plus investments in renewable packaging materials ...Analysis updated

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21 Jul 22

Updated: 21 Jul 22

Frustration Free
SIOC deliveries

AMZN & shoemakers drive
sustainable packg future

Kengos' Micah Heftman hadn’t heard the acronym SIOC (ships in own container) when he designed his shoebox. Only when he heard about SIOC did he realize there was a name for his user friendly pack design. Both he and Amazon's 'Frustration Free' packaging drive bode well for sustainability, cost reduction and easier touchpoints...

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21 Jul 22

Updated: 21 Jul 22

Microsoft Inspires
with 5 Power Plays

Nadella calls digitization,
hybrid work+cybersecurity

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21 Jul 22

Updated: 22 Jul 22

Premier powers
up in packaging 

Acquires lamination film
for foodservice specialist 

Giant Japan Pulp & Paper's (JPP) Premier Paper Group has acquired lamination film specialist including flexible packaging films for direct food contact and lamination films for carton producers. A smart acquisition for a growing market...

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21 Jul 22

Updated: 21 Jul 22

Clover acquires
D2C distributor

Small positive move away
from ink cartridge remans

Clover Imaging Group, the leading remanufactured ink brand, was acquired by vulture capitalists in Nov'19. After withdrawing fom Europe it's diversifying its US business with the acquisition of a small D2C fulfilment house. In spite of "buoyant" talk, from ceo Jim Cerkleski we feel 'strip and flip' exercises are underway as the printer market plunges new depths...

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21 Jul 22

Updated: 21 Jul 22

Essity edges back
w high price hikes

Weak WFH brand strength
causes softer bounceback

Essity, the international hygiene & health supplies maker, reported a stronger recovery in Q2'22. CEO Magnus Groth's growth strategy hype seems hollow after results that show sales volumes only slightly ahead of pre-Covid 'normal' Q2'19, despite many acquisitions

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21 Jul 22

Updated: 5 Aug 22

UPM: huge price
hikes hide debacle

Print paper volume plunge
offset by massive increases

UPM Kymmene the world’s #3 papermaker, reported plunging printer paper demand offset by huge price increases. Complacent  ceo 
Jussi Pesonen seems oblivious to his disastrous mishandling of the lengthy Finnish workers strike and failure to invest in new markets?

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