Earlier this week, over at the Mother Ship, Cary Sherburne talked to Mohawk CEO and Chairman Tom O’Connor about Mohawk Paper’s “reinvention.” Recall, that reinvention will comprise:
Mohawk will focus its manufacturing exclusively on high-margin papers and products that will bring distinct value to the new generation of print customers, a unique positioning in an industry historically driven by volume and capacity. Mohawk will develop strategic acquisitions and partnerships that successfully leverage Mohawk's expertise and operational excellence. Mohawk will continue to move closer to the end-customer across all business segments.
Mr. O’Connor sums up the problem in a nutshell:
our industry is a very mature industry, and without some really abrupt change, what will happen to the rest of the fine printing paper industry is the same thing that is happening to the newsprint industry. In years, there will not be a lot of newspapers. I hope there is something out there, but if they are obsolete, hundreds of machines making newsprint will be gone. It is also an obsolete way to advertise because the next generation is not cutting a coupon out of the newspaper to get a free oil change. They are getting an email or a text message, or seeing it on Facebook or Twitter.
True dat.