Latest news with #Smithers
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US tariffs threaten future of packaging printing industry
New research highlights the growing pressure US tariffs are placing on the packaging and commercial printing industry. A fresh white paper from Smithers finds that by 2030 tariffs could drive an extra 6.4% contraction in the US printing market — resulting in over 1,000 business closures if policymakers do not act. Impact on print and packaging supply chains Smithers estimates that US printing demand may drop from around US$84.7 billion to US$78.6 billion by 2030 due to tariff-driven cost hikes. Commercial print and book printing are forecast to be hardest hit, as rising material costs and reduced discretionary spending force scale reductions. Packaging-related printing, buoyed by e‑commerce and food-sector growth, shows resilience — yet it is not immune to elevated raw‑material and ink prices caused by import duties. Operational costs and supply‑side disruptions Tariffs on paper, inks, plates and packaging raw materials imported from Canada, Mexico or China add pressure across supply chains. Industry analysis shows the impact is already evident: packaging companies are seeing increased costs, delayed launches and strategic postponements. One consultancy observed 'skyrocketing costs' for Canadian‑sourced paper after tariffs – a trend affecting printers and co‑packers alike. Trade policy uncertainty and business strategy The situation remains fluid: recent tariffs introduced in April 2025 faced legal challenges and temporary pauses, while others were rolled back or revised following court rulings. Such unpredictability complicates planning for packaging printers. Industry leaders and trade bodies, including PRINTING United Alliance and NAM, are engaging with policymakers to seek relief and ensure ink, paper and packaging supplies remain affordable. Despite occasional optimism – some argue tariffs could make domestic print firms more competitive – the immediate outlook shows rising operational costs, supply chain disruption and the risk of significant consolidation or closures across the packaging printing sector. for packaging companies, the challenge is immediate: navigate tariff volatility, manage surging raw‑material costs, and brace for potential plant closures without clear policy direction. The road ahead for packaging print and tariffs • Monitoring: Packaging and printing companies must closely track tariff changes—from universal 10% 'Liberation Day' duties to product‑specific Section 301 fees. • Strategy: Firms should explore hedging import costs, revising supplier strategies, or shifting to domestic sources to reduce exposure. Methods like thinner packaging, pared‑down components and simplified designs are already being used to offset costs. • Advocacy: Participation in lobbying efforts is vital. Industry groups are urging negotiations and exemptions to protect key inputs such as paper and inks. As the report warns, without coordinated policy relief or adjustments, US tariffs threaten to reshape the market – slashing output and shuttering at least 1,000 printers by 2030. Packaging printers must adapt quickly to maintain stability and competitiveness in an unpredictable trade environment. Navigate the shifting tariff landscape with real-time data and market-leading analysis. Request a free demo for GlobalData's Strategic Intelligence . "US tariffs threaten future of packaging printing industry" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Irish Examiner
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Happy Jacky repeats the feat at Cork
The Mark Fahey-trained 11-year-old Happy Jacky, ridden again by 7lb claimer Peter Smithers, repeated last year's win in the three-mile RBC Brewin Dolphin Hurdle, but only after a protracted duel with market rival Reverend Hubert. Committed turning out of the back straight by Smithers, the even-money favourite looked in trouble when Reverend Hubert loomed up in the straight but, in typical fashion, Happy Jacky fought back bravely on the run-in to earn the spoils by a head, before being dismounted by Smithers. 'He's a little warrior and the lads (owners, the Ryans) love him,' stated winning trainer Fahey. 'I thought he was beaten three times and going to win three times up the straight — but that's him — he never gives up.' Smithers said: "Mark has some job done on him. I was going forward all the way, but thought we were in trouble between the last two, but he dug deep for me.' Eddie Power's dual bumper-winner Sunny South West (5-4 favourite) made a successful start over hurdles when, untidy at the first, he made all under Phillip Enright to take the Buy Tickets On Maiden Hurdle at the expense of William Tell and That Danny Feeling. 'He never jumped those rubber hurdles before and was probably travelling too well and had too much time going down to his hurdles,' explained Power. 'He wants two and a half miles and there's a novice for him on the Thursday of Galway.' Meanwhile, in Kilbeggan, the Henry de Bromhead-trained Amirite, runner-up to Idas Boy in the race last year, bagged the €100,000 Kilmurray's Homevalue Hardware Mullingar Midlands National under an inspired, front-running ride by Darragh O'Keeffe. The nine-year-old, without a chase success since October 2022, jumped impeccably in front, with the exception of the last two fences, but found plenty for a determined O'Keeffe to hold second reserve Mica Malpic and Mark Walsh by a head, with an 11-length gap back to favourite Moonovercloon. 'It's great for his owners and everyone at home,' declared a delighted O'Keeffe. 'He's been knocking on the door in plenty of big handicaps and deserved to win a big pot. 'He's a classy horse and loves good ground. If you took his Punchestown effort out of it and looked at his Aintree run, he was probably entitled to be favourite. 'He missed the last two fences but, in fairness to him, he dug deep and stuck his head out when the other horse came to him.' Stable representative Robbie Power added: 'He ran a blinder in the Topham over the National fences and Paddy (owner Paddy Hale) would like to go back to Aintree, for the National, if he gets in.' The De Bromhead team completed an across-the-card double when debutante Salsinha, backed into 5-4 favourite, bolted up in the Cork bumper, under a supremely confident ride by John Gleeson. The Philip Fenton-trained Shraheen defied top-weight in the €30,000 Writech Handicap Hurdle, Niall Moore's mount travelling close to the pace before seizing the initiative and holding Ad Caelum by three-quarters of a length. 'He's a fine horse, with the stamp of a chaser,' stated Fenton. 'That ground is as quick as he'd want. But I'm very pleased to win another nice pot with him. He needs to get out for a break and, all being well, will go chasing in October or November. He has a good technique over fences.'
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
B.C. court overturns decision ordering 7-Eleven to pay $900K for pothole injury
A shopper inside a 7-Eleven convenience store, operated by Seven & i Holdings Co., at the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. British Columbia's highest court has thrown out a lower court's decision ordering 7-Eleven Canada to pay a woman more than $907,000 in damages after she tripped on a pothole and broke her ankle in a convenience store parking lot. The provincial Appeal Court ordered a new trial of the damage assessment Wednesday after finding the judge who heard the case and ordered the near-million-dollar payout failed to properly address whether the woman's mental health issues, for which she was compensated by the court, were necessarily caused by the physical injuries she sustained. The convenience store chain was found negligent in B.C. Supreme Court last year, and was ordered to pay $907,363 to Crystal Tommy, 37, who described suffering a cascading series of physical and mental injuries after her fall outside a 7-Eleven store in Smithers in May 2018. The award included $175,000 in general damages, $494,000 in future loss of income, $10,000 in past loss of income, $171,863 in future loss of housekeeping, $39,000 in past loss of housekeeping, $17,000 in future cost of care and $500 in special damages. 7-Eleven rejected settlement In April of this year, the B.C. Supreme Court judge revealed that Tommy had offered to settle the case out of court for as little as $125,000 but 7-Eleven opted to take the case to trial. Because the parties failed to settle out of court, Justice Emily Burke ordered 7-Eleven to pay double Tommy's court costs in accordance with a B.C. rule that penalizes litigants refuse reasonable settlement offers, pushing the total award payout closer to the $1-million mark. But 7-Eleven appealed the award, arguing successfully that the judge mistakenly treated Tommy's mental health injuries as direct consequences of the store's negligence without first assessing the connection 'as a matter of fact or law,' the Appeal Court ruled. 'These errors undermine the judge's damage assessment, and the record is insufficient for this court to perform its own,' Justice Geoffrey Gomery wrote on behalf of the three-judge Appeal Court. 'With regret, I would order a new trial.' Broken ankle, depression Tommy testified at trial that she had stopped at the 7-Eleven to get a coffee before work. While leaving the store and walking back to her car, she tripped on a divot in the parking lot and broke her ankle in three places. She missed several months of work due to the injury. Then in December of that year, she slipped on some stairs, injuring her back in an accident she attributed to her limp and lingering hip pain after her initial fall at 7-Eleven. Tommy's medical complications continued with a car crash and a pair of surgeries in the coming years, the court heard. By the end of 2022, she had stopped working and many of her social connections had fallen away, leading to emotional, mental and financial hardship. The trial judge found that Tommy was entitled to compensation for mental distress and depression after the injury, not only as damages in their own right, but also as factors that decreased her potential future earning capacity as a worker. The Appeal Court found fault with that decision, saying the judge concluded that Tommy suffered 'a legally compensable mental injury' without establishing whether her fall at 7-Eleven caused or contributed to the mental injury, and, if so, to what degree. Error undermined damage assessment According to Gomery, the failure to make the connection undermined the whole of the trial judge's award assessment, which can only be rectified by a new hearing on damages. 'The trial judge erred in law in failing to engage in the assessment of causation required by law,' Gomery wrote. 'Absent a finding that the ankle and back injury materially contributed to the compensable mental health issues, it was not open to the judge to incorporate the mental health issues into her assessment of damages payable by the appellant.' At trial, 7-Eleven denied all liability for Tommy's injuries, arguing parking lot was reasonably safe with only a very small depression in the pavement where her injury occurred. A 7-Eleven asset protection supervisor testified that its B.C. store employees were required to take an online safety course and complete a questionnaire about workplace hazards when they were hired. Gomery granted 7-Eleven's appeal, setting aside the B.C. Supreme Court's order and replacing it with an order declaring 7-Eleven 'liable for damages to be assessed.'
National Post
30-05-2025
- General
- National Post
Tony Hawk, Mark McMorris help open skateboard park expansion in Smithers, B.C.
Tony Hawk and Mark McMorris wanted their presence at the Smithers Skate Park expansion unveiling to amplify skateboarding's importance in the remote, northern B.C. community. Article content Article content Skateboarding icon Hawk and Canadian snowboarding star McMorris travelled to the town of 5,000 people for Thursday's opening. They lauded the community's pluck in raising $1.8 million to increase the size of the street park and build a bowl for skateboarders next to the Yellowhead Highway that runs from Winnipeg to the West Coast. Article content 'I don't go to many grand openings, to be honest, but this seemed like a really unique situation,' Hawk said. 'I don't want to say it's the most remote area, but in remote areas, skateboarding is still a valid option for kids to choose, and they want to do it. We need to provide facilities for them.' Article content McMorris, a three-time Olympic slopestyle bronze medallist whose 24 X Games medals is the most among snowboarders, has a special place in his heart for skateboarding. Article content 'The first board I ever got on was a skateboard,' McMorris said. 'It's been so important in my life. That's how I made a lot of friends. It's where I spent a lot of time at the skate park in Regina. Article content 'I can just only imagine what it would be like if Tony Hawk came to Regina to open a skate park when I was a kid. Some kids' minds are going to be blown, and some new skateboarders are going to be born from this event.' Article content Article content The expanded street park cost $1.2 million and the bowl another $600,000 to build, said Smithers Skate Park Society vice-chair Christy Sawchuck, who is also known around town as 'Rad-Mom' because of her love of skateboarding. Article content Article content 'We don't have the municipalities that can fund something like this. We're doing it all on our own,' Sawchuck said. Article content 'We had local non-profits and foundations that got us started with large donations. We had many local companies that gave us discounted materials and services.' Article content The Power To Give Foundation contacted McMorris, who in turn reached out to Hawk. The two men have crossed paths in the action sport community and in Encinitas, Calif., where both have homes. Article content 'He is an extremely large figure. Larger than life, larger than the sport itself, so for him to agree to do this is very special,' McMorris said. Article content Hawk's Skateboard Project in the United States helps build parks for underserved communities, so what Smithers has done aligns with his beliefs.
CTV News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Tony Hawk, Mark McMorris help open skateboard park expansion in Smithers, B.C.
Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk high-fives young fans during the grand opening of the expanded Smithers Skate Park in Smithers, B.C., in this Thursday, May 29, 2025 handout photo. (Erica Chan) Tony Hawk and Mark McMorris wanted their presence at the Smithers Skate Park expansion unveiling to amplify skateboarding's importance in the remote, northern B.C. community. Skateboarding icon Hawk and Canadian snowboarding star McMorris travelled to the town of 5,000 people for Thursday's opening. They lauded the community's pluck in raising $1.8 million to increase the size of the street park and build a bowl for skateboarders next to the Yellowhead Highway that runs from Winnipeg to the West Coast. 'I don't go to many grand openings, to be honest, but this seemed like a really unique situation,' Hawk said. 'I don't want to say it's the most remote area, but in remote areas, skateboarding is still a valid option for kids to choose, and they want to do it. We need to provide facilities for them.' McMorris, a three-time Olympic slopestyle bronze medallist whose 24 X Games medals is the most among snowboarders, has a special place in his heart for skateboarding. 'The first board I ever got on was a skateboard,' McMorris said. 'It's been so important in my life. That's how I made a lot of friends. It's where I spent a lot of time at the skate park in Regina. 'I can just only imagine what it would be like if Tony Hawk came to Regina to open a skate park when I was a kid. Some kids' minds are going to be blown, and some new skateboarders are going to be born from this event.' The expanded street park cost $1.2 million and the bowl another $600,000 to build, said Smithers Skate Park Society vice-chair Christy Sawchuck, who is also known around town as 'Rad-Mom' because of her love of skateboarding. 'We don't have the municipalities that can fund something like this. We're doing it all on our own,' Sawchuck said. 'We had local non-profits and foundations that got us started with large donations. We had many local companies that gave us discounted materials and services.' The Power To Give Foundation contacted McMorris, who in turn reached out to Hawk. The two men have crossed paths in the action sport community and in Encinitas, Calif., where both have homes. 'He is an extremely large figure. Larger than life, larger than the sport itself, so for him to agree to do this is very special,' McMorris said. Hawk's Skateboard Project in the United States helps build parks for underserved communities, so what Smithers has done aligns with his beliefs. 'To see this in Canada makes me feel inspired. I hope that the city takes pride in a project like this,' Hawk said. 'A lot of times facilities like these are uphill battles and there are tired stigmas that are associated with our sport, skateboarding especially. 'I feel like skate parks can save lives and they can enhance a community beyond anything that they might imagine. I feel like Smithers will be an example of that.' More improvements are in the works for the Smithers' park including a pump track that's easier for beginners, lighting and accessible washrooms. Admission to the skate park is free. 'For free unstructured play that reaches everybody and every demographic, I think it's imperative to have,' Sawkchuck said. 'Not everybody can afford to do huge recreational sports and have parents that can travel.' Sawchuck also believes travelling families will see the park from the highway and make it a stop for rest and recreation. 'It runs right along Highway 16. We have a lot of people that travel the North, anywhere from the Lower Mainland, from the United States, travelling up to Alaska,' she said. 'It ends up being like a rest-stop station and a central hub for people to let their dogs out, grab something to eat, go to the skate park, chill out for a little bit and carry on on their travels.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
