Rr Donnelley And Sons Co's Suppliers Performance

The primary raw materials the Company uses in its print businesses are paper and ink. The Company negotiates with leading suppliers to maximize its purchasing efficiencies and uses a wide variety of paper grades, formats, ink formulations and colors. In addition, a substantial amount of paper used by the Company is supplied directly by customers. Variations in the cost and supply of certain paper grades and ink formulations used in the manufacturing process may affect the Company’s consolidated financial results. Paper prices fluctuated during 2013, and volatility in the future is expected. Generally, customers directly absorb the impact of changing prices on customer-supplied paper. With respect to paper purchased by the Company, the Company has historically passed most changes in price through to its customers. Contractual arrangements and industry practice should support the Company’s continued ability to pass on any future paper price increases, but there is no assurance that market conditions will continue to enable the Company to successfully do so. Management believes that the paper supply is consolidating, and there may be shortfalls in the future in supplies necessary to meet the demands of the entire marketplace. Higher paper prices and tight paper supplies may have an impact on customers’ demand for printed products. Additionally, the Company has undertaken various strategic initiatives to mitigate any foreseeable supply disruptions with respect to the Company’s ink requirements. The Company also resells waste paper and other print-related by-products and may be impacted by changes in prices for these by-products.

The Company continues to monitor the impact of changes in the price of crude oil and other energy costs, which impact the Company’s ink suppliers, logistics operations and manufacturing costs. Crude oil and energy prices continue to be volatile. The Company believes its logistics operations will continue to be able to pass a substantial portion of any increases in fuel prices directly to its customers in order to offset the impact of related cost increases. The Company generally cannot pass on to customers the impact of higher energy prices on its manufacturing costs. However, the Company enters into fixed price contracts for a portion of its natural gas purchases to mitigate the impact of changes in energy prices. The Company cannot predict sudden changes in energy prices and the impact that possible future changes in energy prices might have upon either future operating costs or customer demand and the related impact either will have on the Company’s consolidated annual results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

The primary raw materials the Company uses in its print businesses are paper and ink. The Company negotiates with leading suppliers to maximize its purchasing efficiencies and uses a wide variety of paper grades, formats, ink formulations and colors. In addition, a substantial amount of paper used by the Company is supplied directly by customers. Variations in the cost and supply of certain paper grades and ink formulations used in the manufacturing process may affect the Company’s consolidated financial results. Paper prices fluctuated during 2013, and volatility in the future is expected. Generally, customers directly absorb the impact of changing prices on customer-supplied paper. With respect to paper purchased by the Company, the Company has historically passed most changes in price through to its customers. Contractual arrangements and industry practice should support the Company’s continued ability to pass on any future paper price increases, but there is no assurance that market conditions will continue to enable the Company to successfully do so. Management believes that the paper supply is consolidating, and there may be shortfalls in the future in supplies necessary to meet the demands of the entire marketplace. Higher paper prices and tight paper supplies may have an impact on customers’ demand for printed products. Additionally, the Company has undertaken various strategic initiatives to mitigate any foreseeable supply disruptions with respect to the Company’s ink requirements. The Company also resells waste paper and other print-related by-products and may be impacted by changes in prices for these by-products.

The Company continues to monitor the impact of changes in the price of crude oil and other energy costs, which impact the Company’s ink suppliers, logistics operations and manufacturing costs. Crude oil and energy prices continue to be volatile. The Company believes its logistics operations will continue to be able to pass a substantial portion of any increases in fuel prices directly to its customers in order to offset the impact of related cost increases. The Company generally cannot pass on to customers the impact of higher energy prices on its manufacturing costs. However, the Company enters into fixed price contracts for a portion of its natural gas purchases to mitigate the impact of changes in energy prices. The Company cannot predict sudden changes in energy prices and the impact that possible future changes in energy prices might have upon either future operating costs or customer demand and the related impact either will have on the Company’s consolidated annual results of operations, financial position or cash flows.