2006: Year That Was Stranger Than Fiction —Michelson

Ironically, RR Donnelley itself appeared to be in play earlier in 2006 amid rumors that it was in discussion with various leveraged buyout (LBO) groups. Those talks reportedly broke down, however, when a valuation could not be agreed upon by the various parties.

Quebecor World also saw its share of ups and, mostly, downs. In April, former Sun Chemical executive Wes Lucas came on board as president and CEO just in time to announce a reorganization of the Montreal-based printer’s U.S. book and magazine platforms. Two facilities were shut down, resulting in more than 700 layoffs. One was a venerable book manufacturing plant in Kingsport, TN, which in its heyday as The Kingsport Press was a thriving operation where generations of people learned the craft.