Norton, Nationwide Obtain Premier

HOUSTON—Premier Graphics has new ownership, and it's a very familiar management team that is taking the helm. Nationwide Graphics, led by CEO Carl Norton, acquired the five-division company—formerly known as Master Graphics—in an assets auction conducted by GE Capital.

It was GE Capital that contracted Norton and Jerry Hyde to manage Premier in 2002. Now, the individual divisions, minus one—The Argus Press, Niles, IL; The Jones Co., Chattanooga, TN; McQuiddy Classic, Nashville, TN; and Sutherland Printing, Montezuma, IA—will fall under the Nationwide umbrella. The printing assets of St. Clair Press, Indianapolis, were sold by Nationwide to HardingPoorman Group. Terms of that deal were not disclosed.

Premier Graphics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2000 under the name Master Graphics before reorganizing as Premier Print Holdings.

"Our long-term familiarity with Premier Graphics' facilities, their management teams and their customers has been beneficial in our decision-making process," Norton said in a release.