UPFRONT
BOPI, Illinois Graphics Merge
BLOOMINGTON, IL—Tom Mercier, president and CEO of BOPI, and Michael Dolan, president and CEO of Illinois Graphics, have agreed to merge their two companies. The deal was expected to be completed by the first of this month. The resulting enterprise will be known as BOPI and operate out of BOPI's existing facility. Terms of the merger were not disclosed.
Donnelley Nets Penguin Pact
CHICAGO—RR Donnelley announced an agreement with Penguin Group (USA) to provide the majority of its digital printing and binding requirements. Donnelley will produce Penguin Group (USA)'s digitally printed adult and young readers' trade hardcover, trade paperback, mass-market paperback books, bound galleys and advanced copies.
Graphic Center Goes Under
SACRAMENTO, CA—Graphic Center, whose clients at one time included corporate, retail, automotive and financial heavyweights but fell victim to the economy and closed down, recently had its equipment auctioned, according to The Sacramento Bee. The company was founded in 1956 and, at its height, employed nearly 200 workers.
Worldcolor Opts for Prosper
DUBUQUE, IA—Montreal-based Worldcolor has placed an order for a Kodak Prosper 5000XL inkjet press with an integrated Muller Martini SigmaLine in-line finishing system for its operations here. The machine will be installed sometime during the second half of 2010. The Prosper 5000XL will augment the printer's position in short-run color and black-and-white books, as well as versioned and variable data magazines, catalogs and high-end direct mail.
IWCO Sells Texas Facility
CHANHASSEN, MN—IWCO Direct, a privately held national provider of direct marketing solutions, has signed a letter of intent to sell its Fort Worth, TX, operations to Business Ink, of Austin, TX. IWCO Direct's Fort Worth facility was part of its acquisition in April of Transcontinental Direct's U.S. operations. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Canada OKs WC/QG Deal
MONTREAL—The Canadian Minister of Industry has granted approval under the Investment Canada Act for the proposed acquisition of Worldcolor by Quad/Graphics, of Sussex, WI. The deal, which will be effected by plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act, is subject to customary closing conditions for transactions of this type, including receipt of court and shareholder approvals.
Accident Burns GHP Workers
WEST HAVEN, CT—Serious burns sent a pair of GHP employees to the hospital after a flash fire broke at their plant, the New Haven Register reported. The workers were using a flammable solvent to clean a folder when the chemical ignited and triggered the flash fire. Rescue personnel arrived at the printing company to find the men with first- and second-degree burns to their face and hands. The injuries were said to not be life-threatening.
FBI Searches Prompt Printing
CAMDEN, NJ—Prompt Printing Press, a business here that sells printing equipment, was searched by FBI counterterrorism agents May 13 as the FBI continued its investigation into last December's Times Square bombing attempt. Prompt employees Muhammad Fiaez and his brother, Iqbal Hinjhara, were questioned for an hour by the FBI, but not arrested.
Courier Installing Web Press
NORTH CHELMSFORD, MA—Book manufacturer Courier Corp. has given the green light for the installation of a fourth manroland Lithoman web press for its Kendallville, IN, plant. Like the previously added models, this Lithoman will have four printing units on a single 571⁄2˝ web. It will be equipped with semi-automatic plate changers and the Quickstart package.
DOC Rules Against Asian Paper
WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) is levying dumping duties against certain coated paper imports from China and Indonesia. The preliminary tariffs range from 30.92 percent to 89.71 percent for China, with an all-China rate of 135.80 percent. A single rate of 10.62 percent is being applied to all Indonesian coated paper producers. These margins would be in addition to the countervailing duties applied in March. A final decision is expected by year's end.
Cenveo Inc. Obtains Glyph
STAMFORD, CT—Cenveo Inc. announced that the company has entered into an agreement to acquire Glyph International from Infomedia 18 Ltd. Glyph is a provider of content solutions to publishers, with operations in Bangalore and New Delhi, India; London and Fort Lauderdale, FL.
