UPFRONT
Donnelley Signs Print Pact
CHICAGO—RR Donnelley has been awarded a new multiyear, multimillion-dollar agreement by Highlights for Children. Under the terms of the agreement, Donnelley will produce Highlights magazine, a children's title, and High Five, a version for younger kids.
Sandy Alexander Gets Patent
CLIFTON, NJ—High-end printer Sandy Alexander has secured a provisional patent for its "Moving Steps" direct mail brochure. The brochure provides a waterfall effect on the side of the piece, allowing clients to highlight a variety of topics and enabling the consumer to quickly access different subjects.
Quad Inks Penguin Accord
SUSSEX, WI—Quad/Graphics, which has expanded its digital book production capacity by more than 500 percent this year, forged a new agreement with Penguin Group (USA), a U.S. adult and children's trade book publisher, for short-run, print-on-demand production of Penguin's U.S. trade hardcover, trade paperback and mass-market books.
Yurchak Acquires Odyssey
LANDISVILLE, PA—Yurchak Printing has acquired the intangible assets and select equipment of Gonic, NH-based Odyssey Press. Kevin Pirkey, former partner at Odyssey Press, will become the vice president of sales and marketing at Yurchak Printing. Tad Parker, also a former Odyssey Press partner, will be focused on the transition of Odyssey's production operation and client relationships into the Landisville, PA, facility.
Brown Nets Extension
WASECA, MN—Brown Printing has signed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar agreement with Future US to supply manufacturing and distribution solutions for 20 of the publisher's titles and special editions. This agreement expands their existing relationship.
Modernistic Adds UV Inkjet
STILLWATER, MN—Modernistic Inc., which produces point-of-purchase signage, has installed an Agfa :Jeti 3020 Titan high-resolution, UV inkjet printer. The :Jeti 3020 Titan is a field-upgradeable, grand-format inkjet printing system that offers 10 different levels of speed and capability.
Transcontinental Rebrands
MONTREAL—To better reflect its evolution in the marketing communications landscape, Transcontinental Inc. has launched a new brand, logo and positioning: TC. Transcontinental, the Canadian leader in marketing activation. The new brand reflects the company's integrated marketing communications offering, including print, media, digital, interactive and mobile. The new trademark will be known as TC. Transcontinental, and its two sectors as TC. Media and TC. Transcontinental Printing.
Printers Unite as WildfireXM
DALLAS—PrintComm Inc. CEO Chuck Dickinson and Image Reproductions CEO Greg Wood have signed a binding letter of intent to merge their operations into a newly formed company, WildfireXM. The companies plan to merge their two businesses into a single facility during the first quarter of 2012.
West Linn Investing $3M
WEST LINN, OR—West Linn Paper announced it will be investing more than $3 million in major capital improvement projects that will get underway in the first half of 2012. The company has committed to several projects, but the two most prominent will focus on increasing production and energy conservation.
Mohawk Closing Beckett Mill
COHOES, NY—In a move designed to realign its manufacturing platform to meet the needs of a changing market, Mohawk Fine Papers plans to close the Beckett Mill in Hamilton, OH, at the end of the year. The shutdown will include the mill's three paper machines and will impact 37 jobs.
Paper Shipments Decrease
WASHINGTON, DC—Total printing and writing paper shipments decreased 4 percent compared to October 2010, according to the American Forest & Paper Association's October 2011 Printing-Writing Paper Report. All four major printing-writing grades posted decreases compared to last October. Also, shipments of coated free sheet decreased year-over-year for the 11th consecutive month.
Presstek Plans Staff Cuts
GREENWICH, CT—Presstek Inc., a supplier of digital offset printing solutions to the printing and communications industries, announced $11.2 million in annualized profit improvement actions, with the expectation that it will return to positive adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of 2012. The company, which posted a net loss of $5.4 million in the third quarter, will significantly reduce its workforce as part of its goal of regaining profitability. PI
