UPFRONT
EGT Group Joins CGX Family
HOUSTON—Consolidated Graphics (CGX), through the new EGT Printing Solutions, a Consolidated Graphics company, has acquired certain assets of The EGT Group, headquartered in Detroit. The EGT Group was founded in 1970 and offers commercial and digital printing, data management, mailing and fulfillment services. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Landmark Deal for Donnelley
CHICAGO—RR Donnelley and HarperCollins Publishers announced a global supply chain agreement that will see the printer handle the fulfillment of all HarperCollins new releases from its Harrisonburg, VA, facility, starting in November. Additionally, beginning in July 2012, Donnelley will handle fulfillment of all frontlist and backlist titles for Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Publishers. The printer will also provide global print-on-demand services to HarperCollins, enabling most titles to be printed anywhere HarperCollins holds publishing rights.
Valassis Signs Agreement
LIVONIA, MI—Valassis, a media and marketing services provider, and Alliance Marketing, an independent ad group representing more than $2 billion in annualized retail sales, announced an arrangement to develop and execute in-store marketing and media programs, starting in the second quarter of 2011. Valassis will help Alliance Marketing emphasize promotional pricing at the shelf, heighten the effectiveness of brand messaging at point-of-sale, as well as streamline the way consumers find information about products and how they can be used.
Fire Rocks Grafix Systems
GARDEN GROVE, CA—An overnight blaze at Grafix Systems on April 27 did heavy damage that could cost the printer as much as $3 million, The Orange County Register reported. More than 40 firefighters waged battle with the fire, which broke out around 12:30 a.m. Flames rocketed as high as 40 feet in the air and did damage to power lines, according to the paper. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire—which is believed to have started in the rear of the 3,000-square-foot facility—is under investigation, the Register said.
Alliance for National Platform
GARDENA, CA—Southwest Offset Printing (SOP) has formed a strategic alliance with two regional print partners—Freeport Press of Freeport, OH, and Democrat Printing & Lithography of Little Rock, AR—to manufacture the inaugural issue of Help Me Rent Magazine (HMRM), which launches in 32 cities in July. The agreement also provides an enhanced platform for each company to build a national account presence.
New Prosper for Mercury Print
ROCHESTER, NY—Mercury Print Productions, which specializes in digital book printing for publishers in the education market, has begun installation of a Kodak Prosper 5000XL inkjet press. The press will boost its ability to produce short-run and on-demand books in color, meeting publishers' needs in the textbook market.
Digital Press Installed at Rider
CHICAGO—Rider Dickerson recently purchased a new HP Indigo 7500 digital press. The purchase came in response to the growing demand for variable data and quick turnaround times on high-quality digital printing. Designed for high-volume production, the press can reportedly print up to 120 A4 pages per minute in full color.
Printers Strike Agreement
ALBANY, NY—Sheetfed printer Fort Orange Press and The Pressroom, specializing in digital printing, have formed a strategic alliance to consolidate their offset printing operations in the Fort Orange Press facility here while maintaining digital production at The Pressroom's location in Ballston Spa, NY. The alliance expands the capabilities of both organizations while creating efficiencies in resources and generating cost savings for both companies.
Canadian Shop Closes Doors
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA—Less than a month after being placed in receivership, the Printcrafters Group of Cos. is closing its doors, leaving more than 125 employees out of work, according to the Winnipeg Free Press. The printer reportedly owes nearly C$10 million to banks, financial institutions and unsecured creditors, including Xerox at C$2 million.
Correction
In a story that appeared on the May news pages, "PRC Disputes Benefits of Five-Day Mail," it was stated that qualifying participants in the "Mail Works Guarantee" program must invest at least $250,000 a year in advertising and have a postage spend that represents less than 0.36 percent of their advertising budgets. That advertising spend should have read $250 million. Printing Impressions regrets this error. PI
