Upfront
Quad Expands Online Video
SUSSEX, WI—Quad/Graphics Inc. has purchased a minority interest in Pixability of Cambridge, MA, a YouTube-certified marketing and advertising company that works with brands, e-commerce firms and agencies to improve video marketing results. Brand marketers and publishers will have access to a solution that allows them to incorporate online video with any of their marketing channels.
Staples Selling 3D Printers
FRAMINGHAM, MA—Staples, the world's largest office products company and second largest e-commerce company, reportedly becomes the first major U.S. retailer to announce the availability of 3D printers. The Cube 3D printer, from 3D Systems, is available online and in a limited number of stores for $1,299.99.
Jacob North Buyer Sought
LINCOLN, NE—Equity Partners CRB LLC has been retained through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to seek a buyer for Jacob North Printing. Jacob North Printing is a 125-year-old, full-service regional printing and graphics communications company that offers web, sheetfed, digital and label printing, as well as fulfillment, mailing and inventory management services. Ths shop also provides e-mail marketing, personalized Websites and SMS marketing.
Carl Didde, 98, Founded Firm
EMPORIA, KS—Carl Didde, a former publisher who would later start a company that specialized in manufacturing printing equipment, died April 21 at the age of 98, The Del Norte Prospector reported. Mr. Didde started Didde Publishing in 1946 to print and publish sermon books. Didde-Glaser, which became Didde Graphic Systems and Didde Corp., manufactured printing equipment sold worldwide.
Brown, Clear Lake Alliance
WASECA, MN—Magazine and catalog printing specialist Brown Printing has forged a strategic alliance with fellow Waseca-based firm Clear Lake Press, a supplier of magazine, catalog and direct mail components for 25 years. The deal sees the two firms pooling their respective strengths and resources to better serve their clients.
SG360° Gets a ColorStream
WHEELING, IL—SG360°, which specializes in the printing and production of direct mail marketing, has installed an Océ ColorStream 3700 digital continuous-feed color printing system from Canon Solutions America. The system is part of the Océ ColorStream 3000 Twin series. SG360° serves retail, financial, healthcare and automotive marketers.
Courier Buys FastPencil
NORTH CHELMSFORD, MA—Courier Corp., which specializes in book manufacturing and content management, has acquired FastPencil Inc., a developer of end-to-end, cloud-based content management technology. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Headquartered in Campbell, CA, FastPencil serves authors and publishers with full-featured, open-platform solutions spanning content, workflow, marketing and distribution.
Banker Is Found Guilty
CONCORD, NH—James Bender, the former bank executive involved in the fraud case that took down an ex-international trade finance manager for Goss International, has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Bender, a former Sovereign Bank vice president, was accused of conspiring to defraud several Latin American clients of Goss International. Bender reportedly arranged for the bank to purchase loans extended to clients and created shell companies to defraud businesses.
