DeWese--We Have Met the Enemy

I see hundreds of financial statements from printing companies every year. As a result, I can tell you that 97 percent of them had great years in 1999 and are having better years so far in 2000. I even know some companies in Chapter 11 that are having great years.

I see sales up among independent companies in a range of from 10 percent to 35 percent for 1999. It is true that some of the consolidators have sucked the entrepreneurial growth spirit right out of their companies; but, overall, this industry is growing nicely. Besides, in the past 11 years, the consolidators have bought out fewer than 600 out of more than 40,000 companies—and their few loser plants can't be dragging down the whole industry. If some people don't stop all their negativity, I'm going to do my own survey that will be unquestionably, irrevocably and statistically accurate, and I will embarrass the hell out of the naysayers. Sales in decline? Phooey!