M&A REPORT -- New Era of Consolidation

DeWese is expecting to see more consolidations by smaller firms pooling their assets under one roof to eliminate multiple overheads and enjoy increased equipment utilization.

Time for Survival

"It's getting tougher and tougher for the smaller printer to survive," he says. "It's tough to get financing. When the banks open up again—if and when they do—the boutiques, the smaller companies, have a chance to survive a little longer. We're definitely going to see some dissipation. On the other hand, I'm not talking about a huge, dramatic shift in a short period of time. Over the next 24 months, a deal or two in each major market that eliminates some competitors and makes someone who is already fairly substantial in that market, bigger. Once the idea catches on, then it could accelerate."