Book Printing Outlook -- Consumer Confidence Key

As for how 2009 may play out, Tobin rattles off the prime suspects: the economy, consumer confidence, credit markets and global financial markets. Understanding the cautious approach taken by customers will go a long way toward setting expectations, he adds.

“We, at Courier, are focusing on what we’ve been doing this year—providing great service, increasing our share with current customers and winning new clients,” Tobin remarks. “We’re confident we’ll do fine in ’09. That said, I think it will be a year where everyone is just going to be very careful about how they spend money and invest, and publishers will be cautious about building too much inventory.