UPFRONT
Layoffs, Closings for Domtar
MONTREAL—Paper manufacturer Domtar is reducing its workforce by 1,800 and will sell or close several facilities in an effort to return the company to profitability. The company will close down its Cornwall, ON, mill and shut down two paper machines at its Ottawa mill. Domtar also announced that two sawmills in Quebec will be closed and its Vancouver mill will be sold. At Cornwall, where 390 positions were eliminated last December, there are 910 workers tending to three paper machines.
F.C.L. Nets Graphics Group
HARWOOD HEIGHTS, IL—Direct marketing printing specialist F.C.L. Graphics has acquired certain assets of The Graphics Group, a regional sheetfed printer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Based in Bensenville, IL, The Graphics Group provided prepress, print and inventory management services.
UPM Mill Faces Shutdown
MIRAMICHI, NEW BRUNSWICK—A three-month shutdown will take place at UPM's Canadian mill here effective February 1. The two sawmills and the woodlands division will not be affected. Jyrki Ovaska, president of UPM's Magazine Paper Division, said that high operating costs at the mill, combined with the strong Canadian dollar, makes exports to the United States unprofitable. The shutdown will occur during what traditionally is its slowest season of the year.
Heidelberg Expanding Press Line
HEIDELBERG, GERMANY—Sheetfed press manufacturer Heidelberg confirmed its worst-kept secret: the company is expanding its product line with a pair of presses. The presses, dubbed Speedmaster XL 142 and Speedmaster XL 162, will fall in the 6 (56˝) and 7b (64˝) format classes, respectively. The new presses will be unveiled at Drupa 2008. The expanding line is in response to the tremendous growth in packaging, particularly the need for the printing and finishing of folding cartons.
L.A. Times Closes Printing Plant
LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Times announced it is consolidating production at three of its facilities and is closing another. The closing of the Chatsworth, CA, plant will result in the elimination of 110 positions. The newspaper will focus its production efforts on facilities here, in Costa Mesa, CA, and Irwindale, CA. The paper boasts 11 presses in the Los Angeles and Costa Mesa plants.
New Addition for Tepel Brothers
TROY, MI—Tepel Brothers Printing has completed a $5 million expansion project that includes a 17,000-square-foot addition to its facility here. Also included in the expansion initiative is a new six-color, 40˝ Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102 press with coater. Tepel Brothers, which grew its sales from $10.5 million in 2004 to $18 million in 2005, added 42 sales and production personnel last year. Founded in 1989, Tepel Brothers also projects to reach approximately $23 million in sales for 2006.
Yearbook Printer Expands
LOVES PARK, IL—Yearbook producer Lifetouch Publishing has acquired an eight-color, 40˝ Heidelberg Speedmaster 102 press. In the last two years, the company has added four Esko-Graphics computer-to-plate (CTP) devices, five new Heidelberg offset presses (two two-color SM 102s, a four-color 102, a five-color SM 74 and a five-color CD 102) and new bindery equipment from Muller Martini and Horhauf. The new machines come on the heels of a $12 million expansion initiative in 2003.
Transcontinental Gets New Web
MONTREAL—Transcontinental Inc. has completed the installation of its new Goss Sunday 4000 press at the company's RBW Graphics magazine and catalog printing facility in Owen Sound, ON. The Sunday 4000 and associated bindery equipment replace two older presslines. The company also appointed Robert Young as president of Transcontinental Direct in the United States. Young, the former president for Cenveo's Commercial Envelope division, will spearhead the company's U.S. direct marketing efforts.
Cascades Reduces Capacity
KINGSEY FALLS, QUEBEC—As part of the strategic recovery plan for its Fine Papers Group plant in Saint-Jerome, Quebec, Cascades will restructure operations there, including the closing of the smallest of the four paper machines. The machine produced 8,000 short tons per year, roughly 5 percent of the plant's annual capacity. The measures will result in the loss of about 100 jobs.
McCarthy Inks Greeting Deal
AUGUSTA, ME—J.S. McCarthy Printers has signed a seven-figure, multi-year contract with Marian Heath Greeting Cards to produce all of its domestic retail and marketing products. The deal includes warehouse and distribution services through J.S. McCarthy's warehouse and fulfillment division.
Allied Group Acquires Assets
CRANSTON, RI—Print, mail and fulfillment specialist The Allied Group has acquired the assets of East Providence, RI-based Newsletter Press of New England. The clients and resources of Newsletter Press are now part of The Allied Group's newly formed Newsletter Division. Thomas McAvoy Jr., formerly president of Newsletter Press, has been named director of the division.
IP President Amen Steps Down
STAMFORD, CT—International Paper President Robert Amen has stepped down from his post. Amen had been with the company for 26 years He has served in numerous capacities across many of International Paper's businesses.
Big Changes at LithoGraphics
Garden City Park, NY—LithoGraphics has relocated to a larger facility and upgraded its direct-to-plate capabilities with a new, fully automated Creo Lotem 400 squarespot system. It now offers Staccato 10 (700 line screen) printing. In addition, the company is running a five-color Ryobi press with coater.
