UPFRONT

Postal Commission OKs Hike

WASHINGTON, DC—A 5.4 percent increase in United States Postal Service (USPS) rates virtually across the board has been approved by the Postal Rate Commission. The rate increases were expected to take effect by the middle of January. The increase will help the USPS meet its $3.1 billion escrow payment due in 2006. Nonprofit mailings will go up by 3 percent, while the book rate will balloon 12.7 percent, in accordance with the requirement that all classes of mail cover their direct cost of service. A First Class stamp will rise by 2 cents.

Quad Signs Billion Dollar Deal

SUSSEX, WI—Quad/Graphics and Time Inc. have reached a $1.1 billion contract extension for the print production of 22 titles through the year 2013. Quad will print all of Time Inc.'s major titles, including Time, Sports Illustrated, People and Entertainment Weekly. As part of the deal, Quad was awarded the printing of additional copies of Time, Sports Illustrated and People. They will be produced at Quad's newer Oklahoma City plant beginning in January of 2007.

Fire Damages Illinois Plant

MOUNT MORRIS, IL—A Quebecor World plant located here caught fire October 25, according to company spokesman Tony Ross. No one was injured, but the facility's No. 10 press suffered significant damage. Ross said the blaze was still under investigation, but that the company was not releasing any information.

UniGraphic Acquires Synergy

WOBURN, MA—UniGraphic Inc., a full-service printer based here, has acquired Synergy Graphics, of Wilmington, MA. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the companies have a combined $20 million in annual sales. The old Synergy facility has been closed, with employees being relocated to UniGraphic's plant. UniGraphic specializes in very-large-format printing, including billboard-size jobs.

McLaughlin Resigns from Post

HUDSON, NH—Digital imaging solutions provider Presstek announced the resignation of Susan McLaughlin, president of ABD International, North America. The departure of McLaughlin, also a Presstek senior vice president, follows Presstek's decision to dissolve ABD International's operations. The company has consolidated ABDick's sales, service and other operational functions with Presstek.

Time Extends Quebecor Pact

MONTREAL—Time Inc. and Quebecor World came to terms on a $500 million, multi-year deal that extends a 30+-year relationship between the venerable publisher and printer. Under the deal, Quebecor World will print and bind 15 Time Inc. titles, including Time, Sports Illustrated, People and Entertainment Weekly, in the process increasing weekly volume by 25 percent. The publications will be produced at Quebecor World facilities in Merced, CA; Lebanon, OH; Clarksville, TN; and Dallas.

Bowne Implementing Cost Cuts

NEW YORK—Bowne & Co. announced it is implementing $10 million in annualized cost savings primarily through a reduction in its workforce. The move coincided with the company's reported third quarter results. While no specifics were provided, the company expected to take a fourth quarter pre-tax charge of $4 million.

Montreal Paper Orders Presses

MONTREAL—Le Journal de Montreal has signed to install three Colorman web offset presses from MAN Roland in a new $110 million production facility that is scheduled to begin operation in 2007. The 200,000-square-foot facility will feature prepress and mailroom departments in addition to its print production operations. Le Journal de Montreal is part of Sun Media, which is owned by Quebecor Media, a division of Quebecor Inc.

Huber Group Buys Micro Inks

BRAMPTON, ONTARIO—The Huber Group, which does business as Hostmann-Steinberg in North America, has acquired a controlling share of Micro Inks, formerly known as Hindustan. The move fortifies Huber's market share in India and Asia, but also strengthens its North American position by adding a high-volume manufacturing plant in Chicago.

Canadian Shop to Get 81˝ Press

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO—Canadian large-format printing specialist Annan & Bird Lithographers has ordered a six-color, 81˝ KBA Rapida 205 sheetfed press with aqueous coater and UV interdeck dryers. KBA touts the Rapida 205 as the world's largest sheetfed press. The announcement came during Graphics Canada, the country's largest show dedicated to the printing industry.

Boyd Brothers Adds New Gear

PANAMA CITY, FL—Boyd Brothers has installed its second eight-color Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102 with perfecting and a CutStar roll sheeter. In addition, the facility added the Prinect Printready system to help increase efficiencies. Boyd also installed a two-color Printmaster PM 52, a five-color Speedmaster SM 52 press with coater, a Stahlfolder TD 78 with pallet feeder and Suprasetter 105 computer-to-plate device.

Magazine Ad Revenues Rising

NEW YORK—Magazine "rate card reported" advertising revenue for October increased 3.5 percent over the same month in 2004, according to the Publishers Information Bureau (PIB), though ad pages were down 2.1 percent for the same period. Year-to-date PIB revenue closed at $18.5 billion, an increase of 7.2 percent from the same period in 2004. Of the markets that saw the greatest improvements, finance topped out with a 22.7 percent increase in ad pages.

Correction

The Unimac employee who was killed in a press accident on September 8th was Peter Marchant, who had been with the company for nearly five years. Printing Impressions strives for accuracy and regrets the errors.