YEAR IN REVIEW - Is M&A Now DOA?

The pace of consolidation picked up around mid-year, one with an interesting twist. ImageX.com, a business-to-business Internet company out of Bellevue, WA, purchased a “bricks and mortar” operation, Howard Press of Roselle, NJ. Banta Corp. purchased Southeastern Color Graphics of Johnson City, TN, and Englewood, CO-based Mail-Well picked up Craftsmen Litho, of Trumble, CT. A number of smaller deals were also consummated in a show of consolidation confidence.