Mergers & Acquisitions

Chances are, you haven’t been acquainted with Martin Stein. But his name may soon become synonymous with printing industry mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and others will undoubtedly follow. Stein is the founder and managing director of Blackford Capital, a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based private investment firm that acquires, manages and grows middle-marketing manufacturing, distribution and service companies.

Integrity Graphics, a commercial printer with digital, offset, and large-format capabilities based in Windsor, Connecticut, has acquired Excelsior Printing of North Adams, Massachusetts, for an undisclosed amount, reported CTNOW. "The Excelsior Printing and SeedPrint divisions enhance Integrity Graphics' strong presence in the Northeast and allow us to offer new services to our new Massachusetts clients, such as perfect binding and UV printing," said Joseph La Valla, president and CEO of Integrity Graphics.

All told, the content value chain represents a $1 trillion market—and printing is the least profitable piece of it. If the bulk of your revenue comes from printing, you have a major incentive to find new sources in areas of the value chain you are not currently addressing. With the right guidance and the appropriate systems and equipment, you can learn to leverage these lucrative opportunities.

A $5 million settlement between Standard Register and a group of creditors should pave the way for Taylor Corp. to obtain Standard.

John Hyde has been appointed as a director and member of Graphic Arts Advisors’ senior team.

Joseph Morgan tells employees he will be stepping down from his role as chief executive at Standard Register.

Billionaire and Taylor Corp. founder Glen Taylor reportedly has sights set on Standard Register.

We may be in a seller’s market now, but that can and will change with time. It always does. As with almost everything else in life and business, timing can make all of the difference in the degree of success you will achieve in a sell transaction.

Returning to its heritage and expanding services, Jones Printing acquired Jones Solutions, which was previously owned by parent Nationwide Argosy Solutions. Company ownership will return to the south as Jones Printing will become a privately-held, family-owned company, maintaining jobs in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

ProQuest, a provider of digital content to libraries and researchers announced its commitment to provide printed copies of books with its acquisition of Coutts Information Service from the global book distributor and on-demand printer, Ingram Content Group.