Consolidated Graphics

Postcards Get Foot in Door Variable data marketing holds great potential, especially for retail business applications that can connect personalized communication with buying patterns. Shoe Carnival (www.shoecarnival.com) tapped the technology for a successful traffic generation campaign based on an existing loyalty program. Shoe Carnival is a multi-state discount shoe retail chain with more than 250 stores in the South and Midwest. [ The Proposed Solution ] A direct mail campaign was developed targeting members of the chain's Savings Club, and personalized messages were to be communicated via colorful postcards. The objective was to reconnect with those loyalty club customers who had

Daly, Frontenac Seek Specialties CHICAGO—Private equity investment firm Frontenac and Ronald Daly, former president of RR Donnelley Print Solutions, have created a business partnership to acquire and grow specialty printers and other print solutions companies. Daly worked with Donnelley for 38 years. EPI Cos., Display Printers Merge MARIETTA, GA—The EPI Companies, based here, has acquired Display Printers, a manufacturer of printed merchandising displays. EPI specializes in marketing support for corporate clients, including creative services, traditional and digital print, logistics, premiums and online solutions. Unions Pressure Schawk CHICAGO—With its Union Network International (UNI) Congress taking place here, about 100 labor delegates, union leaders and activists decided to pay an

HOUSTON—Like a championship-caliber sports team, Consolidated Graphics (CGX) is populating its star managerial ranks via a feeder system. The company's future stars, more than 100 in all, were on parade July 29-31 during the sixth annual CGX National Associates Meeting, held at the posh Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa. All of those in attendance were current or past members of the company's Leadership Development Program (LDP), a collection of the industry's best and brightest culled from colleges and universities nationwide. The Associates Meeting builds upon the leadership program at the local level by providing opportunities for networking, education, problem solving and growing sales. And, in an

Cream Rises to the Top This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Printing Industry Hall of Fame, which is co-sponsored by Printing Impressions and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) School of Print Media. Having played a part in the selection process these past two decades, it's a blur when I think back on all of the industry heavyweights we've honored over the years. I fondly recall former powerhouses like Frank Beddor, The Beddor Cos.; Curtis Bourland, Continental Graphics; Quebecor's Pierre Peladeau; Mark C. Pope III, of Graphic Industries fame; and, of course—among our inaugural class in 1986—the late Harry V. Quadracci, founder

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor Digital printing, by all accounts, isn't what it was even two years ago. Likewise, any similarity between today's digital printing presses/output devices and short-term future technologies will be purely coincidental. Scratch that last statement, for there's one notable exception: the quality of digital printing already has improved and is certainly on the fast track to mainstream acceptance for any type of job, not just those pigeonholed as "digital friendly" applications. More commercial applications are continuously being realized. The masses have certainly gotten that point and are mobilizing the back end of the operation with equipment geared toward the finish

RRD Names Richter New CFO CHICAGO—Glenn Richter, former CFO for Sears, Roebuck and Co., has been named to fill the same role for RR Donnelley effective April 1. Richter replaces Kevin Smith, executive vice president and CFO. Richter brings big-name corporate experience to the Donnelley fold. Prior to joining Sears, he held several senior financial positions with Dade Behring Holdings. He also served various roles with PepsiCo Inc. and was a consultant with McKinsey & Co. Times Taps Goss for Controls NEW YORK—Six New York Times printing facilities are slated to receive press controls and digital inking as part of a phased press upgrade initiative. The enhancements

HOUSTON—In the late 1990s, when the merger and acquisition craze was sweeping the commercial printing industry, there was a cluster of four or five "roll-up" consolidators making headlines every other week with their latest transactions. Among them were Consolidated Graphics (CGX) and Kelmscott Communications. M&A mania cooled, along with the economy, and several other consolidators fell on hard times, even bankruptcy. As transactions have increased over the past year, Houston-based CGX sent a message to the industry that it remains in the M&A foreground following the late January announcement that it had acquired former competitor Kelmscott Communications, headquartered in San Francisco. Kelmscott ranked 53rd on

Predictions for 2005 And Other Ramblings The September 11th tragedy and the growing insurgency following the U.S. invasion of Iraq have reinforced, in no uncertain terms, how difficult it is to predict the future. And while we as a collective industry cannot control world events or the state of our overall economy, I do have a few predictions about what will be in store for us in the new year. Obviously, don't expect pricing pressure to wane in 2005. There still will be further industry consolidation, with those weak, underperforming shops driving down prices for everyone as they grapple to keep work—albeit unprofitable—coming

(Editor's Note: Company rankings for the current and previous years are based on figures reported in 2004. Therefore, companies that revised their 2003 revenues may have changed their 2003 ranking as compared with the ranking that appeared in last year's Printing Impressions 400. Similarly, the percentage change in sales is calculated on the most recent information provided.) 1 ('03: 2) RR Donnelley, Chicago, IL Total Sales (Millions): $8,204.50 Previous Year's Sales (Millions): $4,754.94 Change (%): +73 Principal Officer: Mark A. Angelson Employees: 44,000 Primary Specialties: SPEC 26%; CAT/PUB 23%; BF 10%; COM 9%; BKS 8% Web Offset Press Units: N/A Sheetfed Press

by chris bauer Managing Editor Merger and acquisition activity. Monster trade shows. New faces in high places. The luck of the draw. It all adds up to just another year in the commercial printing industry. Let's take a look back at how the year 2004 played out, and who made headlines during the past 12 months. The year started out on shaky ground for the industry, with rumors that Heidelberg planned to sell off its web systems business and digital printing division, as well as reduce its worldwide work force by up to 1,000 employees. Eventually, the whispers became a reality as the other players in these