Consolidated Graphics

BY JERRY JANDA As the leader of a publicly held company with a strong global influence and more than $50 million in sales, Michael Cunningham has positioned himself as a power broker in the graphic arts industry. But not too long ago, he was just a broker—worried about going broke. Throughout most of the '80s, Cunningham earned his living selling printing for two companies. One of these companies handled Cunningham's primary business: research reports. It was a good arrangement, until the late '80s. That's when the company decided printing this type of work wasn't profitable enough. At first, Cunningham looked for a new company

Joe R. Davis has taken the industry by storm with his novel approach of acquiring well-managed commercial printing operations. BY CHRIS CORNELL If all you knew was that Joe R. Davis is the chairman and CEO of a printing company with annualized revenues in excess of $575 million, you might wonder why he was chosen as a 1998 Printing Impressions/RIT Printing Industry Hall of Fame inductee. After all, there are larger printing companies. But when you know more, the reason becomes clear. In its frequent dispatches to the press, Davis' New York Stock Exchange company, Consolidated Graphics, routinely states that it is "the fastest-growing

This is column number 154. One five four! They don't call me old Rhetoric Breath for nothin'. It also marks my 14th anniversary writing for Printing Impressions. By the time you read this column, a whole bunch of people, including yours truly, will be in Chicago at GRAPH EXPO. I'm being inducted into the Soderstrom Society during GRAPH EXPO, and, if I'm not mistaken, you will have to start calling me "Sir Mañana Man" or maybe it's "Lord Mañana Man." The Soderstrom Society is kind of like being knighted or something, I think. There's lots of news as I write this. By the time you

HOUSTON—The heat of midsummer seemed to have slowed the ongoing acquisition fever in the graphic arts business, but as summer winds down and executives return from vacation, a new spate of acquisition announcements has arrived. Consolidated Graphics, based here, led the pack, signing letters of intent to acquire five new companies. Four of the new acquisitions—McKay Press in Midland, MI, Royle Communications in Sun Prairie, WI, Graphtec in Annapolis Junction, MD, and Printing Corp. of America in Baltimore— were acquired in one transaction led by Radnor, PA-based Compass Capital Partners. Only days later Consolidated signed another deal to acquire Bloomington, IL-based Metropolitan Printing Service. Upon

In this age of mergers and acquisitions,Spencer Press stands alone. BY JERRY JANDA As companies like Consolidated Graphics and World Color continue to absorb plants across the country, printing purists may wonder what the future holds for the family-run businesses that form the backbone of our industry. Such purists should consider taking a trip to Spencer Press in picturesque Wells, ME. Name: Spencer PressLocation: Wells, MEEmployees: 650Annual Sales: $85 millionKey Markets: Catalogs, books, brochures, inserts and magazines.A family business since opening in 1940, Spencer Press is, and intends to remain, privately owned. So proclaims the company's second-generation leaders: brothers John E. Spenlinhauer III and Stephen P. Spenlinhauer. Chairman

To feed or divert a discontented populace, the ancient Romans offered bread and circuses. And, to a certain extent, they met with success. Their idea lingers in today's world of graphic arts sales compensation; some printers pay straight salaries to their sales forces, while other printers add various incentives and bonuses. Despite what many consider to be the intrinsic nature of motivation, incentive plans can help boost individual performance in certain situations. In this second of two installments (see March issue, page 56), Printing Impressions reviews incentive plans and other issues relative to commercial printing sales compensation. Various industry players share their thoughts and

According to Plutarch, Julius Caesar, passing through a poor village in the Alps, remarked, "I would rather be the first man here than the second in Rome." Now we all know that Julius was a very ambitious man. He possessed many of the qualities—like ambition—that printing company owners might like to see in sales personnel.

HOUSTON—Consolidated Graphics, based here, has capped the year with three new acquisitions, bringing its total to 29 companies. The first of the three firms was StorterChilds Printing, based in Gainesville, FL. The acquisition marks Consolidated's entry into the booming Florida printing market. Consolidated officials call StorterChilds, founded almost 50 years ago, one of the leading commercial printers in central Florida. As is nearly always the case with Consolidated Graphics' acquisitions, the current management team will remain in place. John Childs and Jim Storter will continue to lead StorterChilds after the transaction is completed. "Our company has been successful because we consistently provide our

BOCA RATON, FL—The recent PIA/GATF Graphic Arts Industry Summit drew 225 paid attendees to hear merger and acquisition strategies and case studies, and to honor industry leaders. Though the conference theme of "Buy, Sell, Merge, Grow" was directed toward the attendees, Ray Roper, PIA's president, and George Ryan, GATF's president, were paying close attention and taking their own notes. The consolidation of their organizations continues. Formal discussions were begun last November by the management and boards of both the PIA and GATF. The two organizations may join together, but the term "merger" is inappropriate. GATF is classified as a 501-C-3 educational foundation, and PIA