Courier Corp.

Binding and finishing news briefs from Printing Impressions’ July 2012 edition, featuring Courier Corp. and Invitation Consultants.

For the past three years, Courier Corp. has been producing digitally printed softcover books. At drupa, it decided in favor of installin ga new Diamant MC Digital bookline from Muller Martini to also produce hardcover books in short print runs.

Nearly two-thirds of the 150 attendees at the 2012 Digital Book Printing Forum were publishers and printers. According to Gilles Biscos, president of INTERQUEST, “Shorter print runs, better inventory management, and the growing popularity of eBooks are changing the supply chain for printed books.”

Bethlam Forsa, executive vice president, content development and publishing operations at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, will kick off the 2012 Digital Book Printing Forum with the opening keynote address. Following that address, INTERQUEST will present key results from recent research it has conducted in digital book printing sector.

WOA and Flint Group are pleased to announce the call for nominations for the H. Howard Flint II Pressroom Manager of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes pressroom managers or supervisors who have excelled in their profession and contributed above and beyond to their companies, customers and the printing industry.

Courier’s book manufacturing segment had first-quarter sales of $56 million, up 6 percent, reflecting the effects of multiyear agreements with key customers in the education and religious markets. Sales in the company’s publishing segment were down from last year’s first quarter.

PITTSBURGH—A total of 33 graphic arts companies were named recipients of the 2011 Best Workplace in the Americas Awards by Printing Industries of America (PIA). The winners were selected by a committee of human resources experts from within the industry. The program is designed to recognize graphic arts companies for their outstanding human relations efforts that contribute to a successful workplace.

Judging the health of the book publishing industry is a lot like viewing a national weather map. The happy sun icon is shown here and there, but some angry clouds are clustered in certain areas. And in an era where the electronic reader is bludgeoning ink on paper, studies show that readership is growing on all fronts.

While 2010 was resplendent with major printing company acquisitions, its successor came and went with little fanfare. Asset sales and closures took center stage in 2011, and crime continued to play a leading role from a news standpoint.

Thirty three graphic arts companies were selected as recipients of 2011 Best Workplace in the Americas Awards by a committee of distinguished human resources experts from within the industry. A total of 14 companies received the coveted Best of the Best designation, while 19 earned Best Workplace honors.