Courier Corp.

Commercial printing industry news briefs, including items on Courier, Metgers, Grover Printing, Heidelberg, Worldcolor and more

NORTH CHELMSFORD, MA—Courier Corp., a book manufacturer and specialty publisher, has acquired Highcrest Media of Wilmington, MA, a provider of software and solutions that streamline the production of customized textbooks for use in colleges, universities and businesses. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Courier’s acquisition of Highcrest complements its recent investment in digital printing technology. Highcrest's largest customer is also a Courier client.

Revenues for the quarter were $63.1 million, up 6%, and net income for the quarter was $2.8 million, compared to $0.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2009.

Highcrest provides Web-based technology that streamline the production of customized textbooks for use in colleges, universities and businesses.

It is fascinating to note what market influence the recession has visited on the book market, beyond the tempering of consumer confidence. But even in an atmosphere of printing platform right sizing and other business-related reconciliation, it is difficult to take any view but an optimistic one of the past year and the coming fortunes in 2010.

A total of 21 companies received the coveted designation Best of the Best, while 16 earned Best Workplace honors.

HP today announced developments for its HP Inkjet Web Press platform to help print service providers (PSPs) become more profitable and accelerate their transition from analog to digital printing. On show at an open house event at Los Angeles-based O’Neil Data Systems — site of the first HP Inkjet Web Press beta installation — the press demonstrates how customers can benefit from market-leading total cost of ownership, excellent productivity and a high level of quality.

RR Donnelley served notice to the former Heartland Press plant in Spencer, IA, that it planned to close for good by March 13. The move leaves 160 employees without jobs. The plant was obtained by Donnelley in the Perry Judd’s acquisition.

Printing Impressions' Across the Nation Commercial Printing News for February 2009

From the "it's going to get worse before it gets better" department comes a Quad/Graphics capacity reduction that sees 550 people lose their jobs this week. Another 72 jobs are gone as Courier Corp. shuts down short-run Book-mart of North Bergen, NJ, while 62 Multi-Color Corp. positions are eliminated as its Framingham, MA, operations are folded into other facilities. That's nearly 700 jobs in under a week. It's a safe bet that more than 1,000 people industry-wide will be cut loose this week.