Quad/Graphics

The multi-million-dollar contract, which begins this summer, covers premedia services, printing and distribution of all catalogs annually for Talbots.

CHICAGO—Penton Media has filed a prepackaged plan of reorganization under Chapter 11, the publisher announced on Tuesday. The parent company of American Printer and Paper, Film & Foil Converter magazines, Penton is saddled with more than $1 billion in liabilities. Its assets fall between $500 million and $1 billion, according to court documents.

SUSSEX, WI — Under a new, multi-year agreement, Quad/Graphics Photography Services will become L.L.Bean’s exclusive provider for studio photography. The agreement, an expansion of an existing Quad/Graphics contract, goes into effect this month and covers photography for L.L.Bean’s catalogs, including the Men’s, Women’s, Kids, Fly Fishing, Hunting, Traveler and Home titles, as well as its Websites and e-commerce businesses.

L.L.Bean will build Studio 1912, a digital photography studio in Westbrook, ME, suburb, to be managed by Quad/Graphics Photography Services.

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

SUSSEX, WI—One of the most compelling transactions in the history of the printing industry rocked a relatively serene M&A landscape when it was announced that Quad/Graphics had agreed to purchase Worldcolor—the second-largest printer in North America—and become a publicly traded company. But the move was as jaw-dropping as it was logical.

This deal is happening for all the right reasons—great management, great opportunities for cost saving, great marketing and manufacturing fits, and great value for the shareholders.

This deal may be exciting from the merged balance sheet and even superficial marketing perspectives. However, Quad’s operations team has never ever had this kind of a challenge to boot strap a printer of this size before.

Concurrent with the closing of the transaction, Quad/Graphics intends to become a publicly traded company. Joel Quadracci to lead the expanded company as Chairman, President and CEO.

Many unanswered questions remain, so stay tuned. Here are some of the remarks made by Mark Angelson, Worldcolor CEO, and Joel Quadracci, chairman, president and CEO of Quad/Graphics, during Tuesday's investor call.