Quebecor World

MONTREAL—Quebecor World is consolidating its Cincinnati area magazine printing operations into one facility to “improve customer service, maximize asset utilization and increase efficiency.” Work produced at the Red Bank, OH, facility is to be transferred to the nearby Lebanon, OH, plant and other facilities in the organization’s magazine platform. Approximately 150 of the 300 employees at the Redbank facility reportedly will be offered transfers to Lebanon. Quebecor’s Lebanon operations are being expanded to accommodate the additional volume. This move will include investment in new equipment and the decommissioning or relocation of certain existing assets, according to the company. The plan is expected to be completed by

MONTREAL—Nearly 50 years since first printing the publication, Quebecor World saw the one billionth copy of Highlights magazine roll off the presses at its Clarksville, TN, facility earlier this week.The magazine is part of the Highlights for Children franchise, which has entertained generations of kids and their families with features such as “Hidden Pictures” and…

MONTREAL—Quebecor World has signed a pair of multi-year accords to produce catalogs for several major retail clients. Catalog specialist Redcats USA renewed an agreement that sees Quebecor World produce the Lane Byrant and Jessica London catalogs, while the printer will also address the full program needs of Bass Pro Shops. The Redcats deal includes rotogravure printing, logistics services, mail list processing and premedia solutions. Other brands in the Redcats stable include Chadwick’s and the Lerner catalog. The Bass Pro Shops contract builds upon the previous agreement between the two companies. Quebecor World has furnished Bass Pro Shops’ retail insert program while Sun Media (a Quebecor Media

S. Rosenthal Closes Doors CINCINNATI—S. Rosenthal & Co., a publication and catalog printer that dated back to 1868, perished in April with the demise of its Portland, TN, facility, Heritage Graphics. About 300 people lost their jobs. The company, ranked 117th on the 2005 PI 400 with $47 million in annual sales, never recovered from the loss of its TV Guide printing account. Weyerhaeuser Mulls Move FEDERAL WAY, WA—Weyerhaeuser Co. is considering alternatives for its fine paper business, including a possible sale. The company did confirm it is “in active discussion with several parties,” though it would not guarantee a sale of the fine paper business. Unique Press

BITS AND PIECES Someone’s Looking Out For Fakes A recent edition of Bits & Pieces chronicled the latest printing technologies that have made counterfeiting U.S. money nearly impossible for anyone but the most sophisticated of thieves. But even with the bevy of bells and whistles meshed in as security features, I wondered just how many people—particularly minimum wagers in the retail sector—would be capable (or care enough) to root out any funny money trying to be passed off as genuine. Well, it’s time to put that cynicism to rest. A short while back, while lunching at one of Philly’s greasy spoons, I handed the

ROBERT BURTON, chairman and CEO of Cenveo Inc., is very decisive in his quest to uncover $100 million in cost savings at the publicly held printing conglomerate (ranked #5 on the 2005 Printing Impressions 400 listing of largest U.S. and Canadian printers) he took over last fall in a forceful, and sometimes contentious, takeover. Citing the need for a major overhaul, he immediately fired the existing board and senior managers, and brought in his own team from his former World Color and Moore Corp. days. Numerous plant closures, cutbacks and rounds of staff reductions have since followed company-wide. Appeasing analysts and stakeholders, Cenveo’s once-floundering

MONTREAL—A reorganization of the U.S. book and magazine platforms has prompted Quebecor World to close two facilities, costing more than 700 employees their jobs. The troubled printer also named a new chief executive. A book manufacturing facility in Kingsport, TN, (visit www.piworld.com for history) will be shuttered, leaving 425 without work, and a magazine plant in Brookfield, WI, will close, impacting 310 jobs. The work produced at the affected shops will be transferred to other Quebecor World member companies. The closures are expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2006. The company also named former Sun Chemical top executive Wes Lucas as

Workers Say No to Union MONTREAL—An independent arbitrator has ruled there is no need to hold a re-run election for union representation at Quebecor World’s Covington, TN, facility, as requested by the Teamsters. The decision upholds a secret ballot election in which those employees opted against union representation. As part of the decision, it was ruled that Quebecor World’s conduct did not adhere to the neutrality provisions of the May 2005 Neutrality Agreement signed by the printer and Teamsters. CGX Finishes Nies/Artcraft Deal HOUSTON—Consolidated Graphics has completed the acquisition of St. Louis-based Nies/Artcraft Companies, which includes Nies/Artcraft Printing, Valcour Printing and Impression Label. Terms of the deal

BITS AND PIECES COMMERCIAL PRINTING has been fighting battles on a couple of fronts recently. One involves direct mail, the other annual reports—both critical turfs. Last month, we reported on proposed legislation in the Illinois State House of Representatives that could curtail the volume of direct mail pieces via a “Do Not Mail” list, patterned after the national “Do Not Call” registry. Proponents of the proposed law point out that officious-looking mailers—which help campaigns get a foot in the door (or a letter opener through the envelope)—are deceptive to the point that the elderly have complained about being exploited by them. In a column

Sheridan Shutters Capital City BERLIN, VT—Capital City Press' operations here are being discontinued by its parent company, The Sheridan Group, resulting in the loss of approximately 150 jobs. The printing of scientific, technical and medical journals, along with book printing, will be consolidated into other locations within the company. Much of the work will be handled by The Sheridan Press in Hanover, PA. Capital City employs 200 workers, and 45 of them—which comprise the Publications Services division—will reportedly be offered employment by Dartmouth Journal Services, another company in The Sheridan Group chain. FedEx Kinko's Opens Center DALLAS—FedEx Kinko's has taken the wraps off of its World