Quebecor World

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Consumer spending was the only positive note on the economic front for some time, but that doesn't mean the numbers still couldn't stand some improvement. Now that the recovery has broadened to include business spending as it continues to gain steam, catalog printers have reason to be more upbeat about business prospects going into 2004, thanks to the trickle-down benefits of all this spending. "Positive economic trends bode well for the catalog industry in 2004," agrees Dan Knotts, president of Magazine, Catalog and Retail Industries at RR Donnelley. "As consumer confidence builds, catalogers will see growth again—albeit at

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor Try summing up the 2003 season from the book printing market's point of view. It can't be done. Sure, another Potter tome and the return of Oprah's book club did wonders for a struggling trade market, and most feel the elementary-high school (el-hi) sector was as depressed as the economy, with weak adoption programs to match. But, for the most part, the answers to what worked and what didn't pan out depends largely upon who is being asked. Top 10 Book Printers CompanySegmentSales(millions)TotalSales(millions) 1RR DonnelleyChicago$808$4,754 2Quebecor WorldMontreal$749$6,242 3Banta Corp.Menasha, WI$355$1,366 4Von HoffmannSt. Louis$348$535 5Bertelsmann ArvatoNew York$209$276 6Courier Corp.N.

Now in its 20th year, the Printing Impressions 400 (in this special pull-out section) provides the industry's most comprehensive ranking of the leading printing companies in the United States and Canada. The listings include company name and headquarters location; parent company, if applicable; current and previous year's rankings; most recent and previous year's fiscal sales; percentage change; primary specialties; principal officer(s); and number of employees, manufacturing plants and total press units. In a few instances, those firms on the list that are heavily involved in activities other than printing were instructed to indicate sales derived only from printing. If printing revenues comprised

PIA/GATF Chooses New Home SAN ANTONIO, TX—After an 18 month review, the boards of directors of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) and Printing Industries of America (PIA) have selected Sewickley, PA, (over Waukesha, WI) as the new site for its consolidated headquarters. While GATF/PIA will maintain a small office in Washington, DC, for public policy purposes, the majority of PIA operations will move to the current headquarters of GATF, located just outside of Pittsburgh.The timing for the move is the fall of 2004. Mail-Well Creates New Group ENGLEWOOD, CO—Mail-Well has formed its new 360° Enterprise Solutions Group for the direct marketing industry. The 360° Enterprise Solutions

Printing Impressions 400: Sign of the Times WOW! I can't believe that this issue marks the 20th year that our editorial staff has been compiling the annual Printing Impressions 400 ranking of the leading printers in the United States and Canada. Along with the PI 400, we present next year's outlook for several key print market segments—another traditional feature of the December issue. Many of you may recall that the list used to include 500 companies, before all of the industry consolidation in the mid- and late-'90s compelled us to lower the number of printers surveyed. Speaking of consolidation, undoubtedly the biggest industry headline

Meridian Printing Wins Gold NEW YORK CITY—Meridian Printing won the coveted 2003 Sappi North American Printer of the Year award at an elegant, black-tie awards gala held here recently. The East Greenwich, RI-based printer was acclaimed for excellence of printing craftsmanship in its production of the "100 years of Harley Davidson" book, which was printed on 100-lb. Sappi Porcelain Dull Text paper. The 275,000-copy run, for publisher Melcher Media, was printed four-color process with varnish at 250 line screen on Meridian's Heidelberg CD sheetfed press. As the Sappi North American Printer of the Year winner, Meridian received a trophy and a handcrafted gold medallion. A Real Fancy Affair The

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Looking back, 2003 has shaped up much the same as 2002 for magazine publishers and publication printers. Both are still holding out hope for a rebound in advertising spending but, at the same time, are wary of to what extent the competitive standing of magazines has permanently changed. Consider one measure of industry activity: the Publishers Information Bureau (PIB) index of consumer magazine ad pages. Through October, advertising revenue was up 8.7 percent, but ad pages were down 0.2 percent compared to the same period in 2002. The comprehensive numbers only tell part of the story, since the

Meridian Printing Wins Gold Award NEW YORK CITY—Meridian Printing won the coveted 2003 Sappi North American Printer of the Year award at an elegant, black-tie awards gala held here on October 10. The East Greenwich, RI-based printer was acclaimed for excellence of printing craftsmanship in its production of the "100 years of Harley Davidson" book, which was printed on 100-lb. Sappi Porcelain Dull Text paper. The 275,000-copy run—for publisher Melcher Media—was printed four-color process with varnish at 250 line screen on Meridian's Heidelberg CD sheetfed press. As the Sappi North American Printer of the Year winner, Meridian received a trophy and a handcrafted gold medallion. The event, appropriately

alabama TUSCALOOSA—Printing Services at the University of Alabama has purchased a Presto saddle stitching system from Muller Martini to expand its full-service finishing capabilities. florida HIALEAH—Franklin/Trade Graphics recently held an open house to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the merger of Franklin Graphics, Trade Litho and Little River Press. About 200 guests got a look at the company's two new six-color, 40˝ sheetfed presses—a Mitsubishi 3F-13 and Mitsubishi Diamond 3000LS. Among the special guests at the open house were Stanley C. Panther, mascot of the Florida Panthers hockey team, and Billy the Marlin, mascot of the Florida Marlins baseball team. MIAMI—Solo Printing has

For most graphic arts companies, there is a clearly defined market from which the majority of customers are drawn. This market is typically defined by the company's size, core competencies, and the size and needs of the geographical region in which it exists. Every so often, a company will break out of that pattern and create a business model that expands its market base beyond those traditional boundaries. Eckhart & Co., located in Indianapolis, has done just that. A potent combination of desirable manufacturing capabilities and honest customer service has allowed Eckhart to blossom into a complete postpress services provider with a roster