Quebecor World

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

(Editor's Note: Company rankings for the current and previous years are based on figures reported in 2003. Therefore, companies that revised their 2002 revenues may have changed their 2002 ranking as compared with the ranking that appeared in last year's Printing Impressions 400. Similarly, the percentage change in sales is calculated on the most recent information provided.) 1 ('02: 1) Quebecor World, Montréal, Canada Total Sales (Millions): $6,242.00 Previous Year's Sales (Millions): $6,300.00 Change (%): -1 Principal Officer: Jean Neveu Employees: 38,000 Primary Specialties: PUB 26%; ADV 23%; CAT 16%; BKS 12% Web Offset Press Units: 3,156 Sheetfed Press Units: 985 Other Press

BY chris Bauer Managing Editor The year 2003 can be summed up as a period that had its ups and downs as far as the commercial printing industry is concerned. For every plant closing, there seemed to be a plant expansion project. For every poor financial report, there was a major capital equipment expenditure. Some big names left the industry, making way for a new generation of leaders. And the industry's biggest annual trade show left attendees and exhibitors with a feeling of hope. Let's take a look back. The beginning of the year brought with it changes to the top spots at several

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor Issues abound for the direct marketing printer, and some of the high impact ones involve the federal government. Given this, there is but one absolute: don't expect hard and fast resolutions anytime soon. One topic centers on postal reform for the United States Postal Service (USPS); another deals with the possible redirection of marketing efforts from customers who may no longer believe that telemarketing is a viable answer in light of the federal Do-Not-Call (DNC) Registry. Top 10 Direct Mail Printers*  CompanySegmentSales(millions)TotalSales(millions) 1Quebecor WorldMontreal$624$6,242 2Vertis Inc.Baltimore$335$1,675 3Banta Corp.Menasha, WI$191$1,366 4RR DonnelleyChicago$142$4,754 5The Instant Web Cos.Chanhassen, MN$93$98 6Von Hoffmann(Lehigh Direct)St.

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

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