Quebecor World

BY ERIK CAGLE Imagine laying on the beach with a blanket, some sunblock, an umbrella—and the laptop computer cued to the latest book by your favorite author. Too futuristic sounding to be taken seriously? That future may not be as far away as you think. Most people still would not want to get sand in their keyboard, or curl up in bed or next to a fireplace with a good PC, which indicates that the health of the printed book is not in immediate danger. "As long as we have the three "Bs"—the bedroom, bathroom and the beach—the traditional book will remain," laughs Jerry

BY CHRISTOPHER CORNELL Each little drop in the bucket doesn't amount to much, but after a while it can turn into a torrent; that's the metaphor that applies to the graphic arts industry in 1999. Each individual merger and acquisition during the course of the year didn't affect the industry that much, but, in the aggregate, 1999 will likely be remembered as the year in which the number of companies in it noticeably shrunk. The biggest news story of the year was one just about everybody saw coming. Just after mid-year, following weeks of industry speculation, Quebecor Printing and World Color Press signed a

Publication printers are rising to meet the demands of rapid technological change, competition from the Internet and the changing whims of publishers. Will 2000 carry a darker dawn for this segment? Yes and no. BY MARIE RANOIA ALONSO As 1998 came to a close, the outlook for the publications segment was bright, despite the consolidation of titles that impacted the market's major players. Overall, the minds of the publications market called for continued growth for the segment throughout 1999, with particular emphasis on the hearty performance of the special-interest title. In total, while the projection for the publications market going into 1999 was conservative,

BY ERIK CAGLE Total direct marketing sales in the United States will clear the $2 trillion mark in five years, with nearly $765 billion estimated for business-to-business sales in the year 2000, according to findings made by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). Thus, on the whole, the industry appears to be in good shape. That statement is not entirely accurate, though. Even with a double-digit compound annual growth rate, there are key issues that will influence the market, particularly business-to-business considerations for those who profit from the manufacture of direct mail. Top 10 Direct Mail Printers CompanySegmentSales(millions)Total Sales(millions)1Quebecor World*Montreal$554.00$6,160.002Banta Corp.Menasha, WI$254.00$1,340.003R.R. Donnelley & SonsChicago$250.00$5,000.00 4Mail-WellEnglewood,

Implementing computer management systems arm commercial printers with a key to unlocking print production bottlenecks—on and off the Internet. BY MARIE RANOIA ALONSO Any printer will report that a breakdown in the communication process in any phase of the print production cycle can be debilitating. Printers, quite simply, do not have the luxury of easily absorbing workflow bottlenecks—from the moment a purchase order comes in, through the prepress and printing processes, to the second the product is lifted off the finishing room floor for shipment and the customer, promptly, is billed for services rendered. Good news: There are a host of fine technology

By Erik Cagle When Francis Canzano Jr. wasn't looking for technology, it seems technology went looking for Canzano. It all started in the mid-1960s, when Canzano was walking the floor of a trade show in Chicago. He had been looking for a conventional camera and had visited a separation house for a demonstration. The camera was fine; nothing extraordinary. So it was back to the show. Ironically, it took a trip to Hell to land Canzano, president of Acme Printing/World Color New England, in technology heaven and ultimately a place in the 1999 Printing Impressions/RIT Printing Industry Hall of Fame. "I'm roaming around

What's the latest technological perks to thermal platesetting? What is the hot news on thermal consumables? What recent thermal purchases are fueling CTP? What's the current talk on thermal? Here are hot bytes on the hottest developments. BY MARIE RANOIA ALONSO Thermal innovator Creo Products and Heidelberg Prepress report the installation of the 1,000th CTP system at Holland, MI-based Steketee-Van Huis. SVH recently took delivery of its new Trendsetter Spectrum 3244 digital halftone proofing system. The installation of the thermal Spectrum marks the 1,000th digital CTP system implemented by Creo and Heidelberg. Of the 1,000 installs, roughly 900 have been thermal. At Steketee-Van Huis, the Trendsetter Spectrum

GREENWICH, CT—Following weeks of industry speculation, Quebecor Printing and World Color Press signed a definitive merger agreement in which Quebecor will acquire all stock in the US $2.7 billion industry giant based here. The acquisition is reportedly the largest in the history of the printing industry. Officials say the new combined company, to be known as Quebecor World Inc., will be the largest commercial printer in the world, serving customers in magazines, catalogs, books, retail inserts and circulars, and specialty/direct mail printing. Quebecor Printing will pay approximately US $840 million in cash, representing US $35.69 per share, and will also assume the debt of