RR Donnelley

CHICAGO—After a brief lull in the M&A theater, RR Donnelley has returned with a big bang. The Windy City-based printing giant shelled out $122 million to acquire Irving, TX-based Pro Line Printing, a privately held producer of newspaper inserts. The all-cash deal is subject to customary closing conditions. In addition to its headquarters, Pro Line Printing has facilities in Arlington, TX; Reno, NV; Avon, CT; and Pineville, NC. It also produces direct mail and in-store circulation products. “Pro Line Printing’s respected capabilities expand our geographic footprint for offset printed tabloid inserts and even better positions us to serve national advertising programs,” according to

IN ONE of RR Donnelley’s private mail handling and logistics facilities, the largest operation of its kind in the world, an employee exits a section of the interior space, and the lights over that area turn off…automatically. A global enterprise elects to have RR Donnelley produce printing using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain-of-custody certified papers, and it responds in its plants in Mexico, Canada, the United States and China. A fan that cools a press used to run continuously. Now, it intelligently senses when heat needs to be dissipated and runs only as required. Instead of being discarded, damaged wooden pallets are

PRINTER NEWS Times Printing Is Climbing Green Tier RANDOM LAKE, WI—Times Printing has announced its acceptance into Wisconsin’s Green Tier program, which is sponsored by the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The program “provides incentives that enable good environmental citizens to go beyond compliance and perform to a higher environmental level, while allowing the DNR to focus its resources on facilities not meeting requirements,” says Wendy Scholler, Times’ environmental, health and safety coordinator. Times’ many eco-friendly initiatives include replacing three catalytic oxidizers with one regenerative thermal oxidizer, which has dramatically reduced energy use and VOC emissions; setting up recycling programs for ink

Donnelley Lobbies Washington CHICAGO—RR Donnelley plunked down $485,044 during 2007 to lobby the federal government on environmental policy issues, according to an Associated Press report. The information was posted online by the U.S. Senate’s public records office. Under federal law, lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches. Tech Valley Closes Its Doors WATERVLIET, NY—Citing economic difficulties, Tech Valley Printing notified the New York State Department of Labor that it was laying off 50 workers, then closed its doors on February 8. According to the Schenectdady (NY) Daily Gazette, the printer had been active in the

CHICAGO—Don’t tell RR Donnelley there’s a recession on the horizon. The Windy City-based printing giant shelled out $122 million to acquire Irving, TX-based Pro Line Printing, a privately held producer of newspaper inserts. The all-cash deal is subject to customary closing conditions.In addition to its headquarters, Pro Line Printing has facilities in Arlington, TX; Reno,…

CHICAGO—RR Donnelley plunked down $485,044 during 2007 to lobby the federal government on environmental policy issues, according to an Associated Press report. The information was posted online by the Senate’s public records office. Under federal law, lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches.

CHICAGO—RR Donnelley has recalled 18,000 ESI-R screening materials, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, due to a violation of the lead paint standard. Surface paint on the green wooden blocks within the materials contains excessive levels of lead. The materials were distributed through Pearson Learning Group.Donnelley is also recalling 185,000 reading and math…

INDUSTRY NEWS Uniting to Fight Global Climate Change NEW YORK—Representatives from Time Inc., Pictorial Offset and Eastman Kodak joined forces to speak “green” during a recent seminar sponsored by the Advertising Production Club (APC) of New York and Partnership in Print Production (P3) at The Yale Club here. The keynote sustainability panel addressed the topic of how to “Fight Global Climate Change by Cutting Through the Green Fog,” which focused on sustainabiity issues in printing and advertising. Speakers included David Refkin, Time Inc.’s director of sustainable development; Nick Patrissi, Eastman Kodak’s manager of market development; Don Carli, panel moderator and research fellow at

Kevin Joyce—Eastman Kodak’s managing director of the Graphic Communications Group (GCG) for the United States and Canada (US&C)—has been named a company vice president and chief marketing officer of the GCG. David Wigfield, who was the managing director of GCG’s business in the United Kingdom, has been tapped to fill Joyce’s former position. Elinor Midlik, president of Prime UV Systems, received the 2007 Harold W. Gegenheimer Award for industry service by an individual. Midlik was honored because of her active involvement on the association’s Show Policy, Strategic Planning, and Programs and Meetings committees. The new vice president and general manager of xpedx Printing

Holiday Fundraiser Deemed a Success RANDOM LAKE, WI—The Times Wellness Committee at Times Printing organized a poinsettia sale and used all of the proceeds to purchase holiday presents for families/children within the community that use the local food pantry as a resource. In addition, the company donated $500, and many employees made additional generous contributions. The fundraiser was such a success, that every child got an outfit, one toy (some children received two) and accessories, such as socksand shoes. Pictorial Hosts ‘Lunch & Learn’ Event CARLSTADT, NJ—Pictorial Offset partnered with Print Buyers Online.com and Pantone Inc. to host a free “Lunch