RR Donnelley

BIG NAMES were on the move in 2007. It was a year in which major mergers and acquisitions jammed the headlines of our news pages. And some deals never quite got off the ground, while others are in a holding pattern. There was an explosion of headline grabbers to open 2007, led by a pair of major transactions and a political coup for the industry. Having been thwarted in his efforts to acquire Banta Corp. by RR Donnelley on Halloween 2006, Cenveo Chairman and CEO Bob Burton hammered out a deal to acquire Cadmus Communications for $24.75 a share, or a total of $430

WIDENING OF the wage disparity between the ranks of top executives and workers has been getting some play in this presidential election season. So how does the take-home pay of the top printers stack up? Printing Impressions’ 18th annual executive compensation report highlights the earnings of principal officers at the largest publicly held printing companies. There was a significant shake-up of the list this year. Several top executives—and companies—dropped from the ranks as a result of the major merger/acquisition activity in 2007. Other companies had personnel changes at the top, and a few repeat executives saw their compensation totals dramatically impacted by the lack

Bowne Buys Alliance Affiliate NEW YORK—Bowne & Co. has pulled the trigger on a deal to acquire Alliance Data Mail Services (ADS MB), an affiliate of Alliance Data Systems. Terms of the deal were not revealed. ADS MB, which posts annual revenues of $36 million, provides personalized customer communications and intelligent inserting and commingling capabilities for the financial services, healthcare, retail, government and utilities sectors. Taylor Brands Three Entities MANKATO, MN—Taylor Corp. has merged its three independent entities—Carlson Craft Business Solutions, Regency and Label Works—under one unified brand called Navitor. Tom Ninneman, vice president of operations, said the merged entity would better serve customers

CHICAGO—Bolstered by increased sales and a lower tax rate, RR Donnelley’s third quarter net income rose 6 percent as the company raised its 2007 outlook for adjusted earnings to between $2.85 to $2.88 a share from the previous forecast of $2.70 to $2.75 a share.Donnelley reported third-quarter 2007 net earnings of $175.0 million or $0.80…

CHICAGO—RR Donnelley has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cardinal Brands—a designer, developer and manufacturer of document-related business, consumer and hobby products—for $130 million, less repayment of debts, retirement of preferred stock and other items. Pending regulatory approval, the all-cash deal for Lawrence, KS-based Cardinal Brands is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2007 and be accretive to Donnelley’s earnings within the first 12 months. Cardinal Brands is owned by Westgate Group, a St. Louis-based private equity firm. It has manufacturing operations in the United States, Mexico and Great Britain. The brand line includes Adams business forms, Cardinal ring binders, and Globe-Weis document organization

CHICAGO—RR Donnelley has been awarded a multi-year contract to produce 100 percent of New America Marketing’s SmartSource Magazine, a branded freestanding insert.The contract also extends Donnelley’s existing agreements to provide 100 percent of the associated premedia and logistics services for this nationwide program.

CHICAGO—R.R. Donnelley & Sons has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cardinal Brands, a privately owned manufacturer of document-related products, such as business forms, three-ring binders, albums and storage solutions. The all cash deal—$130 million before reduction for repayment of indebtedness, retirement of preferred stock and other items—is expected to close in the fourth quarter…

The Green Scene NEEDHAM, MA—Atlantic Printing is in its final stage of transition toward a “totally green” offset printing process. Atlantic employs a combination of chemical-free plate making technology (Agfa’s Accento thermal CTP system, which utilizes Agfa’s Azura chemical-free plates), 100 percent soy-based inks (a renewable source that is naturally low in VOCs) and recycled papers (the printer has obtained Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of- Custody certification). CANTON, MA—Several “green” initiatives, including garnering the Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of-Custody certification, have been implemented at Next Generation Printing. The company is also using more recycled papers, including a new “house stock” FSC-certified mixed sheet with 50 percent recycled content,

THE ROLLER coaster twisted from one side of the Muller Martini booth to the other, an improbably long snake piercing the air in an exhibition hall mostly filled with floor-dwelling equipment. This machine was certainly no bottom feeder—more specifically, it was a top feeder, the Topveyor 365 overhead conveyor. At times an overhead conveyor was needed to circumvent the crowds choking the aisles during Graph Expo 2007 in Chicago. But the patron flow was volatile, and there were periods where one could walk down some of the back aisles of the McCormick Place South Hall without bumping into a poster-toting gawker. . .of which

Quebecor World Endures Loss MONTREAL—Embattled printing giant Quebecor World was socked with a loss of $21.1 million for the second quarter, or 20 cents a share. That is more than three times the $6.5 million (11 cents) net loss from the same period in 2006. Even so, Wes Lucas, Quebecor World president and CEO, reported that the North American operations produced significantly improved earnings, especially in the book and magazine divisions, where the firm’s retooling and restructuring program has been completed. Fire Strikes NJ Newspaper TRENTON, NJ—Contractors dismantling a printing press at The Times of Trenton accidentally ignited a fire, that newspaper reported. There were no injuries