RR Donnelley

Donnelley’s Astron Nabs $465M Outsourcing Deal
December 8, 2006

CHICAGO—Astron, RR Donnelley’s UK-based document business process outsourcing (DBPO) provider, was awarded a seven-year, $465 million outsourcing agreement by financial, banking and insurance services specialist ING. Astron is a wholly owned subsidiary of RR Donnelley.Astron will provide a range of document related services, including printing, mailing, scanning, fulfillment and application development, among others. The agreement…

Banta Looks Toward Future
December 1, 2006

MENASHA, WI—Among the terms RR Donnelley conceded in its agreement to acquire Banta Corp. were the promise to donate $1.5 million to local charities, along with giving employees of each entity equal consideration when pondering staff reductions, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported, citing Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. At Banta’s request, the local charitable contributions will continue for at least three years. Additionally, Chicago-based RR Donnelley will pay $1 million toward continued tuition reimbursement for Banta employees for two more years, while supplying comparable employee benefits for one year, the paper reported. Donnelley will also offer severance benefits similar to Banta’s for 18 months, and

CATALOG & MAGAZINE PRINTING OUTLOOK — TURNING THE PAGE
December 1, 2006

FACING INCREASED competition from electronic alternatives and another possible jump in postal rates, players in the catalog and publication markets may have to fight for a successful future. Industry consolidation should also make tracking these segments interesting for industry watchdogs. According to “A Study and Analysis of the Future of Catalogs, 2006-2011” by PRIMIR (Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization), the North American catalog industry is in a state of disruptive change. This can be attributed to the Internet becoming more of a vital selling tool for companies that traditionally used printed catalogs to drive sales. The shift to online shopping by

Be Careful What You Wish for. . . —Cagle
December 1, 2006

BITS AND PIECES EVEN THE greatest, most legendary sports coaches have suffered a loss in the big game. Bob Burton endured one on Halloween day, when his $50 a share offer was trumped by RR Donnelley (RRD), which cruised past the Cenveo commander with a $52.50-per-share bid that Stephanie Streeter was all too happy to see. We’ve all heard the adage that perception is reality; it’s been noted here (a.k.a. “Before You Go...” column) previously. Burton represents, in many minds, printing industry carpetbagging. He preys on the wounded animals, uses gimmicks to artificially stimulate their stock price, cuts production ranks razor thin to

YEAR IN REVIEW — 2006: BANTA ON THE LOOSE
December 1, 2006

THE 2006 printing industry campaign provided more than enough ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ to keep followers on the edge of their seats, including a summer blockbuster takeover attempt of Banta Corp. by Bob Burton and Cenveo Inc. And the subject of postal reform, which has festered for years without a resolution, appeared on the brink of falling to pieces at the last minute. The M&A train seemed to pick up speed in 2006, though some parties managed to botch the due diligence aspect and instead land in court. Reorganization was in the air (unfortunately, so were job losses) and some of the biggest names in

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION — ROLLING IN DOUGH
December 1, 2006

EVER WONDER about the heft of the paychecks top executives in the printing industry haul in? This is your chance to see what the top money earners are taking to the bank. Printing Impressions’ 17th annual executive compensation report highlights the industry’s top earners at the largest publicly held printing companies. Mark Angelson, CEO of Chicago-based RR Donnelley, again ranks first in annual salary for this list, earning more than $5 million. This is the fourth consecutive year that a RR Donnelley exec has topped our list. The rankings indicate previous fiscal year salaries, most recent fiscal year wages, and the percentage change in

BOOK PRINTING OUTLOOK — BEST-SELLERS FLOAT ALL BOATS
December 1, 2006

IN GENERAL, when a best-seller hits the market, it directly or indirectly benefits the entire book manufacturing industry. The long runs clog up capacity for those fortunate enough to garner the job, and creates overflow that needs to be spread through the ranks. Take Courier Corp., of North Chelmsford, MA, for example. The 2006 trade campaign started off slowly, notes Peter Tobin, executive vice president, but developed a head of steam in late summer and early fall, leading up to the holiday push. A degree of the pickup can be attributed to publishers hanging back on reprint orders. But what really lit the fire

2006: Year That Was Stranger Than Fiction —Michelson
December 1, 2006

AS WE finish compiling the annual Printing Impressions 400 ranking—now in its 23rd year—it’s a good time to reflect on major events that helped shape our industry during the past 12 months. A fiction writer would have been hard-pressed to develop a plot line with more drama, intrigue and folly than what played out in 2006 at some of the printing industry’s largest publicly held establishments. Front and center, of course, was the unsolicited, and cantankerous, takeover attempt of Banta by hard-charging Cenveo Chairman and CEO Bob Burton. After several volleys back and forth between Burton and Banta Chairman, President and CEO Stephanie Streeter,

PIA/GATF Installs 2007 Officers
November 17, 2006

SEWICKLEY, PA—November 17, 2006—The officers of Printing Industries of America, Inc./Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) for the next year were installed in office November 12, 2006 at PIA/GATF’s Fall Administrative meetings. The ceremony took place following the nomination and election of the officers slate by the Board of Directors. Dave DeLana, President of Heritage Press, Oklahoma City, OK, was elected Chairman of the Board. A PIA/GATF board member since 1996, DeLana has spent six years on the Budget and Finance Committee as well as previously serving as chair of the Presidents Conference Committee. Also active in his affiliate, PIA MidAmerica, he served eight years