Lee Sheds Commercial Assets DAVENPORT, IA—Lee Enterprises is divesting its standalone publishing and commercial printing operations in the Pacific Northwest and a twice-weekly newspaper in Oregon via asset sales to different buyers. The deals involve three buyers and were expected to be completed by early this month. The aggregate price of the Pacific Northwest properties (which include several Websites) is approximately $51 million. Three Printers Join Forces MARLBOROUGH, MA—Three independent printing firms—Pendleton Printers, Reservoir Printing and Apex Press—are being merged into a new company called Synergy Graphic Solutions. The company is owned by Doug Pendleton, president of his namesake company. Pendleton Printers and Apex Press will move
Transcontinental Inc.
CHICAGO—The Windy City is the place to be this month as thousands of printers from across the country converge upon the McCormick Place South complex October 15-18 for Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2006. Products and services for the graphic arts industry will encompass more than 400,000 square feet of space. Nearly 600 exhibitors have committed to the event, which reportedly will be the largest Graph Expo since 2000. Among the evening festivities is the annual Gold Ink Awards and Hall of Fame Gala, sponsored by North American Publishing (parent company of Printing Impressions), on October 16. Printing Impressions/RIT Printing Industry Hall of Fame inductees Jim
JUST AS Major League Baseball fans look forward to October for the culmination of a long season with the World Series, printers move into autumn with thoughts of the industry’s largest trade show in the Americas for 2006, Graph Expo & Converting Expo, fittingly held in Chicago, home of the reining world champion White Sox. This year’s Graph Expo & Converting Expo, taking place October 15-18 at the McCormick Place South complex, should provide plenty of action for attendees. Exhibit space has topped 400,000 square feet, with nearly 600 exhibiting companies in attendance. It will be the largest Graph Expo show held since 2000.
Grafikom Acquires Speedfast TORONTO—Grafikom LP, a network of companies formerly under the Quebecor World umbrella, has swung its first independent deal since being established last November with the acquisition of Speedfast Color Press. Privately held Speedfast Color Press, a general commercial printer and mailer, has two facilities in Edmonton, Alberta. The deal enhances Grafikom’s holdings in Edmonton, which includes grafikom.Jasper. Mike Steiner, formerly the owner and operator of Speedfast Color Press, will serve as president for the Edmonton operations. Vertis Obtains USA Direct BALTIMORE—Vertis has struck a deal to bring USA Direct, of York, PA, into the fold. USA Direct provides design, printing, personalization and inserting
S. Rosenthal Closes Doors CINCINNATI—S. Rosenthal & Co., a publication and catalog printer that dated back to 1868, perished in April with the demise of its Portland, TN, facility, Heritage Graphics. About 300 people lost their jobs. The company, ranked 117th on the 2005 PI 400 with $47 million in annual sales, never recovered from the loss of its TV Guide printing account. Weyerhaeuser Mulls Move FEDERAL WAY, WA—Weyerhaeuser Co. is considering alternatives for its fine paper business, including a possible sale. The company did confirm it is “in active discussion with several parties,” though it would not guarantee a sale of the fine paper business. Unique Press
Sheridan Shutters Capital City BERLIN, VT—Capital City Press' operations here are being discontinued by its parent company, The Sheridan Group, resulting in the loss of approximately 150 jobs. The printing of scientific, technical and medical journals, along with book printing, will be consolidated into other locations within the company. Much of the work will be handled by The Sheridan Press in Hanover, PA. Capital City employs 200 workers, and 45 of them—which comprise the Publications Services division—will reportedly be offered employment by Dartmouth Journal Services, another company in The Sheridan Group chain. FedEx Kinko's Opens Center DALLAS—FedEx Kinko's has taken the wraps off of its World
Layoffs, Closings for Domtar MONTREAL—Paper manufacturer Domtar is reducing its workforce by 1,800 and will sell or close several facilities in an effort to return the company to profitability. The company will close down its Cornwall, ON, mill and shut down two paper machines at its Ottawa mill. Domtar also announced that two sawmills in Quebec will be closed and its Vancouver mill will be sold. At Cornwall, where 390 positions were eliminated last December, there are 910 workers tending to three paper machines. F.C.L. Nets Graphics Group HARWOOD HEIGHTS, IL—Direct marketing printing specialist F.C.L. Graphics has acquired certain assets of The Graphics Group, a regional sheetfed
If you have ever wanted to take a peek into the pockets of some of the top executives in the printing industry, here is your chance. Printing Impressions' 16th annual executive compensation report highlights the industry's top money earners at publicly held printing companies. Mark Angelson, CEO of Chicago-based RR Donnelley, again ranks first in annual salary for this list, earning more than $4 million. This is the third 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 compensation from the two fiscal years that
Pair Plead Guilty to Mail Fraud CHESTERFIELD, MO—A printing broker and a manager for a printing company each pleaded guilty to fraud charges related to a kickback scheme, according to the St. Louis Business Journal. Aristotle Kumpis pled guilty to two felony counts of mail fraud and Louis Drago pled guilty to one count of mail fraud. Each reportedly faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine per count, with mandatory restitution. A third participant in the kickback scheme, Elizabeth Richard, is awaiting sentencing on related charges. Kodak Names Leadership Team ROCHESTER, NY—Kodak's Graphic Communications Group (GCG) has announced its senior leadership
MONTREAL—Transcontinental Inc. has acquired the operating assets of direct mail provider Jetson Direct Mail (JDM) by its wholly owned subsidiary, Transcontinental Direct U.S.A., for US$85 million plus US$2 million for working capital. The deal increases Transcontinental Direct U.S.A.'s production capacity to more than five billion direct mail pieces annually, while also adding JDM's production and control systems, mailing logistics and strong management team. Luc Desjardins, president and CEO of Transcontinental, believes JDM is a complementary fit with the company's U.S. direct marketing activities. Based in Hamburg, PA, JDM also has direct mail facilities in three other eastern Pennsylvania towns. With more than 1,100 employees, JDM posted
