Transcontinental Inc.

(Editor's Note: Company rankings for the current and previous years are based on figures reported in 2004. Therefore, companies that revised their 2003 revenues may have changed their 2003 ranking as compared with the ranking that appeared in last year's Printing Impressions 400. Similarly, the percentage change in sales is calculated on the most recent information provided.) 1 ('03: 2) RR Donnelley, Chicago, IL Total Sales (Millions): $8,204.50 Previous Year's Sales (Millions): $4,754.94 Change (%): +73 Principal Officer: Mark A. Angelson Employees: 44,000 Primary Specialties: SPEC 26%; CAT/PUB 23%; BF 10%; COM 9%; BKS 8% Web Offset Press Units: N/A Sheetfed Press

by chris bauer Managing Editor Merger and acquisition activity. Monster trade shows. New faces in high places. The luck of the draw. It all adds up to just another year in the commercial printing industry. Let's take a look back at how the year 2004 played out, and who made headlines during the past 12 months. The year started out on shaky ground for the industry, with rumors that Heidelberg planned to sell off its web systems business and digital printing division, as well as reduce its worldwide work force by up to 1,000 employees. Eventually, the whispers became a reality as the other players in these

These are the industry's high rollers—printing's version of the The Forbes 400 list of wealthiest people. Printing Impressions' 15th annual executive compensation report shows what the top industry execs take home, by highlighting the industry's top money earners at publicly held printing companies. Mark Angelson, CEO of Chicago-based RR Donnelley, ranks first in annual salary for this year's list, earning more than $3 million. This is the second 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 are

Digital Press Scorecard Xerox Corp. iGen3 digital production press Joseph Merritt & Co., Hartford, CT Gordon Bernard Co., Cincinnati Lancaster Ultra-Graphics, Landisville, PA PrintManagement, Cincinnati Xerographic Digital Printing, Orlando McKay Press, Midland, MI Rapid Solutions Group, Melville, NY HP Indigo HP Indigo 3050 digital printing press Tukaiz LLC, Franklin Park, IL Kodak Versamark VX5000 ink-jet, color printing system Transcontinental CC3, Warminster, PA NexPress Solutions NexPress 2100 digital color press MGF/Consortium Inc., Edison, NJ Océ VarioStream 7000 printing system Offset Paperback Manufacturers, Dallas, PA VarioStream 7650 digital printing system Action Mailers, Aston, PA VarioStream 7650 Twin MICR digital

Xerox Mourns Loss of Hatch ROCHESTER, NY—Gilbert J. Hatch, president of the Production Systems Group at Xerox Corp., died Aug. 26 after a long battle with cancer. During his 35-year career with Xerox, Hatch held a number of senior technical and general management positions in the United States and Great Britain. Allied Buys First "Drupa" Press MANCHESTER, CT—Allied Printing Services earned the distinction of purchasing the first Drupa-version large-format sheetfed press from KBA North America. The six-color, 56˝ KBA Rapida 142 press with aqueous coating is slated to be installed and running at Allied by the end of this month. Freedom Acquires MetroWebb MILTON, WI—Direct mail

By Noelle Skodzinski It's not likely a big surprise that Quebecor World held fast to its No. 1 spot among the Top Book Manufacturers—ranked by book manufacturing revenues—in the United States and Canada. With a $36 million lead over RR Donnelley, and a $273 million lead over third-ranked Von Hoffmann Corp., Quebecor World isn't likely to lose its position anytime soon. Both top seeds, however, saw book sales drop in 2003. In fact, revenues for three of the top five sank by a total of nearly $130 million. Arvato Print USA (a division of Bertelsmann) and Von Hoffmann were the only two in

Presstek Bids for A.B.Dick NILES, IL—A.B.Dick Co. announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Soon after the announcement, Hudson, NH-based Presstek Inc. unveiled a detailed plan to acquire the business and assets of the company through a U.S. Bankruptcy Code section 363 asset sale, a deal valued at approximately $40 million. Presstek President and CEO Edward Marino stressed that there was no guarantee his company would be successful in the open bidding environment of a bankruptcy proceeding. Bowne's Johnson Retires NEW YORK CITY—Bowne & Co. announced the immediate retirement of Robert M. Johnson from the company and its board of directors for personal reasons.

Paloian Rejoins Donnelley Group CHICAGO—John R. Paloian, who spent 11 years at RR Donnelley before moving on to Quebecor World, is rejoining the Windy City printer as group president, publishing and retail services. He is now responsible for the company's magazine, catalog, retail advertising insert and directory business. Paloian, who was co-COO at the time of his departure from Quebecor World, previously served as president of the magazine/catalog business. Banta Names Streeter Chairman MENASHA, WI—Banta Corp. announced that Stephanie Streeter, president and CEO, has also assumed the role of chairman of the board of directors. Streeter replaced Donald D. Belcher, who retired after holding the position for

MONTREAL—Newly minted integrated direct marketing services provider Transcontinental CC3 has acquired certain assets of Dallas-based Liberty Graphics, a direct marketing services and commercial print provider. Liberty Graphics posted annual sales of U.S.$9 million. CC3 parent company Transcontinental announced that more than 40 Liberty Graphics employees would be hired, with certain direct mail and fulfillment equipment coming over to Transcontinental CC3's 95,000-square-foot facility in Dallas-Fort Worth. The acquisition raises annual capacity at the plant to more than 500 million litho printed forms and laser personalized letters. "Boosting capacity in our Dallas-Fort Worth facility strongly supports Transcontinental CC3's strategy to continue its expansion and offer a

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor Luc Desjardins has many babies, and they all demand his constant attention. For the president and CEO of Montreal-based Transcontinental Inc., a constant eye is kept on one offspring in particular, named Horizon 2005. There's little doubt that Horizon 2005 is being raised as, arguably, the biggest child in the Transcontinental family—one with promises of (C)$2 billion to (C)$3 billion in growth from its late 2001 inception through the year that bears its name. But among Transcontinental's plans of acquisition and internal growth are other key points of this multifaceted initiative: * A major component of Horizon 2005 is