Upfront

Vertis Closes New York Plant

SAUGERTIES, NY—Vertis Communications' advertising inserts plant here was scheduled to close just after the first of the year, the Times Herald-Record reported, leaving its 150 employees out of work. The company cited economic conditions in its notice sent to the New York State Department of Labor, according to the newspaper.

Quad Wins $135M Accord

SUSSEX, WI—Quad/Graphics Inc. has signed a multiyear agreement with Minneapolis-based Bluestem Brands, a multichannel retailer best known for its growing Fingerhut and Gettington.com properties. The agreement, which will exceed $135 million over the contract term, covers all printing, paper procurement, premedia and page layout and production services.

Execs Face Criminal Charges

SAN FRANCISCO—The owner and pressroom manager of Digital Pre-Press International (DPI) are to be arraigned on criminal charges this month for the 2008 death of a pregnant woman who was crushed by a machine while prepping it for a job. Sanjay Sakhuja, DPI owner, and pressroom manager Alick Yeung face up to four years in prison and $250,000 in fines for the death of Margarita Mojica. The machine that killed her was allegedly not locked out.

Pemcor Makes Two Deals

LANCASTER, PA—Pemcor Printing has completed a pair of deals, acquiring Pittsburgh-based Typecraft Press and Laser Imaging Systems of York, PA, according to the York Daily Record. Terms of the deals were not disclosed, but both facilities will remain open. Typecraft Press (annual sales of $5.5 million) specializes in coldset web and sheetfed printing, while Laser Imaging Systems (annual sales of $6 million) provides data processing and programming, billing and payment schedules.

Donnelley Nets IMG Contract

CHICAGO—Windy City printer RR Donnelley has been awarded a new multiyear multimillion-dollar agreement by IMG, a global sports, fashion and media business. Under the terms of the agreement, IMG will utilize (among other things) RR Donnelley's domestic and international platform for digital and interactive initiatives.

Merger Creates WildfireXM

DALLAS—PrintComm Inc. CEO Chuck Dickinson and Image Reproductions CEO Greg Wood have signed a binding letter of intent to merge their operations into a newly formed company, WildfireXM. The companies plan to merge operations into a single facility during the first quarter of 2012. Dickinson will serve as CEO, Wood as CFO.