Charles G. Cavell

MONTREAL—Michel Desbiens has been tapped to head Quebecor World as CEO, replacing long-time chief executive Charles G. Cavell, who first announced his retirement late last year. Desbiens is best known in the industry as the former president and CEO of Donohue, a position he held until the company was sold to Abitibi Consolidated in 2000. Desbiens joined Quebecor World as a director in April 2002 and was named CEO of international operations in November 2002. His appointment was widely expected after Cavell announced that he planned to retire later this month. Desbiens has a long history in the industry and his leadership at Donohue reportedly brought him

MONTREAL—Marc L. Reisch, president and CEO of Quebecor World North America, has made a quick departure from his post, leaving the company he helped transition and integrate during the largest-ever merger in the history of the commercial printing industry. Reisch's departure, which had been rumored for several weeks, was made official in a brief company press release issued September 17. The release cited Reisch's desire to pursue other opportunities as the reason for leaving. His position will not be filled, according to Tony Ross, communications director for the world's largest printer. However, the company did announce that John Paloian and David Boles, respective heads

MONTREAL—Roughly 18 months after it shocked the commercial printing industry by announcing it had merged with World Color, the world's largest printer returned to the merger and acquisition landscape with a vengeance. Quebecor World announced that it has acquired Retail Printing, a large, privately held, East Coast printer. Quebecor World has inked a definitive agreement to purchase the Taunton, MA-based printer of retail inserts that was scheduled to be completed in July. Retail Printing, which also operates a plant in Nashville, TN, and employs 400 total, boasts annual sales of nearly $100 million. The move augments Quebecor World's ability to provide both long-run

MONTREAL—Continuing to sharpen its focus as it grows, Quebecor World has spun off its premedia operations into a separate subsidiary, and is shedding its CD-ROM production facilities. The company has created Que-Net Media, a wholly owned subsidiary that will bring together the full range of digital and premedia assets within Quebecor World "to bring greater focus to providing a more comprehensive range of solutions to the customer base," company officials say. Chris Rudge, president of Quebecor World's Canadian operations, will become president of Que-Net Media. Officials say the subsidiary will expand upon Quebecor World's existing network of premedia centers to establish a global

MONTREAL—The first stage of "restructuring," as Quebecor integrates its operations with the former World Color operation, is complete. But the process is far from over, and it will cost Quebecor more than the company first projected. Quebecor officials say prepress operations in Denver and Orlando, and World Color plants in Lake Mary, FL, and Orlando, have already been consolidated, while the redeployment of equipment from its San Jose, CA, plant is currently under way. Officials say that other so far unspecified facilities have been identified for integration over the next 18 months. "The synergies between the Quebecor Printing and World Color operations are significantly better than