The Top 10 Articles Published on Printing Impressions During 2022

Every year, we bring you the most viewed items of the year, as determined by you, our readers. This year, the top 10 items are dominated by two unsurprising topics: the ongoing paper shortage and the acquisition of RRD (RR Donnelley) by a private equity firm earlier this year. Although we covered these topics extensively, they remained of interest to our audience and provided a framework for how to approach business throughout the year and beyond. Here are this year's most viewed items on piworld.com:

1. The Existential Threat of a U.S. Paper Shortage: Early in the year, the Finnish Paperworkers’ Union issued a strike that shut down Finland’s ports and brought paper production and transport to a complete standstill. The strike ultimately ended in April 2022 with UPM and the Finnish Paperworkers' Union agreeing on business-specific collective labor agreements for five UPM businesses, but the ripple effects were far-reaching.
2. The Target Report: Printing Papers Get Squeezed Out: In Mark Hahn's March edition of The Target Report, he noted that supply and demand curves had crossed, and mills were in charge. He predicted that the strike in Finland would end but that the conversion of papermaking machines from printing paper grades to packaging grades would not be a trend that would likely reverse.
3. Mystery Strategic Buyer That Unsuccessfully Bid to Acquire RRD Is Finally Revealed: The bid to acquire RR Donnelley began in 2021, but continued well into the new year. More intriguing than the bidding war that took place between Chatham Asset Management and Atlas Holdings to acquire RRD was the mystery surrounding the unnamed strategic buyer that eventually joined the fray. In March, the unnamed strategic party bidder was named: Dublin, Ireland's Paragon Group.
4. Printing Companies Share Their Experiences With Paper Shortages and What They’re Doing in Response: In April, we spoke with three commercial printers to discuss their experience with the paper challenges at the time and share what they were doing to address them.
5. Final Chapter Is Written in Acquisition Saga of RRD as ‘Mystery Strategic Buyer’ Backs Out: In early February, a month before the mystery strategic buyer was named, it was revealed that the company had backed out of the running to acquire RR Donnelley. With the mystery strategic buyer out of the discussion, it appeared at the time that Chatham Asset Management had finally prevailed, weeks before RRD shareholders officially approved of the acquisition by Chatham.
6. Roundtable With Prominent Lawmaker on Capitol Hill Addresses Widespread Paper Shortage in the Printing Industry: In March, PRINTING United Alliance took its role seriously as the largest member-based printing and graphic arts association in the U.S. to advocate and draw attention to the ongoing scarcity of printing grades and skyrocketing paper prices.The roundtable discussion, which also attracted general media coverage, was attended by representatives from across the paper and printing industries, election vendors, state and local elections officials, industry groups, and the Election Assistance Commission.
7. Key Printing Industry Trends Reflected in 2021 Printing Impressions 300 Ranking of Largest Companies: Unsurprisingly, the 2021 Printing Impressions ranking of the largest printing companies in the U.S. and Canada, as ranked by annual sales, was firmly among the top 10 most viewed items of the year. The 2022 list should be available soon, so keep an eye on Printing Impressions' website and e-newsletter, as we will announce its launch.
8. RRD Shareholders Approve Acquisition by Chatham; Thomas Quinlan Named New CEO: The RR Donnelley acquisition saga finally came to a close on Feb. 25 with new owner Chatham Asset Management and former RRD CEO Tom Quinlan being tapped to serve as the new CEO.
9. Latest Survey Sheds Light on Supply Chain Crisis for Substrates, Consumables: In August, PRINTING United Alliance launched the Printing Industry Supply Chain Conditions Survey. Although the results weren't all together positive for the ongoing crisis, the survey did reveal some strategies printers were taking to lessen the effects of the crisis.
10. Commentary: Paper Supply Issues, Mill Closures, and the Printing and Packaging Industries: After a seemingly never-ending cycle of disappointing news about the paper supply chain, October came with the news that Pixelle would restart a paper machine in an Ohio facility.