Mergers & Acquisitions

Some two weeks after the board of directors of Idealliance and the board of trustees of Epicomm announced their approval of the plan of a merger, the members of Idealliance and Epicomm have voted overwhelmingly to approve the joining of their two industry associations, setting the stage for completion of the merger by July 1. “We are very gratified that our respective memberships agree wholeheartedly with our boards and numerous industry observers that this merger will be highly beneficial to both associations’ members and to the industry at large,” said David J. Steinhardt, Idealliance president and CEO, who will serve in the same capacity in the new organization.

Minneapolis-based Bolger Vision Beyond Print has acquired Western Graphics, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based provider of commercial and digital print, wide-format graphics, variable data management, and literature and inventory fulfillment services. "Today’s acquisition of Western Graphics provides yet another dimension of quality service and product offerings, bringing great value for both Bolger and Western customers. Western has been singled out through the years for their lean process management, unique in the industry," said dik Bolger, CEO.

Thomas Printworks has acquired Houston-based Seebridge Media, a commercial printing firm that specializes in offset printing and direct mail with large-format printing capabilities. This agreement broadens the services that Thomas Printworks and Visualogistix, a division of Thomas Printworks, are able to provide to its customers. "This acquisition represents an important strategic opportunity for Thomas Printworks, with the goals of adding print capabilities, efficiencies, and expansion across markets," said Bryan Thomas, president and CEO, of Thomas Printworks.

Joint owners will have a little more planning to do in order to be ready for the eventual sale of their company.

Elevated Color has been acquired by the Color Management Group. As such, it will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary.

If this is truly the best seller’s market in years, and if you harbor any fantasies that revolve around converting your lifetime investment into a well-deserved, comfortable retirement, now is the time to enter the M&A fray. Three experts discuss the truth behind the M&A industry and what a realistic sale might look like today.

In a joint announcement, the board of directors of Idealliance and the board of trustees of Epicomm have voted to recommend the merger of the two industry associations to their respective memberships. In separate meetings last week, the boards approved the merger and both associations will now present the merger proposal to a vote of their memberships according to the regulations of their respective bylaws. Voting is expected to be completed by the end of February.

The Lowe-Martin Group has concluded an agreement to acquire RP Graphics Group Limited. The acquisition takes effect on February 1.

Let’s review some headline-making deals to see what they tell us about valuation trends and growth strategies.

Under a new agreement, Graphic Packaging International will acquire 100 percent of the outstanding equity of Walter G. Anderson Inc.