EU Services

Bindery Gear Heads to East Coast Shop LEBANON, PA—Colortech Inc., a full-service commercial printer, recently installed a Vijuk 321-T saddlestitcher. Things Get Bigger in Texas After Install MESQUITE, TX— IntegraColor Inc. has purchased a five-color, 81˝ KBA Rapida 205 sheetfed press, making IntegraColor the first printer in the Southwest with 81˝ litho capabilities. The press has been configured with a special board-handling package and is also to be equipped with UV facilities for printing on plastics. It also incorporates an ICS slitter system and non-stop pile changing for the feeder and delivery. KBA has added its own Densitronic quality control

Workers Say No to Union MONTREAL—An independent arbitrator has ruled there is no need to hold a re-run election for union representation at Quebecor World’s Covington, TN, facility, as requested by the Teamsters. The decision upholds a secret ballot election in which those employees opted against union representation. As part of the decision, it was ruled that Quebecor World’s conduct did not adhere to the neutrality provisions of the May 2005 Neutrality Agreement signed by the printer and Teamsters. CGX Finishes Nies/Artcraft Deal HOUSTON—Consolidated Graphics has completed the acquisition of St. Louis-based Nies/Artcraft Companies, which includes Nies/Artcraft Printing, Valcour Printing and Impression Label. Terms of the deal

Digital Printing Set to Heat Up Miami Event MIAMI BEACH, FL—"The event of the Future" is how Graphics of the Americas and Xplor International are billing their combined conference and exhibit, collectively set to run from February 1-5 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Along with Xplor's Global Document Exchange conference, featuring its traditional electronic document curricula, the event will host six additional educational programs of varying lengths (1-4 days). Included will be the PDF for Print Production Print Forum and Tutorials, XML for Print Production Forum and Tutorials, Digital Technologies to Grow Your Bottom Line seminar, Creative Suite Power Tour, Photoshop for Photographers Tour seminar

arizona PHOENIX—Harte Bindery & Mailing recently added a TD 66 Stahlfolder with continuous feed and a Stahl digital folder. The new postpress systems are being used to finish brochures and other general commercial materials. Since the installation, capacity at Harte Bindery has doubled. california IRVINE—Mini-Mailers has changed its name to MMi. It has also launched its Digital Color Direct Mail department. Using Web-to-print technology, MMi will offer integrated services from design to mailing in one process. MMi began as a one-man operation in 1986. It now employs 150 at two locations. LOS ANGELES—Cenveo Anderson Lithograph has purchased a six-unit Mitsubishi Diamond 16 MAX commercial

(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.) 101 ('03: 97) NorthStar Print Group, Watertown, WI Total Sales (Millions): $57.40 Previous Year's Sales (Millions): $56.52 Change (%): +2 Principal Officer: Richard Gasper Employees: 290 Primary Specialties: PKG 100% Web Offset Press Units: 0 Sheetfed Press Units: 0 Other Press Units: 81 Ownership: Public Plants: 3

EU Services of Rockville, MD, has expanded its inside sales division by hiring Chris Duron and Barrett Watson. Hi-Liter Graphics, Burlington, WI, has added Mark Toole to its sales team in the capacity of account executive. Holding 18 patents and with more than a quarter century of experience in the technology industry, Mike Wash joins the Government Printing Office (GPO) as Chief Technical Officer and co-director of the Office of Innovation and New Technology. After spending a decade with Congressman Robert Ney, former Joint Committee on Printing Staff Director Maria Robinson makes the move from the House Administration Committee to the GPO as the agency's deputy

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA—Atlanta Web Printers has opened its second facility, located in Tucker, GA. Along with the physical expansion of its facilities, the publication printer has also restructured the management team. Jerry Williamson, CEO of Williamson Printing, Dallas, has been named the Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA) North American award recipient for 2004 by the Printing Association of Florida. He received his award before hundreds of industry leaders and guests at the 21st annual GALA awards banquet during Graphics of the America 2004 in Miami Beach. F.E. Treis, Arandell Corp. chairman, was recently honored for 60 years of leadership at the

Florida Printer Gives Journalists a Plant Tour MIAMI—Colonial Press gave a tour of its 200,000-square-foot facility to a group of industry journalists in December. The group watched as job information was input into the PECOM press operating and automation system, which feeds information for approximately 350 jobs per month to the company's four MAN Roland sheetfed presses and one ROTOMAN web press. Shown here are Juan Flores, prepress/PECOM manager (seated) and Carlos Garcia Jr., director of corporate services. Graphic Press, Los Angeles, has announced the addition of Jim Kahm, Mike Gianni and Danny Welan to the company's sales team roster. Kahm and Gianni will assume vice

(Editor's Note: Company rankings for the current and previous years are based on figures reported in 2003. Therefore, companies that revised their 2002 revenues may have changed their 2002 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.) 151 ('02: 147) The Hickory Printing Group, Hickory, NC Total Sales (Millions): $38.36 Previous Year's Sales (Millions): $40.01 Change (%): -4 Principal Officer: Thomas W. Reese Employees: 237 Primary Specialties: COM 50%; ADV 25%; DM 10%; CAT 10% Web Offset Press Units: 18 Sheetfed Press

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor The whispers that point toward an improving economy are becoming louder and louder. And 2004—some observers are confident—will show a marked improvement in the fortunes of commercial printers across the country, ending a downward cycle that traces to the fall of 2000. Of course, anything above the 2001 and 2002 performances would constitute an improvement. Still, among the ranks of our annual Top 400, tucked in between the masses of companies that experienced flat or negative growth from the previous campaign, are some establishments that have actually soared. We've provided a capsulated look at 13 companies randomly selected from