Lee Sheds Commercial Assets DAVENPORT, IA—Lee Enterprises is divesting its standalone publishing and commercial printing operations in the Pacific Northwest and a twice-weekly newspaper in Oregon via asset sales to different buyers. The deals involve three buyers and were expected to be completed by early this month. The aggregate price of the Pacific Northwest properties (which include several Websites) is approximately $51 million. Three Printers Join Forces MARLBOROUGH, MA—Three independent printing firms—Pendleton Printers, Reservoir Printing and Apex Press—are being merged into a new company called Synergy Graphic Solutions. The company is owned by Doug Pendleton, president of his namesake company. Pendleton Printers and Apex Press will move
Sandy Alexander
Missouri Publisher Making Headlines Jefferson City, MO—The News Tribune Co., publisher of dailies and weeklies in Missouri’s capital city, recently went on edition with its new MAN Roland UNISET 75. The press is the centerpiece of an all-new $14 million production facility. The News Tribune’s UNISET 75 is configured with four reel stands, 32 couples and a 2:3:3 folder. As it was activated, a 32-year-old Goss system was decommissioned. CALIFORNIA CITY OF INDUSTRY—Ultimate Paper Box has invested in a new six-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 3000LX sheetfed press with aqueous coater. FRESNO—Corporate Express Document & Print Management, based in Omaha, NE, has signed a lease for 110,500 square
Flag Contest Waves In 50th Anniversary BERRYVILLE, VA—Berryville Graphics, a book products manufacturer that’s part of arvato Print, a Bertelsmann company, has begun a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary. As part of the celebration, a Berryville 50th anniversary flag design contest was created for the plant’s workers. Four Colour Imports, a Louisville, KY-based book manufacturing representative for Friesens Printing in Canada and Everbest Printing in China, has hired Ronald Hicks as the company’s Northeast sales representative covering New York City and New England. Also, Kara Mills transitions into sales from production manager, handling 10 states. Bob Hanon, former owner of Hanon Printing, has joined
THERE ARE those who believe that offset printing is well aware of its mortality, in light of advances and inroads made by its younger and better connected cousin, digital printing. But even if offset technology is on the clock (and not everyone can agree), the lead time to its possible demise is fairly substantial. So before you convert that stacked web press into a glorified set of monkey bars, consider the major benefits that many printers have reaped by having hybrid technologies under one roof. In some cases, both offset and digital are being leveraged for the same job, as they each offer advantages
THE ABILITY to order print-based communications via a Web browser has garnered steam in recent years, but it is hardly a snap-together concept. With the intent of making the procurement process quicker and easier, Web-to-print solutions can be tailored to meet customers’ varied needs. But the capability doesn’t come cheap. The implementation process can be tedious and long for printers without a Web-to-print footprint. IT-savvy individuals, and possibly even programmers, must be hired; labor and software figure prominently into the equation. Throw in the time required to get an estimating system up to speed, and the investment, from a printer’s standpoint, is hardly inconsequential.
By Erik Cagle Senior Editor It is virtually impossible to ignore the impact Robert (Bob) Burton had on the printing industry in 2005. Given his relentless pursuit of two companies this past year, it was almost a given that Burton would enter 2006 at the helm of some printing business. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. In the final analysis, 2005 will be viewed as a year marked by triumph, tragedy and transactions, not to mention some unexpected twists and turns. Which fits us to a T. While the news wasn't always positive, a silver lining—a moral or a lesson could usually
By Erik Cagle Senior Editor Are you, the commercial printer, feeling the pressure of increased costs? If not, you soon will; this winter, in fact. The curious, but frustrating, amalgamation of upward cost pressures have left printers in a catch-22 position. Pass on your cost increases to customers and risk losing volume (or worse, their entire business). But if you choose to swallow that pill, it's going to hurt all the way down your throat. Isn't it fair that paper vendors and ink manufacturers get to pass on costs to you because of the late summer fuel price explosion? But why should printers
You have been good readers this year and I am going to give you some Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa gifts, depending, of course, on your holiday persuasion. This is another "first ever" column. Giving readers beautifully gift-wrapped presents in a written medium has never been done before. You will recall I was the first columnist to ever hypnotize his readers in a column that I wrote back in 2001. Yeah, I think it was 2001? Some of those readers never came out of their stupors. Still others are permanently locked in a trance and, I might add, are better off. The meddling Food and
GREENWICH, CT--The executive committee of The Print Council has appointed Ben Cooper to be executive director of the industry initiative, effective January 9, 2006. Martin Maloney, who has completed his special one-year commitment as the council's executive director, is appointed to the executive committee of the board of directors. Roy Grossman, president of Sandy Alexander, and co-chairman of the executive committee, stated, "We are delighted that Ben Cooper will be joining us as executive director on a dedicated basis. He will be succeeding Martin Maloney and his company who have done an outstanding job of bringing The Print Council to top-of-mind awareness throughout the
Printer's Program Hits Big Apple For First Time NEW YORK CITY—Pictorial Offset, of Carlstadt, NJ, recently held its Pictorial University in New York for the first time at the McGraw-Hill Auditorium. Nearly 200 people from advertising agencies, design firms, corporations, and local and regional educational institutions heard presentations and case studies about branding initiatives. Featured speakers included Steve Sadove, Saks Inc.; Jennifer Bergin, Eastman Kodak; Cecilia Fabrizio, AmeriCares; Scott Deming, Scott Deming ESP; and Donald Samuels, Pictorial Offset. Infinite Graphics Technology, an Indianapolis-based provider of large-format digital printing, announced a new 3D product offering for the out of home/indoor advertising market. The firm
