Transcontinental Inc.

Printing Impressions' Upfront Commercial Printing News for April 2009

Transcontinental has implemented rationalization measures to address the recession, including the elimination of about 1,500 jobs. Substantive cost-cutting measures are being implemented at plants throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

MONTREAL—This week's announcement that Hearst Publishing is seeking a buyer for its troubled San Francisco Chronicle, which could face closure, has to be a bit disconcerting for Transcontinental Inc. The two parties reached an agreement that sees the Chronicle's printing outsourced to Transcontinental, which is slated to began printing the paper in a specially built plant later this year.

A new operating structure has been implemented at Transcontinental Inc. to support its growth strategy by creating the Marketing Communications Sector. It is designed to accelerate the development of new services focused on one-to-one advertising and new communications platforms, while continuing to strengthen and extend its publishing and printing assets through its Media and Printing Sectors.

IF THIS magazine chose to hand out an award for the biggest newsmaker of the year, the 2008 honor would go to Quebecor World (QW), hands down. One might contend that the attention, while merited, is not the type of exposure a company would want: Financing issues, trying to sell an unprofitable venture and muddling through with bankruptcy in two countries. But Quebecor World is a printer for our economic times, the No. 2 in North America at a time when market leaders (Circuit City, AIG, Lehman Bros.) have come crashing down.

BAILOUTS OF financial institutions and pleas for assistance from domestic auto manufacturers have put top executive performance and compensation into the headlines. The excesses that fueled public outrage won’t be found among the earnings of principal officers at the largest publicly held printing companies included in Printing Impressions’ 19th annual executive compensation report.

MONTREAL—Transcontinental Inc. has acquired Redwood Custom Communications of Toronto, a full-service marketing and communications company that creates turnkey custom publishing and branded content solutions for both print and digital platforms. Redwood brings data sciences, research and measurement, database marketing, variable printing, photo studio and premedia tools, which complement the services offered by Transcontinental's newly created Marketing Communications Sector.

MONTREAL—Transcontinental Inc. has implemented a new operating structure to support its growth strategy by creating the Marketing Communications Sector. The company's growth strategy is to accelerate the development of new services focused on one-to-one advertising and new communications platforms, while continuing to strengthen and extend its publishing and printing assets through its Media and Printing Sectors.

MONTREAL—November 14, 2008—Transcontinental Inc. today announced the appointment of Brian Reid as President of its Printing Sector, effective immediately. The sector brings together services to retailers and publishers of newspapers, magazines, books and catalogs, as well as Transcontinental’s U.S. direct mail and Mexican operations. Mr. Reid is responsible for approximately 8,500 employees and revenues of more than $1.5B on an annualized basis. He will also join Transcontinental Inc.’s Senior Management Committee.

MONTREAL—Transcontinental Inc. has acquired Rastar Inc., a Salt Lake City-based direct marketing company that specializes in variable data digital printing and interactive database marketing. Rastar is a $50-million-a-year performer that counts a number of Fortune 500 companies among its clients.