Back in the mid-’80s, our beloved printing industry was comprised of about 55,000 companies. Then shrinkage stuff started to happen.
There were bankruptcies. In one year alone, there were nearly 600 bankruptcies where the reorganization plans didn’t work and owners put big padlocks on their front and back doors.

Harris DeWese is the author of "Now Get Out There and Sell Something." He is chairman/CEO at Compass Capital Partners and an author of the annual "Compass Report," the definitive source of info regarding printing industry M&A activity. DeWese has completed 100-plus printing company transactions and is viewed as the preeminent deal maker in the industry. He specializes in investment banking, M&A, sales, marketing and management services to printers.