R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced today that its Board of Directors unanimously determined that an unsolicited proposal from Chatham Asset Management, LLC to acquire all of the common stock of the Company not already owned by Chatham and its affiliates for $10.85 per share in cash constitutes a “Superior Proposal” as defined in the Company’s previously announced definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Atlas Holdings LLC, dated as of November 3, 2021, subject to the condition that Chatham agree to extend the Revised Chatham Proposal until 9:05 a.m. CST on Friday, December 17, 2021. If Chatham refuses to agree to the Timing Condition, the Board will deem the Revised Chatham Proposal as withdrawn and incapable of being accepted by the Company. Under the terms of the Amended Agreement, affiliates of Atlas have agreed to acquire the Company for $10.35 per share in cash. “Today’s announcement is a testament to the robust process we have in place to maximize value for all stockholders,” said John C. Pope, Chairman of the Board. “Our Board and management team remain committed to acting in the best interests of RRD and all its stockholders, and will continue to take actions to achieve this objective.”

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that it has accepted a proposal from affiliates of Atlas Holdings LLC to increase the price per share of their pending acquisition of RRD to $10.35 per share in cash, and has entered into an amendment to its previously announced definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Atlas, dated as of November 3, 2021. Under the terms of the Amended Agreement, RRD stockholders will receive $10.35 in cash for each share of common stock of the Company that they own, representing a premium of 21.5% over $8.52, the price per share of RRD common stock under the Original Agreement. The revised all-cash transaction is valued at a total enterprise value of approximately $2.2 billion and total equity value of approximately $856 million.

Highlights: *Increase in revenues and solid profitability in the Packaging and Printing Sectors for the quarter. *Revenues of $775.8 million for the quarter ended October 31, 2021; operating earnings of $80.5 million; and net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation of $39.2 million ($0.45 per share). *Made significant investments in research and development laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment in the state of Wisconsin, to drive growth and innovation and optimize the creation of sustainable solutions for customers. *Acquired H.S. Crocker on November 1, 2021, broadening the packaging solutions portfolio in the food sector as well as expanding pharmaceutical and medical expertise in the advanced coatings product offering. *Retirement of François Olivier on December 9, 2021 and Peter Brues will assume the position of President and Chief Executive Officer on December 10, 2021.

Moore, a leading constituent experience management (CXM) company, announced the acquisition of Tri-State Envelope, an industry leader specializing in custom envelope manufacturing. With this latest asset purchase, Tri-State Envelope is the fourth envelope manufacturing company Moore has added to its portfolio, along with St. Louis Print Group, Worcester Envelope Company, and its $31 million investment in Richmond Print Group. Based in Ashland, Pennsylvania, with additional manufacturing facilities in Iowa and Maryland, Tri-State Envelope will expand Moore’s supply chain stability through increased capacity, redundancy and location diversification. In its multi-state locations, Tri-State Envelope has the capacity to manufacture 20 million envelopes per day. “Everyone at Tri-State Envelope is very excited about our future as part of Moore,” said Joe O’Donnell, president of Tri-State Envelope. “The envelope manufacturing industry is a critical component in the direct mail business and Tri-State is proud to be on the front lines to provide nonprofits with the materials they need to fundraise for their mission.”

We are extraordinarily proud to announce that Atlantic Printing & Graphics in Tabor City, NC has been officially certified as a Zero Waste facility. This status is verified by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) through their TRUE Zero Waste Certification Program. Atlantic Printing & Graphics achieved this by diverting more than 90% of its waste from the landfill for the most recent 12 months at the time of certification. We are also proud to be the first packaging company to achieve a Zero Waste Certification through the TRUE Program at GBCI. It’s inspiring and incredibly motivating to set this standard and chart the path for ourselves and for the entire packaging supply chain.

Worzalla, an employee-owned book printer specializing in printing high-quality children’s books, movie tie-in books and cookbooks, raised over $50,000 for the United Way of Portage County’s Live United, Give United campaign. Money raised for the campaign will go to United Way programs that help Portage County families in need. “Worzalla associates are good neighbors and are consistently inspired to support the community. Once again, our associates came together to raise funds for the United Way of Portage County,” said Brett O’Sullivan, Worzalla’s United Way Campaign Coordinator. “With a mission of bringing people and resources together to achieve measurable results that improve people’s lives and strengthen our community, the United Way continues to support the new and ongoing challenges the less fortunate face.” To inspire associates to support the campaign, Worzalla ran a giveaway for various prizes like paid time-off, premier parking spots, gift cards, fun prizes, and entry into the Portage County Sweepstakes. Among the nearly 20 winners were Joe Omernik, Diane Landowski and the grand prize winner was Brian Deuel.

Mossberg & Company Inc., a fixture in the region’s printing industry since 1930, has bolstered its capabilities with the recent installation of a Heidelberg XL-106 8-color press. The 41-inch perfecting press, which increases the number of impressions per hour by 3,000, replaces two of Mossberg’s presses while increasing productivity and reducing overall setup time. It also frees up space in Mossberg’s manufacturing facility, allowing for future technological advances. Mossberg has served the printing, distribution and marketing needs of customers from an array of industries, including health care, consumer products, higher education, retail, tourism and craft beverages. The company employs approximately 110 professionals and has sales representation in South Bend, Indianapolis and Michigan.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that its Board of Directors unanimously determined that an unsolicited proposal from Chatham Asset Management, LLC to acquire all of the common stock of the Company not already owned by Chatham and its affiliates for $10.25 per share in cash (the “Chatham Proposal”) constitutes a “Superior Proposal” as defined in the Company’s previously announced definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Atlas Holdings LLC, dated as of November 3, 2021. Under the terms of the Atlas Merger Agreement, affiliates of Atlas have agreed to acquire the Company for $8.52 per share in cash. RRD has notified Atlas of the Board’s determination that the Chatham Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal and that RRD intends to terminate the Atlas Merger Agreement for the purpose of entering into a definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Chatham.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that it has received a proposal from Chatham Asset Management, LLC to acquire all of the outstanding shares of RRD not already owned by Chatham for $10.25 per share in cash. The RRD Board of Directors, consistent with its fiduciary duties and in accordance with the terms of its definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Atlas Holdings LLC, dated as of November 3, 2021, will carefully review and consider the Revised Chatham Proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interests of the Company and RRD shareholders. RRD shareholders do not need to take any action at this time and the Board has not yet made any determination with respect to the Revised Chatham Proposal.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced the expiration of the “go-shop” period set forth in the previously announced definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Atlas Holdings LLC, dated as of November 3, 2021, the receipt of an “Alternative Acquisition Proposal” as defined in the Atlas Merger Agreement and further developments with respect to a previously announced proposal from Chatham Asset Management, LLC. Under the terms of the Atlas Merger Agreement, affiliates of Atlas have agreed to acquire the Company for $8.52 per share in cash. As previously announced, RRD received an unsolicited proposal from Chatham on November 16, 2021 to acquire all of the outstanding shares of RRD not already owned by Chatham for $9.10 per share in cash, and thereafter the Company has been engaged in negotiations with Chatham regarding the terms and conditions of the Chatham Proposal. In addition, on November 27, 2021 and as part of its “go-shop” process, RRD received an Alternative Acquisition Proposal from a strategic party for $10.00 per share in cash, subject to other terms and conditions (the “Go-Shop Proposal”). On November 28, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Company determined, in good faith after consultation with its outside financial advisor and legal counsel, that each of the Chatham Proposal and Go-Shop Proposal would reasonably be expected to lead to a “Superior Proposal” (as defined in the Atlas Merger Agreement), thereby making each of Chatham and such strategic party an “Excluded Party” under the terms of the Atlas Merger Agreement. At this time, the Board has not determined that the Chatham Proposal or the Go-Shop Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal, and there can be no assurances that a transaction will result from either proposal or that any alternative transaction will be entered into or consummated.

CJK Group, Inc. announced that it has acquired publishing consultancy and editorial services provider, Kaufman Wills Fusting & Company (KWF) and integrated it with its existing, comprehensive content solutions subsidiary, KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL). Based in Baltimore, MD, and employing 99 people, KWF Consulting and sister company KWF Editorial are leading providers of management consulting support and professional editorial services to the scholarly publishing community. KWF Consulting advises clients on strategic planning, new product development, market research, and RFP negotiations. KWF Editorial provides professional staffing solutions for journal editorial office management, peer review services, and editor support.

HP Inc. and IWCO Direct announced a strategic agreement for the supply of a fleet of HP PageWide Web Presses to drive the market for data-driven marketing communications solutions. The multi-million-dollar investment by IWCO Direct in seven high-volume HP PageWide Web Presses is the cornerstone of a $50 million investment being made by the company to continue to grow their performance marketing business using primarily HP digital printing by 2023. The presses deliver next-level inkjet color quality and speed for a wide range of direct mail applications across a broad range of substrates such as letters, postcards, catalogs, and folded mailers. “The HP technology upgrades our data-driven performance marketing services to maximize the return on marketing investment (ROMI) for our clients, which is critical in today’s climate. Our clients value the effectiveness of direct mail, but want to produce it faster and integrate it with companion channels, so they can reach their recipients more quickly with personalized, relevant messages,” said John Ashe, CEO of IWCO Direct.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has launched a new portal on KGL PubFactory, a division of KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL), for its two influential peer-reviewed journals, the flagship Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) as well as the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR). The result of a rapid, six-month migration that included the conversion of over 13,000 archive articles dating back to 2000, the new site at avmajournals.avma.org supports single-sign-on for Association members, and ecommerce through AVMA’s webshop via integration with the Aptify membership management platform. In addition to online hosting, AVMA is now using KGL content services for automated copyediting, composition, and electronic deliverables; and sister-company Sheridan for printing of the two journals.

Worzalla CEO and President Jim Fetherston was awarded the Signature Award at the Book Manufacturers’ Institute’s Fall Annual Conference. The Book Manufacturers’ Institute (BMI), a nationally recognized trade association representing the book manufacturing industry, created the Signature Award to recognize BMI members who have made a valued contribution to the welfare of the industry through the display of superior leadership qualities. The Signature Award, awarded only when the BMI board of directors identifies worthy candidates, has just 44 recipients in BMI’s 90-year history. “While there have been ups and downs for U.S. book printers during the last few decades, we have all learned one truth: the printed book is not dead and, in fact, is thriving,” said Fetherston. “It has been a privilege to help lead our industry to the fruitful landscape that we are experiencing today. I humbly accept the Book Manufacturers’ Institute’s Signature Award on behalf of all our industry partners who trust us to get the job done and the many people on the ground responsible for making each and every book that we are sending to bookshelves, libraries, schools, and homes across the country.”

Nahan announced that it has expanded its digital printing platform with the addition of the ProStream 1800, manufactured by Canon Solutions America. “This state-of-the-art continuous feed inkjet press will enable Nahan to deliver highly targeted and personalized print at exceptional speeds with award-winning quality and flexibility, unlike anything we’ve seen,” said Nahan CEO Mike Ertel. With the ability to produce over 62 million letter impressions per month, the ProStream will increase Nahan’s overall capacity, while reducing production cycle times and enabling faster speed to market for its clients. Setting a new benchmark for inkjet quality, the ProStream1800 provides a color gamut beyond offset standards on most papers. At full speed, the ProStream leverages 1,200 dpi resolution with Canon multi-level ink drop size modulation for smooth shadings, striking details in dark tones, and sharp fonts. The ProStream allows for flexibility across a wide range of media, including standard offset coated, uncoated, and inkjet optimized papers from 40gsm to 300gsm. This will allow Nahan to efficiently produce a wider range of formats than ever before, from premium direct mail, to catalogs, self-mailers, and more. Another compelling feature of the ProStream is that it can produce fully variable 4-color catalog covers in-stream – a new and unique advance in capabilities for Nahan.

Convergence in the printing industry — the process by which print segments come together through print service providers (PSPs) expanding into segments beyond their primary segment — is a phenomenon that has been occurring for many years. In 2018, NAPCO Research and PRINTING United Alliance conducted the first printing industry convergence study. The analysis of commercial, in-plant, packaging, wide-format, garment, and industrial PSPs validated the convergence phenomenon, assessed the degree to which it is occurring, measured attitudinal beliefs as to convergence trends, and defined a printing industry migration pattern. Download the convergence study at: https://piworld.tradepub.com/free/w_hp496/

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company on November 3, 2021 announced it entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by affiliates of Atlas Holdings LLC for $8.52 per share in cash for each share of RRD common stock. RRD announced on 11/16/2021 that it has received a proposal from Chatham Asset Management, LLC to acquire all of the outstanding shares of RRD not already owned by Chatham for $9.10 per share in cash. The RRD Board of Directors, consistent with its fiduciary duties and in accordance with the terms of its merger agreement with Atlas, will carefully review and consider the Revised Proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interests of the Company and RRD shareholders. RRD shareholders do not need to take any action at this time and the RRD Board of Directors has not yet made any determination with respect to the Revised Proposal. Centerview Partners LLC is serving as financial advisor and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as legal advisor to RRD.

The print and paper advocacy group Two Sides are excited to announce its newest member, one of the leading book printers in the UK, Print On Demand Worldwide. Quality is at the heart of Print On Demand Worldwide – it is the backbone of the business, from investing in the latest high-tech printers bringing a true on-demand service for customers, to customer service that ensures a bespoke service for all. “Print On Demand Worldwide are delighted to become a member of Two Sides. We believe in being green and working towards an environmentally conscious printing future. We’ve won many awards for our environmental flair over the years and, by using Two Sides’ materials and research, we look forward to promoting the sustainable story of print media and enhancing our own sustainability story even further,” says Andy Cork, Managing Director for Print On Demand Worldwide.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading authority in sustainable printing certifications, announced today the release of version 4.0 revised criteria of its sustainability certification which was first established in 2008. The new criteria which will be effective Jan. 1, 2022, maintain a focus on the three pillars – societal, economic, and environmental – through the development, implementation and documentation of a robust sustainability management system (SMS) and series of best practices. Revised every five years, SGP’s certification criteria establishes certified facilities as leaders in the sustainable supply chain for print and related supplies. The SGP Board of Directors approved version 4.0 which further streamlines the criteria, as well as includes provisions pushing the circular economy model. With a circular approach, the certification makes SGP facilities one of the strongest parts of a sustainable supply chain. Criteria focus on validation and documentation of operational metrics help facilities contribute to their customers’ sustainability goals.

Supremex Inc. a leading North American manufacturer and marketer of envelopes and a growing provider of paper-based packaging solutions, announced its results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021. Third Quarter Financial Highlights and Recent Events * Total revenue increased by 9.9% to $54.8 million, from $49.9 million in the third quarter of 2020. * Envelope segment revenue was up 8.5% to $37.0 million, from $34.1 million in the third quarter of 2020.  Packaging and specialty products segment revenue increased by 12.8% to $17.8 million, from $15.8 million in the third quarter of 2020. * Net Earnings at $3.4 million (or $0.12 per share), up from $2.7 million (or $0.10 per share) in the third quarter of 2020. * Purchased 292,400 shares for total consideration of $0.7 million as part of the Company’s NCIB program.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced the relaunch of its suite of global creative services under a new name: Alchemy by RRD℠. This relaunch aims to reinforce RRD’s commitment to elevating brand experiences through its creative augmentation and customized brand activation services. As one of three pillars that make up RRD GO Creative℠, Alchemy by RRD is a global creative studio and branding partner that can provide localized, personalized content and design across all touchpoints. The remaining pillars that form RRD GO Creative are Smart Work Solutions (AI-enabled solutions to digitize business processes) and The_Loft@RRD (a collaborative, data-driven innovation hub to advance long-term strategies). The creative solutions and services that make up Alchemy by RRD include: Branding execution and adaptation; Video and motion graphics; Strategic content development and editorial services; Web and microsite design and development; Digital marketing and marketing automation; Immersive and interactive experiences; E-learning services; Accessibility

Copresco is upgrading its digital fleet with a second Konica-Minolta 6136P press to meet increased production demands and guarantees for fast turnaround and on-time delivery. The twin of the 6136P that was installed in late 2020 meets the same standards for Copresco’s high volume production and provides exceptional black & white print reproduction. “The people at Konica-Minolta are amazed by Copresco’s demanding quality standards and commitment to maintain our Copies Overnight promise of producing 250,000 pages overnight for any client,” says President Steve Johnson. “We have fine-tuned the new press to assure that our large-scale black & white printing matches Copresco’s award-winning color work.”

*Revenue for the third quarter was $92.6 million higher than the previous year. Not including the First American acquisition, which closed on June 1, 2021, revenue increased $10.1 million, or 2.3% year-over-year. *The Payments segment delivered revenue growth of 114.6% over the previous year to $160.3 million, $82.5 million of which was from First American. *Net income of $12.5 million includes $11.9 million in acquisition amortization from the First American acquisition, as well as increased interest expense associated with the transaction. *Cash flow from operations for the third quarter was $65.4 million and capital expenditures were $34.5 million. Free cash flow, defined as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, was $30.9 million, an increase of $11.6 million from the second quarter of 2021, and a decrease of $10.7 million compared to the third quarter of 2020, largely attributable to capital investments this year. *Total debt outstanding decreased from $1,833.4 million as of June 30, 2021 to $1,776.2 million as of September 30, 2021. Net debt was $1,655.1 million and liquidity was $433.6 million as of September 30, 2021.

Sun Chemical today announced an innovative new range of durable UV varnishes for enhancing the label resistance of HP Indigo digitally printed pressure-sensitive labels for products such as personal care, household, chemical, beverage, and pharma applications. The new range of varnishes was specifically formulated to provide adhesion to HP Indigo ElectroInk and has been designed to provide high levels of mechanical durability on HP Indigo printed labels. Furthermore, the solution delivers mechanical, chemical, water and thermal resistance withstanding vigorous bottle-to-bottle scuffing test, making the range the ideal choice for ensuring high durability, and in some instances offering a cost-effective and benefit from sustainability advantages alternative to cumbersome lamination processes. The new varnishes promote cross-linking with the HP Indigo ElectroInk and the primer layer to deliver improved physical properties and high durability in challenging applications. The new set of varnishes are a press-ready solution and do not require the addition of any press-side additives for ease of use. Ensuring consistent durable labels time after time, the range can be printed using standard UV coating equipment.

Hudson Printing of Salt Lake City, the high-quality commercial printing operation known for superior color reproduction, is now home to a new Landa S10P Nanographic Printing® Press. Installation is in progress. “Quality is paramount around here,” CEO Paul Hudson says. “Our customers will not compromise on color – it’s what we’re known for.” The Landa S10P’s unique, expanded color gamut; better economics; and higher productivity made Hudson’s decision to choose the S10P press a straightforward one. The 7-color Landa S10P will reproduce 96% of Pantone colors. “The S10P checked all of our boxes,” Paul Hudson says. “We needed the speed, the B1 format, and the best color available. Over time it became clear that Landa’s advantages are better by orders of magnitude.”

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by affiliates of Atlas Holdings LLC (“Atlas”), which operates a global family of manufacturing and distribution businesses, in an all-cash transaction with a total enterprise value of approximately $2.1 billion. The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by RRD’s board of directors. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Atlas will acquire all of the outstanding shares of RRD common stock, and RRD stockholders will receive $8.52 per share in cash for each share of RRD common stock. The purchase price represents a premium of approximately 29.1 percent over RRD’s closing price on November 2, 2021, approximately 72.8 percent over RRD’s closing share price on October 11, 2021, the last trading day prior to the announcement of a non-binding offer by Chatham Asset Management, LLC, and a premium of approximately 64.1 percent over RRD’s 60-day volume weighted average price for the period ended October 11, 2021.

Q3 Key messages *GAAP net sales, including the impact of foreign exchange, increased 6.4%; Non-GAAP organic net sales increased 5.5%; largely driven by strengthening demand for many of the Company’s products and services *GAAP and Non-GAAP income from operations exceeded prior year; both benefitted from higher sales and strong cost management despite supply chain challenges and inflation *GAAP operating margin improved 450 bps while Non-GAAP improved by 20 bps *GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.38 and Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.57, both improved significantly from prior year *Cash used in operating activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $29 million compared to cash provided by operating activities of $25 million in the prior year period; current year results reflect working capital investments due to increased volume and inflation in addition to $33 million paid earlier this year to settle LSC bankruptcy-related claims and terminate certain interest rate swap agreements *Gross leverage ratio of 3.7x improved 1.0x from September 30, 2020; net leverage ratio of 3.2x improved 0.5x from the same period last year

Recent Highlights *Increased net sales by 4%, with 7% organic growth (excluding the divestiture of the Company’s third-party logistics business), from third quarter 2020 driven by higher print volumes, including print segment share gains from new clients, as well as a continued positive trend in Agency Solutions net sales. *Increased net earnings from continuing operations by $12 million to $14 million during the third quarter of 2021 as compared to 2020. *Achieved a 6% increase in Adjusted EBITDA to $64 million during the third quarter of 2021 as compared to 2020. *Reduced net debt by $140 million or 15% over the past 12 months. *Reaffirms full-year financial outlook for 2021 Net Sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Debt Leverage. *Amends and extends $1 billion bank debt agreement to November 2026.

CJK Group, Inc. announced that it has completed an agreement to acquire the assets of Times Printing, LLC in Random Lake, Wisconsin. Previously owned and operated as part of Nicholas Karabots’ Kappa Media Group of affiliated companies, the 324,000 sq. ft. print facility specializes in high quality 4-color printing of magazines, catalogs, and a wide spectrum of commercial print products. Times Printing capably serves the retail, consumer, and special interest markets, including B2B, travel and leisure, comics, and fundraising industries. The facility handles a variety of finish sizes, including digest, tabloid, slim jim, and oblong. Web and sheetfed presses accommodate long runs, short runs, and short cut-off work, heat set processes, and complex versioning and fulfillment. The facility offers full mailing and logistics services including co-mail, co-mingle, bound printed matter, and drop ship mailing. This acquisition will bring additional services and capabilities to the Sheridan companies, while giving Sheridan access to new markets. Organizationally, the plant will be recognized under the Sheridan brand, to be known as Sheridan Random Lake.

Ennis, Inc. would like to announce the rebranding initiative of Independent Folders, a trade print solutions expert specializing in the highest-quality printed presentation products, large format, packaging and business check products. The company will now be referred to as Independent Printing & Packaging to encompass its ever-growing packaging capabilities. Independent Printing & Packaging began in a small shop in De Pere, WI during pre-war 1935 and specialized in printing handbills, business forms, invitations, business cards and other items for local business owners. In 1992, it expanded its services to a national level by joining trade associations and selling standard products through qualified print distributors. The company then rebranded as Independent Folders in 2012 in an effort to differentiate from local print shops serviced through the distributor channel.

Following the successful launch of its AQUACode range of products in 2019, Flint Group Packaging Inks continues to develop new solutions for Paper & Board applications to meet and exceed the needs of global packaging markets. Paul Winstanley, Senior Director of Technology & Innovation for Flint Group Paper & Board Europe, comments: “We recognise that through new brand owner designs, changes to consumer behaviour, and the push to improve the sustainability credentials of the packaging market, continued development is critical to support our customers’ ambitions and product strategies. This is why we are so pleased to confirm the success of our AQUACode range of products for a wide range of water-based packaging applications.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading authority in sustainable printing certifications, announced today Polaris Direct as the newest certified SGP Facility. “What I like about SGP certification is it creates a culture around sustainability,” said John Strand, director of operations. “It’s not just three or four of us deciding procedures – it encourages you to get other people involved, and you can’t create a culture of sustainability unless everybody’s in on it.” Located in Hooksett, New Hampshire, Polaris Direct is a direct marketing and printing company with many Fortune 500 customers. Founded nearly 20 years ago, the company is guided by innovative thinking and client-based problem solving.

Following multiple reports from Intergraf’s member companies of sudden and significant energy surcharges imposed by their paper suppliers, we call for an open and transparent dialogue to de-escalate tensions. Such dialogue is essential to ensure good business relations between our two closely linked industries. European printing companies are shocked following the application of unannounced energy surcharges by paper suppliers across Europe. In the last few days, numerous companies are reporting to Intergraf’s national member associations about letters received from many different paper suppliers imposing energy surcharges with immediate effect – irrespective of the date of order, i.e. on already agreed delivery contracts. Intergraf and our members are concerned about this unsustainable increase, which we find contrary to any conventional commercial practice or trustworthy business relation.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company was recognized by Hormel Foods Corporation with a 2020 Spirit of Excellence Award, celebrating RRD’s outstanding labeling work for the global branded food company. “It’s an honor to be recognized by Hormel Foods as one of their top business partners throughout a very trying year,” said Lisa Pruett, President of RRD Packaging Solutions, Forms and Labels. “We are proud to be a dependable supplier to Hormel Foods, servicing the company with high-quality labels with no out of stock SKUs last year — a distinguished accomplishment in light of the unprecedented material shortages and supply chain challenges.” RRD has been working with Hormel Foods for more than 20 years, producing more than 250 million labels annually that are used across the company’s product portfolio at upwards of 20 plant locations. RRD primarily manages the labels used in the branded food company’s operational units.

Financial Summary *$1.76 billion of revenue, down 0.5 percent year-over-year or down 1.6 percent in constant currency. *GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of $0.48, up $0.07 year-over-year, and adjusted EPS of $0.48, flat year-over-year. *$100 million of operating cash flow, down $6 million year-over-year. *Reduced FY21 revenue guidance to approximately $7.1 billion in actual currency ($7.0 billion in constant currency). Reaffirmed free cash flow guidance of at least $500 million. *Completed expected $500 million of buybacks for 2021; Board approves an additional $500 million share repurchase program to be used opportunistically.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading authority in sustainable printing certifications, announced today certification of all four Shutterfly manufacturing facilities. Shutterfly in Ft. Mill, SC was the first to obtain certification in late 2020. Since then, the remaining locations in Plano, TX, Shakopee, MN, and Tempe, AZ achieved certified SGP Facility status. “At Shutterfly, we are taking action to reduce our impact and make sustainable practices become habit in our operations,” said Dwayne Black, chief of operations, Shutterfly. “We are finding ways to become more energy-efficient, reuse, repurpose and recycle more and use less. Becoming SGP certified validates that we have created a successful foundation for delivering a great customer experience while doing better for the planet.” “Shutterfly’s commitment to sustainable print operations cannot be overstated. We are pleased to welcome all four manufacturing facilities into the SGP Community,” said Jonathan Graham, SGP chair and TE Connectivity representative. “As the leading online platform for photography and personalized products, Shutterfly furthers its leadership and commitment to a sustainable future. This is a milestone for SGP and Shutterfly as we are committed to leaving our world in a better place.”

KnowledgeWorks Global Learning (KGL), the comprehensive learning strategy and solutions provider, has partnered with digital training studio, Elearning Design Center (ELDC) to offer new virtual reality learning solutions using its leading immersive technologies. The partnership will augment KGL’s experiential learning technologies and full-service portfolio while enabling ELDC to expand into new industries. ELDC helps educators, online schools, and corporate learning academies solve real-world problems by creating active and engaging online learning that aids core skill development through immersive experiences and digital technology. Based in New Hudson, Michigan, the company designs photorealistic virtual environments, AI-based virtual humans, 3D demonstrations, and next-generation XR solutions that give life to elearning and simulate real-world experiences.

Sun Chemical has launched Xennia® Pearl pigment inks for high-speed industrial applications during Innovate 2021 Textile Innovation Week. The range, which includes inks for both mid-viscosity and high-viscosity printheads, has been developed following a careful assessment of the market and specific customer needs, particularly the requirement for high fastness, multi-substrate compatibility, consistent color, and outstanding print performance. As well as addressing core market needs in terms of performance, the range also underlines Sun Chemical’s commitment to sustainability in the textiles industry – offering textile printers a way to significantly reduce water use and chemical waste. Based on proprietary pigments and resins, the inks will support the key application areas of fashion and home textiles – two sectors which are rapidly embracing digital pigment printing, both for the flexibility it offers, and for the huge sustainability benefits it brings.

As a high-volume direct mail producer, Johnson & Quin, which was founded in 1876 (making it the oldest company among this group of innovators), made a profound switch to high-speed inkjet printing in 2019. That change — to three Screen color inkjet systems — reports VP and Principal Andrew Henkel, was precipitated by the fact the company’s clients had accepted color digital output and were happy with the results. “It felt like a leap of faith,” says Bob Arkema, the company’s executive VP, “but it seemed like an inevitability. We could take advantage of being early inkjet adopters, or wait until we were forced to [invest]. It felt riskier not to do it.” To keep up with its three high-speed inkjet lines, Johnson & Quin has also been investing heavily, primarily in inserting systems. “Johnson & Quin, is using continuous-feed inkjet mainly for mid-level-priced, good clients, such as cell phone providers, etc.,” points out Marco Boer, VP of IT Strategies. “They are using software to optimize postal discounts and delivery response to the most efficient levels possible, often pre-sorting at the print level to get the highest postage discounts.” The company’s 100% color inkjet approach makes them stand out in the direct mail space.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that it has received an unsolicited proposal from Chatham Asset Management, LLC ("Chatham") to acquire all of the outstanding shares of RRD for $7.50 per share in cash. Consistent with its fiduciary duties, and in consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, the RRD Board of Directors will carefully review and consider the Chatham proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interests of the Company and RRD shareholders. RRD shareholders do not need to take any action at this time.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading certification authority in sustainable printing, announced today the support of EFI in its sustainability mission as a gold SGP Patron. EFI joins other patrons, SGP certified facilities, brands, academic institutions, NGOs and associations in the SGP Community. “EFI is proud to support the very important work SGP does in our industry,” said Ken Hanulec, vice president of worldwide marketing, EFI. “With our portfolio of solutions and programs, from digital front end and integrated workflows that significantly reduce material waste to carbon offset reforestation solutions included with single-pass inkjet printers to UV LED superwide-format innovations that significantly reduce energy usage, EFI is a firm believer in SGP’s mission to promote and advance the sustainability of print.”

Quad/Graphics, Inc. announced it will promote Dave Honan to Chief Operating Officer from Chief Financial Officer, and Tony Staniak to Chief Financial Officer from Vice President of Finance. This announcement, part of a planned executive transition process, precedes the retirement of current Chief Operating Officer Tom Frankowski, who will depart Quad on December 31, 2021, after a 42-year career with the Company. “Quad has incredible bench strength on our executive leadership team to continue driving forward our growth and success as a marketing solutions partner,” said Joel Quadracci, Quad Chairman, President & CEO. “Over the past many years, Dave Honan has been deeply involved in developing and guiding our remarkable transformation strategy. He led the design of our capital structure and corporate development activity that positively shaped our transformation and put us in a position of increased strength. In his new role, Dave will draw on his previous operations experience in the manufacturing and service industries. He will focus on connecting our entire operational organization to take advantage of the momentum building in our Sales and Marketing efforts. I look forward to Dave’s leadership and contributions, especially in bringing together our people, processes and products to drive performance. He recognizes the key drivers of success for our business, which include engaging and retaining employees, and perpetually innovating to drive top-line revenue and productivity enhancements across our entire integrated platform. Through our continued partnership I am certain we will create a better way for all our stakeholders.”

The storied C.J. Krehbiel Company (dba as CJK Print Possibilities), has been acquired by BR Printers of San Jose, California. Established in 1872, the fifth generation business owned by the Krehbiel family, has a long history of providing a personal touch to the printing, binding and mailing of four-color bound documents such as books, catalogs, manuals, weeklies and magazines. “CJK’s print and finishing capabilities extend and complement BR’s digitally enabled book manufacturing platform,” says Adam DeMaestri, President and CEO of BR Printers. “We look forward to collaborating with CJK leadership and employees.”

In today’s printing industry, the concept of innovation is wide in definition, but rather narrow in its goal. Leading companies have grasped many tools to define themselves, increase profitability, and differentiate. They utilize new technologies, systems integration, an expanded product mix, exemplary customer service, and more. As a group, the eight companies included in the 2021 class of Printing Impressions’ Innovators of the Year demonstrate new approaches that can move printing businesses forward and possess strong insight into where the industry is going. Even amid the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, these companies succeed, grow, focus, and inspire. This year’s innovators were nominated by a group of printing industry experts and consultants, who identified them as notables. The summary of Heeter that follows shares what makes theis company innovative, interesting, and exceptional. The insight it presents may provide the inspiration you need to take your company to a new level, or in a new direction. read the full article at: https://www.piworld.com/article/2021-innovator-year-heeter-customer-achieve-roi/

By joining the international alliance 4evergreen, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is affirming it is fully committed to environmentally friendly products and technologies. Handling natural resources sustainably and continuously improving circularity, that is to say the circular economy, are key concerns in the growing packaging segment . Consumer demand for sustainable and fiber-based packaging solutions is increasing further still. As a leading partner of the folding carton industry, Heidelberg therefore supports the 4evergreen alliance’s holistic approach throughout the value chain for climate-friendly, green packaging in an enhanced circular economy. “Environmental protection and sustainability are global issues that are also becoming increasingly important in the print media industry,” says Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer. “For many years, Heidelberg has been promoting environmental and sustainability initiatives when developing and manufacturing machinery and units. We are also looking to drive forward and further improve options in terms of recyclability and the use of resources during production in the growing packaging segment,” he adds.

RRD is an industry leading marketing and business communications company with a well-defined strategy focused on creating long-term stakeholder value. Through the focused execution of its three strategic priorities – to strengthen core performance, drive revenue growth through higher value offerings, and improve financial flexibility – RRD is well positioned for the future. As described in its August 2, 2021 press release, RRD has delivered solid results over the last two years and through Friday, September 24, 2021, has delivered 67.8% in total stockholder return vs. pre-COVID period (assumes February 20, 2020) and has outperformed the average return of Russell 3,000 companies, which delivered a total stockholder return of 37.0% during the same period. Since the spin in 2016, RRD has made strategic investments to drive profitable growth, divested non-core businesses, and proactively improved its balance sheet. In 2020, the Company expanded its technology solutions portfolio and introduced new products that enable its clients to simplify complexity, reduce costs, and enhance the effectiveness of their communications. The Company also invested to increase production capacity in its core growth businesses, including labels and packaging, where RRD has delivered sales growth in each of the last five quarters, including double-digit organic sales growth in the second quarter of 2021. In addition, at the end of 2020, RRD reported its lowest gross and net leverage levels since the spin.

Founded in Debrecen in 1952, the Hungarian folding carton manufacturer Kartonpack Dobozipari Nyrt. (Kartonpack) currently employs over 100 staff. With its 70 years of experience in the printing and packaging industry, Kartonpack is one of Hungary’s leading packaging printers. Working in close collaboration with its customers and over 200 suppliers, the company makes packaging for local and multinational pharmaceutical businesses, the cosmetics sector, and the food industry. Kartonpack’s services cover the entire value chain – from structural and graphic design, printing, and die cutting all the way through to the finished folding carton. The company exports its products to Austria, Belgium, Germany, Romania, and Russia. Even though Hungary’s economy has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kartonpack decided to invest in the new Speedmaster CX 104 from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) as a pilot user, with a view to further boosting the efficiency of its production processes. The market’s response to this sign of strength and confidence has been entirely positive, and the company reports that it has been able to adjust capacities in recent months and boost volumes.

Sun Chemical has launched its Streamline TVL 2 ink series to support the sign, display and graphics market for use with Roland’s SG2 and VG2 range of eco-solvent inkjet printers. The Streamline TVL 2 ink series is a fully color-matched CMYK, Lc, Lm and Lk ink series supplied in 500ml pouches which are fully mixable with Roland TR2 ink series, enabling a simple and fast transition to Streamline TVL 2 inks. Formulated with Sun Chemical’s low odor chemistry, the Streamline TVL 2 ink series is Greenguard Gold certified for low indoor emissions. In addition, Streamline TVL 2 inks are GBL free, ensuring full regulatory compliance for sales in all regions across the world.

The Board of Directors of Transcontinental Inc. announces that François Olivier will retire from the Company. He will be leaving his functions on December 9, 2021, after 28 years with the Company, including 13 years as President and Chief Executive Officer. Peter Brues, a member of Transcontinental’s Board of Directors since 2018 and Chair of the Audit Committee, will succeed him as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Brues will join the organization as of November 1st and will work with François Olivier during a transition period. He will officially assume his duties on December 10th. Mr. Brues’s appointment is the culmination of a rigorous succession planning process led by the Company’s Human Resources and Compensation Committee. “The Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge the exceptional contribution of François Olivier to Transcontinental and to highlight his remarkable career that featured many strategic and significant achievements for Transcontinental,” said Isabelle Marcoux, Chair of the Board of Directors. “His innovative vision, decisive leadership and business skills have helped propel Transcontinental to its position as a leading flexible packaging company in North America and the largest printer in Canada. We sincerely thank François for his invaluable contribution to the growth, diversification and transformation of Transcontinental over the years.”

The Company’s revenues for the second quarter ended August 31, 2021 were $100.5 million compared to $86.6 million for the same quarter last year, an increase of $13.9 million, or 16.0%. Gross profit margin was $28.9 million, or 28.8%, as compared to $25.2 million, or 29.0%, for the same quarter last year. Net earnings for the quarter were $7.5 million, as compared to $6.4 million, for the same quarter last year. The Company’s revenues for the six-month period ended August 31, 2021 were $197.4 million compared to $175.6 million for the same period last year, an increase of $21.8 million or 12.4%. Gross profit margin was $58.1 million, or 29.4%, as compared to $49.1 million, or 27.9% for the six-month periods ended August 31, 2021 and August 31, 2020, respectively. Net earnings for the six-month period ended August 31, 2021 were $14.8 million, compared to $10.6 million for the same period last year, an increase of $4.2 million.

Flint Group Narrow Web introduces two UV-flexo coating products to improve the recyclability for shrink sleeves and pressure sensitive labels. These coatings are currently available in North America and will soon be available in Europe and other regions. Using different chemistries, the Evolution Deinking Primer, for shrink sleeves, and the Evolution Caustic Resistant Over Print Varnish (OPV), for self-adhesive labels, are designed to increase the yield of material in the recycling process. Both coatings have been recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers to comply with the critical guidance for PET packaging. The Evolution Deinking Primer is a coating used on shrink sleeve materials that makes the ink release in the caustic bath of the recycling process. When used with crystallizable polyester shrink sleeve material (CPET), the primer keeps the ink anchored to the substrate through the usable life of the sleeve, but releases it in the caustic bath. The ink is removed from the sleeve material without contaminating the valuable bottle flake. The materials are then rinsed and pelletized into recycled polyester (rPET) for reuse.

September 2021: Flint Group Packaging Inks has announced the launch of a new innovative concentrate technology designed to solve many of the efficiency challenges faced by today’s Flexible Packaging converter. Part of the company’s recently announced ONECode solvent-based ink and coating range in Europe, Flint Group’s Universal Bases are designed to be utilised for surface, medium, and high-performance lamination flexible packaging printing, including sterilisation work. Flint Group is extremely excited to offer this portfolio of multi-functional nitrocellulose-free concentrates which consist of dispersions made from select pigments in a superior resin. The company’s Universal Bases offer compatibility with a wide range of main and co-binder resins used in multiple ink formulations, including Nitrocellulose (NC), Polyurethane (PU) and other key chemistries, thereby providing a streamlined solution to ink management and ultimate flexibility. The advantage these Universal Bases offer is the ability to blend a PU-based system for high-end lamination, pouches and retort.

Sun Chemical will increase prices across its entire portfolio of publication, packaging and commercial sheetfed inks, coatings, and adhesives in North America, effective immediately. The inflationary cost trends in raw materials used within the ink industry have continued to accelerate throughout the course of the year. In addition to the raw material pressures, significant cost increases have been instituted in steel drums, pails, and other packaging components. Availability of skilled labor remains a challenge and in order to attract and retain a committed team, labor costs and benefits have risen exponentially. International and domestic logistics costs have continued their steady climb and forecasts show no change in these trends in the near term. “Sun Chemical’s top priority throughout 2021 has been to maintain the supply of our products to our customers. We have absorbed the higher costs of expedited freight, raw materials and other key inputs in order to achieve that objective,” said Chris Parrilli, President of North American Inks.

Komori announced that Heeter, a full-service provider of innovative print and data solutions, has purchased an eight-color Komori GL40 perfector (GL840P) with UV capabilities. The 75-year-old, third-generation family-owned firm operates two facilities in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and has recently acquired a third location in Cleveland, Ohio to serve a wide variety of clients in health insurance, gaming, pharmaceuticals, education, retail, banking, utilities/energy and more. This is the company’s first Komori press, replacing a competitive press. Key to choosing the Komori over the three press manufacturers Heeter considered was the GL840P’s ability to deliver more efficiencies, its UV printing capabilities and its ability to deliver a lower cost of ownership. With an eye on efficiency and the reduced cost of maintenance and upkeep, the company determined the Komori GL840P fit its growing need for increased capacity, reduced turnaround times and expanded capabilities. Because the press is a perfector, run times are cut in half for two-sided jobs and the UV capabilities allow for faster drying, so that jobs can be sent to the bindery or other finishing processes quickly. This is Heeter’s first UV press and the ability to offer the vibrant colors and special effects of UV printing is a powerful value-added proposition for the high-end markets it serves.

To help printing companies navigate through the current crisis to the recovery on the other side, NAPCO Research and PRINTING United Alliance launched COVID-19 Print Business Indicators Research. This is the sixth in a series of reports, sponsored by Konica Minolta, that examines the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the printing industry, how printers are responding to the crisis, and how they can create a path forward. This survey tracks key indicators across a cross section of printing companies, including commercial printers, graphic and sign producers, apparel decorators, functional printers, and package printers/converters. Download the in-depth executive summary to understand the current status of the printing industry. *Comparison of 2020 and 2021 First and Second Quarter Sales Numbers Highlight the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic *Index of Current and Leading Indicators Reaches Highest Point Since the Pandemic Began *Hiring Remains a Top Issue for Printers *Want More Printing Industry Trends and Projections?

A small business guide to launching a direct mail campaign. Let’s begin by considering an enlightening statistic. From the moment it enters a residence, a printed mail piece has an average lifespan of 17 days. 17 glorious axial rotations shuffling around the kitchen table and narrowly escaping coffee mug rings, only to be folded up during dinner and launched like a fighter jet. Each casual glance, each physical point of contact increasing brand awareness and unconsciously driving home your message. Now consider another form of [extremely] direct mail: Email has an average life span of (wait for it) 2 seconds! Two seconds? That’s shorter than the attention span of a goldfish (five seconds). The response rate for direct mail is also about 9 times higher than that of email, rolling in between 5-9%. When combined with digital marketing efforts, that rate skyrockets to a whopping 28%. much more at source: https://www.thysse.com/blog/getting-started-with-direct-mail-services/

2021 Third Quarter Results - Revenues increased by $34.2 million, or 5.8%, from $587.4 million in the third quarter of 2020 to $621.6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Operating earnings decreased by $25.1 million, or 33.3%, from $75.3 million in the third quarter of 2020 to $50.2 million in the third quarter of 2021. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation decreased by $20.2 million, from $48.3 million in the third quarter of 2020 to $28.1 million in the third quarter of 2021.

Sheridan’s Pennsylvania facility (a CJK Group company) is the site of the first Komori Lithrone GX840P+C, Eight-Unit Perfecting Press to be installed in the world. The latest press in the GLX series from Komori features the most productive and robust automation available. Among its many advanced features are Parallel Makeready*, which dramatically shortens makeready times, Smart Sequence* for non-stop automation, A-APC (Asynchronous Automatic Plate Changing System) for fast plate changes, PDC-SX (Spectral Print Density Control – SX), and Full Unit Ink Mist Filtering—all targeted to increase productivity and reduce costs. One of the most significant process changes is the adoption of energy cured inks. UV inks are instantly cured, eliminating all marking concerns on press and in finishing, thus allowing the press to run at higher speeds. Furthermore, a coater is integrated after the 8th unit, which is capable of applying UV or AQ solutions for superior enhancement and protection.

FCL Graphics, located in suburban Chicago, has upgraded two of their commercial web offset presses with color control and ink delivery technology from Baldwin Vision Systems. Technology upgrades on these first two full-web presses resulted in significantly higher print quality and an immediate 50% reduction in waste. Based on these results, a third upgrade on a half-web press is scheduled for August of 2021. According to Kurt Kunde, FCL’s Vice President of Operations, “We have presses that have been in operation for 15-18 years and are mechanically very sound. We basically scrapped everything on the machines from a controls standpoint, replaced it with the Baldwin Vision Systems technology, and made them brand new presses overnight.” The full-web presses are Harris M1000s and the half-web press scheduled for upgrade in August is a Harris M110B. “Our very experienced press operators love the systems,” said Mr. Kunde, “and because the interfaces are so easy to use, we’re able to train new operators more quickly.”

PRINTING United, scheduled to take place Oct. 6-8, 2021 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., has been cancelled. The PRINTING United Alliance board of directors felt the ability to deliver a successful tradeshow event for all involved became significantly hampered recently with the growing uncertainty and spike in cases resulting from the COVID-19 Delta variant, and its depressing effect on registration and exhibitor participation. “We want to sincerely thank our vast industry partners -- including exhibitors, members and attendees -- for their collective support during this ever-changing landscape and time,” says Ford Bowers, CEO, PRINTING United Alliance. “We conferred with dozens of exhibitors from all segments and sizes, regularly monitored attendee sentiment, and the weight of opinion supported the difficult decision to cancel this year’s show.”

Last June, Chanhassen, Minnesota-based IWCO Direct announced a two-year, $50 million expansion plan, the largest in the 52-year history of the the direct marketing solutions provider. Part of those expenditures includes the installation of high-speed inkjet printing presses, largely in response to changing direct mail client needs for more highly personalized, data-driven campaigns, produced in shorter runs with rapid turn times. This new omnichannel market reality has also required IWCO Direct CEO John Ashe and his executive team to make difficult decisions about how to optimize the company's existing production facilities and remove excess capacity. As part of this, the 330 workers employed at IWCO Direct's Little Falls, Minn., lithographic printing, letter shop, and commingling plant were told last week that the 200,000-sq.-ft., leased facility — located 100 miles north of Minneapolis in a town of 8,500 residents nestled along the banks of the Mississippi River — will close by Jan. 2, 2022.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is pleased to announce the installation of its AccurioJet KM-1e LED UV Inkjet Press at commercial and direct mail printer Zenger Group. Headquartered in Tonawanda, New York, Zenger Group is a second-generation, family-owned and operated, cutting-edge company using their strong print foundation to help brand owners market more efficiently and effectively. Having purchased an AccurioJet KM-1 in 2019, the high-volume production printing, high uptime and low cost of operation led them to make the second purchase. While other manufacturers were considered, Zenger Group found the AccurioJet KM-1 inks were much more durable, could print on any substrate and at a lower cost than the other available options. In its first year owning the AccurioJet KM-1, Zenger Group found customers love the outstanding quality and consistency, and the ability for the company to produce high volume postcards at a low cost enabled it to bring long-run mailing card applications – previously outsourced – back in house. The UV inkjet technology helped grow the company by 60 percent in 2020, moving it up the ranks to 123 from 207 on Printing Impressions’ Top 350 list. CEO Steve Zenger was also recently inducted into Printing Impressions’ Printing Industry Hall of Fame.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that the Company’s Board of Directors has amended the Company’s stockholder rights plan to extend its final expiration date to August 28, 2022. The Board extended the Rights Plan due to concerns about the potential for one or more persons or groups to gain undue influence over or control of the Company through open market accumulation or other tactics. The Rights Plan does not prevent any action the Board determines to be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

Sun Chemical expanded its ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® certified colorant portfolio for spin-dyed fibers, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable fibers processing for textiles. The newly added products provide excellent suitability for polyamide and polyacrylics, complementing the existing ECO PASSPORT colorant portfolio that contains products suitable for polypropylene, polyester and polyamide. The number of ECO PASSPORT certified colorants has increased to nineteen total products, now encompassing the full color space across a variety of polymers and providing excellent durability performance both in processing and end-use applications.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership announced its participation in the Kansas City Sports & Sustainability Symposium on Aug. 17, 2021. The Symposium will be held at Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium. Attendees include regional professional and collegiate sports teams and venues, concessionaires, business and public leaders, and athletes to explore how the industry can make plays to advance healthier, more sustainable communities. The program covers sustainability focusing on local action across environmental and social fronts. SGP Partnership will participate in the showcase of sponsors, highlighting the role of SGP certified printing facilities can play in the sustainability of sporting events and venues. “I am looking forward to attending and sharing more with the Kansas City sports teams and the Green Sports Alliance on how using SGP certified printers can accelerate their sustainable contribution in local communities. With sport venues using a large amount of print including outdoor signage, arena graphics, packaging and event materials, SGP can helps align the sustainability goals of these teams in their print supply chains,” said Bryan Rose, SGP Board of Directors and vice-president at Cooley Group. “We can help make a transformative change by providing the sports industry printed materials with the best possible sustainable profile.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced the launch of an omnichannel offering designed to meet the education industry’s need for elevated communications agility that maximizes the value of each step in the student journey. The education industry is going through significant change due to COVID-19 and must evaluate how they acquire and engage students and seek business and operational efficiencies. As enrollment challenges persist, the pressure is on educational institutions to drive brand awareness, cultivate a sense of community, and maintain student safety. RRD has mobilized to offer a specialized set of solutions for pre-K through 12 instructional publishers, self-funded private schools, and higher education institutions. Designed to perform as an extension of marketing and business support teams, standout elements include: *Personalized, education-specific programs that support recruitment strategies, instructional content, interactive online experiences, and printed curriculum for students and teachers *Fundraising campaigns that build endowment sustainability, alumni engagement, and donor support — with quantifiable ROI *Touchless communications via NFC and/or QRC technologies to accommodate demand for contactless interactions *Signage and wayfinding for all campus facilities and spaces, with the option of white-glove installation *Customized support to help fill gaps in specific communications programs — from integrated campaigns to multichannel billing and payment systems

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) announced Christopher Rose of Shutterfly and Blake Pace of Primex Plastics as the first Sustainability Champions. The SGP Sustainability Champion program recognizes SGP Community Members for outstanding efforts in making the environment a better place to work and live. An SGP Sustainability Champion is committed to positive change, shows passion through leadership, and exemplifies environmental stewardship and activism. Champions look beyond immediate, short-term goals and are committed to making an impact in a larger context. Chris Rose of Shutterfly was nominated by several people, recognizing his work in achieving SGP certification for its Fort Mill, SC facility. “Chris Rose took up the cause for sustainability almost two years ago. He was excited about the challenge of receiving SGP certification, knowing it would take considerable time and effort,” said John C. Hindman, Senior Manager for Environmental Health & Safety at Shutterfly. Blake Pace is the general manager of the Primex Plastics Reedsburg, WI facility. “Blake is a firm believer in responsible manufacturing. Along with renewable energy usage, environmental efforts emphasize energy and efficiency audits, reuse and rework of pallet and packaging materials and proactive freight considerations,” said Teri Benning, Primex Plastics in her nomination submission of Blake.

Freedom has signed an exclusive letter of intent to purchase the assets of Suncraft Technologies, and is expected to close the deal in the upcoming weeks. “We are thrilled to welcome Suncraft employees to the Freedom family and are confident that this will be a perfect fit for them, as well as their clients” states Eric Blohm, President of Freedom. “In addition to our recent digital press and lettershop expansion, the acquisition of Suncraft’s assets will further strengthen our core competencies and expand our extensive offerings to our clients.

Two Sides North America is pleased to welcome The Printing Industry of the Carolinas, Inc. (PICA), as our newest member. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, PICA is the regional graphics trade association serving the commercial printing, digital, wide format, mailing and packaging industries in North and South Carolina. The association provides educational programs, networking opportunities, buying power programs and conferences geared toward the printing industry. “Printers play a vital role in helping to educate print buyers and other decision makers about the sustainability, effectiveness and relevance of print, paper and paper-based packaging in today’s omni-channel world,” says Two Sides North America President Kathi Rowzie. “Two Sides is pleased to add PICA to our growing list of industry association members, and we invite their members to join us as well.”

Second Quarter 2021 Financial and Segment Highlights *Revenue was $67.8 million higher than the previous year. All four segments experienced year-over-year revenue growth. Not including the First American acquisition, which closed on June 1, 2021, revenue increased $40.5 million, or 9.9 percent year-over-year. *The Payments segment delivered revenue growth of 43.1 percent over the previous year, $27.3 million of which was from First American. *Net income of $12.1 million includes $15.9 million of costs related to the First American acquisition during the quarter. *Cash flow from operations for the first half of 2021 was $83.8 million and capital expenditures were $46.6 million. Free cash flow, defined as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, was $37.2 million, a decrease of $45.4 million as compared to 2020, largely attributable to capital investments this year and costs related to the First American transaction.

The print and paper advocacy group, Two Sides, are excited to announce its newest member, a print partner for thousands of marketing, creative and print professionals, Tradeprint. “We understand what the customer needs from us, and we’ll do everything it takes to deliver. We know their reputation is on the line with each and every order, that’s why we produce only the highest quality print.” says Charlene Joss, Managing Director at Tradeprint. Charlene continues, “It’s not just the high quality of print we deliver to our customers, but also the benefit of knowing that we regularly evaluate ways to reduce the impact of our operations and products on the environment so that we are protecting it to the best of our abilities. By joining with Two Sides, we will further promote the sustainable qualities of our company and an industry that has a great sustainable record.”

Organic net sales increased 11.4%. The Business Services segment was up 14.3% on a GAAP basis while the Marketing Solutions segment was up 10.3% both on a GAAP organic basis from the second quarter of 2020. The Business Services segment experienced growth in several of our strategic focus areas including Packaging, Labels and Supply Chain Management. Net sales in Marketing Solutions also experienced growth, led by higher volumes in Digital Print and Fulfillment and Direct Marketing, partially offset by last year’s Census project, which was completed in mid-2020. Income from operations was $28.2 million in the second quarter of 2021 compared to loss from operations of $19.0 million in the second quarter of 2020. The second quarter of 2021 included net restructuring, impairment and other charges of $9.7 million, a decrease of $18.7 million from the prior year period primarily due to lower consulting and employee termination costs.

Results for the six months ended June 30, 2021, include: Net Sales — Net sales were $1.4 billion in the six months ended June 30, 2021, down 1% from the same period in 2020, primarily due to the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter, nearly offset by year-over-year increases in print, logistics and agency solutions sales in the second quarter. Net Earnings (Loss) From Continuing Operations — Net earnings from continuing operations were $45 million or $0.85 diluted earnings per share from continuing operations in the six months ended June 30, 2021, an increase of $69 million compared to the same period in 2020, which recorded a net loss of $24 million or $0.46 diluted loss per share. Net earnings were higher due to a $26 million decrease in restructuring, impairment, and transaction-related charges, a $24 million increase from gains on the sale of businesses, and a $14 million gain from the sale and leaseback of the Chalfont, Penn., production facility in the second quarter of 2021. These increases were partially offset by approximately $30 million in non-recurring temporary cost savings in 2020.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company issued the following statement regarding the Schedule 13D filed on July 28, 2021 by Chatham Asset Management, LLC with the Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing, among other things, its current holdings of common shares and debt of RRD. RRD is open to constructive input from any of its stockholders and has been engaged in frequent dialogue with Chatham for more than two years. In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors and management continue to work extensively with external advisors to review strategic opportunities, including monetizing assets to unlock the intrinsic value of RRD. Since July 31, 2020, RRD has successfully executed the following transactions to accelerate its debt and leverage reduction: *In November 2020, RRD completed the sales of its two remaining Logistics businesses for $238 million with the assistance of an external advisor. *In December 2020, RRD generated $96 million in proceeds from liquidating certain insurance policies. *RRD completed nine real estate sales yielding proceeds of $22 million.

Modern Litho announces it will acquire the commercial printing division of Watkins Lithographic of North Kansas City, Missouri as of August 1, 2021. The acquisition increases production capacity and further enhances the company’s suite of services which include: digital and offset print, mailing, warehousing and fulfillment, and wide format services in the Kansas City and regional markets. “After the successful acquisition of James Printing in 2018, we knew we wanted to expand our Kansas City footprint. Watkins Lithographic is a great fit in terms of their customer base, employee group, equipment, and facility. We will continue to build on the Watkins Litho tradition of serving their clients well and will look to make investments that will enhance that experience,” commented Darrell Moore, President of Modern Litho.

CJK Group, Inc. has announced that it has rebranded three of its print facilities as Sheridan sites. Bang Printing is now Sheridan Minnesota, Hess Print Solutions is now Sheridan Ohio, and Webcrafters Inc. is now Sheridan Wisconsin. With this rebranding, Sheridan now maintains eight printing locations in the US; the existing five being Sheridan Michigan, Sheridan Grand Rapids, Sheridan Kentucky, Sheridan New Hampshire, and Sheridan Pennsylvania. CJK Group Inc. is also parent company to KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd., a full-scale content services organization with locations in the US, India, and the UK. Uniting all print facilities under one name and a centralized management structure affords all Sheridan print customers more flexibility, increased capacity, and a wide array of publishing services. The markets Sheridan serves include book, journal, magazine, catalog, and commercial print.

Allen Press announced today that Mark Kohlhase has been named Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Kohlhase had been serving as the Interim CEO since January 2020. As CEO, Kohlhase will continue overseeing all aspects of the company and setting long-term strategic goals and objectives. “Providing excellent customer service has been and continues to be my primary focus,” Kohlhase said. “As CEO, I believe that a servant leadership approach and a laser-like focus on our customers’ well-being will help us create long-term stability for Allen Press.” Kohlhase will continue to focus on the core competencies of commercial printing and scholarly publishing services that are Allen Press mainstays.

Sun Chemical has launched two new color travel effect pigments, Reflecks™ MD Midnight Cherry and Reflecks™ MD Midnight Sapphire, to join its Reflecks™ MultiDimensions product family. These two blackened metallic-like effect pigments based on calcium sodium borosilicate, utilize innovative multilayer technology that delivers intense chroma, color travel, and sparkle. With a new patent-pending process, the absorption colorant is embedded within the coating, aiding in easier and faster formulation as well as benefitting the end customer by minimally staining the skin. Both new products utilize color travel. Reflecks™ MD Midnight Cherry shifts from red to green and Reflecks™ MD Midnight Sapphire shifts from blue to red. The intensity of the color travel is enhanced by the built-in background color using a cutting-edge process that embeds the absorption colorant into the coating layers. This process also aids in faster and easier formulation.

Count on SPC for creative that drives results. Our talented team was recognized by the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing (CADM) Tempo Awards for producing a campaign that boosted response by 44% against the control. SPC won four awards across three categories: *First Place in the Direct Mail Category *First Place for Copywriting *Second Place for Copywriting (additional submission) *Third Place for Art Direction. Award nominees are judged by industry experts with extensive experience and understanding of successful direct marketing programs, an eye for unique and engaging tactics, and overall understanding of direct response best practices.

Mt. Royal Printing, Baltimore, MD-based full-service print production company, has made tuck-in acquisitions of two Pennsylvania firms, Spectrum Printing, Inc., East Petersburg, and Shuman Heritage Printing Co., LLC, York. Graphic Arts Advisors, LLC (GAA), Mountain Lakes, NJ, an M&A advisory and consulting firm focused exclusively on the printing, packaging, mailing, marketing materials production, and related graphic communications industries, represented Mt. Royal in the transactions. Spectrum and Shuman represent the latest strategic transactions by the fourth-generation, family-owned Mt. Royal, which has used acquisition as a growth strategy for the past 15 years. The acquisitions represent Mt. Royal’s first foray outside of the greater Maryland / Washington, DC / Northern Virginia market.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is pleased to introduce the AccurioPress C7100 series, digital color presses packed with innovative technologies to create more profitable business opportunities. From intelligent automation and enhanced finishing to flawless quality, advanced capabilities and exceptional durability, customers have the power to grow their businesses through a press that works smarter. Succeeding the highly successful AccurioPress C6100 Series, the new AccurioPress C7100 model runs at 100 pages per minute (ppm) with the AccurioPress C7090 at 90ppm. With a focus on optimizing performance, offering new and advanced print products, and growing the entire business, the AccurioPress C7100 series serves more customers and completes more jobs with innovative technologies that power success. “Key to the development of the AccurioPress C7100 and AccurioPress C7090 was building a press that works smarter, not harder, with new technologies geared to provide stability, reliability and productivity to make businesses more profitable,” said Dino Pagliarello, Senior Vice President, Product Management and Planning.

Two Sides North America is pleased to announce that DPI Direct (www.dpidirect.com) has joined our community of advocates for the sustainability of print, paper and paper-based packaging. Headquartered in Poway, California, DPI Direct specializes in UV-offset, Indigo digital, labels and large format printing, and offers a wide array of marketing services, from direct mail and trade show booths to retail signage and point-of-purchase displays. “Printers are on the front lines when it comes to educating brands, retailers and other stakeholders about the inherent sustainability of print and paper, so we’re especially excited to have a premier West Coast printer like DPI Direct join Two Sides,” says Two Sides President Kathi Rowzie. “Small and medium size printers like DPI Direct are a key part of our network and our education efforts, helping us reach many print buyers who want to make sustainable communications choices but often don’t know the facts about paper’s contributions to a more sustainable, circular economy.”

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading authority in sustainability certification for the printing industry, announced today that the Meyers Printing Companies, Inc. achieved SGP certification for its Minneapolis, MN facility. “Meyers believes in integrity and an important part of this is our environmental compliance and stewardship,” said Chris Dillion, President at Meyers. “Integrity is a central part of who we are. And to us, integrity and sustainability are intertwined. If you’re not thinking about how your work impacts those around you and those who will come after you, are you really working with integrity?” As a certified SGP printer, Meyers is committed to exceeding sustainability targets by reducing waste, conserving energy, sourcing sustainable materials, creating a safe workplace, continuous improvement, and lowering our carbon footprint. Each year sustainability projects are identified and tracked to document areas of improvement; an audit by the third-party certification organization occurs every two years.

Quad/Graphics, Inc. announced that it has sold its QuadExpress third-party logistics (3PL) business for $40 million to Mullen Group Ltd., one of Canada’s largest logistics providers. QuadExpress joins Mullen Group’s network of independently operated businesses that provide a broad range of service offerings including less-than-truckload, truckload, warehousing, logistics, transload, oversized and specialized hauling transportation. The divestiture supports Quad’s established strategy to optimize its product and service portfolio and invest in those parts of its business that accelerate its position as a marketing solutions partner and create more value for its clients and other stakeholders. Quad continues to own and operate its in-house transportation and logistics division, Quad Transportation Services, and its trucking division, Duplainville Transport.

The Clemson Graphic Communications program has proven to produce knowledgeable, experienced professionals ready for the work place after graduation. SPC is always looking for ways to grow the future of print and is committed to the success of young professionals in the industry. In an effort to fill the gaps between college print programs and the industry itself, we asked a series of questions to Clemson staff and alumni. Associate Professor for the Department of Graphic Communications, Doctor Eric Weisenmiller, along with alumni and current SPC employees, Kiki Heron, 2016 graduate, and Audrey Prochaska, 2021 graduate provide their insight below: HOW DO COLLEGE PRINT PROGRAMS HELP PROMOTE THE INDUSTRY? Eric W: College Graphic Communications programs are promoting the industry by building upon fundamental knowledge of the production practices taught in the core curriculum. Awareness about the industry is key, I believe, as many students are not necessarily aware of the industry’s scope. WHAT CAN THE PRINT INDUSTRY DO MORE OF TO HELP PRINT PROGRAMS SUCCEED? EW: Three things come to mind in regards to this: 1. Having industry provide meaningful internship opportunities for our students 2. Keeping open doors to welcome our students for site visits, sponsored attendance, mentorship relationships, and collaborative projects 3. Providing a bit of material support to allow for hands-on experiences to continue to take place on campus for student projects.

DIC Corporation has closed on the acquisition of BASF’s global pigments business, known as BASF Colors & Effects (BCE). The acquisition brings together the complementary portfolio of technologies, products, manufacturing assets, supply chain and customer service of the two companies to serve customers globally. The purchase will broaden Sun Chemical’s portfolio as a global manufacturer of pigments, including those for electronic displays, cosmetics, coatings, inks, plastics and specialty applications, by creating a world-class pigments supplier that offers customers an even wider range of versatile solutions.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. announced it has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership, which encourages organizations to use green power to reduce the environmental impact of electricity use. Konica Minolta is using nearly 5.1 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which is enough to meet 100 percent of the organization's total electricity use. By choosing green power, the company is helping to lead the transition to a clean energy future. The company’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in local efforts at its U.S. headquarters in Ramsey, New Jersey. The site is partially powered by solar energy – and has been for more than seven years. The solar energy system consists of carport canopies supporting solar panels that produce about 10 – 15 percent of the Ramsey campus’ energy needs alone. Employees across the country volunteer hundreds of hours each year to environmental initiatives, supporting sustainability in its communities and contributing to a brighter future for the planet.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is expecting the global label printing market to continue growing at an annual rate of around four percent. Growth is even expected to be above average in the in-mould label segment, which has not been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These labels are typically utilized in the food and cosmetics industries, and by companies producing chemicals for household and industrial use. The benefits of the in-mould process lie in its comparatively low manufacturing costs, good temperature and moisture resistance, and resource-friendly characteristics. For example, the polypropylene used for the labels and containers is 100 percent recyclable. Cutting-edge, increasingly efficient manufacturing processes are a further growth factor on the in-mould label market. With its state-of-the-art technology, Heidelberg is playing a key role in improving the efficiency of in-mould label production and is the technology leader in this segment by some margin. The company is looking to build on this strong position and is therefore stepping up its investment in the development of new technologies for IML production.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading certification authority in sustainable printing, announced today that the fourth printing affiliate organization, Printing Industries Association Inc. of Southern California (PIASC), has joined the SGP community as a Resource Partner. SGP Resource Partners are non-profits, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and educational institutions engaged in promoting, teaching or researching in the areas of graphic arts and/or sustainability. Resource Partners are subject matter experts that assure the entire print community is empowered to advance sustainability in the printing industry supply chain. “Most of our members are concerned with our environment. SGP is more than a certification; it is a way of life. As a Resource Partner, PIASC can help our members who are looking into SGP certification,” said Lou Caron, PIASC president/CEO. “We also want to advocate this sustainable mission and promote certification to our members.”

Nahan has received a Best of Category award win at the 2021 Star Awards, hosted by Printing Industry Midwest (PIM). The Star Awards is an annual five-state print competition that recognizes excellence in print quality in the printing, communication, and graphic arts industries. Nahan was proud to receive the award for Best of Category – Booklets, which is the highest award a printer can receive in this category, for a mailer produced for an international natural fragrances company. Nahan also received four Awards of Recognition in the Booklet, Product/Service Catalog, and Consumer Promotional Campaigns categories, and three Certificates of Merit. It was also an honor to have our very own, Aaron Weekes, Director of Technology and Service Operations, speak at the event on behalf of the PIM Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DE&I) Program. This program is a “coalition of graphic communications companies and professionals. The coalition works to solve the racial inequities in our industry and to promote diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace”.

CJK Group, Inc. has announced that it has permanently raised the starting hourly wage to $15 for U.S. workers. The wage increase is a welcomed benefit to current employees as well as strengthening opportunities to attract new hires. The current labor shortage in America and the company’s tenacity to be an employer of choice, served as catalysts toward the decision to increase the minimum wage. To remain strong and competitive in the marketplace and aggressively expand in the government sector, CJK Group recognizes the need to continue to position itself as a preferred workplace. Rather than simply providing jobs, CJK Group is proud to offer its employees careers. The length of tenure at each of its companies is truly astounding, with some team members working diligently for 40+ years. This investment in raising the minimum wage for U.S. workers is another important step that CJK Group is taking to continue to add the best and the brightest job seekers to its already highly talented team.

The Company’s revenues for the first quarter ended May 31, 2021 were $96.9 million compared to $89.0 million for the same quarter last year, an increase of $7.9 million, or 8.9%. Excluding the sales from our Infoseal acquisition, organic sales increased $2.7 million, or 3.0%. Gross profit margin was $29.2 million, or 30.1%, as compared to $23.9 million, or 26.9%, for the same quarter last year. Net earnings for the quarter were $7.3 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, as compared to $4.2 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, for the same quarter last year.

After decades of leadership as Nahan’s CEO, Mike Nahan, the son of company founders Jim and Helen Nahan, has announced his retirement effective June 7, 2021. Nahan will serve as an active board member following his retirement as CEO. Mike Ertel has been named as Nahan’s new CEO, effective June 7, 2021. Mike Ertel is a highly respected industry veteran who brings a wealth of industry experience and an entrepreneurial mindset that will continue to propel Nahan into the future. Mike is excited to join the Nahan team and to continue the legacy, momentum, and explosive growth that Nahan is experiencing. “Nahan is well on its way to becoming the leading provider of direct marketing services and print in the country, and I am thrilled to join this award-winning organization,” said Mike Ertel, CEO of Nahan. “With double digit growth planned in 2021, major equipment investments underway, and a recent influx of new talent, Nahan is positioned for explosive growth, now more than ever before. And the best part is we are just getting started.”

Color consistency is kind of our business, and we’ve got a shiny new badge to prove it. Even before the first purchase, your brand meets your customer in a variety of ways: packaging, store signage, mailers and vehicle wraps – all creating a perception of your company, its offerings, and, perhaps most importantly, its quality. If these are all working in harmony, that’s a great representation of your brand, and creates strong awareness. Now imagine each asset, each physical manifestation of your company, being produced in a different facility, with different standards. Each requires different inks, substrates and print processes and variation in each can lead to significant color inconsistencies across the range of materials. We’re not trying to scare you, a small variation here and there is typically within an acceptable margin of error, and likely won’t be noticed by your consumers or prospects.

We are very proud to announce that in the 2021 Graphics Excellence Awards (GEA) Competition, Arandell won 15 awards in the following categories: Best of Category (The Gutenberg); Best of Division; Award of Excellence & Certificate of Merit. The GEAs are held every year by the Great Lakes Graphics Association (GLGA), a print industry advocacy organization that represents printers and graphics companies in the three-state area of Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. click read more below for details

TC Transcontinental is proud to release its 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Progress Report, which outlines the results achieved in the course of its three-year 2019-2021 Acting Together CSR Plan and its 11 objectives around four axes: its employees, its operations, its products and its communities. Highlights of the report include innovative projects related to our commitment to the circular economy of plastics and the reduction of the corporation’s carbon footprint, in addition to an excellent performance on employee-related goals, including a reduction in the health and safety incident rate and an increased balance in gender diversity. "The achievements reflected in this progress report are supported by strong governance and oversight of TC Transcontinental's corporate strategy and sustainability objectives, by its Board of Directors and its Governance and Social Responsibility Committee. These achievements also demonstrate the resilience and agility of the Corporation's leadership and its employees," said Isabelle Marcoux, Chair of the Board of TC Transcontinental. In 2020, we continued our efforts to increase the representation of women in our leadership teams and are very proud to have surpassed our initial target by reaching 31% of women in leadership positions in our Packaging, Printing and Media Sectors."

A leader in custom printing, specializing in wide- and grand-format graphics, Olympus Group has provided branding solutions for over 125 years. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, Olympus Group conducts business with recognizable high-profile clients, providing custom print solutions, as well as custom mascot characters, across a variety of markets including tradeshows & events, sports teams, entertainment, and branded environments. Olympus Group was met with the challenge of aging equipment with increasing downtime and waste. After reviewing various models, they knew they needed to take advantage of the latest technology. “We needed to have a solution for printing both rigid and roll-to-roll. This allows us to maximize the use of space within our facilities while also increasing capacity and improving turnaround speed,” stated Jason Ahart, Chief Operating Officer, Olympus Group.

Quad/Graphics Inc. has announced the appointment of Josh Golden as Chief Marketing Officer effective July 5, 2021. Golden most recently served as president and publisher of the advertising and marketing trade magazine Ad Age. Golden brings to Quad a unique ability to transform organizations, including Ad Age and before that Xerox and NBC Universal. His experience will position Quad to be more accessible to brands and businesses and help the company grow. “Josh has incredible insight into what keeps marketers up at night and is an advocate of our uncomplicated approach to addressing those challenges,” said Joel Quadracci, Quad Chairman, President and CEO. “The energy and expertise he will bring to our organization is key to highlighting our singular place in the market, where we offer the breadth of service of a massive holding company with the ease of engagement of a specialized agency. We are a formidable force as a marketing solutions partner, and we are excited about the future with Josh as part of our team.”

The new, industrial, entry-level EFI™ Reggiani BLAZE scanning printer from Electronics For Imaging, Inc. is making its debut at the ITMA Asia tradeshow, 12-16 June in Shanghai, China. The new high-quality printer is an easy-to-use, smart solution to help textile companies blaze their successful trail into the world of efficient, sustainable industrial inkjet printing. It is equipped with EFI Reggiani’s state-of-the-art technology, offering the highest quality, reliability and flexibility on the widest variety of designs. “Despite the impact of the pandemic, EFI Reggiani has continued to invest and develop the next trailblazing technology for the textile market,” said EFI Reggiani Senior Vice President and General Manager Adele Genoni. “Our customers are our number one priority no matter how small or big they are. With the EFI Reggiani BLAZE, we are able to offer an ideal solution for companies that want to enter the industrial textile digital printing space. We are excited to be able to offer such a solution and look forward to embarking on this journey with our customers.”

PRINTING United Expo is on track to be the global printing event in 2021. The first in-person industry event of significant magnitude since its inaugural 2019 Expo, the fall event — which takes place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 6-8 — is welcoming printing’s leading companies to display their newest technologies coming to market on-site. Registration for the event, which includes access to Expo Preview, Expo Live, and Expo Wrap-Up, is now live at printingunited.com. Market segments across the industry are represented on the show floor at PRINTING United Expo 2021. Throughout the pandemic, companies have been forced to modify original plans for both technology coming to market and respective sales projections. PRINTING United Expo will be the launching point to refuel sales pipelines and new technology debuts in 2021 and beyond.

2021 Second Quarter Results: Revenues decreased by $1.8 million, or 0.3%, from $625.1 million in the second quarter of 2020 to $623.3 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Operating earnings increased by $11.8 million, or 26.8%, from $44.1 million in the second quarter of 2020 to $55.9 million in the second quarter of 2021. In the Packaging Sector, adjusted operating earnings decreased by $7.0 million, from $38.2 million in the second quarter of 2020 to $31.2 million in the second quarter of 2021. In the Printing Sector, adjusted operating earnings increased by $14.1 million, or 35.8%, from $39.4 million in second quarter of 2020 to $53.5 million in the second quarter of 2021. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation increased by $9.9 million, from $25.7 million in the second quarter of 2020 to $35.6 million in the second quarter of 2021.

LSC Communications announced today that its Book Division, the largest book producer in the United States, will now operate as Lakeside Book Company. In addition to book manufacturing, Lakeside provides distribution, sales and marketing services, as well as IP and brand protection technology for book publishers and others requiring premium quality print and distribution-related services. The new name of the Book Division as Lakeside Book Company is rooted in the company’s rich history and marks a renewed commitment to providing best-in-class printing and fulfillment services. "Lakeside Book Company represents the best of our past and the opportunity to build on that foundation and write our future as the go-to book producer for publishers large and small. The Lakeside name is a nod to our roots and symbolic of the trust our company has earned to help stories of all kinds be shared. We have taken the opportunity to revisit our company values and align ourselves around the true purpose of our business: crafting books for readers and serving our publishing customers,” says Dave McCree, CEO of Lakeside Book Company.

The print and paper advocacy group, Two Sides, are excited to announce its newest member, award winning printer, Hampton Printing. Hampton Printing use a creative approach and deliver efficiency which is underpinned with the best technology, innovation and support. They push boundaries to make visual differences, challenging themselves to be the best in print. “Hampton is delighted to become a member. We look forward to working with Two Sides to promote the sustainable story of print and paper and enhance our own sustainability story,” says Managing Director, Mike Malpas. When it comes to communication, whether it is electronic or traditional mediums, consumers must be informed about the environmental impact of those activities.

Specialty Print Communications, Inc is transforming into an integrated and end-to-end direct response marketing services organization with the acquisition of FuelPop Marketing, LLC. Founded in 2018, FuelPop distinguished itself with leading-edge advertising technology offerings, data and targeting strategies, and creative innovation squarely focused on helping companies generate more sales. “We’ve successfully worked side-by-side with the FuelPop team over the last two years,” says SPC president Adam LeFebvre, “In this short time, we realized our ability to be more of a one-stop-shop is strategically and practically valuable to our clients. This acquisition instantly expands SPC beyond our direct mail production expertise to a fully integrated marketing toolkit.”

Ennis, Inc. announced its acquisition of the assets and business from AmeriPrint Corporation in Harvard, Illinois. The closing occurred on Monday, May 31, 2021, Memorial Day. AmeriPrint Corporation is a trade printer specializing in custom-printed documents, barcoding, integrated products, and business forms. Although Jim and Vicky Schulty are retiring after the sale, many of the same people will continue to work at the two facilities in Harvard, Illinois. Keith Walters, Chairman, President & CEO of the Company stated, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to bring AmeriPrint, their employees and their customers into the Ennis family. AmeriPrint is strategically located company in the Chicago area with 30 years of print industry experience and we will continue to operate the company in its same location. They pride themselves on exceptional customer service as does Ennis. This brand brings added capabilities and expertise to our expanding product offering including barcoding and variable imaging and will add depth to the products and services we already have at Integrated Print Group in South Elgin, Illinois.”

In light of numerous market changes affecting costs for materials, components, chemicals, global freight and logistics, Electronics For Imaging, Inc. will be implementing price increases for its inkjet inks, parts and supplies. EFI™ will be implementing the price changes – which will apply to inks, supplies and printer parts across EFI’s VUTEk®, Wide-Format, Reggiani, Cretaprint®, Nozomi and Cubik product lines – as of July 1, 2021. Price increases will vary by product; EFI will be communicating specific increases directly to customers and channel partners.

TC Transcontinental announced the acquisition of BGI Retail Inc., a full service in-store design and solution partner for retailers and global brands. This transaction, which follows the acquisition of Holland & Crosby Limited in October 2019 and Artisan Complete Limited in January 2020, is aligned with TC Transcontinental’s objective to continue growing in the in-store marketing (ISM) vertical, a market with significant opportunities where TC Transcontinental Printing’s ISM Group is already a leading player in Canada. Located in Paris, Ontario, BGI Retail employs 123 people and offers an integrated value proposition focused on in-house design, engineering, manufacturing, installation and management of retail solutions and brand-defining consumer experiences, for both retailers and global brands across North America. Its products and services include plastic and metal fabrication, millwork and fixturing, print and graphics, and decor. With this acquisition, TC Transcontinental Printing’s ISM Group now employs more than 700 people and, combined with recent new business, is expected to generate revenues of close to $200 million on an annualized basis.

Sun Chemical will increase prices across a broad portfolio of its packaging and commercial sheetfed inks, coatings, and adhesives in North America, effective July 1, 2021. The global raw material environment continues to demonstrate significant inflationary pressures. Raw material shortages are an ongoing concern, and the competition to secure these scarce resources has accelerated the cost increases within a majority of Sun Chemical’s raw material categories. In addition to raw material cost pressures, international and domestic logistics costs have soared as the economic recovery drives demand for these services. “The dynamics within the ink market are unprecedented,” said Chris Parrilli, President of North American Inks, Sun Chemical. “The lingering effects of the Texas weather event and the international logistics challenges coupled with the ongoing impacts of the COVID pandemic are all significantly impacting our operations. Sun Chemical’s primary objective is to keep our customers supplied with the products and services they need to meet their business objectives."

"We’re so excited to be able to start using the HP Indigo 7K to produce elevated end products that fit a number of high-value niches that most small printers and many large ones can’t fill,” said Doug Bondon, Artisan Colour President and CEO. “We are looking forward to breaking open new opportunities for the company with this technically advanced digital press!” Part of the HP Indigo 7K’s versatility is the ability to individually configure the seven available color units based on the niche markets the shop supports. In addition to the traditional Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks, Artisan has chosen to dedicate one ink channel to actual (not emulated) Pantone spot colors. A very small percentage of the market has this capability, which has traditionally made smaller quantity runs more costly on an offset press. Now Artisan clients can get Pantone spot colors for their brand at the reduced cost of a digital press.

Ennis, Inc. announced Jim Gingle as the new General Manager of Independent Printing, located in De Pere, Wisconsin. Independent Printing is a print solutions expert specializing in the highest quality presentation folders, commercial printing, and check products for print distributors for almost 30 years. Jim has been with Independent Printing for 10 years, holding the position of Business Development Manager in both the national and regional divisions. In addition, he has over 28 years of experience in the business forms/printing industry in sales and marketing roles.

We thought a few introductions to the team who tinkers with your brand translations was in order. After all, we’ve been playing them up as guides and experts of brand expression, but often they get reduced down to job title when we boast about our unique experiential design makeup. For one blog only, we’re putting a temporary spotlight their skills and storied pasts because it’s about time we bragged about these creative minds. Loren Zemlicka | Principal; Geoff Sabin | Principal; Kris Marconnet | Senior Designer; Julie Kimmell | Project Manager; Allyson Casey | Concept Designer; Evan Hildebrand | Architectural Designer; Jen Braga | Marketing Director; Angie Biermeier | Designer. click read more below for introductions...

Copresco President Steve Johnson was recognized in Folio Magazine’s Eddie & Ozzie Awards for his Johnson’s World monthly magazine column. Johnson received praise for editorial excellence in the Business-to-Business Media & Entertainment category. Johnson’s World now appears each month in print on the last page of WhatTheyThink’s Printing News magazine and online at WhatTheyThink.com. For more than 25 years, the Eddie & Ozzie Awards have recognized excellence in engaging content and gorgeous design across all sectors of the publishing industry. This year’s winners list features the crème de la crème of content creators and designers—a pool of roughly 300 winners narrowed down from thousands of entries.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced the launch of a comprehensive solution, Onsite Marketing Services, which enables retailers to seamlessly manage the design, ideation, procurement, and installation of store signage and fixture solutions. Ideal for growing retailers with a network of regional locations, vehicles, and/or franchisees, RRD’s solution offers retailers access to a full suite of in-sync, in-store marketing support, including managing installation, permanent/semi-permanent procurement, site surveys, and store audits. Small staff sizes, multiple vendors, and nonconforming store profiles pose significant barriers for retailers to achieve their marketing vision. By working directly with RRD’s local and regional resources able to manage, coordinate, and schedule signage deployment and setup, the solution effectively reduces the burden on both marketing teams and store associates while improving brand compliance and enhancing the in-store experience.

Specialty Print Communications (SPC), a Niles, Illinois based direct mail and digital solutions provider, marked 25 years in business on May 19th with a ceremony outside its offices. From humble beginnings in 1996 as a print and promotional products provider, SPC has grown into one of the country’s largest independent marketing organizations, with nearly 400 employees providing print and digital solutions to blue chip clients in retail, etail, healthcare, financial services, automotive, travel & leisure, and other industries. To commemorate 25 years in business, SPC has partnered with One Tree Planted (www.gofundme.com), a non-profit organization focused on reforestation, which will plant 2,500 seedlings in hard-hit areas across the United States. “We really wanted to focus our positive energy outward to include our larger community.

ABS Graphics, Itasca, Ill., opened its doors approximately 30 years ago and over time has evolved into a full-service operation that can handle a wide range of commercial print work, from design to offset and digital print to finishing, mailing and fulfillment. Recently, the company installed a new six-color Komori Lithrone G40 (GL640) with LED/UV to expand its already considerable capabilities and to add greater value to its bottom line. The new press replaces a 16-year-old Komori GL640 offset press with H-UV. While the older press continued to run well and produce quality images, the decision to upgrade became a matter of economics from a maintenance standpoint. Comparing those operating costs to the benefits of investing in a new press, the new press won hands down. “The purchase of a new press was really an economic decision. It just made sense from many different standpoints. It offered the technology, run speed and efficiency that we needed to continue on our growth path,” said Russ Babka, president and owner of ABS Graphics.

American Bible Society, a 205-year-old Christian ministry and Bible publisher, entrusted Sheridan with the printing of their new commemorative Faith and Liberty Bible to coincide with the May 1, 2021 opening of the Faith and Liberty Discovery Center located on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall. Both the Faith and Liberty Bible and the Faith and Liberty Discovery Center serve as educational resources to explore the Bible’s integral role in American history—illuminating the influence of the Bible on individuals in key historical and personal moments. “The Faith and Liberty Bible allows readers to uncover the significant influence of the Bible on the American experience. Each of the 813 included articles and quotes were reviewed by a team of scholars of American history, law, and religion,” says American Bible Society Managing Director of Ministry Impact – Operations, John Greco. “Sheridan did a magnificent job of bringing this beautiful Bible to life.” Utilizing Sheridan’s high quality, four color, web offset printing capabilities, the role of the Bible in America’s history is told with each turn of the page.

TC Transcontinental announced the relocation of TC Transcontinental Printing’s in-store marketing (ISM) product printing activities from the recent acquisitions of Holland & Crosby and Artisan Complete Limited to Transcontinental Brampton, in order to propel its growth in the promising ISM market. The ISM group, which already generates significant revenues, will see further growth with the addition of yet another major Canadian retailer, bringing more than 20 million $ in new business annually. To bring brands to life, Transcontinental Brampton will also be opening an Innovation Laboratory this summer for customers to test products on different types of shelves. Focused on retailers and global brands, the ISM Group’s offering includes the conception, design and building of the full range of indoor and outdoor signage, displays, fixtures and furniture for retail spaces, whether made from paper, cardboard, plastic, wood or metal.

Printing technologies mature in a good way when they outgrow their finicky special needs. Offset presses used to bedevil operators with their unstable ink-water balances. The wild card for digital toner presses was controlling the heat of fusing. In the early days of production inkjet printing, the head-scratcher was getting the droplets to behave properly on the surface of the substrate — a difficulty that initially held adoption of the process back. Those obstacles have mostly vanished, and in inkjet’s case, the greatly improved compatibility with paper has moved the technology well into the mainstream of print production. Printers running late-model inkjet devices find that, for the most part, they no longer have to use the specially pre-treated papers to which first-generation inkjet presses were limited. House stocks, including offset grades, work fine, saving printers money and letting them and their customers continue to play by familiar rules of paper specification. Some new inkjet equipment eliminates the need for pre-treated papers with the help of in-line dispensing units that apply conditioning fluids to the substrate before the laydown of the ink.

Best known for generating innovative brand solutions while serving the local community, Oregon, WI-based printer, Thysse, announces a series of additions to its team and services through the acquisition of Badger Group. A longtime asset to Fort Atkinson-area businesses, Badger Group is reputed for their direct mail, print services, and digital marketing expertise. Combining forces and relocating to Oregon offers Badger Group clients increased capacity for current services, a larger team to focus on every project, and additional offerings in vehicle graphics, signage and large format, creative services, promotional items, inventory and distribution. The transition is already underway and progressing smoothly, as both businesses run on the same Print Management Information System (MIS) and are structured similarly to assist clients. “Badger Group has been family owned and operated since 1975, and we’re thrilled to combine both companies’ rich history and extremely knowledgeable teams,” said Badger Group President/Owner Sally O’Brien. “The move is a very positive one for us, as we can now offer our clients additional brand development options while continuing to deliver exceptional service. We’re thoughtfully planning our transition so there are very few changes to client and staff relationships and no delays to current or scheduled projects.”

Bolger Printing, a provider of commercial printing services, has invested in a new HP Indigo 100K Digital Press to expand digital print capacity and support growing demand for high-impact printing applications using personalized data. The new HP Indigo 100K press is Bolger’s second investment in HP Indigo digital printing in less than two years, following the installation of an HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press in 2019. As a result, Bolger is now decommissioning two offset presses with the installation of the 29 inch HP Indigo100K, offering a new benchmark in digital sheetfed productivity with nonstop printing of tens of thousands of B2 duplex sheets every day. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bolger is a traditional commercial printer that has rapidly expanded into providing full-service mail and multichannel communications solutions for its audiences using data-driven workflows, including its innovative SmartQ platform for marketing automation.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading authority in sustainable printing certifications, announced today that its sister organization, SGP Foundation Inc, earned the Silver GuideStar Nonprofit Profile Seal of Transparency. This is the second level of recognition offered by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information. SGP Foundation is moving forward in its mission to provide education and awareness of sustainability best practices to the printing industry. “Since 2016, we have been building a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing education on sustainable practices for and in the printing industry,” said Jonathan Graham, SGP Foundation chair. “We are pleased to now share our organization’s transparency in a user-friendly and highly visual manner. By updating our GuideStar Nonprofit Profile to the Sliver level, we can now easily share more information with our supporters as well as GuideStar’s online community of donors, grantmakers and the public.”

R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that its Board of Directors has approved an amendment of the Company’s stockholder rights plan. The amendment raises from 10% to 15% the level of beneficial ownership of RRD common stock the acquisition of which by a person or group (other than certain passive institutional investors) would result in the rights becoming exercisable. The Rights Plan is scheduled to expire on August 28, 2021. The Board has noted that, in light of present circumstances, there is continuing potential for one or more persons or groups to gain undue influence over or control of RRD through open market accumulations or other tactics. Accordingly, the Board expects that under current circumstances it would approve an extension of the Rights Plan and submit the Rights Plan to stockholders for ratification at the Company’s 2022 annual meeting of stockholders. As currently contemplated by the Board, if such stockholder ratification were obtained, the Rights Plan as so extended would expire on August 28, 2022; otherwise, the Rights Plan would expire at the close of business on the first business day following the certification of the voting results for the Company’s 2022 annual meeting of stockholders. The intent of the Rights Plan is to promote the best interests of all stockholders, and, if the Rights Plan is extended in August of this year, all stockholders will have the opportunity to vote on the Rights Plan in May 2022 at the Company’s 2022 annual meeting of stockholders.

HP Inc. announced HP Indigo Secure, a suite of never-before-seen security and brand protection solutions. These solutions help security printers and print service providers protect their customers from counterfeiters and other product threats, the impact of which is estimated to reach $4.2 trillion, globally, in the next few years. HP also announced the new HP Indigo 6K Secure Press, the first HP Indigo digital press designed especially for the security printing market, delivering end-to-end security solutions featuring multi-security layers printed in one pass, in a secure environment. HP Indigo Secure solution includes hardware, software, media, and inks for security printing and brand protection, based on proprietary HP Indigo LEP technology and industry-leading partner solutions. It offers printers the ability to mix and match a wide range of innovative and advanced security elements and designs that are easy to print and hard to copy.

Heeter’s acquisition of Duke Printing is sparking something new for our clients – new services, new innovations, new solutions. Founded more than 75 years ago, Heeter is known for our continual evolution and innovation in the printing industry. We take pride in being first to market with technologies that enhance production with speed, personalization, and quality. *We were the first commercial printer in the United States to operate Ricoh’s flagship inkjet VC70000 press. *We have aligned with several strategic partners to ensure continuity and uptime for our clients, never falling behind on a project or a deadline. *We find effective and efficient ways to get every job done to the highest standards. It’s with these values and commitments in mind that we have made a strategic acquisition of another print and mail company, Duke Print & Mail Solutions, of Cleveland, Ohio.

Total revenue for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021, was $53.6 million, representing an increase of 2.3% from the equivalent quarter of 2020. Revenue from the envelope segment was $38.3 million, representing a decrease of 2.3% or $0.8 million, from $39.1 million in the equivalent quarter of 2020. Revenue from the packaging and specialty products segment was $15.3 million, an increase of 15.6% or $2.0 million, from the corresponding quarter of 2020. EBITDA increased by 22.1% to $9.4 million in the first quarter of 2021, up from $7.7 million in the first quarter of 2020. Net Earnings were $4.1 million (or $0.15 per share) for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021, compared to $2.6 million (or $0.09 per share) for the equivalent period in 2020.

Copresco has installed a General Binding Corporation G2 punch to expand its binding capabilities for digitally printed books, manuals and publications. “Combined with our Konica Minolta press, the GBC G2 provides professionally printed, punched and ready-to-bind documents—in one easy step,” notes Copresco President Steve Johnson. With the new punch, along with two existing James Burn AlphaDoc punches, Copresco now has the option of preprint, inline, or post press punching for maximum flexibility and faster turnaround of loose-leaf, plastic coil and double loop wire bound books. “This assures that even with our growing production volumes Copresco will honor its Copies Overnight commitments,” Johnson says.

*Net Sales — Net sales were $706 million in the first quarter of 2021, down 14% from the same period in 2020, primarily due to the economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing print industry volume pressures. The first quarter decline represents a third quarter of sequential revenue improvement during the pandemic, as compared to a 21% decline in the fourth quarter of 2020, a 28% decline in the third quarter of 2020 and a 38% decline in the second quarter of 2020. *Net Earnings (Loss) From Continuing Operations — Net earnings from continuing operations were $10 million or $0.19 diluted earnings per share in the first quarter of 2021, an increase of $19 million compared to the first quarter of 2020, which recorded a net loss of $9 million or $0.17 diluted loss per share. *Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities — Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $28 million to $73 million in the first quarter of 2021, as compared to $45 million in the same period in 2020, primarily due to improvements in working capital.

With the shrunken American book printing industry enjoying a revival, Wisconsin's Worzalla, an employee-owned book printer specializing in high-quality children’s books, cookbooks, and hardcovers that services many of the country's largest publishers, has begun the final phase of a three-part effort to expand its printing capacity. The last round of upgrades features a $10 million investment that covers the addition of a new casemaker with a wide range of casemaking applications and a non-stop case feeder for cutting and making covers of books. Worzalla has also purchased a Goss Sunday 2000 32-page Double Web Press that provides a broad range of print formats and page configurations. Installation of the press is expected to be complete later this year, and is projected to increase Worzalla’s large book format capacity by 30%. Over the last several years, the company has spent more than $30 million on new manufacturing equipment. In addition, Worzalla is looking to hire 40 new employees for a range of positions.

Commercial printers are well aware of the benefits of offering package printing, and are taking action to add it to their service offerings. Many factors are removing entry barriers and accelerating commercial printers’ migration into packaging. Ongoing progress in technology innovation, digital printing, early adopter successes, process simplification, customer demands, and fierce competition are all forces enticing and enabling commercial printers to offer labels and other types of packaging. Labels, folding cartons, corrugated containers, and flexible packaging are all print applications typically in high demand and cannot be easily replaced by digital media. A recent NAPCO Research survey of brand owners reveals packaging is a growth opportunity. More than half of brand owners participating in the survey report increasing use of labels, folding cartons, corrugated packaging, and flexible packaging (Figure 1). While this survey was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, NAPCO Research’s ongoing 2020 print provider surveys tracking business conditions indicate packaging has been a resilient application.

Ennis, Inc. announced Jeff Monarch as the new General Manager of PrintXcel, located in Fairhope, Alabama. PrintXcel has more than 50 years of experience in printing products and services including checks and forms, direct mail, label form products, multipart mailers, online ordering and print procurement solutions and more. Jeff has been at the PrintXcel facility in Fairhope, Alabama for 31 years. He started in 1990 as a bailer, then became a press operator, and in 2006, he was promoted to Production Manager. In his new role, he will utilize his experience to continue to evolve and grow the business.

Sun Chemical will increase prices across its portfolio of publication inks in North America, effective June 1, 2021. The continued escalation of raw material costs, increasing international and domestic freight rates, and shortages of key material inputs into the printing ink supply chain, have all contributed to this price increase. “These inflationary pressures require us to raise prices in this market,” said Chris Parrilli, President of North American Inks, Sun Chemical. “Our goal is to continue to deliver the world class support and services our customers expect in order for them to meet their business objectives. We understand the pressures the publication markets face and will continue to investigate all opportunities to mitigate these inflationary pressures on an ongoing basis.”

Net sales in the first quarter were $1.17 billion, down $43.8 million or 3.6% from the first quarter of 2020. The decrease includes a $6.5 million impact from the previous closure of our operations in Chile and an increase of nearly $15 million due to changes in foreign exchange. The current period continued to be negatively impacted by the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s Census project, which was completed mid-2020. Organic net sales declined 4.3%. The Business Services segment was up 3.2% on a GAAP basis and 2.4% on a non-GAAP organic basis while the Marketing Solutions segment was down 22.5% on a GAAP and non-GAAP organic basis from the first quarter of 2020. The Business Services segment experienced growth in several of our strategic focus areas including Packaging, Labels and Supply Chain Management, while net sales in Marketing Services were negatively affected by last year’s Census project. Income from operations was $25.1 million in the first quarter of 2021 compared to income from operations of $33.1 million in the first quarter of last year.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading authority in sustainable printing certifications, announced today a pilot project to expand its certification program beyond the United States and Canada. SGP has been successfully holding all audits virtually for more than a year. Using this method, the organization can expand internationally, allowing printers and industry suppliers worldwide to achieve SGP certification. Through its cloud-based SGP Impact Tracker, information for a virtual audit is quickly and effectively shared with SGP’s independent auditors. “SGP certified facilities must renew their certification every two years,” said Wendy Nadan, SGP Lead Auditor. “In 2018, SGP released the SGP Impact Tracker which helps facilities monitor sustainability performance over time and benchmarking efforts against an aggregate of other facilities. With enhancements, the Tracker provided a virtual audit solution for the current global situation. The new features of the Impact Tracker inspired us to rethink how we could extend the SGP certification to countries outside of North America. From the initial certification planning meeting to the completion of document review including photographic evidence, all can be accomplished virtually with the local sustainability team. Each facility can meet the expectations of the audit as if an SGP auditor were physically on-site.”

TC Transcontinental is proud to respond to the Québec government's call for businesses to support the health and social services network in its COVID-19 vaccination campaign. According to the order of priority established by public health, the company will offer the supervised vaccination to the local population, TC Transcontinental employees and their families starting at the end of May. The company's vaccination centre will be in Montréal’s Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles borough, given TC Transcontinental’s significant presence in the East end of Montreal. It will be located at the head office of the company’s Distribution activities at 8000 Blaise-Pascal Avenue, Rivière-des-Prairies, close to the Transcontinental Transmag (printing – Anjou), Transcontinental Recycling Montreal (packaging - Anjou) and Transcontinental Flexipak (packaging – Pointe-aux-Trembles) plants.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership announced its first quarter 2021 momentum in shaping the future of print with new certified facilities, patrons and other community members. “During the first quarter of 2021, SGP continued to demonstrate its leadership in building a more sustainable future for the printing industry with growth in the SGP Community including certified facilities, patrons, resource partners and brands,” said Doreen Monteleone, SGP co-founder, treasure and FTA representative. “We are proud that all links in the print supply chain are focusing on the benefits of sustainability and participating in our program.” In February, Fortis Solution Group of Merced, CA received SGP certification. “SGP certification validates our commitment, both internally and externally, to providing innovative and differentiating sustainable solutions,” said John O. Wynne, Jr., president and CEO, Fortis. In addition, five other print facilities recertified during the first quarter: Infinity Images, Portland, OR; Specialty Printing LLC, East Windsor, CT; Tweddle Group, Clinton Township, MI; Yunker Industries, Elkhorn, WI

Green is a harbinger of Spring, so it’s only fitting that Earth Day falls during this season. At Allen Press, we strive to be green all year long. A commitment to sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint has long been a part of our company’s mission in operating responsibly. Here are three ways we help our customers print sustainably every day. 1. FSC-Certified Paper: Customers can choose Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper. FSC-certified paper promotes an environmentally managed and sustainability focused supply chain. 2. PrintReleaf Partnership: Allen Press is proud to be a PrintReleaf partner. PrintReleaf offers customers the option to offset paper usage with re-forestation support. 3. Recycling: Did you know Allen Press is one of the largest recyclers in Lawrence, Kansas? We recycle 100% of byproducts like paper, aluminum printing plates and corrugated cardboard.

Deluxe announced an agreement to acquire First American Payment Systems for $960 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments. This transaction is expected to accelerate the company’s transformation into a leading payments technology company as part of its One Deluxe strategy. First American is a privately owned, industry-leading, large-scale payment processor. The company provides partners and merchants with comprehensive in-store, online, and mobile payment solutions, including powerful digital payment processing services that help customers navigate through traditional, mobile, and virtual point-of-sale channels. With the acquisition of First American, Deluxe is expected to double the annual revenue of its Payments segment while maintaining healthy margins, firmly establishing Deluxe as a leader in the payments industry.

Fifty years ago, Richard Wilen founded a small business creating program guides for the then-burgeoning cable television industry. His foresight into the promise of new technology laid the foundation for a company that would, by 2021, be at the forefront of direct mail innovation. Today, the Wilen Group is one of the nation’s leading direct mail companies — using data-driven creative solutions to power cutting-edge printing technologies and create some of the most impactful, targeted, personalized and innovative direct mail in mailboxes across the country. From our humble beginnings in 1971, we’ve grown into one of the most respected full-service direct marketing agencies in the U.S., employing a diverse group of team members and experts in everything from data, strategy and creative development to production and variable technology. And with three locations across the U.S., we are now uniquely positioned to be faster and more responsive than ever before, reaching homes in 1-2 days nationwide.

Quad/Graphics, Inc. announced it is enhancing its integrated marketing solutions offering through a newly expanded relationship with Package InSight, an organization that studies brand packaging performance, consumer attention and shelf impact. Through this partnership, brands and marketers who work with Quad will have access to a unique, data-driven view of how consumers engage with products during the shopping experience to aid in decision-making. Package InSight, a trusted source of consumer research, uses the latest in biometric technology, such as mobile eye-tracking, facial coding and brain activation, to study package performance, consumer attention and shelf impact. The organization uses a strict methodology to provide marketers with the proprietary data they need to optimize ROI on brand creative. This complements Quad’s existing measurement and analytics capabilities, giving brands and marketers an end-to-end view of the customer journey.

With a significant increase in its business due to market leading quality and customer service, Fort Dearborn, a custom label and packaging company with twenty locations nationwide, reached nearly 82 million impressions on its Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106-8+L in 2020. This high level of productivity was especially critical to Fort Dearborn’s success as demand at grocery stores due to COVID-19 surged. Printing primarily cut and stack labels, the Fort Worth location of Fort Dearborn is equipped with two Speedmaster XL 105s and one other XL 106 in addition to its world-record press, which was installed in July of 2019. In comparison to similar machines in the market, the XL 106 at Fort Dearborn produced more than 2.5x the number of annual gross impressions than the industry average of 32 million. Fort Dearborn credits its record-breaking performance to the overwhelmingly advanced technology of the press, its increased business in 2020, and its overall plant strategy and teamwork mentality.

Royle Printing is pleased to announce the purchase of a late model Goss Sunday 2000 48-Page Press. This investment complements Royle's existing press capacity and will help the company grow its position in the catalog and magazine markets. The press was originally purchased and installed in 2015 and became operational in mid-2016. The 8-unit Goss S2000 48-page press provides a broad range of print formats and page configurations for high-volume catalog and magazine projects. The press has a combination and double form folder capable of producing a 48-page signature or a variety of different page configurations (i.e., 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, and 48). The installation will commence in the coming month, with the start-up and commissioning taking place in September '21.

Print serves as an essential component of the Luckbox magazine audience-acquisition strategy. And when our opportunities to put print copies in front of people change — as they did when the pandemic canceled all live events and closed stores — we have to adapt. Luckbox, a magazine for active investors, lives by its tagline: “The control freak’s guide to life, money, and probability.” Every month, we publish articles that educate, entertain, and inspire securities traders — whether they dabble in the financial markets part time or devote themselves to investing full time. As a magazine brand, we are platform agnostic. Besides publishing in print and online, we reach our audience via email, social media, and podcasts. Our goal is to put actionable advice into readers’ hands in whatever form they wish to consume it. But when it comes to generating new subscribers, the print magazine rises above the rest as a critical tool. It’s our most convincing emissary. much more at: https://www.lanepress.com/print-probability/

Arandell is taking part in a very special opportunity to partner up with local craft brewery Lakefront Brewery in a combined effort to fight cancer that honors fallen members from both organizations. Al Kluth, Warehouse Manager at Lakefront, and Dan Hauser, Bindery Trainer at Arandell, both passed away in 2020 as a result of complications from pancreatic cancer. Before his passing, Al was given the opportunity to develop his own style of beer in line with Lakefront’s My Turn program, which allows every Lakefront employee to select a style of beer that is then brewed and sold into the marketplace. When Al’s number came up after his passing, the team at Lakefront decided to reach out to his brothers Tim and Rob – both team members at Arandell – and his six other siblings to brew the beer in his honor. The result is My Turn Series – Al, #038, which is described as an American Stout that is pitch black and medium-bodied, with strong roasted and caramel malt flavors. According to the label on the side of each six-pack, the story goes that Al wasn’t much a fan of the “latest designer-hop IPAs or fruit salad kettle sours, but never turned down a good stout.” One hundred barrels of it were brewed and $1.00 from every six-pack sold will be donated to the American Cancer Society on behalf of Al by Lakefront.

Royle Printing based in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is comprised of 285 talented employees, who’ve been offering print solutions to associations, catalogers, publishers, universities and corporate partners since 1948. Royle is excited to roll out a new series of corporate videos on their YouTube and social media channels. https://youtu.be/OiUY1842bjU Meet some of their teams’ friendly faces and see what their culture is all about.

Building on the success of RRD’s diagnostic test kits, the company now offers a wide range of diverse care kits spanning telemedicine prep, COVID-19, diabetes management, asthma, social isolation and more. The end-to-end solution encompasses kit ideation, design, item procurement, packaging, fulfillment and communications -- both inside and outside of the box. RRD has already curated nearly three million care kits on behalf of several dozen clients. A recent Wellframe study found 57% of Americans with chronic conditions have delayed healthcare services and experienced a gap in care due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, the 2021 Medicare Shopping and Switching Study found the use of care kits can help positively impact member impressions. In fact, 59% of Medicare Advantage members said receiving COVID-19 or flu kits improved their opinion of an insurer, demonstrating the ability of care kits to reaffirm company commitment to member and patient wellness.

Johnson & Quin is expanding its capacity to produce full color personalized direct mail packages by adding additional color printing, folding, and inserting equipment at its facility in Niles, Ill., north of Chicago. Johnson & Quin’s clients are seeing increased response when mailing packages with more personalization in color and, as a result, are mailing increased volumes. Based on this higher demand, the company is adding MBO High-Speed Folding Systems, Pitney Bowes Mailstream Direct Ultra-High-Speed Inserters and MCS Condor Color Inkjet Envelope Printers. “With over 40 years of direct mail production experience, Johnson & Quin continues to implement new technology and increase capacity to provide clients with high quality direct mail production to make their marketing programs successful,” said Andrew Henkel, Vice President & Principal at Johnson & Quin. “The addition of this new equipment in combination with high-speed color inkjet presses allow us to produce high volume direct mail programs with full color personalization in quick time frames.”

The BoxMaker, a leading Pacific Northwest manufacturer of corrugated packaging, broke ground on a new production plant in Lowell, Arkansas, on March 16, 2021 as part of a multi-million-dollar investment to effectively address growing demand across the country for digitally produced packaging and displays. The new 60,000-sq.-ft. facility will produce full-color custom corrugated boxes and retail displays using industry-leading digital production equipment, including an HP PageWide C500 printing press and a fleet of high-speed tool-less digital cutting machines. The BoxMaker will be the first company in the United States to operate two C500 machines, the first having been installed and operated in their Seattle, WA plant since 2018.

PRINTING United Alliance announced that Dave Leskusky has been appointed president of PRINTING United Alliance. Leskusky has successfully overseen operations at NAPCO Media, which melded with the Alliance in 2019 to further connect members and the industry at large with a comprehensive platform of the most widespread media brands in the industry, more than 30 combined events, including the largest printing and graphic arts trade show in the Americas – PRINTING United. In this move, Leskusky will retain his role in leading NAPCO Media as part of the PRINTING United Alliance portfolio and will additionally support Alliance efforts to further streamline myriad robust resources and services being offered from the Alliance, including preeminent industry education, training, workshops, events, research, government and legislative representation, safety, and environmental sustainability guidance.

As Lynne and John Regas approach five years in business, no year has been more defining for their Minuteman Press printing franchise than this one. “We both feel very fortunate that we were considered essential and were able to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only to be there for other local businesses and organizations, but to help us stay sane and keep working,” says Lynne. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Minuteman Press Frankfort has continued to provide high-demand products and services that have been critical in helping local businesses reach out to customers while promoting community solidarity. “Early on in the pandemic, we saw high demand for yard signs. We were able to supply local schools with graduation signs, and now those same school districts are coming back to us since it was so popular. Banners and flags have been in high demand from businesses who simply want to let customers know, ‘We’re Open.’ Restaurants have also come to us for takeout menus as they update their specials, menu items, and safe pickup and delivery options.”

SCREEN Americas announces its official relocation from Rolling Meadows to Elk Grove Village, Illinois, and celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 2:00pm on March 18, 2021. Guests to the event included the mayor of Elk Grove Village, Mayor Craig B. Johnson along with representatives from the village’s fire and police departments. “We are happy to welcome SCREEN Americas to Elk Grove Village,” said Mayor Johnson. “It is an honor to have such a thriving high-tech company call Elk Grove Village home.” Ken Ingram, president of SCREEN Americas, had the honor of cutting the ribbon in the Inkjet Innovation Center, the 14,000-plus square foot area which has come to be known as the centerpiece of the new facility and the room in which customers will engage in SCREEN Americas’ technology for the commercial, publishing, direct mail, transactional, packaging, folding carton and label industries.

Cedar Graphics, Inc. of Hiawatha has acquired select business assets of J & A Printing, Inc. currently under the ownership of Scott Cadwallader. Printing, finishing and mailing services for J & A customers will transition immediately to the Cedar Graphics plant in Hiawatha, Iowa. J & A’s production facility in Hiawatha is not part of this acquisition. Cedar Graphics is a family and Iowa-owned business focusing on offset and digital printing, packaging, and direct mail for the education, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and banking industries. Cedar Graphics’ unique mix of advanced UV offset presses, digital printing, and marketing services will make for a smooth transition for J & A’s customers who will now have access to these increased print capabilities.

Worzalla congratulated the winners of their “Reel It In For Reading” ice fishing competition and announced their $1,500 donation to support the Portage County Literacy Council (PCLC). Worzalla’s donation will go towards PCLC’s one-on-one tutoring and small group instruction programs. The winners of the inaugural Reel It In For Reading ice fishing competition are: First-place winner, Zach Fuller of Iola, won $200 and an additional $100 for being the Worzalla associate with the largest catch. Fuller’s catch, a 103-pound sturgeon caught at Lake Winnebago, measured 71.3 inches. Fuller says that the sturgeon he caught is one of just 15 males over 100 pounds since the 1930s, when data first began being recorded. Second-place winner, Kyle Weeks of Iola, won $150. Third-place winner, James Liebe of Stevens Point, won $100.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company was honored with the 2020 3M Supplier of the Year Award in recognition of the company’s contribution to improving 3M’s competitiveness. This year,3M recognized 20 suppliers supporting the U.S. and Canada, among thousands in its global supply base, for world-class performance in providing products and services. These suppliers were identified and rated based on actions taken to improve 3M’s competitiveness and overall supplier performance. A virtual awards ceremony was held Feb. 4, 2021.

We know what you’re thinking – why the heck would a catalog printer print their own catalog? There are three key reasons: 1) To Introduce the New Arandell Brand - Over the last few years we’ve been on quite a journey as an organization. 2) To Show What’s Possible with the Modern-Day Catalog - Nothing against the massive 100+ page behemoths you’re used to seeing, as they can still be effective, but most of today’s cataloging brands opt for a ”look book” approach—coffee table pieces that reinforce their company values. 3) To Put Ourselves in Our Customers’ Shoes - At Arandell our goal is to not just be a catalog printer for our clients but a true partner.

Emphasising its ongoing commitment to sustainability and underlining its position as a technology leader in low energy UV curing, Sun Chemical today announces significant upgrades to its market leading SunWave Lumina UV sheetfed inks for commercial printing. The new, improved inks are available now in the European market. The modified formulations no longer require EU “health hazard” labelling. They also meet the exacting environmental standards of Nordic Swan Ecolabeling and are fully compliant with EuPIA raw material guidelines. Furthermore, SunWave Lumina UV inks are deinkable according to INGEDE (International Association of the Deinking Industry) Method 11 criteria, which assesses the recyclability of printed products. Featuring class-leading lithographic and low-energy-curing performance on all sheetfed press types, the inks are designed for Process Standard Offset printing to ISO12647 and they consistently deliver outstanding levels of productivity at very high print quality, and with excellent dot gain. The latest highly reactive UV resin system offers exceptional curing with UV LED and low energy mercury lamps in both single and double-sided printing.

Based in the Kansas City suburb of New Century, Kansas, Stouse is a trade-only specialty print provider. It supplies applications such as labels, decals, magnets and signs to promotional products distributors, commercial printers and marketing and advertising agencies. The company opened its doors as a screen and flexographic printer in 1977 and has since grown into a market leader with 40+ years of consistent sales growth. At any point in time, there are some 3,000 active jobs in the shop. The Xeikon 3500 is a proven performer in the Xeikon solution line-up as a wide web press for packaging, producing output as wide as 20.3 inches (516 mm) with a resolution of 1200 dots per inch (dpi). It can print on an exceptionally wide range of substrates without pre-coating/treatment. With no frame limitation, folding cartons can be run without concern for length restrictions.

Supremex Inc. announces the bolt-on acquisition of Vista Graphic Communications, LLC, an Indianapolis, Indiana based provider of print and folding carton packaging. “This turn-key operation brings us closer to our growing e-commerce customer base in the U.S. and provides us with much needed print and converting capacity to meet existing and growing demand for our customized patent-protected e-commerce packaging solutions,” said Stewart Emerson, President & CEO of Supremex. “Vista is strategically located, employs a skilled workforce, and with modest planned equipment additions we can quickly build a fully-integrated e-commerce packaging hub.” Vista Graphic Communications, LLC is a printing and packaging solutions manufacturer focused on highly customized folding cartons and micro flute packaging. The Company was founded by Tim Rolfsen in 1985, runs two full production lines, including 40” litho presses, die-cutting and gluing, and serves clients primarily in the medical, dental and publishing markets.

Books endure. We discard newspapers the day after, magazines stick around a bit longer, junk mail not at all, but books we keep. After we read a book, we shelve them, we show off our book collection as backdrops in our Zoom calls, we stack books in corners, we store them in boxes, we might drop them off at a used bookstore, we might even make books into works of art, but we almost never just toss them out. Printed books endure. Book printing company Grafica Veneta, located in the Italian province of Padua, a half hour drive from the causeway to Venice, announced the acquisition of a majority ownership stake in Lake Book Manufacturing. The acquired company is close by Chicago’s O’Hare airport, likely an enabling factor in the decision by an Italian book manufacturer to invest in a US-based partner. The owner of Lake Book, Dan Genovese, noted that his family’s Italian heritage also played a part in the decision to seek and accept an international investment in the company, especially one based in Italy. Both companies are positioned to manufacture a wide range of book products for the publishing trade, with capabilities ranging from one-color to full-color text, paperback and hardcover editions, along with fully decorated book jackets.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced a suite of 3D solutions to help manufacturers and retailers create rich user experiences and accelerate go-to-market speed. Designed to leverage the power of emerging technologies, such as 5G and spatial web for the Internet of Everything (IoE), RRD’s end-to-end 3D suite features modeling, animation, rendering, and interactive experiences, which enables simulations and digital prototyping that maximize the potential of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). RRD’s 3D solutions enable benefits in multiple areas, such as: *Simulating the in-store shopping experience: 3D solutions can help bridge the gap between e-commerce and brick-and-mortar, especially when options are limited due to social distancing measures. RRD’s solution, coupled with our AR/VR capabilities, can help retailers create highly engaging and measurable immersive experiences. *Optimizing global supply chains: 3D can also help improve business processes and decrease time-to-market. For example, 3D renderings and digital prototyping can eliminate the need for product photography, which can result in major cost savings. These solutions can help product companies build “digital twins” of actual products to aid in planning go-to-market strategies. Simulated product and packaging testing can eliminate the need for large spending on physical prototypes. *Transforming e-learning: both product training and standard operating procedure training are readily transformed with RRD’s 3D suite. Immersive and interactive training improves output quality and contributes toward superior employee and customer experiences.

Konica Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. announced leadership changes to support the company’s internal and customer-focused digital transformation strategy. The changes are designed to augment its Digital Experience-as-a-Service (DX-as-a-Service) and Internet of Things (IoT) strategy to add continuous value to its clients and dealer partners. Patrick Banno, currently the Head of the IoT Business Center in the U.S., will lead the North American business as President and CEO. He is replacing Rick Taylor, who will progress to serve in an independent advisory role to ensure a seamless continuation of the company’s strategies. Sam Errigo, currently serving as Executive Vice President, Sales and Business Development, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Sam will lead the company’s strategy for operational excellence while enhancing digital agility to support a dynamically changing business environment and expansion into new markets.

Mittera has announced its acquisition of select business assets of Creel Printing currently operating in Las Vegas, Nevada. Creel, originally a third-generation family printer founded in 1953, was recently returned to the Creel family after being purchased by LSC in July 2017. Customers of Creel printing will gain access to Mittera’s expanded platform of web, digital and sheetfed printing capabilities, as well as digital, creative, and integrated marketing solution services. “As our industry continues to change, it is critical that print companies continue to evolve to best serve their customers. Finding ways to join with former competitors to offer customers more valuable services with a smaller equipment footprint is the future of our industry. We are excited to partner with Allan and the Creel team to offer their clients a more diverse set of communication solutions while maintaining the exceptional levels of service that have made Creel one of the leaders in the print space for decades.” said Jon Troen, Chief Executive Officer of Mittera. Mittera’s capabilities span full-color web and sheetfed printing, variable digital production, large-format printing, integrated publishing and digital solutions, web-based storefronts, photography and design studio offerings, marketing and print automation, and more. Mittera currently operates in 13 states strategically located throughout the nation. Key members of the Creel team will join Mittera to ensure a seamless customer experience. The Creel production facility in Las Vegas is not being acquired and will be shut down in the coming months.

PRINTING United Alliance and Idealliance today announced that the two organizations have officially merged. Under the guidance and direction of the board of directors at each organization, which are comprised of representative printer and supplier members across the industry; and with the overwhelming support and approval from Idealliance members, PRINTING United Alliance and Idealliance can together bring even more resources and service offerings to its collective membership and the printing industry at large. The merger is a unique opportunity during a challenging time to further collaborate and utilize the strengths of each organization to continue serving the printing industry across market segments. “Idealliance has developed the expertise to build and rollout its traditional color management programs, new standards in training and education, and is a respected leader in this space,” said Ford Bowers, CEO, PRINTING United Alliance.

The recovery in the UK printing and printed packaging industry suffered a setback in Q4 and is now expected to see a decline on the volume of orders and output in Q1. The Covid-19 outbreak hit at the end of Q1, Q2 bore the brunt of the impact and whilst Q3 exhibited a recovery, of sorts, Q4 experienced a halt on that recovery path. Unfortunately forecasts for Q1 suggests that the Covid-19 resurgence and resulting mix of lockdown measures and post-Brexit disruption will be a drag on recovery for many businesses. The latest Printing Outlook survey reveals that 29% of printers managed to increase their output levels in the final quarter of 2020. One-third (33%) were able to hold output steady, whilst 38% were adversely affected by a decline in output. The resulting balance (the difference between the ups and the downs) was -9, only just below the -8 reported in Q3 and just much in-line with the Q4 forecast (-7). Output has yet to return to the positive zone.

Revenues decreased by $83.1 million, or 11.8%, from $705.8 million in the first quarter of 2020 to $622.7 million in the corresponding period of 2021. This decline is mainly attributable to lower volume in the Printing Sector due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sale of the paper packaging operations, which occurred toward the end of the first quarter of the previous year. This decrease was partially mitigated by the solid organic growth in revenues in the Packaging Sector and the revenues generated by the acquisition of Artisan Complete Limited in the Printing Sector. Operating earnings increased by $6.4 million, or 15.7%, from $40.8 million in the first quarter of 2020 to $47.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. The increase in operating earnings is explained by the organic growth in the Packaging Sector. In addition, in the Printing Sector, initiatives to optimize operational efficiency and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy offset a majority of the decrease in volume. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation increased by $21.3 million, from $6.4 million in the first quarter of 2020 to $27.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. This increase is mostly explained by the income tax expense related to the sale of the paper packaging operations in the first quarter of 2020, higher operating earnings and the decrease in net financial expenses resulting from a reduction in net indebtedness and a lower weighted average interest rate.

Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights and Recent Events * Total revenue increased by 11.1% to $54.6 million, from $49.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. * Envelope segment revenue was up 13.2% to $40.5 million, from $35.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. * Packaging and specialty products segment revenue increased by 5.4% to $14.2 million, from $13.4 million. * EBITDA1was $4.6 million, down from $6.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 resulting primarily from a non-cash asset impairment charge of $2.8 million and a restructuring expense of $1.8 million. * Net Earnings at $0.3 million, down from $2.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 from the above mentioned non-recurring items. Fiscal Year Financial Highlights * Total revenue increased by 6.7% to $204.6 million, from $191.7 million in 2019. * Envelope segment revenue was up 6.8% to $146.5 million, from $137.1 million in 2019. * Packaging and specialty products segment revenue was up 6.5% to $58.1 million, from $54.5 million. * EBITDA1 was $27.2 million, which include a fourth quarter non-cash asset impairment charge of $2.8 million and restructuring expenses of $1.8 million, up $1.9 million from $25.3 million in 2019. * Net Earnings were $7.5 million, which include the above mentioned non-recurring items, increased $0.4 million from $7.1 million in 2019.

Results for the three months ended December 31, 2020, included: *Net Sales — Net sales were $843 million in 2020, down 21% from 2019, primarily due to the economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing print industry volume and pricing pressures. However, the fourth quarter decline represents another quarter of sequential revenue improvement during the pandemic, as compared to a 28% decline in the third quarter of 2020 and a 38% decline in the second quarter of 2020. *Net Earnings (Loss) From Continuing Operations — Net loss from continuing operations was $86 million in 2020, or $1.69 diluted loss per share, as compared to net earnings of $7 million, or $0.14 diluted earnings per share in 2019. This variance was mainly driven by $75 million of restructuring and non-cash impairment expenses due to fourth quarter 2020 plant closure announcements, and lower net sales. Results for full-year ended December 31, 2020, included: *Net Sales — Net sales were $2.9 billion in 2020, down 25% from 2019, primarily due to the economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing print industry volume and pricing pressures. *Net Loss From Continuing Operations — Net loss from continuing operations was $107 million in 2020, or $2.10 diluted loss per share, as compared to a net loss of $56 million, or $1.11 diluted loss per share in 2019. The increase in net loss is mostly due to $35 million of higher restructuring, impairment and transaction-related charges, and lower net sales. *Free Cash Flow — Free Cash Flow was $129 million in 2020, an increase of $23 million from 2019, primarily due to a $50 million decrease in capital expenditures, partially offset by a $27 million decrease in cash earnings.

Q4 Key messages *GAAP net sales, including the impact of dispositions and FX, decreased 5.6%; Non-GAAP organic net sales decreased 4.8%; both decline rates improved sequentially from the prior two quarters *GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.46 and Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.71 both increased significantly from the prior year *Operating cash flow of $124.6 million in the quarter is down from prior year; 2020 amount includes $47 million paid to terminate 25 deferred compensation plans and cash taxes on the gain from selling the Logistics businesses in addition to the expected impact from accelerating working capital improvements to earlier quarters in 2020 *Gross leverage ratio of 3.7x improves 1.0x from September 30, 2020 and 0.5x from December 31, 2019; net leverage ratio of 3.0x improves 0.7x from both September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019

American Litho, a leading direct mail solutions provider, has installed the first HP PageWide Web Press T250 HD in the U.S. to boost power to deliver personalized direct mail for digital trigger marketing campaigns. The 22-inch continuous inkjet HP PageWide Web Press T250 with HP Brilliant Ink enables new versatility with an expanded color and paper gamut for high-volume commercial, publishing, transaction, and direct mail applications. “At American Litho, we tailor our capabilities to meet the needs of our customers, and in 2020 we found ourselves adapting more than ever. Investing in our equipment to further propel the powerful combination of print and digital services is vital to providing a standout product every time,” said Frank Arostegui, Executive Vice President of Sales.

Quad/Graphics, Inc. and the Quadracci family’s Windhover Foundation are announcing a three-year, $1 million commitment to The BrandLab, a non-profit dedicated to changing the face and voice of the marketing industry by creating opportunities for young people from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. This new partnership will enable The BrandLab to expand into the Milwaukee community and bring together local agencies, corporations and student interns who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), or who come from low-income families. Already operational in Kansas City and Minneapolis, The BrandLab’s success in bringing young, diverse voices into the creative profession directly aligns with Quad’s decades-long dedication to creating a better way. “The BrandLab starts by exposing students to creative and viable careers before they graduate from high school and then we stay with them on their journey to their first full-time role,” said Ellen Walthour, Chief Executive Officer of The BrandLab. “This is a long-term solution that requires long-range vision from the industry’s top leaders. Quad understands that our work not only advances racial equity, but it makes the creative field so much stronger.”

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced its work to create tangible moments for Kindli, a social media alternative focused on positivity and connecting people with acts of kindness. Kindli Cards, printed by RRD, are Kindli’s proprietary, patent-pending method of tracking kind acts all around the world. These cards include a unique, user-specific QR code and personalized messages. Kindli’s strategic partnership with RRD allows for this level of customization. This includes workflows specific to variable programming required for personalized codes and automated order entry, enabling quick speed-to-market regardless of order quantity.

The Phoenix Group of Companies, a full-service provider of comprehensive printing, packaging, mailing, and fulfillment solutions in Philadelphia, announced that its affiliate, Phoenix Lithographing, and long-time industry partner ICS Corp., of West Deptford, N.J., are merging forces to create Phoenix-ICS Group of Companies. The new partnership brings together ICS, a direct mail organization offering strategic development and creative services, and Phoenix Lithographing, one of the largest privately-held commercial printing companies in the marketplace. The group will benefit from ICS’s expertise in mailing and creative development, and Phoenix’s comprehensive print production knowledge.

Worzalla, an employee-owned book printer specializing in printing high-quality children’s books, cookbooks, and hard-cover best sellers, was ranked the fourth largest North American book printer in Printing Impressions’ latest industry rankings titled 2020 Printing Impressions 350. Worzalla was also ranked the 63rd largest book printer by annual sales on the general list that includes all printing companies North America. This is the first time Worzalla has been ranked as a Top 5 Market Segment Leader in the book printing category. Worzalla also rose 24 spots in this year’s general rankings compared to last year. In 2020, Worzalla completed a modernization and expansion plan that added 50,000 square feet to the company’s manufacturing headquarters, upgraded equipment, and added additional associates.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announces expanded operations in Sacramento, establishing a robust center of excellence for commercial print in Northern California as Pacific Standard Print (PSP). This strategic investment brings new and diverse capabilities to the region for the purpose of serving RRD client needs. After undergoing an extensive year-long renovation, PSP has increased capacity for digital, sheetfed, mailing and print fulfillment services. The new 136,000-square-foot location boasts upgraded, best-in-class digital presses, plus 40-inch offset, sheetfed presses. PSP will offer an elevated security infrastructure for data and mailing services with an increased volume of storage to support critical warehousing and fulfillment needs throughout the region. PSP clients will also benefit from the multitude of complementary services that RRD provides, including advanced analytics, email marketing, content and creative services. PSP has a rich history of delivering on the communication needs of a diverse client base. Whether it’s time-sensitive election-related print, one-to-one direct mail communications, secure healthcare requirements or retail solutions, PSP is uniquely positioned to help clients break through the complexity of their communications while driving out costs, increasing revenue, and mitigating risk.

Sun Chemical will increase prices across a broad portfolio of its packaging and commercial sheetfed inks, coatings, and adhesives in North America (also EMEA and Latin America), effective March 15, 2021. A combination of raw material shortages, including petrochemical, vegetable oils and derivatives, dramatically increased international freight transport costs, and demand due to economic recovery, are all contributing factors for the cost increases in Sun Chemical’s raw material feedstocks.

Moore announces the acquisition of Worcester Envelope Company, an industry leader specializing in custom envelope manufacturing. This acquisition comes less than 12 months from the $31 million investment Moore made in envelope manufacturing with the opening of Richmond Print Group in Virginia. Moore is investing in Worcester Envelope to expand its envelope manufacturing in overall capacity, redundancy and location diversification. Based in Auburn, Massachusetts, Worcester Envelope specializes in the manufacturing of high color direct mail envelopes to service the medium to large volume mail industry.

Mittera, a North American leader in print and integrated marketing services and listed as the 26th largest printing company according to the latest data from Printing Impressions, officially launched its new Koenig & Bauer Rapida 105 PRO eight-color 41˝ press at its New York facility in Ronkonkoma, Long Island, in early December 2020. Mittera CEO Jon Troen joined Michael Clark, the facility’s president, press operators, employees, and management at a special ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the event. Everyone expressed enthusiasm over the capabilities of the new press and the potential for the new business it will generate. “This is not just another sheetfed press investment for Mittera,” says Troen. “It is a game-changer. With two coating towers in addition to a Corona treatment unit and Rainbow printing unit, this press will allow our company to expand further into specialty packaging, as well as plastics printing. The technology Koenig & Bauer was able to deliver on this press will allow us to set a new standard for high quality printing ranging from truly unique marketing and packaging pieces to specialty security printing.”

Full Year 2020 Highlights: *Revenue was $217.9 million lower than the previous year. COVID-19 negatively impacted the company's results, primarily across the Promotional Solutions, Cloud Solutions and Checks segments. *The Payments segment formed at the beginning of the year delivered revenue growth of 12% over the previous year. COVID-19-related delays in customer implementations impacted the growth rate in this segment, which will likely continue into Q1 2021. *Net income of $8.8 million was impacted by COVID-19 and continued costs in support of the company’s transformation. *Cash flow from operations for 2020 was $217.6 million and capital expenditures were $62.6 million. Free cash flow, defined as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, was $155.0 million, a decrease of $65.1 million as compared to 2019. *Net debt of $716.9 million was the lowest since June 30, 2018. *During the fourth quarter, the company repaid $200 million on its revolving credit facility under which it borrowed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In support of the important work underway to advocate for the advancement of diverse talent in the creative industry, Quad is contributing $25,000 to a scholarship program at the Brandcenter at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a two-year full-time master’s program dedicated to developing the next generation of creative talent. The Brandcenter at VCU is among the preeminent advertising and design programs in the country, and Quad’s donation will directly support the Brandcenter & Rising Endowed Scholarship, which provides need-based assistance to diverse students looking to make an impact in the fields of advertising, marketing, branding and communications.

HP Inc. has introduced a range of new Latex large format print solutions to help print service providers diversify their offerings and meet more challenging customer needs. After a year of business disruption across the large format industry, the HP Latex 700 and 800 series brings a suite of features that enable PSPs to be more agile, tackle ambitious projects and take on the highest value work. The new portfolio also delivers fast workflows that help businesses hit deadlines, while sharpening their sustainability edge. “When you think about HP Latex, imagine the unique ability to say yes to every customer request, regardless of fast-changing schedule or application demands. Help meet deadlines with undisputable operator and environmental safety, as, with HP Latex, every signage & decor decision becomes a sustainable one,” said Guayente Sanmartin, General Manager, Large Format Business, HP. “The new Latex 700 and 800 portfolio will allow PSPs to win big by navigating customer challenges in the next normal and embracing more ambitious projects - safe in the knowledge their work will deliver.”

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced it will expand its North American production capabilities to support the trading card and collectible card game industry. Known for exceptional quality and service, Reynosa’s 300,000-square-foot manufacturing space houses 10 sheetfed presses, featuring both UV and conventional printing, and complete finishing capabilities. Investments in the pressroom and specialty finishing capabilities will enable this site to produce cards and their associated packaging by mid-spring of 2021. Additionally, RRD will be installing a 12-color UV press to their Packaging Solutions facility in Durham, North Carolina. RRD’s Durham operation has served top brands and emerging card publishers for over 30 years and is one of the largest producers of trading cards in North America. This will be the second press of its kind at the facility, signaling RRD’s ongoing commitment to support increases in client demand and ability to deliver high-quality products required by both card collectors and game players alike.

Worzalla, an employee-owned book printer specializing in printing high-quality children’s books, cookbooks, and hard-cover best sellers, has launched the “Reel It In For Reading” ice fishing competition in support of the Portage County Literacy Council (PCLC). The competition invites the community to submit photos of their largest ice fishing catches during the month of February. Worzalla has committed to donate $5 per entry, up to $1,500 to the Portage County Literacy Council and will award cash prizes to the entries with the largest catches. To honor the first-place winner, Worzalla will donate $500 to the school or community library of the winner’s choice. “Ice fishing is such a popular winter activity in our community that we decided to organize a friendly competition to support literacy in our greater community,” said Brianne Petruzalek, Vice President of Human Resources at Worzalla. “The Portage County Literacy Council does such important work throughout the year to help adults achieve their literacy goals, a mission that is close to our hearts at Worzalla.”

Xerox Holdings Corporation announced organizational changes to support plans to create three new businesses – Software, Financing and Innovation – aimed at delivering long-term growth in 2021 and beyond. Nicole Torraco has been promoted to senior vice president, Xerox Financial Services (XFS), to lead Xerox’s financing business, reporting directly to Visentin. Sam Waicberg will lead the Software business as vice president and general manager of Digital Services, reporting to President and Chief Operations Officer Steve Bandrowczak. Naresh Shanker, senior vice president and chief technology officer, will lead the PARC Innovation business. Executive Vice President Louie Pastor has been appointed chief corporate development officer and chief legal officer.

PRINTING United Alliance and Idealliance announced the intent to merge the two organizations earlier in January. The proposed merger was approved unanimously by each Board of Directors to be followed by consideration of Idealliance members at a meeting of active members on 1/29/21, in accordance with Idealliance Bylaws. Idealliance Members overwhelmingly approved the Plan of Merger with 96% voting in favor which serves as the final step to effectuate the merger. Dick Ryan, Idealliance CEO said, “The traditional segmentation of print providers has continued to blur and converge, which the shifts in digital printing technologies have accelerated. Over the past few years, PRINTING United Alliance has built an association that addresses all the major segments through expanded membership, an array of events, and industry leading media brands, bringing considerable resources, marketing reach and audiences under one roof. At the same time, Idealliance has developed the expertise to build and rollout not only its traditional color management programs, but new standards training and education on a global platform. This is the right strategic move by Idealliance to better serve the graphic communication industry.”

Deluxe announced that it has finalized a long-term agreement with Truist Financial Corporation. This new agreement is anchored by Deluxe’s world class check products, while also expanding the ongoing relationship across the company’s four business segments. “We are very pleased that Truist is trusting Deluxe to deliver the latest innovations and technology to enhance the exceptional products and service its customers have come to expect,” said Barry McCarthy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Deluxe. “This is a real validation of our One Deluxe approach, being able to provide a wide array of products and services from across all of our segments to our customers. Truist clearly understands that our goal is to collaborate on creating and finding solutions to help their entire portfolio.”

Effective immediately, Wade Brewer has been promoted to the position of Director of Manufacturing. Mr. Brewer has more than thirty-five years of print industry experience, ten of those with Ennis most recently as a Business Unit Director. He will continue to drive plant operations, as well as promote future growth. He will be responsible for all manufacturing operations. Kevin Johnston and Steve Reifel, the existing Business Unit Directors, will report to him. Effective February 1, 2021, Tony Orsello will be promoted to the position of Business Unit Director reporting to Wade Brewer. He will be relocating to the Corporate office in Midlothian, Texas. Effective February 1, 2021, Henry Schultz will assume the duties as General Manager for the Northstar Brooklyn Park facility replacing Tony Orsello. Mr. Schultz will drive the daily sales and production activities of Northstar and will report to Mr. Orsello as his Business Unit Director.

Mittera, a North American leader in print and digital communication strategies, has announced it has acquired the assets of Trend Offset Printing. Headquartered in Los Alamitos, Calif., Trend Offset is a national printer serving retail, magazine, catalog, and direct mail advertising segments. The addition of Trend Offset will enhance Mittera’s presence in retail as well as commercial printing services. The Trend client relationships, personnel and critical infrastructure will join Mittera’s national network of print production and communication solution professionals, allowing for a seamless customer experience with expanded capabilities. “As the landscape of our industry continues to change, it is critical that printers evolve to serve the customer needs of the future and not those of the past. The acquisition of Trend makes great sense for both organizations, as it allows for further consolidation of our industry, and will allow our combined companies to offer a more robust set of marketing solutions to our customers.” said Jon Troen, Chief Executive Officer of Mittera.

Financial Summary • Q4 GAAP earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations of $0.36, down $0.05 from Q3 and down $0.81 YOY; FY GAAP EPS from continuing operations of $0.84, down $1.94 YOY. • $1.930 billion of Q4 revenue, up 9.2 percent or 8.5 percent in constant currency compared to Q3 and down 21.0 percent or 22.3 percent in constant currency YOY. • $7.022 billion of FY revenue, down 22.5 percent YOY or 22.7 percent in constant currency YOY. • Delivered $450 million of gross savings in 2020 under Project Own It. • Returned 112 percent of free cash flow to shareholders in 2020.

One of the main tenets of buying and owning real estate is location, location, location. The same can be said for the location where skilled workers live when they lose their jobs, and what new opportunities may exist for them within their local communities. So, while it's certainly bad news that on Feb. 18, 2021, LSC Communications will close its eastside Spartanburg, S.C., printing plant located at 300 Jones Rd., the job prospects — albeit in different industries— for the more than 400 workers employed at the one-time RR Donnelley operation appear, at least on the surface, to be better than what's happened elsewhere. "It is never good news to have a longtime company close, but the good news is, if it had to happen in 2021, Spartanburg is the place you want to be," Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt, chairman of the county's economic development committee, told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal following news of the impending closure. "I hate to lose one company that calls Spartanburg home because they became family, but it is a fact that the times and markets are always changing."

The American Meteorological Society (AMS), the leading scientific and professional organization promoting the advancement of atmospheric, oceanic and hydrologic sciences, has launched its new online journals platform on KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL)’s PubFactory platform. The new AMS website (journals.ametsoc.org) hosts all content from the Society’s 11 prestigious peer-reviewed scientific journals, including the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS). Following an extensive review of site requirements with AMS leadership, KGL PubFactory managed the comprehensive web development project and site migration process for the full archive of 117,000 journal articles dating to 1920. In addition to the online hosting platform, AMS is now working closely with KGL to streamline and optimize its journal production workflow and processes, adding services such as web-based proofing to help accelerate publication, contain costs, and improve the author experience.

The desire to expand into the large-format sector and increase capacity without sacrificing quality or speed, led Walton Press to add the Durst P5 350. The addition of this innovative digital printer will be the centerpiece of their wide-format print offering allowing them to expand into new markets. Walton Press located in Monroe, GA began in 1900, originally started in conjunction with the Walton Tribune a hometown newspaper and has been in the printing business for over 120 years. Walton Press is the first in Georgia to add the Durst P5 350 all-in-one hybrid solution for flexible roll and board printing. They take a personal stake in the success of their customers and will do what it takes to support that objective. The Durst P5 350 is an all-in-one hybrid large format UV LED Inkjet press that prints both rigid and roll materials up to 138” (3.5 meters) wide with 1200 dpi output.

Worzalla, an employee-owned book printer specializing in printing high-quality children’s books, cookbooks, and hard-cover best sellers, recently concluded the holiday season with multiple charitable endeavors. As a business with more than 125 years of history in Portage County, Worzalla consistently looks for opportunities to give back to the community. “This past holiday season, Worzalla associates stepped up in a big way to help those in need, and we were happy to see the greater community support our efforts as well,” said Brianne Petruzalek, Vice President of Human Resources at Worzalla. “We thank everyone involved for helping us to make a positive impact in our community.” In December, Worzalla set up a Community Giving Tree and set up a raffle prize giveaway to encourage the community to contribute donations for the Salvation Army. The drive was successful in collecting hundreds of food items, clothing, household items, and other in-demand items for those in need in Portage County.

2020 Printing Impressions 350 ranking of largest printing companies in the U.S. and Canada.The fact that our 37th annual ranking of the largest printing companies based in the U.S. and Canada, as ranked by annual sales, is now the Printing Impressions 350 — and not the 400 — for 2020 serves as a microcosm of the current, unsettled nature of the printing industry amidst a worldwide pandemic. So, it was quite fitting that we also labeled the most recent list on our December 2020 cover as “The COVID-19 Edition.” Compiling this venerable list was no easy feat — whether it was tracking down the needed information from a $5.5 billion-in-sales commercial printing industry powerhouse like RR Donnelley, to our 350th ranked printer at $5.5 million. Due to the pandemic, printing companies, large and small, have struggled to maintain their sales levels, and to hold on to their skilled workforces through, in some cases, temporary furloughs and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding. see more at: https://www.piworld.com/article/2020-printing-impressions-350-largest-printing-companies/

Modern Litho, a full-service commercial, catalog and publication printer headquartered in Jefferson City, Missouri, announces an exclusive agreement with James Mulligan Printing Co. (Mulligan Printing) of St. Louis for the transfer of its commercial printing and business operations to Modern Litho. "Mulligan Printing has had a successful presence in the St. Louis print industry for many years with well-established customer relationships and high standards of service. We look forward to the opportunity to continue and build on this tradition by bringing an enhanced level of capability and quality to the marketplace,” commented Darrell Moore, Modern Litho President.

Despite all that 2020 heaped on the printing sector, the book manufacturing segment is going strong, driven by an isolated public renewing its connection to reading and, perhaps, by the multitudes of home-bound media experts frantically stocking their “credibility bookcases.” Book manufacturers are managing new ways of serving publishers and the broader market, and embracing new technology where it is advantageous. The segment underwent a drastic shift during 2020, particularly with the divestiture of Quad/Graphics’ book plants from the segment, and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of LSC Communications. These two developments effectively changed the playing field for U.S.-based book manufacturers, and left numerous book publishers scrambling for available capacity. This article features the insight of four book manufacturing professionals, to provide a better sense of the segment as it is today, and the factors driving opportunity and success. more at: https://www.piworld.com/article/book-manufacturing-outlook-balancing-demand-capacity/#ne=a0dae8603d00a659dbe7da5388ef196c&utm_source=today-on-piworld&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=2021-01-12

Flint Group announced the launch of XSYS, a brand-new division, the result of combining Flint Group Flexographic with Xeikon Prepress. Although the two groups have been working closely for some time in support of the flexographic and letterpress markets, this formal alignment will bring even more collaboration and innovation to the group and to its customers. With the tagline Be Brilliant, the new division will work with its customers to honour its claim of Print Solid. Stay Flexible. “With the integration of Xeikon Prepress with Flint Group Flexographic, we are now connecting the dots and are implementing an important step of our strategy to become a full solution provider for the flexographic prepress industry,” said Dagmar Schmidt, President of XSYS. “In forming this new division, we bring together what belongs together: Plates, Processing Equipment (solvent-and solvent free), Imagers, Sleeves and Adapters. And with this move, we expand our expertise towards our customers. The name derives from ThermoFlexX, nyloflex, Xpress and other brands that feature the X, combined with Systems to form the name XSYS.”

Citing volume declines in an already challenging retail environment and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sussex, Wis.-based Quad closed out a tumultuous 2020 by announcing it will permanently cease print manufacturing operations at three production facilities in early 2021, impacting approximately 650 workers. Work currently performed in these commercial printing plants will be consolidated into other existing Quad locations. Its Fernley, Nev., plant will close in late January. The facility specializes in retail advertising inserts and employs approximately 75 people. Quad's Oklahoma City plant will be shuttered in early March. Employing approximately 400 workers, the plant produces magazines, catalogs, and retail advertising inserts. The Nashville, Tenn., facility will permanently close by mid-April. The plant specializes in retail advertising inserts and employs approximately 175 people.

National Graphic Solutions (NGS), of Appleton, Wisconsin, a leading print partner to the publishing industry for children’s books, educational products, and the general book market, has been acquired by BR Printers of San Jose, California. NGS web offset and sheet fed print capabilities, coupled with extensive bindery, and finishing operations, allows the company to execute simple to complex projects, short to long runs, and standard to unique trim sizes. The company produced over one hundred million (100,000,000) books last year. In addition, NGS offers kit building and fulfillment solutions coupled with complete project management services.

CJK Group, Inc. has purchased two eight-color Komori Lithrone G40 perfecting presses (GL840P) for installation at two of its printing plants: Sheridan KY in Versailles, Kentucky and Hess Print Solutions in Brimfield, Ohio. CJK Group has been successful in redefining the entire book supply chain to overcome the challenges book and content publishers have experienced in this market. The company believes strongly that advances in print technology that allow for increased customization, shorter runs and faster turnaround will spur dramatic growth in this sector by giving today’s publishers, educators, catalogers and information providers the option to partner with exceptionally creative print providers that can produce their work. With this focus as its driving force, CJK Group has grown quickly over the last decade through numerous acquisitions to build what is now a multifaceted organization with extensive offset, digital and fulfillment production capabilities.

Ennis, Inc. announced that one of its wholly owned subsidiaries has entered into a Letter of Intent to acquire the assets and assume some liabilities of Infoseal LLC (“Infoseal”) in Roanoke, Virginia. Infoseal provides pressure seal and tax forms products to independent print brokers and resellers. The Ennis subsidiary, operating under the Infoseal brand and name, will continue to operate in the current facility with a multi-year lease. Infoseal employees and local management are expected to continue working with the newly acquired Infoseal with no disruption in service. Ennis believes that the acquisition will be accretive to earnings in the current year and expects the transaction to be effective at the close of business on December 31, 2020. Keith Walters, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Ennis, Inc., commented by stating, “We are very pleased to add Infoseal to the Ennis family. Infoseal is a leader in the production of pressure seal documents and this well-known brand brings added capabilities and expertise to our expanding product offering including our existing VersaSeal pressure seal product line.

Sun Chemical’s SunTronic® IME inks are approved for production use in IMSE parts after passing the demanding materials testing program from TactoTek®, a Finland-based company that develops, industrializes and licenses in-mold structural electronics (IMSE™) technology. IMSE parts integrate printed electronics and electronic components within 3D injection molded plastics. They combine structure, electronic functions, and aesthetics in single piece, seamless smart surfaces. In IMSE parts, printed electronics can create many features, including circuitry, capacitive touch controls, proximity sensors and antennas. IMSE parts rely on printed silver-based conductive inks and dielectrics to enable multiple layers of printed electronics. “TactoTek is committed to delivering IMSE technology that is predictable, reliably mass produced and performs well through a lifetime of use,” said Paavo Niskala, SVP Advanced Engineering at TactoTek. “IMSE combines diverse materials into a single integrated materials stack, so those materials must be chemically compatible and maintain their electrical integrity through IMSE processing, including thermoforming and injection molding.