Print Solutions Magazine: News

Medicaid Papers Comply with Federal Mandates 10/08/08
Boise Inc., Bensenville, Ill., announced that Boise BEWARE, the brand's anti-copy/anti-scan paper, complies with federal guidelines for paper-based security in Medicaid papers by offering three tamper-resistant features. According to the federal mandate for tamper-resistant prescription pads, papers must meet three criteria by Oct. 1, 2008. The enhanced Boise BEWARE newest feature is a coin-reactive, artificial watermark on the back of the sheet. This feature is not reproducible on a copier, fax, scanner or laser printer. BEWARE already included void pantograph and tamper evident features.

Neenah Introduces FSC-Certified Papers 10/08/08
Neenah Paper, Alpharetta, Ga., has introduced FSC-certified decorative papers and materials that can be used for the manufacture of box wrap, book covers and other decorative products. Neenah's new FSC-Certified Decorative Papers can be used to provide book covers with aesthetic appeal such as faux leather with embossing and foil techniques. The new products will be produced in Neenah's Munising, Mich. mill which achieved FSC-certification in March 2008.

Quad/Graphics earns EPA SmartWay Environmental Excellence Award 10/08/08
For leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from its freight operations, commercial printer Quad/Graphics has received its third consecutive Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay Transport Partnership. Quad/Graphics is the only commercial printer and one of just 27 companies and organizations from among the Partnership's more than 1,000 participants to receive this year's Environmental Excellence Award; the printer is only one of four companies to earn the award three years in a row.

Initiatives the company used to reduce emissions and fuel consumption include:

Financial incentives for drivers who focus on fuel efficiency and minimize idle time.
Purchasing 20 new tractors with fuel-efficient diesel engines and wide-based single tires, and retiring 10 old, inefficient tractors.
Purchasing 10 new EPA-certified trailers with aerodynamic features, which have improved mileage up to 1/2-mile per gallon.
Installing controls in all trucks to limit maximum speeds to 65 mph and requesting all drivers to drive 60 mph.

Merger: Midwest Index, Positive Marketing Associates and Semco Products 10/08/08
Midwest Index, Positive Marketing Associates and Semco Products announced this week the companies have merged under a single business entity, Integrated Filing Solutions, which will operate manufacturing divisions in existing suburban Milwaukee and Chicago facilities. The three companies have brand equity throughout the industry: Semco produces stock and custom folders; Midwest Index and PMA manufacture and distribute custom and stock index tabs, filebacks and a wide variety of color-code/communication labels, forms and filing accessories.

InnerWorkings Acquires Origen Partners 10/08/08
InnerWorkings Inc., Chicago, announced this week that it has acquired Atlanta-based Origen Partners, a print management firm specializing in point-of-purchase displays, signage and other in-store merchandising materials. Origen Partners has 35 employees, including nine sales representatives, and is expected to generate revenue of approximately $36 million in 2008.

SAGE Announces SAGE Online 6.1 10/08/08
SAGE Online 6.1, is the latest release of the research service for promotional products. Available now, it includes a new publications area, rating trends and history, search and sorting enhancements and more.

Verso Paper to Take Downtime for Coated Groundwood 10/01/08
Verso Paper Corp., Memphis, Tenn., announced this week it intends to take approximately 30,000 tons of downtime related to coated groundwood production during the fourth quarter of 2008. Initially, approximately 9,000 tons of downtime will be taken at its Sartell Mill in Minnesota over a two-week period beginning Oct. 5. The specific timing and facilities impacted to achieve the remainder of this curtailment will be determined during the fourth quarter. This downtime is in addition to the approximately 13,000 tons of coated groundwood downtime that Verso took at its Bucksport Mill in Maine earlier in September. Verso's coated groundwood paper is used in catalogs and magazines.

Integrated Print and Graphics is FSC and SFI Certified 10/01/08
Integrated Print and Graphics Inc., South Elgin, Ill., recently received certifications from FSC and SFI. "Responsible manufacturing has always long been a priority for IPG. The addition of dual certification helps to round out our continued efforts to be an environmentally friendly production facility," the company said in a news release. IPG is a commercial, forms and direct mail printer that has been providing print services to the trade for more than 37 years.

Glatfelter Launches Interactive Mill Tour 10/01/08
Glatfelter, York, Pa., a global supplier of specialty papers and engineered products, has launched an Interactive Mill Tour on its website showing how renewable wood resources are used to make paper for books, stamps, envelopes, greeting cards, carbonless forms, and a wide range of other specialty products. The tour focuses on Glatfelter's Spring Grove, Pa., and Chillicothe, Ohio mills and features illustrations and photography, video and animation. Viewers are led through these fully integrated Kraft pulp and paper mills on a 20-minute journey that begins with a tree and ends with the finished paper product. Viewers also learn how Glatfelter manages its environmental footprint. The tour is also available on CD. Email MillTour@glatfelter.com to receive a CD-ROM.

GPO Repays State Dept. $51 Million 10/01/08
The Washington Times reported that the Government Printing Office (GPO) has repaid the State Department more than $51 million stemming from overcharges from the sale of millions of blank passports. According to the Times, the repayment follows a six-month investigation that revealed improper accounting practices by GPO financial managers who allegedly attempted to conceal "excessive" profits generated from passport sales by raising overhead costs from 2007 to 2008. GPO estimates that it accrued as much as $180 million in profits by charging the State Department an added $1.83 per passport, the Times reported.

Appleton Ruling Favors Duties on Imported Paper 10/01/08
The U.S. Department of Commerce decided this week in favor of papermaker Appleton in its antidumping cases involving lightweight thermal paper imported from China and Germany. Commerce ruled that certain Chinese and German producers and exporters sold the paper, used for point-of-sale receipts and coupons, at unfairly low prices in the United States. Commerce recommended imposing duties of 6.5% on the German imports. The Chinese imports face duties of 33% to 252%, including penalties from investigators' findings that the Chinese government unfairly subsidized the papers.

"We have reached another milestone in our efforts to level the playing field on which we compete," said Mark Richards, chief executive officer of Appleton and a member of the PSDA Board of Directors. "We are encouraged by these final rulings and await the final decision from the U.S. International Trade Commission regarding injury to the U.S. industry." The commission is holding a hearing on the matter this week in Washington and is expected to rule on the Commerce Department's recommendations by the end of the month.

Canon Acquires NEWCAL 09/24/08
Canon U.S.A. Inc., today announced the acquisition of San Francisco-based NEWCAL Industries, an independent value-added reseller of document and print solutions, including document imaging hardware and software, and facilities management services.

Franchise Services Acquires Signal Graphics 09/24/08
Franchise Services Inc., Mission Viejo, Calif., a franchise management company that operates 600 locations in 13 countries under the brands Sir Speedy, PIP, Copies Now, MultiCopy and TeamLogic IT, has acquired Signal Graphics, a printing franchise operating 34 locations in 15 states.

The Open Approach Forms DPO/TPO Venture 09/24/08
M&A consultant The Open Approach, Westmont, Ill., has announced a new enterprise to capitalize on opportunities in document process outsourcing (DPO). Operating as DOCetera Corp., the enterprise will "aggregate resources of select DPO providers to forge a unique, highly specialized entity with the flexibility and end-to-end capabilities to transform into total process outsourcing (TPO)--a $380 billion market growing by 18% annually," the company said. The venture will be funded by Huron Capital.

Quality Resource Group Acquires Promo Products Distributor 09/24/08
Quality Resource Group Inc., Plymouth, Minn., has acquired Sales Promotion Ideas, a Wisconsin-based distributor owned by Rod French, MAS, a 24-year industry veteran and past president of the Promotional Products Association of Wisconsin. Denny Pottebaum, president of QRG, said "we are excited to have this team of experienced and talented individuals join us." French said, "Quality Resource Group was a perfect fit, both in terms of their corporate culture and the extraordinarily high level of professionalism in their sales force." QRG has offices throughout the Midwest, and warehouse and distribution facilities in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Lincoln, Neb., and Des Moines, Iowa, serving customers in all 50 states and internationally.

Ward/Kraft Adds New UV Varnish and Lamination Technologies 09/24/08
Ward/Kraft Inc., Ft. Scott, Kan., announced new on-line imaging equipment enabling variable data such as barcodes and data based text to be laminated or UV varnished without degradation of readability. Distributors now may offer variable data printing on a wider range of documents including outdoor and industrial applications ranging from nursery planting yards to hospital materials handling. Printing of all standard barcode symbologies and virtually any variable text can be done on paper stock, semi gloss or latex substrates, either fanfolded, as cut sheets or on rolls, with an 8” image area and up to 10” in total document width.

Fire at Systems Trade Printing 09/24/08
An electrical fire at PSDA member Systems Trade Printing. Glendale, Calif., caused an estimated $3.8 million in damages, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported Monday.
About 125 firefighters battled the blaze, which was reported at 9:41 a.m. Sunday and extinguished in about 40 minutes. The two-story, 2,000 square foot structure was destroyed in the fire, and a woman was injured, officials said.

Mohawk Receives Women-Owned Business Certification 09/24/08
Mohawk Fine Papers Inc. has been granted the status of Women-Owned Business Enterprise by the New York State Department of Economic Development. Frances O'Connor Hardart and Annabel O'Connor Strife have each held positions on Mohawk's board of directors since 1974, and each are majority shareholders. "Mohawk is now recognized as the only women-owned manufacturer of commercial printing papers and one of the last privately held paper manufacturers in the world," said Jack Haren, Mohawk President and CFO.

SR Appoints Acting CEO Following Retirement of Dennis L. Rediker 09/17/08
Standard Register's Board of Directors last week appointed Joseph P. Morgan, Jr. as acting CEO following the retirement of Dennis L. Rediker, who served as president and CEO since 2000 and as a member of the board since 1995. "Dennis took the helm of our company at a critical time in its history and led it through a restructuring process necessitated by changing technologies and markets," said F. David Clarke III, SR's non-executive chairman of the board. "It was a difficult but essential evolution designed to keep Standard Register competitive in the digital age. On behalf of the entire board, I would like to thank him for leading the company through this transition period." A seven-year veteran of the company, Morgan most recently was SR's executive VP and COO. He has experience in sales, marketing, business development, operations and technology.

A Charming Array of New Products Coming to Baltimore 09/17/08
What's hot about Matik's presses? Why is Alcom making baseball cards featuring bus drivers? And why is Digital Dimensions3 sending piranhas in the mail? If you can't wait until the Print Solutions Conference and Expo Oct. 23-25 in Baltimore to get these questions answered--and learn about unique and savvy new products--don't worry! Here's a sneak peek at some of the products you'll see. | MORE. Visit printsolutionsshow.com for details. Urgent--make your room reservation now to avoid higher rates.

DuPont Introduces Tyvek Plus Substrate and New Laser Printable Synthetic 09/17/08
DuPont Nonwovens announced the introduction of Tyvek Plus envelope substrate, which features an absorbent surface and a stiffer sheet structure. The Tyvek Plus substrate enables improved print quality and ease of handling while offering the same qualities of traditional Tyvek strength--light weight and durability. Designed for ink jet printing of barcodes and other variable information printing, it also works with offset litho and flexographic printing and is compatible with more inks than traditional Tyvek. The company also announced DuPont Laser HTP, a laser printable synthetic that is particularly suitable for tags and labels which need to withstand punishing conditions such as high temperatures or harsh weather.

Ward/Kraft Expands Plastic Card Offerings 09/17/08
Ward/Kraft Inc., Ft. Scott, Kan., announced the expansion of its plastic card offerings to include eco-friendly holographic green coating, more mag stripe sizes, additional encoding options and the ability to add a mag stripe to traditional and larger composite plastic products through proprietary improvements of encoding equipment. The new mag stripe capabilities enable distributors to sell postcard mailers with any size stripe applied to the postcard, expanding the use and attraction to this product by direct marketing and mailing managers and companies, the company says. The new process has already been approved by the USPS, making the product an alternative to embedded and inserted standard plastic cards. Distributors can offer green plastic card hologram coatings and a mag stripe on a wide range of 20-and-30-mil plastic products including postcard mailers in 4" x 5.5," 3.5" x 7.5" and similar sizes. Mag stripes with new options for 300, 650 and 2750 oe encoding can now be laid down on the new larger and the traditional credit card sized CR-80 materials.

DMAW Honors Former PSDA President 09/17/08
The Direct Marketing Association of Washington has established a new award for educators who teach direct and interactive marketing at the collegiate level. Named for Michael O'Hara, a former DMAW president, former PSDA president and current PSDA Advisory Board member, the O'Hara Leadership Award will be given to professors or institutions for outstanding work in promoting the direct response industry as a career choice for students. The first recipient of the award will be announced soon and recognized at a ceremony in November.

Boise Release Liners and Label Facedstocks Get CoC Certification 09/17/08
Boise Inc. Label & Release announced the addition of recycled content products and chain of custody certification to Boise's portfolio of release liners and label facestocks. "Our research covering the pressure sensitive supply chain from label printer/converters to packaging designers and brand owners revealed that recycled fiber content and chain of custody certification have the greatest impact on purchase probability and are the two most cited attributes industry participants plan to include in their sustainability action plans," the company said. The new product offerings include chain of custody certifications by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and the Programme for the Endorsement Forestry Certification (PEFC). Boise's participation in the Chicago Climate Exchange and the EPA's Energy Star Program also highlights the company's commitment to sustainability. Boise facilities that manufacture pressure sensitive papers have achieved ISO 14001 compliance and are SFI Procurement Certified. Additionally, this portfolio of products will extend SFI and FSC chain of custody certification to customers. Chain of custody certification is achieved through tracking and documenting raw materials from the forest to the consumer, including all successive stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing, and distribution. | DETAILS.

HP to Acquire EDS 09/17/08
Hewlett-Packard said Tuesday it will acquire computer services firm EDS for $13.9 billion, in a deal intended to boost HP's services revenue. | MORE. What does the deal really mean? | DETAILS.

Two Georgia Package Printers Receive Green Certification 09/10/08
Folding carton manufacturer Printed Specialties Inc. received both FSC and SFI chain-of-custody certifications last week. "Overall demand for substrates from well-managed forests is increasing," said President Gregory Smith. "The certifications allow us to offer our customers environmentally responsible substrates from certified forests."

Graphic Packaging International Inc., a div. of Graphic Packaging Holding Company, received SFI chain-of-custody certification for all its converting facilities, which extends certification to its kraft mills. Graphic Packaging was formed earlier this year by Graphic Packaging Corp. and Altivity Packaging LLC. The company produces paperboard folding cartons, beverage packaging, multi-wall bags and specialty packages.

Xerox 3-D Software 09/10/08
Xerox has developed 3-D software to help printers view the entire layout of a piece before it goes to print. The new technology will speed document preparation and approval, the company says--a process that costs $6 for every $1 spent on a print job, according to InfoTrends. With Xerox's 3-D visualization software, users can see what prints will look like, complete with texture, gloss, folds and binding before any ink or toner is put to paper. Clients can watch as the program flips through a color flip book, or opens and folds their greeting card, demonstrating exactly what it will look like upon completion. The software allows users to produce new and interesting documents without having to learn the technology and vocabulary of the printing industry, the company said.

Wisco Announces New Designs and Discounts on 2008 Holiday Teller Helpers 09/10/08
Wisco Envelope, Tullahoma, Tenn., announced availability of its 2008 line of holiday teller helpers including seven new designs and a special program for early ordering at a 5% discount on orders placed by Oct. 1 and shipped by Dec. 1. Wisco also offers sales kits to distributors that are designed to be used as a leave-behind with financial institution customers. These generic tools feature illustrations of each of the 2008 holiday products and an order form that can be personalized. Distributors can receive up to 20 kits and product samples by contacting customer service at (800) 777-9677.

Print Industry Firms Make Inc. 5000 List 09/10/08
The Inc. magazine 5000 list is an extension of the company's 500 list, chronicling companies whose revenue has grown from 2004 to 2007. Companies must be U.S.-based, privately held and independent, with a minimum revenue of $200,000 in 2004 and a minimum revenue of $2 million in 2007. Three Proforma Inc. franchise owners were named to Inc. magazine's 2008 list of fastest-growing private companies: Proforma Solutions, Proforma Sunshine State and Proforma Albrecht & Co. The three companies had a combined revenue growth of nearly 250 percent.

PrintingForLess.com was also named to the list for the second time. "Over 40 percent of our new customers requesting full color printing services come from word of mouth referrals," said PFL Founder and CEO Andrew Field. "The Inc. 5000 recognition enforces our belief that you can exceed customer expectations while enjoying fast business growth."

Here is where you can find 23 other companies that have "print" in their names on the Inc. 5000 list.

Deluxe to Close Three Plants, Cut Workforce 09/10/08
Deluxe Corp. plans to close its Greensboro, N.C., and North Wales, Pa., manufacturing facilities, as well as its Thorofare, N.J., plant and call center next year. The company will also reduce its workforce by approximately 570 people by streamlining its business unit support and corporate shared services functions. The North Wales and Thorofare closures are expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2009; the Greensboro facility will close later in 2009. Deluxe reaffirmed its revenue outlook for 2008 with an estimated range of $367 million to $374 million for the third quarter and $1.515 billion to $1.535 billion for the full year.

Unisource Implements Fuel Surcharge, Effective Today 09/03/08
Paper and packaging distributor Unisource Worldwide Inc. announced last week that the company will institute a fuel surcharge. In a letter to customers, President of Sales Ken Winterhalter noted that "diesel fuel costs have reached a level for which Unisource can no longer compensate internally." The surcharge will apply per line item to all orders, capped at six lines. Orders received through the company's e-commerce platform will receive a flat surcharge with each order. Warehouse orders' surcharges will be based on the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel national average price, as reported by the Energy Information Administration. The charge will be recalculated the first Wednesday of each month. Based on the current average costs of $4.40 per gallon, Unisource would apply a fuel surcharge of $1.50 to each line item, with a maximum of $9 per order, the company said in an example. For each 10-cent increase or decrease in the ULSD price, the charge will increase or decreased by 10 cents per line item. E-commerce orders will receive a flat $2 per order surcharge.

GPO and FedEx Assist FEMA in Hurricane Gustav Response 09/03/08
In preparation for Hurricane Gustav, which struck the Gulf Coast region, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is relying on a collaboration with FedEx Office called GPOExpress. The program utilizes POD printing, available at FedEx Office Print and Ship centers. FEMA officials are placing print orders from their offices, and the fliers, brochures and forms are distributed to residents in the affected areas.

"Helping FEMA preparing for and responding to Hurricane Gustav is an example of why the relationship between GPO and FedEx Office was created," said Public Printer Robert Tapella.

Pantone Releases New Design/Production Tools 09/03/08
Pantone released three new software-based products aimed at assisting designers and printers produce accurate color results. Pantone GoeBridge helps designers accurately visualize how the more than 2,000 Pantone colors will reproduce in CMYK on coated paper. The portable fan guide comes with conversion formulas for CMYK, sRGB and HTML. Color Cue 2.1 is the latest version of Pantone's award-winning color identification device, and it now includes the Goe coated and uncoated libraries, as well as CMYK values from GoeBridge. ColorMunki Create automates color palette creation, searches for colors using key words, imports palettes into popular design applications and more. It includes a monitor calibrator to ensure colors are viewed accurately onscreen.

McCourt Label Wins Eco-Friendly Accreditation 09/03/08
McCourt Label was awarded ISO 140001 accreditation, which recognizes environmental management at a company. McCourt Label attained the accreditation after a series of audits by NSF at its Lewis Run facility. The site will be assessed annually to ensure continual development of the Environmental Management System currently in place. Bert Clark, McCourt's environmental management representative and operations manager, said, "All McCourt employees did a great job during the environmental audit. They performed flawlessly--no major findings, no minor findings, and no improvement opportunities." In one of the company's first major initiatives, McCourt reduced the exposure of solid waste on the environment by moving its dumpsters, and it reduced hazardous waste by implementing a program to reduce all SARA III-rated chemicals in the facility. McCourt also reduced electricity consumption from lighting the plant and offices by 20 percent. In the future, the company plans to further reduce energy use, increase recycling and improve employee environmental awareness.

Ricoh to Acquire Ikon 08/29/08
Japanese printer and fax maker Ricoh will purchase Ikon Office Solutions Inc. for about $1.6 billion. Ricoh will pay $17.25 per share for Ikon, an 11 percent premium to the company's closing price Tuesday. Ricoh's largest previous acquisition was the printer business of IBM, purchased last year for $725 million.

HP Completes $13.9 Billion Acquisition of EDS 08/29/08
HP completed the acquisition of Electronic Data Systems, valued at approximately $13.9 billion. The acquisition is, by value, the largest in the IT services sector and the second largest in the technology industry, following HP's Compaq acquisition in 2002. The companies' collective services businesses had annual revenues of more than $38 billion at the end of the last fiscal year and 210,000 employees, operating in more than 80 countries. HP's Technology Solutions Group will shift its outsourcing services operations to EDS, as well as portions of its consulting and integration activities.

Workflow Management and Enterprise Acquisition Announce $670 Million Merger 08/29/08
Workflow Management parent company WF Capital Holdings Inc. and Enterprise Acquisition Corp. signed a definitive merger agreement for $669 million. Workflow has also agreed to acquire additional unnamed businesses in the marketing services and promotional products industry, which may be completed prior to the closing of the Enterprise merger, anticipated at the end of the year.

Workflow's management will run the combined company after the merger. Its initial and largest shareholder, Perseus LLC, will stay invested in a significant part in the transaction. Consummation is conditioned on the approval of Enterprise stockholders.

SGP Open for Business 08/29/08
The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) today opened its application process for SGP Printers. Candidates can apply online at the "Become an SGP Printer" page of the SGP Partnership website, www.SGPpartnership.org. There are two application levels: Candidate Pending Verification (CPV) and SGP Printer. The registry will be listed alphabetically and will specify each SGP Printer's current sustainable and green efforts. The registry is designed to be used by print buyers and customers looking to use sustainable green printers.

Glatfelter Announces Its First FSC-Certified Carbonless Grade 08/29/08
Glatfelter will launch an FSC-certified digital carbonless line of products Monday, Sept. 8. Called Xcelerator PLUS Digital Carbonless, it also features Glatfelter's NatureSolv environmentally responsible carbonless capsule technology and will be available on all digital products, both rolls and sheets.

NewPage Corp. Offers Sustainability Report 08/22/08
NewPage Corp. released its 2007 Sustainable Development Report. The report includes information from the acquired operations of Stora Enso North America and sets the company’s green baseline. The report reveals that nearly half of all the energy consumed by NewPage last year was produced by burning biomass at its facility. Additionally, the company reused more than 80 percent of the manufacturing byproducts by burning them for energy, amending soil, mine restoration, landfill and road construction, raw materials for new products and landscaping. “Sustainability ahs always been important to our company, as our primary raw material is renewable and contributes to improving the environment when managed responsibly,” said Mark Suwyn, NewPage chairman and CEO. The report is available on the company’s website.

R.R. Donnelley Wins Green Certification for 15 U.S. Plants 08/22/08
R.R. Donnelley announced that an additional 15 of its U.S. printing facilities achieved Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) chain-of-custody certification and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) recognition. The certifications are awarded by a third-party auditor. The newly certified facilities include book printing, retail inserts, short run commercial printing, magazine, financial printing, catalog, directory and digital printing operations. The SFI standard includes fiber sourcing requirements that promote responsible forest management. The company adds these recognitions to 120 FSC certifications.

HP Reports Q3 Revenues Up 10 Percent 08/22/08
HP reported a 10 percent increase in net revenue during the third quarter of 2008, compared with the same period a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter, ended July 31, was $28 billion. “By accelerating our enterprise growth and executing well across the portfolio, HP delivered a strong third quarter performance,” said Mark Hurd, HP chairman and CEO.

Quebecor Reports Net Loss for Q2 of $78 million 08/22/08
Quebecor announced second quarter revenues of $976 million, compared with $1.1 billion for the same period last year. The quarter reflects a net loss of $77.7 million, compared to a net loss of $10.8 million for the second quarter of 2007. “We have made important progress in the last six months to preserve the long-term sustainable profitability of our company,” said Jacques Mallette, Quebecor CEO. During the period, the company divested some European properties and reorganized its U.S. customer offerings.

Vertis Reports Net Loss for Q2 of $41 million 08/22/08
Vertis Communications Inc. reported a revenue decline of 6.1 percent during the second quarter of 2008, compared with the same period last year. Net loss for the quarter was $40.9 million, compared with a $19.7 million net loss for the second quarter of 2007. “The primary drivers in the increased loss for the quarter are fees associated with the financial restructuring of the company ($12.5 million), increases in operational restructuring and the impacts of the declines in volume,” the company stated, pointing to losses in advertising inserts. Vertis is undergoing reorganization as the result of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month, part of a merger with American Color.

Kodak Prints On-Demand Olympic Security Pieces and Memorabilia 08/22/08
Spectators and staff in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics are in for a special print-industry feat--Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group produced more than a million high-security badges and credentials for athletes, officials, volunteers and sponsors in China. To access the Olympic venues, Kodak employees feed applications through the scanner (up to 80 forms per minute) and print the badges on demand with ML-500 or 9810 Digital Photo printers.

An on-site production center features a NexPress 2500 from the company, the official Imaging Sponsor of the games, which offers photobooks, postcards, newsletters and small poster-sized photo prints of key images from the games. The NexPress is also running an Olympic Picture of the Day poster.

Appleton Q2 Sales Increase 2.9 Percent 08/15/08
Appleton reported sales increased 2.9 percent to $249.8 million during the second quarter, compared with the same period last year. However, the company reported a $42.7 million net loss for the quarter, compared with a $1.7 million net loss for the second quarter last year, due to impairment charges reducing the carrying value of Bemrose Group Ltd. Appleton sold that company last week.

InnerWorkings Acquires Mikam Graphics, Revenue Up 57 Percent 08/15/08
InnerWorkings Inc. increased net revenue to $6.1 million during the second quarter of 2008, up from $3.8 million in the same period last year. Total revenue grew 57 percent compared with last year, up to $105.3 million from $67.3 million. Cash flow from operations was a record $9.3 million, a four-fold increase over the first quarter of 2008, the company said. Additionally, the company hired 25 account executives during the quarter, increasing the total to 253.

On Monday, the company acquired Mikam Graphics, a New York City-based print management firm specializing in catalog, magazine, direct mail and commercial printing. The company generated approximately $30 million in 2007 and has 17 employees.

Val-Pak for Sale 08/15/08
Cox Enterprises Inc. announced Wednesday it plans to sell Val-Pak, a direct mail advertising service, as well a several of the company's newspapers, to pay down debt. Goldman Sachs will market the sale of Val-Pak, and details will be released in September, the company said.

Pyramid Printing, Grand Junction, Colo., Closes 08/15/08
Pyramid Printing, located in the Grand Valley region, Colorado, plans to cease operations at the end of the month, the company announced Tuesday. Pyramid, a 25-year-old printing company, was up for sale until the buyer pulled out of the deal last week, according to co-owner Rick Taggart. Closing of the plant will eliminate about 35 jobs and leave 1,000 customers searching for a printer. Taggart indicated that competition in the printing industry, including non-local internet printers, was a key factor in the closing of the plant.

Neenah Paper Raises Prices on Technical Products 08/15/08
Neenah Paper announced a price increase for all U.S.-produced technical products, including papers used for heat transfer, coated abrasives, decorative components, cleanroom and labels. The price increase takes effect Sept. 1, and is in response to the rising cost of latex and other petrochemicals.

R.R. Donnelley Q2 Net Earnings Top $145 million 08/08/08
R.R. Donnelley reported second quarter net earnings of $145.1 million, compared to a net loss of $69.4 million for the same period last year. The company attributes last year's figure largely to impairment charges related to the write-off of Moore Wallace, Office Tiger and other business divisions. "We are pleased with our results in the context of challenging global economic conditions," said Thomas J. Quinlan III, R.R. Donnelley's president and CEO.

Appleton sells U.K. Security Printing Company 08/08/08
On Monday, Appleton sold Bemrose Group Ltd., in the U.K., to an affiliate of American Industrial Acquisition Corp., a U.S.-based private equity firm. Appleton acquired BemroseBooth, a wholly owned subsidiary, in Dec. 2003, but decided to sell the company as part of a strategic plan to focus on its core businesses. BemroseBooth produces security-printed vouchers and payment cards, mass transit and car parking tickets, variable data labeling, high-integrity mailing and printed calendars.

SanMar Offers Automatic Ordering Through DistributorCentral 08/08/08
SanMar Corp. enabled fully automated ordering for its entire apparel and accessories catalog through DistributorCentral, a free promotional products web portal. Users can search the company's entire catalog to find images, read product descriptions and view pricing. They can also place orders through the website, as well as create personalized end-user web portals.

Unigraphics USA Rebrands as Strategic Print Alliance 08/08/08
Unigraphics USA completed its brand transformation to Strategic Print Alliance, continuing its offering of nationwide wholesale printer capabilities. Alliance printers, which originally united in 2002, offer business documents, labels and commercial printing. The alliance, led by newly appointed President Bob Berardino, includes Apex Color in Fla., Bradley Graphic Solutions in Pa., The Flesh Company in St. Louis, PrintGraphics in Ohio, Superior Business Associates in Tenn., and Wright Business Graphics in Ore.

Consolidated Graphics' Q1 Revenues Up 10% 08/08/08
Consolidated Graphics reported first quarter revenues up 10 percent, to more than $285 million. Net income for the quarter, which ended June 30, was $9.6 million. Chairman and CEO Joe R. Davis said, "We believe that we are seeing the negative impact on our volume of business and selling prices caused by the current weakness in the U.S. economy," which has affected traditional printing. He attributes the uptick in volume to digital printing, which totaled approximately $30 million for the quarter. For the September quarter, Davis anticipates revenues of $290 million to $300 million. In a conference call on Wednesday, Davis said the company invested more than $20 million last year in digital presses, anticipating growth in short-run digital color.

Ward/Kraft Wins "Benny" 08/08/08
Ward/Kraft Inc. won a "Benny" award, the highest honor in the 2008 Premier Print Awards sponsored by PIA/GATF, in the Letterhead category. The competition attracted entries from 4,200 companies worldwide, each competing for top honors in creation and production excellence of print communications. Ward/Kraft will receive its award for the Stampa Caffe letterhead entry at Graph Expo in October.

VistaPrint Reports 57% Annual Revenue Growth 08/01/08
VistaPrint Ltd. this week announced financial results for Q4 and the full fiscal year ended June 30. Revenue for Q4 was $110.4 million, a 52 percent increase over the same quarter a year ago. Annual revenue was $400.7 million, a 57 percent increase over fiscal 2007. Other highlights:

Gross margin in Q4 was 60.6 percent, compared to 64.5 percent in the same quarter a year ago. The company said gross margins were adversely impacted by unfavorable currency movements, shifts in product mix and increased shipping costs resulting from fuel surcharges.
VistaPrint acquired 1.2 million new customers in Q4 and 4.5 million for the full year. Repeat customers generated approximately 65 percent of total quarterly bookings in Q4, compared with 63 percent in the same quarter a year ago.
Average daily order volume in Q4 exceeded 33,000, reflecting about a 50 percent increase over the same quarter a year ago.
Non-U.S. markets contributed 39 percent of total revenue in Q4, up from 32 percent in the same quarter a year ago.
Average order value in Q4, including revenue from shipping and processing was $34, a 5 percent increase compared to the same quarter a year ago.

Deluxe Acquires PartnerUp 08/01/08
Deluxe Corp. announced this week it has acquired PartnerUp, an online networking community for small businesses and entrepreneurs. PartnerUp was launched in mid-2007 and has several thousand members who share information about entrepreneurship.
Deluxe will promote the value of PartnerUp membership to its small business customers, and the PartnerUp community will have access to products and services from Deluxe and other brands. Earlier this year, Deluxe acquired Hostopia, a provider of web services that enables small businesses to establish and maintain an internet presence, and Logo Mojo, a Canadian-based online logo design company.

NewPage Closes Wisconsin Facility 08/01/08
NewPage Corp., Miamisburg, Ohio, announced this week it will close its Kimberly, Wisconsin, mill at the end of August. The Kimberly mill currently operates two paper machines which produce approximately 500,000 tons annually of coated freesheet. "The coated paper market is being hit with a slowdown in demand as the uncertain economy is reflected in a reduction in print advertising. At the same time, we are experiencing higher input costs for raw materials and transportation driven by oil and natural gas prices," said NewPage chairman and CEO Mark A. Suwyn. Approximately 475 employees will be affected by the shutdown of Kimberly. This is in addition to the 125 employees affected by the shutdown of a Kimberly paper machine last May.

15 RR Donnelley Plants Certified 08/01/08
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. announced this week an additional 15 of its printing facilities have achieved Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) chain of custody certifications. The newly certified facilities include book, retail inserts, shorter run commercial printing, magazine, financial printing, catalog, directory, and digital printing operations. These facilities also earned Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification recognition.

Business Stationery Announces Straw Poll, Promo Winners 08/01/08
Business Stationery, Cleveland, announced the winners of its "Vote and Win" promotion at the ASI Chicago show last week. The company held a presidential straw poll; more than 600 show attendees voted. Every hour, Business Stationery randomly selected a distributor to win 1,000 business cards. Winner of the $250 grand prize was Lon Johnson of Workflowone, Itasca, Ill. Here are results of the straw poll:

John McCain (R-AZ)	43%
Barack Obama (D-IL)	36%
Undecided	21%

Continental Datalabel Offers Recycled, Recyclable Labels 08/01/08
Continental Datalabel, Elgin, Ill., now offers labels featuring face sheet made of 100% post-consumer fiber and a repulpable adhesive. They are made from recycled material and can be recycled, the company says. They are safe and effective in inkjet and laser printers and in copiers. Each label has the recycled logo printed on it. The labels are available in six sizes: 2-5/8" x 1", 4" x 1", 4" x 2", 4" x 3-1/3", 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"" and 8-1/2" x 5-1/2". Call (800) 947-8000 for details.

XMPie Teams with Gimbel 08/01/08
XMPie announced a strategic partnership with Gimbel & Associates, an international digital print and marketing communications consulting firm, under which XMPie's customers can get individual guidance from Gimbel consultants to develop and sell variable-data print and cross-media marketing communication programs.

Distributor Blogs His Own Marketing Efforts 07/25/08
Robert Crabtree, owner of Intelitree in Wellington, Ohio, is telling the world how he does business. "I was jotting down some plans for the next quarter when one of those thought bubbles sort of popped up over my head," Crabtree said. "I thought, 'Why don't I share my marketing strategies with my fellow distributors?'" Crabtree asked some fellow PSDA members what they thought of the idea and "was surprised by the high level of interest." Crabtree is posting on the internet his marketing efforts for July through August, including downloadable documents and marketing materials. "My plan is to blog about everything from my cold calls, to the price and ROI of a specific campaign," he said. Crabtree's blog can be accessed by registering at this link. Or, call him at (866) 364-2503.

InfoUSA Founder Investigated 07/25/08
Database provider InfoGROUP Inc., formerly InfoUSA, has removed founder Vin Gupta as chairman, citing questionable corporate expenditures and expense reimbursements following an internal investigation. A Securities and Exchange Commission investigation is ongoing. The company said Gupta, who will remain as CEO, has agreed to pay InfoGROUP $9 million over several years. Some of the questionable expenses allegedly went to former President Bill Clinton and his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. | MORE

Standard Register Up in '08 07/25/08
Standard Register reported net income for the second quarter of $1.4 million, compared to a net loss of $4.6 million in last year's Q2. Through six months, net income was $3.9 million compared to a net loss of $5.5 million in the prior year. Revenue in the current quarter was $198.8 million, compared to $211.2 million in the same quarter of 2007. On a year-to-date basis, revenue was $406.0 million versus $438.6 million in the prior year. "Our revenue definitely reflects the effects of softening business activity among many of our customers during the first two quarters of this year," said Dennis Rediker, president and chief executive officer.

"Notwithstanding the lower revenue, cost improvement gains achieved in the last half of 2007 carried forward to produce the quarter and six month earnings increases," added Rediker. The second quarter gross margin was 34 percent of revenue, compared to 31.8 percent a year earlier. | MORE

Daimler Trucks Awards SR 07/25/08
Standard Register has been recognized by Daimler Trucks North America as a Master of Quality supplier for 2007. SR is a six-time recipient of the award. Daimler recognized only 43 of its 3,000 North American manufacturers that provide components for its Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star truck brands. SR supplies Daimler's Freightliner brand with tamper-resistant decals, product identification labels, compliance consulting and design expertise, as well as supply chain management through the company's Label Management Inventory System™ (LMIS)

GFS Online Ordering Integrated with e-Quantum 07/25/08
General Financial Supply, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ennis Inc., now offers "punch-out access" to GFS' MicrLink online ordering system through e-Quantum's software for managing distributorships. MicrLink is a proprietary technology developed by GFS in 1995 to meet the needs of distributors serving the banking industry. MicrLink connects users with an extensive database of branch-specific bank information allowing them to create, track and manage MICR document orders. For more information contact GFS at (800) 759-4374.

Esquire's October Cover Will Be Electronic Paper 07/25/08
The 75th anniversary cover of Esquire magazine will feature electronic paper from E Ink. The special covers will not be mailed to regular subscribers; 100,000 copies will be available on newsstands for $6 each to help offset costs, along with fees from Ford, which will advertise on the inside cover and use E Ink technology in its ad. | MORE

Upgrades at The Flesh Company 07/25/08
The Flesh Company, Parsons, Kan., announced several new developments:

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Chain of Custody certification and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) Chain of Custody certification.
It now has 2D barcode technology, which is rapidly expanding in the health care, direct mail and other industries.
It has added 50" jumbo roll capability. Features include maximum roll width of 19" and maximum diameter of 50" with 3-, 5- or 6-inch cores, lengths 2 to 24 inches, UV and up to 6 colors, a variety of perfs or dies and file hole punching.

For more information, call (800) 835-0098.

In Memoriam 07/18/08
Daniel Nemcek, 22, son of Gary Nemcek, president and co-founder of Four51, died July 7 near Bozeman, Mont., of a head injury sustained in a mountain biking accident. Surviving leukemia as a teen, Nemcek went on to study at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., where he played lacrosse while earning a degree in economics. In lieu of flowers, the family requests expressions of sympathy be in the form of donations to the Minneapolis Children's Hospital, c/o Daniel Nemcek, Oncology Unit, 2910 Center Pointe Drive, Roseville, MN 55113.

New Equipment at NJBF 07/18/08
New Jersey Business Forms, Englewood, N.J., completed a three-year, $5 million pressroom and bindery modernization project, which includes a second new 16-color UV web press with 50" rewind and half-web size sheeting capability. Bindery enhancements include two MBO folding lines with inline Palamides paper bundlers.

Vertis Files Ch. 11 07/18/08
The Baltimore Sun reported that Vertis Inc., a Baltimore advertising and direct-marketing services provider, filed for bankruptcy protection to ease a merger with American Color Graphics Inc., the third-largest insert printer in North America. The move was expected. Vertis had announced recently that it had secured financing commitments to fund a prepackaged bankruptcy in order to reduce combined debt. | MORE

KaeL Direct Partners with Convergence Direct Marketing 07/11/08
Convergence Direct Marketing, Bethesda, Md., has made a strategic financial investment in direct mail production and solutions provider KaeL Direct, Alexandria, Va. The deal came in response to customer needs for more comprehensive product and service offerings. Convergence has experience in developing and managing large, national and international non-profit marketing and fundraising campaigns. KaeL, a PSDA member, has more than 30 years experience providing production solutions for enterprises of all kinds.

Flint Group Raises Ink Prices 07/11/08
Citing "unprecedented increases in all of our raw materials," Flint Group North America announced price increases and surcharges on all packaging and commercial inks sold in North America, effective July 21.The increases ranged from 4 to 7 percent; surcharges ranged from 6 to 10 cents per pound. "These increases are directly and indirectly related to crude oil increases as well as large swings in the manufacturing capacity of some of the primary raw material manufacturers," the company said.

Ward/Kraft Expands Security Options on Long Run Labels 07/11/08
Ward/Kraft Inc. announced this week more long run security label options, including fraud deterrent technologies for face stock printing as well as embedded deterrent substrate solutions. Face stock printing options include chemical sensitivity coatings, five copy-resistant stains, embedded security fibers, toner adhesion coatings and custom watermarking. Embedded solutions include structured magnetic threads embedded into paper label substrates as the label paper is made, security threads made from polyester, metalized film, de-metalized film, magnetic and fiber optic materials. Another embedded option integrates an invisible mark into the paper which appears when the label is scanned with a special pen. Also available are machine-readable taggants that allow equipment such as printers to communicate with a host device to suspend printing until the label taggant is recognized and accepted.

Printable Releases FusionPro 2.6 07/11/08
Printable Technologies Inc., a provider of web to print and personalized marketing software, released FusionPro Links 2.6, incorporating a variety of features to better deliver a campaign-centric workflow. This vendor-hosted platform is ideal for marketers who want to quickly and easily reach their target markets with individualized communications, while collecting detailed response data to understand and respond to their customers' needs. Users can create a customized online response experience with personalized URLs and microsites for variable data publishing (VDP) marketing campaigns, and manage these campaigns with a comprehensive suite of tracking and reporting features.

VersaSeal Announces 2008 Tax Forms 07/03/08
VersaSeal tax forms are now available for the 2008 tax year. VersaSeal, a patented pressure seal solution available to distributors and resellers, offers a wide variety of W-2 and 1099 formats. A special discount is available for customers who place orders before September 12. VersaSeal also offers a Rent-To-Own equipment program for customers who use pressure seal only during the busy tax season. For samples and pricing call (866) FORXCEL (866-367-9235.) VersaSeal, is part of the Custom Resale Group of PrintXcel, Discount Labels, Dealer Label, Wisco Envelope, Lancer Label, Printegra and National Imprint Corp.

GPA Announces Partnership With HP Indigo 07/03/08
GPA, a leader in providing substrate solutions for HP Indigo digital presses, has been named a Preferred Partner of HP Indigo. This partnership establishes a mutual commitment between HP Indigo and GPA to help owners of HP Indigo technology achieve a competitive advantage and profitable growth in digital printing. As an HP Indigo Preferred Partner, GPA will make its line of Ultra Digital substrates immediately available to new and existing HP Indigo customers. GPA is a Platinum Sponsor of the Digital Solutions Cooperative (Dscoop).

Pitney Bowes Among Top 50 Global Outsourcers 07/03/08
Pitney Bowes Management Services Inc. (PBMS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Pitney Bowes Inc. has announced it has been named to The Black Book of Outsourcing's 2008 "50 Best Managed Global Outsourcing Vendors" list. PBMS placed in the highest ten percent of all firms judged in each survey area: C-Level Commitment, Human Capital Performance, Corporate Direction and Leadership Impact. Rankings are based strictly on responses from client surveys. For eight weeks each Spring, Brown-Wilson Group, authors of The Black Book of Outsourcing, surveys outsourcing users and C-level officers to gain a buy-side decision maker perspective on the global services industry. After a stringent external auditing process, the client experience responses of nearly 24,000 buyer executives determined the 2008 Black Book of Outsourcing rankings.

Central Ink Corp. Raises Prices 07/03/08
Central Ink Corp., West Chicago, Ill., announced price increases effective July 1 as follows: an extra $0.12 /lb on all non-heat black inks, an 8 percent increase on all non-heat colors and a 6 percent increase on all heatset inks. "With crude oil prices reaching levels 40% higher than last year, the cost of raw materials has been escalating at a record pace. Today's crude oil prices are more than double what they were one year ago," said Bradley J. Dahleen, V.P. of sales and marketing. "This proves problematic for ink manufacturers because the majority of ink products are derived from crude oil and news ink, itself, consists of 50-70% crude oil."

Teraco Acquires Innovative Plastics Printing 07/03/08
Teraco Inc., Midland, Texas, has announced the acquisition of Innovative Plastic Printing Inc., a Roselle, Ill.,-based plastic manufacturer and supplier of printed plastic products and personalization for over two decades. "Combining our strengths and capabilities gives us numerous advantages in the marketplace for printed plastic cards, card personalization and card packaging," said Teraco President and CEO, Ray McDowell.

NewPage Gets FSC Certification at Stevens Point 07/03/08
NewPage Corp., Miamisburg, Ohio, announced that its Stevens Point, Wisc., mill received chain-of-custody certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC is an international, nonprofit organization that develops standards for responsible forest management, and accredits independent third-party organizations to certify forest managers and forest product producers to these standards. This FSC certification signifies that the Stevens Point mill has in place a tracking system to control and verify certain levels of FSC-certified fiber and that the mill obtains at least 10% of FSC-certified fiber from FSC chain-of-custody sources. By achieving certification to this standard, the Stevens Point mill, which produces specialized labeling and packaging papers, is able to supply FSC-labeled products to its customers.

Green Energy Fund is Nearly Out of Steam 06/27/08
A California fund that has been helping the state's largest utilities buy renewable energy at above-market rates may soon run out, reported the San Francisco Business Journal. State mandates established in 2002 require that 20 percent of California's power comes from renewable sources by 2010. Over the past eight years, the fund has given $770 million to the state's three largest investor-owned utilities. The faltering funding may help these utilities get out of the 2010 mandates. The California Public Utilities Commission estimates the money will run out in the next 12 to 18 months.

Ennis Reports Flat Q1 Earnings 06/27/08
Ennis, reported earnings for the quarter ended May 31 increased 0.9 percent, a change from $10.8 million in the second quarter 2007 to $10.9 million this year. Print sales for the quarter increased 0.2 percent, and apparel sales increased 15.2 percent. "While we do feel the print segment's top line is somewhat impacted by the general economic climate," said Ennis CEO Keith Walters, "they are continuing to benefit from the cost control initiatives started last fiscal year." | MORE

Amazon Opens Office Supply Division 06/27/08
Amazon.com announced Tuesday a new store offering more than 500,000 small office, classroom and corporate consumables. The store, amazon.com/officesupplies, will carry products from Avery, Hammermill, Papermate, Midland Paper and many others. In addition to forms, envelopes, mailers, shipping supplies, calendars, presentation supplies, ink and toner, the store offers customer reviews, discussion boards and image uploading. The company plans to open a 500,000-sq.ft. fulfillment center in Goodyear, Ariz. in the third quarter.

HP Cuts Business Units, Jobs 06/27/08
HP will cut the group's five business units to three, likely cutting jobs in its division that makes ink cartridges and computer printers, the AP reported. The division earned $2.38 billion in the first six months of this fiscal year, but operating profit grew only 6 percent, the American Business Daily reported. Changes are expected to go into effect Aug. 1.

UPS Drops Q2 Earnings Expectations 06/27/08
United Parcel Service Inc. lowered its earnings expectations for the second quarter, citing slow economic growth and increased fuel costs. The company said it expects earnings per diluted share to range from 83 to 88 cents per share, compared with the previous expectation of 97 cents to $1.04 per share. In April, the company posted a profit of $906 million and earnings of 87 cents per share.

Quick Printers' Association Study Shows Sales are Up, but Profit is Down 06/27/08
The National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP) released the 2008-2009 Operating Ratio Study, revealing that the industry has grown in sales volume, but payroll costs have risen and profitability is down. Ninety-three percent of survey respondents were single-shop operations, and sales for all companies rose an average of 9.5 percent in the past two years. About 45 percent of all companies had at least one outside sales rep, an increase of 10 percent from 2005.

Mohawk Joins EPA Climate Leaders Program 06/27/08
Mohawk Fine Papers joined the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Leaders Program, completing EPA base year reporting requirements. The company pledged to reduce its corporate-wide greenhouse gas emissions in Feb. 2007, and must submit an annual report of its emissions to the EPA and pass a site evaluation each year. The company just completed its first year of data inventory.

R.R. Donnelley's M&A Strategy is Strong, Analysts Aay 06/27/08
R.R. Donnelley may be in a stronger financial position than many realize, according to a June 21 BusinessWeek story. The company gained market share during the past year, and its acquisitions strategy has maintained its status as the nation's largest printer since 2004. "With a net debt-to-capital ratio of 47 percent, Donnelley may be underleveraged, which means it could make more acquisitions, such as pieces of Quebecor, should they become available," the story stated. | MORE

Overnight Shipping Declines 06/20/08
The Los Angeles Times reported a decline in overnight shipments thanks to a slowing economy and rising fuel prices. Meanwhile, FedEx reported its first quarterly loss in 11 years. The quarter's results included an $891 million charge related to the company's decision to change its name from FedEx Kinko's to FedEx Office. More about the name change can be found in this June 9 BusinessWeek story.

Medical Records: Paper or Electronic? 06/20/08
The New York Times reported that most doctors stick with paper records because the cost of converting a small office to electronic patient records is about $20,000 per doctor. The federal government is creating financial incentives for doctors who convert paper records to electronic. | MORE

Deluxe to Acquire Web Hosting Firm 06/20/08
Deluxe Corp. and Hostopia.com Inc. announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Deluxe to acquire Hostopia, a provider of web services that enable small and medium-sized businesses to establish and maintain an Internet presence. Deluxe will acquire Hostopia in an all-cash transaction that values Hostopia at approximately Cdn$124 million. "We are very excited with the prospect of providing Hostopia's industry-leading, private-label web services to our small business customers and collectively growing our product and service offerings as we move forward together," said Lee Schram, Deluxe CEO, in a news release.

ASB Names New Vendor Relations Director 06/20/08
American Solutions for Business (ASB) has named Justin Zavadil, the 28-year-old son of Larry and Diane Zavadil, the founders of the company, as director of vendor relations. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Justin has been working in commercial and real estate development for the past four years. Prior to that, he was an ASB sales associate in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Ennis Annual Report 06/20/08
Ennis Inc. has printed its 2008 annual report on 100 percent recycled, FSC-certified paper. Printing was done by Ennis subsidiary Admore, which recently was certified by FSC and SFI. The four-color cover of the report features a die cut and embossing.

Corporate Express Selects Four51 for Online Ordering 06/20/08
Corporate Express Document & Print Management (CEDPM), announced an enterprise license agreement with Four51 Inc. for its online business-to-business catalog technology that connects buyers, distributors and suppliers. Four51's e-commerce platform will help Corporate Express "bring products to market faster and consolidate disparate online ordering systems, while continuing to provide interoperability with ERP and spend-management solutions, such as SAP and Ariba, used by Corporate Express' customers," the company said.

"We're excited to leverage Four51's online business-to-business catalog technology," said Michael Bailey, vice president of Information Services in a news release. "Our new strategic partnership will enable us to continue streamlining and optimizing our internal systems and processes, while at the same time providing a state-of-the-art e-commerce front end to our customers."

With 1,000 employees, seven manufacturing plants and 50 sales offices nationwide, Corporate Express Document & Print Management provides print management, and business form, label, direct mail and fulfillment solutions. The parent company, Corporate Express, generated 2007 sales of EUR 5.6 billion, has nearly 18,000 employees and operations in 21 countries. It recently agreed to be bought by Staples.

Ward/Kraft Offers New Membership Card Program 06/13/08
Ward/Kraft Inc. has launched a new stock and imprinted membership card program with new pricing and delivery benefits. Distributors no longer have to meet long run minimums with the RealCard program, which is designed to help distributors penetrate the desktop printed integrated product market. The program features low minimum quantities--250 for inkjet and 1,000 for laser--and fast turnaround on blank or imprinted plastic membership cards. Stock products ship within 24 hours and cards imprinted in 4-color process ship within seven days of proof approval.

Staples To Buy Corporate Express 06/13/08
Staples this week announced it has reached an agreement with Corporate Express under which Corporate Express recommends the all-cash offer by Staples for Corporate Express, a deal worth $4.8 billion, including the cost of stock and debt assumption. The combined companies will be major force in office supplies and printing in North America, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Admore Earns FSC Certification 06/06/08
Admore, an Ennis Inc. company, is the first Ennis facility to receive the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody Certification. Admore's Macomb, Mich., facility received certification Feb. 28. FSC is an international organization that brings people together to find solutions which promote responsible stewardship of the world's forests. The certification gives Admore the ability to place and print the FSC logo on projects that meet the strict standards of FSC criteria. The mission of the FSC is to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. The FSC gives the assurance that forest management does not put the forest's natural heritage at risk and management activities efforts are appropriate.

Consolidated Buys 36 Indigos 06/06/08
HP announced this week it has signed a multimillion dollar agreement with commercial printer Consolidated Graphics for the installation of 36 HP Indigo digital presses, including multiple HP Indigo 7000s, at facilities in the U.S. and the Czech Republic.

Name Change: FedEx Office 06/06/08
FedEx Corp. this week announced it will change the name of FedEx Kinko's to FedEx Office and take a charge of $891 million in Q4 for "one-time, non-cash impairment charges associated with the decision about the use of the Kinko's trade name and goodwill resulting from the Kinko's acquisition...The goodwill impairment charge reflects a decline in the current fair value of the FedEx Office unit in light of current economic conditions, the unit's recent and forecasted performance and the decision to reduce the rate of store expansion."

Staples Ups the Ante 06/06/08
Staples Inc. announced Tuesday it has increased its offer to buy Corporate Express for $14.23 per share, a 26 percent increase from Staples' original offer of $11.27 per share on Feb. 19. The two companies reportedly are negotiating. More

Advanced Labeling Systems Acquired 06/06/08
Advanced Labeling Systems Inc., a Denver-based label and tag manufacturer, has been acquired by the investor group that owns General Credit Forms Inc., Golden Business Forms Inc., South Seas Data and McCormick Paper Co. Inc. The assets of Advanced Labeling Systems, Inc. were purchased by the investors and are now entirely owned by Advanced Labeling Systems LLC. All of the companies held by this investor group are involved with manufacturing, warehousing and distributing products and services for the point-of-sale bankcard payment industry and the money transfer industry.

New Clear Label from Continental 06/06/08
Continental Datalabel, Elgin, Ill., introduced a new clear label for both inkjet and laser printers. Produced under the Compulabel brand name, the new item replaces the company's previous clear label which was for laser only. A change in materials makes the label suitable for both printer types. Available in five sizes, including 2-5/6" x 1," 2-5/8" x 1," 4-1/4" x 1-1/3," 4-1/4" x 2" and 8-1/2" x 11, they can be customized and die-cut to any configuration. Call (800) 947-800 for samples.

Victor Printing Wins Award 06/06/08
Victor Printing Inc., Sharon, Pa., won the 2007 Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce Phoenix Award for innovation. Last year Victor installed a Komori LS 29 offset press and an HP Indigo 5500, becoming one of the first commercial printers in the area to install this innovative digital press.

Schreiner MediPharm Opens U.S. Plant 06/06/08
Schreiner MediPharm, a Germany-based global provider of pharmaceutical labeling solutions, recently opened its first U.S. production facility 30 miles from New York City in Blauvelt, N.Y. The 50,000-square-foot facility features a variety of screen and flexo printing technologies and will be ISO-certified to meet today's most demanding labeling challenges, the company said. The product line includes specialty peel-off labels, combination hanger labels, brand protection and RFID solutions, expanded content labels and functional syringe labels. Details: (845) 848-9000.

Kodak Helps Cork Wine Counterfeiting 05/30/08
Expensive Canadian ice wine is increasingly being exploited by counterfeiters. Kodak, with packaging provider Stanpac, has demonstrated the KODAK TRACELESS System for Anticounterfeiting using a silk screen method.

"The wine industry in Ontario offers world renowned ice wine," said Murray Bain, Vice President, Marketing, Stanpac, Inc. "Unfortunately, some are taking advantage of the brand by passing off inferior products as Canadian or counterfeiting well known premium labels." Ice wines are produced in extreme conditions using grapes still frozen on the vine. In places like China, where counterfeiting is widespread, sales of Canadian ice wine have dropped 60 percent due partly to counterfeiting. Counterfeiting also extends to the manufacturing process, where fake "Canadian ice wine bottles" are becoming increasingly available on the Internet.

Since 2007, Kodak has worked with several premium vintners using the TRACELESS System to develop authentication and protection solutions. Its forensically invisible markers are embedded during the manufacturing or printing process, allowing the winery to protect the authenticity of its high value product.

Ward/Kraft Installs New Integrated Card/label Equipment 05/30/08
Ward/Kraft Inc. this week announced lower costs and faster delivery times on medium- to large-run blank integrated cards and labels, thanks to new equipment installed at the Kansas Forms Division. The integrated offering includes blank label and card options available in cut sheet, unit set and continuous formats, produced on 11", 14", and 17" equipment

MeadWestvaco to Close Pa., Packaging Plant 05/30/08
MeadWestvaco has announced it will close its MWV Packaging plant in Warrington, Pa., to streamline costs and efficiencies. The facility produces visual and paperboard packaging for the personal and beauty care industry. The closure of the Warrington plant, expected by late summer, will impact 145 employees.

InnerWorkings Acquires etrinsic 05/30/08
InnerWorkings Inc. announced it has acquired United Kingdom-based etrinsic, a leading print management and marketing services firm among the 20 largest print management companies in the UK with a generated revenue of approximately $44 million in 2007. extrinsic was founded 36 years ago by Colin Davies, a longtime member of PSDA, who sold the firm to his management team in 2005 and retired in 2006.

Kodak NEXPRESS Approved and Licensed by Pantone 05/30/08
Pantone has licensed all Kodak NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses as approved for the Pantone Matching System and the new Pantone GOE System, confirming that they are capable of achieving approved Pantone Colors. The color range is larger than ever, with Pantone's introduction in late 2007 of the new PANTONE GOE System, which adds more than 2,000 unique colors to the just less than 1,200 in the Pantone Matching System. Pantone's approval applies to these NEXPRESS models: S3000, S2500, S2100, 2500, 2100 Plus and 2100.

Class Action Suit: Amazon Restrains Trade 05/23/08
BookLocker.com has filed a class action lawsuit against Amazon in response to Amazon's recent attempts to force all publishers using Print on Demand (POD) technology to pay Amazon to print their books. Read the complaint here.

Electronic Medical Record Use Growing 05/23/08
Quest Diagnostics labs and Long's Drug Stores, Hawaii's largest drug store chain, are among those who have joined with Google to launch a new service that will enable customers to import prescription and other medical information, share it with doctors and streamline the dispensing of their prescriptions. The service, called Google Health, links customers with doctors and health care providers through the use of electronic medical records. Details

GPA Announces New Catalog 05/23/08
GPA, Chicago, has released its new Ultra Digital catalog of substrates for HP Indigo digital presses. Selections include coated and uncoated papers, specialty fine papers, pressure sensitive papers and films, non-adhesive films, FSC certified eco-friendly substrates, pre-converted direct mail substrates and more. More information.

Ward/Kraft Wins Awards 05/23/08
The Printing & Imaging Association of MidAmerica has announced that Ward/Kraft Inc., Fort Scott, Kan., won several awards in its 19th Annual Graphic Excellence Awards Competition, which attracted nearly 800 entries from commercial printers in Kansas, Oklahoma, Western Missouri and Texas. Ward/Kraft won a Best of Category Award, an Award of Excellence and 31 Awards of Merit.

EMA Connects with Four51 05/23/08
EMA-Specialty Envelopes & More now offers the Connect Four51 e-commerce program, which creates efficiencies in the print, envelope and business card supply chains. The Connect Four51 order process drives all purchase orders to suppliers through an integrated channel, significantly reducing labor costs and virtually eliminating errors, EMA said. Details

Promotions at Miami Systems 05/23/08
Miami Systems Corporation, a Cincinnati based producer of LaserSelect rolls, cut sheets and other products, has announced the promotion of Rich Campbell, currently EVP, to president. Sam Peters, founder and current president, will assume the role of chairman. Rick Martin, current vice president, has been promoted to COO.

Ennis-Wolfe City Adds Magnetic Capabilities 05/23/08
Ennis' Wolfe City, Texas plant now can print on Magnecote magnetic paper that
can be perforated, die-cut, laminated and can bend, tear, fold and roll. Lighter than traditional magnets, Magnecote can save on direct mail and shipping costs, and can be used virtually every way paper can be used, the company said.

FTC Updates CAN-SPAM Regulations 05/16/08
The Federal Trade Commission this week updated CAN-SPAM Act regulations in a move that will make it easier for email recipients to opt out of unwanted emails. The new regulations also more clearly define what's expected of marketers. Full story

Attention PSDA Exhibitors and Advertisers 05/16/08
Please be aware of a scam believed to be operating out of Mexico targeting exhibitors at large trade shows in the U.S., including PSDA's Print Solutions Conference & Expo. Using a website, email and snail mail, the scammers offer "free" advertising in a show directory, but then the exhibitors are billed for thousands of dollars in advertising. When the invoices are ignored, the scammers use harassing phone calls, threats to credit ratings and more. Be advised there is ONLY ONE OFFICIAL SHOW GUIDE for PSDA's Conference & Expo in Baltimore and it is published by Print Solutions Magazine. Make sure you see PSDA's name, address and phone number on any solicitation or other communication you receive about PSDA's Print Solutions Conference & Expo.

New Synthetic Label From Badger 05/16/08
Badger Tag & Label Corporation announced a new synthetic label that withstands the elements, allows thermal and other printing, has a very aggressive adhesive and is for "companies looking to reduce costs." The label stock is a 3 mil., high-density polyethylene that has excellent thermal (direct or transfer) printability for customization at the end-use facility. The label can also be printed using laser, inkjet, or dot-matrix methods; stamped or handwritten. By adding a clear mylar overlay, information the end-user prints can be permanently encased and protected. The label can be applied to stainless steel, high density polyethylene, corrugated, wood, and powder coated surfaces. Because of the quick tack and its overall flexibility, it adheres to textured surfaces and can mold to the shape of an item; including something as small as a pen. The stock is waterproof, chemical- and tear-resistant, UV stabilized so fading is eliminated, can be folded without cracking, puncture-resistant, and withstands temperature extremes from 140° F to -20° F.

Four51 Attains Security Certification 05/16/08
E-commerce software provider Four51 announced it has been certified as a Level 1 Payment Card Industry compliant service provider. The PCI Data Security Standard is managed by the Cardholder Information Security Program, which was developed to protect credit card data across all points of a transaction, ensuring that cardholders, merchants and service providers maintain the highest information security standards. Four51 e-commerce software connects buyers, distributors and suppliers of goods such as printed materials, promotional products and office supplies. PCI compliant credit card processing service providers are required to adhere to a standard set of 12 security practices, including maintaining firewalls to protect data; encrypting transmissions of cardholder data and other sensitive information; assigning a unique ID to each person with computer access, and tracking and monitoring all access to network resources.

Poly-Pak Unveils Green Packaging Program 05/16/08
Poly-Pak Industries, a manufacturer of plastic packaging, has a new environmental packaging program designed to help retailers become more environmentally responsible. The "It's Easy Being Green" program includes a selection of environmentally responsible bags as well as the "Bring It Back" recycling system, inspired by the Progressive Bag Affiliates. Poly-Pak's program offers non-food retailers such as large department stores and independent retailers outside the grocery industry a selection of bag options and the "Bring It Back" recycling kit. Each kit includes a large or small collection bin, attractive signage and recyclable pouches to send collected bags back to Poly-Pak's recycling center. Collected bags will be recycled into composite decking, plastic fencing and trash bags. "Bring It Back" kits are available nationwide. The cost of recycling the collected waste is paid for by Poly-Pak. Call (800) 969-1995 for details.

New Postal Prices Coming May 12 05/09/08
On May 12 the Postal Service will adjust prices for its services. While the most visible change is the 1-cent increase for First-Class letters, the changes are broader and include prices that could save you money when shipping some packages: Full Story.

InnerWorkings Announces Q1 Results, $50 Million Share Repurchase 05/09/08
For the three months ended March 31, revenue grew 48 percent versus the first quarter of 2007 to $87.2 million; operating income rose 53 percent to $5.8 million; net income increased 45 percent to $3.9 million, up from $2.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. The company increased its sales force through the addition of 15 new account executives during the quarter, increasing the total to 232. InnerWorkings Inc. also announced this week a $50 million share repurchase program and an increase in its liquidity position resulting from the expansion of its revolving credit facility and the sale of a portion of its equity investment in Echo Global Logistics, Inc. The company has a new $75 million three-year revolving credit facility and has sold 25 percent of its holdings in Echo Global Logistics, Inc. for $5 million in cash. The company also announced that COO Eric D. Belcher has been promoted to president. He joined the firm in 2005 as EVP of operations. He had been COO and CFO of MAN Roland.

Cenveo Announces Q1 Results 05/09/08
Cenveo Inc. this week announced results for the quarter March 29. Sales increased 29% to $534.3 million from $414.7 million in 2007, primarily due to acquisitions. The company reported a net loss of $3.4 million, compared to net income of $18.1 million, in the first quarter of 2007.

Donnelley Reports Q1 Results 05/09/08
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. reported first quarter net earnings of $182 million on net sales of $3 billion compared to net earnings of $138.9 million on net sales of $2.8 billion in the first quarter of 2007.

Datatel FSC Certified 05/09/08
Datatel Resources Corporation, a Monaca, Pa., manufacturer of 50"jumbo rolls, laser cut sheets, long run custom forms and high color print with UV, has attained Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain-of-custody certification. The company now has two certifications, having earned SFI certification earlier in the year. FSC is a global organization that promotes well managed forests by ensuring forestry practices are environmentally responsible, socially equitable and economically viable.

Berman Printing Merges with TouchPoint 05/09/08
M&A specialist The Open Approach, Westmont, Ill., announced it has secured a deal for client Berman Printing to become part of TouchPoint Print Solutions--a group that aggregates the resources of select graphic arts providers. Founded in 1935, Berman Printing is one of the first commercial printers in Cincinnati. Berman joins other TouchPoint Print Solutions companies, CoakleyTech and NSO Press, suppliers to a range of Fortune 100 companies and global brands. Berman is one of the few printers nationwide with a 10-color perfecting press.

Creative Automation Announces Reforestation Program 05/02/08
Creative Automation, a leader in direct mail printing and database management services, announced a reforestation program during the month of June. The company is partnering with American Forests for the program, which will apply to all orders placed during the month of June with the Graphics Printing Division at Creative Automation. For every $5,000 print production order, Creative Automation will plant 25 trees through American Forests in the name of that customer. There is no limit on order size; for example, a $200,000 order would equate to 1,000 trees planted in the customer's name through American Forests, whose community-based initiatives help people plan and implement local actions that restore and maintain healthy ecosystems and communities, including tree planting, urban forestry, environmental education and community-based forestry.

VistaPrint's 2008 Q3 Revenue Rose 53%, Introduces Websites for Customers 05/02/08
VistaPrint announced revenue for the third quarter of FY 2008, which ends June 30 for the company. Revenue grew more than $106 million year-over-year, the company said, compared to last year's quarter total of $69.3 million. Nearly 40 percent of revenue came from websites targeting non-U.S. markets. Gross margin fell from 65.1 percent for the same period in FY 2007 to 61.3 percent in FY 2008.

The company also launched a web site product on Monday for small businesses, which will allow customers to create a custom website with a VistaPrint tool in a few hours, representatives said. The custom sites will be programmed to match customers' existing collateral purchased from VistaPrint, and are available in more than 250 designs and in three service and structure packages.

Small Business Concern about Economy Won't Affect Spending 05/02/08
A FedEx Kinko's small business survey found that 89 percent of small business owners polled were moderately to very concerned about the current economy's impact on their business, but decreasing their marketing and advertising budgets is not a likely course of action. In fact, 92 percent said they will either keep their spending the same or increase it this year. The online survey, conducted in March with nearly 500 small business owners and decision makers, also found that 66 percent foresee flat or falling profits in 2008 and 41 percent are considering more spending on marketing and advertising this year.

Standard Register Elects New Board Members and COO 05/02/08
Three new board members and a chief operating officer were elected at Standard Register on Monday, and five incumbent board members were re-elected. Joe Morgan, the new COO, has worked for SR for seven years. He most recently managed the company's On Demand Solutions Group. David Bailis, a new board member, runs his own consulting company and was a senior executive VP at First Data Corp. Michael Kohlsdorf, another new board member, is president and CEO of Aderant Holdings Inc., which works in the legal field. He was previously a senior VP at IKON. Eric McCarthey, the final new board member, is president of Coca-Cola's 7-Eleven Global Business team. The re-elected members are David Clarke III, Roy Begley Jr., Dennis Rediker, and John Sherman II.

Quebecor Appoints Chief Restructuring Officer 05/02/08
Randy Benson was named chief restructuring officer of Quebecor World Inc., reporting to the board of directors' restructuring committee. He most recently served as chief restructuring officer for Hollinger Inc., and for Ivaco Inc. before that. He also held senior management positions at Call-Net Enterprises-Sprint Canada Inc., Parmalat Canada and Beatrice Foods. Quebecor World Inc. is subject to court protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act in Canada, and some U.S. subsidiaries have filed for bankruptcy.

Two Envelope Companies Get Green 04/25/08
The Wolf Envelope Company, Troy, Mich., has earned chain of custody certification from three forestry standards groups: FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). Triple certification provides assurance that Wolf has implemented environment friendly paper procurement procedures by obtaining paper from sources that have been awarded this chain of custody certification, the company said.

Envelope Mart USA, Northwood, Ohio, has undertaken several green initiatives including FSC and SFI certification, says company President Norm Shapiro, citing the firm's interest in working with clients that believe in the importance of environmentally responsible business practices. He said that Envelope Mart has continued this theme by offering more recycled products, products that are manufactured with wind power, and shifting from traditional printing inks to "eco smart" inks that have much lower voc's.

Wisco Announces New Teller Helper Designs 04/25/08
Wisco introduced eight new designs to its teller helper catalog and portfolio. The new products feature updated graphics designed to attract attention and cross-sell various financial services for drive-in customers. Product options include up to 4-color process printing, multiple sizes and styles, and latex or remoistenable glue flaps. Wisco also offers distributors sales kits to be used as a leave behind with financial institution customers. Call (800) 777-9677 for details.

How's Business? 04/25/08
An informal survey of business conditions among more than 100 PSDA members on the association's listserver this week showed mixed attitudes. Net sales for the first quarter of this year compared to Q1 last year were up for 42 percent of the respondents; 35 percent said sales were down and 23 percent said sales were flat. Gross margins were up for half of the respondents; 25 percent said margins were down and the remaining 25 percent said they were flat. Three quarters said they were "making some money"; 17 percent were just "breaking even" and eight percent said they were losing money. The survey was conducted by Jim Anderson, president of Corporate Development Associates in Scottsdale, Ariz., who plans to repeat the survey each quarter.

Office Superstores as Competitors 04/25/08
DMNews reports that office supply superstores are becoming big players in the printing business. About 63% of Office Depot's sales volume is office supplies, but printing "is a growing portion of the business," says Randy Pianin, SVP of Office Depot's design, print and ship division. In fact, he explains, the company has pinpointed this area as one of its priorities for future growth. Full sto