NEWS
Donnelley Closing Vermont Moore Wallace Plant
The Bennington (Vt.) Banner newspaper reported August 20 that
R.R. Donnelley will close the Moore Wallace plant in
Manchester soon, leaving 97 employees without jobs. The plant manager's letter to employees explained the closure is due to "changing business circumstances," according to the newspaper. Last May, the state of Vermont awarded Wallace (it was a Wallace plant before the firm's merger with Moore) $162,000 in tax incentives, spread over five years, to create new jobs. This fact prompted the newspaper to run an editorial August 21 urging officials to "do more than just throw money at businesses."
The plant closing comes on the heels of Donnelley's announcement earlier this
month that it recorded a net loss of $12.5 million for the second quarter.
Company officials said the quarter included a variety of restructuring and
integration charges related to the Moore Wallace acquisition, as well as a non-cash impairment charge of $89.1 million related to the pending disposition of its package logistics business. Net sales in the quarter rose 78 percent to $2
billion, primarily as a result of the Moore Wallace acquisition. Gross margin
improved to 25.3 percent from last year's second quarter (22.3 percent). This
increase was attributed to "benefits achieved from restructuring and cost
reduction actions."
Net sales for the Forms and Labels segment increased to $478.7 million from
$32.6 million in the second quarter of 2003, thanks to the Moore Wallace
acquisition. Operating margin was 8.4 percent for this segment, excluding
restructuring and integration charges. When those costs are accounted for, operating margin for Forms and Labels was 7.4 percent. Full story.
Printegra Acquires Tejas Graphics' Customer Lists
Printegra, Peachtree City, Ga., has acquired all sales dockets and existing customer lists of Tejas Graphics Inc., a regional wholesale manufacturer located in Fort Worth, Texas. Tejas Graphics decided to join forces with Printegra to better serve its customers, a press release said. The acquisition, effective Sept. 1, is consistent with Printegra's overall strategy to stimulate growth through acquisitions, said Casey Campbell, Printegra president and CEO.
Boise Launches Commercial Printing Software
Boise Paper Solutions, a division of Boise Cascade Corporation, Boise, Idaho, launched Now@BoisePaper, an internet-based business model that provides cost-effective direct sales and marketing to commercial printers in the western United States. The software offers a fast and efficient alternative to purchasing paper through merchants, the company said. It's ideal for customers who value a more streamlined product offering and can tolerate potentially longer lead times.
Plastag Holdings Purchases Barry Fiala Assets
Plastag Holdings LLC, Elk Grove Village, Ill., announced the purchase of select personalization and fulfillment assets of Barry Fiala Inc. to supply turnkey solutions to companies serving the retail sector and promotional markets. Plastag Holdings now has a license to manufacture, use, sell and offer to sell point-of-sale activated products covered by claims of United States Patent No. 5,918,909.
Champion Announces 3Q Earnings
Champion Industries Inc., Huntington, W. Va., announced net income of $77,000 or $0.01 per share for the three months ended July 31, 2004 compared to $253,000 or $0.03 per share for the same period in 2003. Net income for the nine months ended July 31, 2004 was $252,000 or $0.03 per share compared to $1,024,000 or $0.11 per share for the same period in 2003.
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Sales and Marketing Tip
Confirm Receipt of
Email Messages
Confirming the receipt of all email messages will give your customers confidence in your company. Full story.
E-Commerce Spotlight
Back Up Your Business Data
The computer that serves your web site can break down, destroying your business records. If you don't have a backup plan in place when this happens, your online business will die. Full story.
Product of the Week
Book of Product Specification Guides
This book offers 16 checklists and guidelines to gather complete ordering specifications for popular business printing products, including non-impact printed products, roll products, mailer, pressure sensitive labels, tags and more. Code: FACTBK. $25. To order, visit DMIA's online product catalog, or contact Tina Davis.
Hot Sites
Glowing Signage
This museum documents and preserves the gloriously artificial beauty of Las Vegas' dazzling signage. Check this site for a self-guided walking tour of signs around Sin City. Visit the site.
Grand Canyon:
The Hidden Secrets
Taking a trip to the Grand Canyon? This site contains a number of helpful features such as the interactive map of the South Rim and information on famous bald eagles, the various outlooks and the plants indigenous to the region. Visit the site.
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