Lakeside Book Company and ALJ Regional Holdings, Inc. jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Lakeside's acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of ALJ's wholly-owned subsidiary Phoenix Color Corp. ("Phoenix"). Headquartered in Hagerstown, Maryland, Phoenix is a specialty printer of book components, children's books, and other print-related products with printing facilities in Indiana and Maryland. The transaction is expected to close during the second calendar quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory and stockholder approvals. "We know Phoenix well as a recognized leader in book components. Adding their team's capabilities to Lakeside's service offerings will enable our publishing customers to conveniently manage book and cover printing in one place," said Dave McCree, Lakeside's Chief Executive Officer. "We are always looking for ways to make the printing supply chain more efficient for publishers and this transaction would be a significant step in that direction."

SG360°, an industry-leading provider of performance-driven direct marketing solutions, announced that effective immediately, James (Jim) Andersen has been appointed Interim CEO of SG360° in the wake of the death of the previous CEO, John A. Wallace, Jr. on January 4, 2022. Mr. Andersen has extensive and successful decades of direct marketing experience and has been a member of the SG360° Board of Directors since October of 2021. “We are fortunate to have Jim on our board and that he’s in a position to step in to fill this crucial, temporary role while we search for a permanent successor to John,” said Willie Woods, President of ICV Partners, LLC. “Jim’s close working relationship with John over the last three months will serve the company well as we focus on continuing the execution of the innovation-driven growth strategy that John had begun.”

Sheridan is excited to announce a new feature enhancement to Sheridan SelectTM, offering publishers multi-volume set support for print-on-demand books. Sheridan Select has been simplifying publishers’ production workflows for over a decade, be it through fully-automated data integration, or a simple, easy-to-use web portal to upload files and place orders. This new feature enhancement gives publishers the ability to identify, upload, store, order, and print sets or collections comprised of multiple products with ease. This feature is available in both the fully automated and self-service models of Sheridan Select for print-on-demand books. It supports member products (i.e., child ISBNs) to be ordered independently, or as part of a collection (i.e., parent ISBNs). If desired, the ability to turn on or off member product independence is also available. For example, “If a set is defined as volume 1, volume 2, and volume 3, Sheridan Select has the ability to control whether each individual volume can be ordered by itself or not as defined by the publisher,” comments Eric Biggins, Sheridan’s Director of Customer Technology. “The rollout of this latest feature is just one more way that Sheridan continues to streamline publishers’ workflows and bring efficiencies to their businesses.”

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company helped Levain Bakery™ meet a 200% increase in e-commerce demand during the pandemic. The 26-year-old company, which started on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, has transformed from a New York City institution popular amongst locals and tourists, to a national brand – while improving efficiencies and exceeding consumer expectations with the help of RRD’s packaging and warehousing solutions. Amid the onset of COVID-19, Levain experienced skyrocketing demand for its assortments of cookies available for purchase online. Simultaneously, the company needed to address an e-commerce packaging redesign while scaling up its warehousing capacity. To address these challenges, the company collaborated with RRD, a Chicago-based company with roots in printing that evolved to offer solutions from creative design and kitting to warehousing and proprietary supply chain management, and more. “We were already a growing brand, opening new bakeries, scaling our e-commerce business, and expanding into grocery retailers,” said Andy Taylor, CEO of Levain. “The challenge was creating a packaging solution that not only ensured our customers would receive our product in pristine condition, but also improved our efficiency to better meet demand. When COVID-19 caused New York—and the rest of the world —to shut down, we saw online orders multiply and we needed a supplier that had the flexibility to meet accelerating demand on a greater scale.”

RMGT, manufacturer of the leading 8-up sheetfed offset press in North America, announces that Envision3 is the most recent printing operation in North America to install the new 8-UP+ RMGT 970 offset press. Based in the greater Chicago area in Bloomingdale, IL, Envision3 is one of the top 300 largest printing and mailing manufacturers in the country and is a full-service offset and digital printing, packaging, mailing, and finishing company. Since its inception in 2000, Envision3 has been a traditional 40” shop having installed three Mitsubishi presses in this time period. Since Mitsubishi merged with Ryobi to form RMGT, Envision3 recently expanded their offset press line with the newly introduced RMGT 970 press. “We've been a Mitsubishi shop, now RMGT, for the 21 years since our formation,” states Kevin Franz, President, Envision3. “Mitsubishi and RM Machinery have won our business multiple times through the years with their new presses and great service.” Envision3 started in 2000 with a 40-inch and a 28-inch Mitsubishi offset press and later moved on to the Mitsubishi Diamond 3000 series. In the last quarter of 2021, Envision3 installed the latest addition to the 9 Series family, the RMGT 970, which features a new 25” x 38” sheet size.

*Full year revenue increased 12.9%, up 2.0%, excluding First American, delivering the first full year of reported sales-driven growth in nearly a decade *Consolidated fourth quarter revenue increased 25.5%, up 6.8%, excluding contribution from First American *All four segments delivered year-over-year sales-driven revenue growth in the fourth quarter *Fourth quarter net income was up 10.4% from the third quarter of 2021 and adjusted EBITDA margin was 20.5%, up 120 basis points sequentially from the third quarter of 2021

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced that the unsolicited non-binding and conditional “Alternative Acquisition Proposal” from a strategic party (the “Strategic Party”) to acquire all of the outstanding shares of RRD’s common stock for $11.50 per share in cash has been withdrawn. The Strategic Party did not provide specific reasons for its withdrawal. The Company remains subject to the Chatham Merger Agreement, pursuant to which Chatham will acquire all of the RRD common stock not already owned by affiliates of Chatham for $10.85 per share in cash.

Sun Chemical will increase prices across selected parts of its pigments, dyes and preparations portfolio, effective February 14, 2022 or as contracts allow. The price increase affects all market segments. “We need to take this action due to the current market conditions,” said Stefan Sütterlin, President of Sun Chemical’s Color Materials division. “Sun Chemical values the relationship we have with our business partners, and we remain committed to continuous cost and productivity improvement programs designed to keep our cost drivers under control and provide maximum value to our customers. However, the unprecedented magnitude and speed of increases in materials forces us to pass on higher cost to our customers.”

Sun Chemical will increase prices across its entire portfolio of packaging, commercial sheetfed, and screen inks, coatings, consumables, and adhesives in Europe, Middle East, Africa, effective immediately or as contracts allow. The unprecedented pace of inflationary cost movements continues to impact the entire spectrum of raw material inputs and packaging components for the ink industry, while raw material availability remains an ongoing concern. In addition, the sustained inflation of utilities and the supply/demand dynamics in both the global and regional logistics markets are contributing factors in driving further cost increases. Sun Chemical continues to find ways of mitigating these costs, but the magnitude and speed of cost increases require the company to increase prices to offset impacts to the business.

Financial Summary *$1.78 billion of revenue in Q4, down 7.9 percent year-over-year, or down 7.4 percent in constant currency; $7.04 billion of FY revenue, up 0.2 percent year-over-year, or down 1.4 percent in constant currency. *Q4 and FY GAAP (loss)/earnings per share (EPS) of $(3.97) and $(2.56), down $4.33 and $3.40 year-over-year, respectively. Both Q4 and FY GAAP EPS include an after-tax non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $750 million or $4.38 and $4.08 per share, respectively. *$198 million of operating cash flow in Q4, down $37 million year-over-year; $629 million of FY operating cash flow, up $81 million year-over-year. *$182 million of free cash flow in Q4, down $39 million year-over-year; $561 million of FY free cash flow, up $87 million year-over-year. *Delivered $375 million of targeted 2021 gross cost savings through Project Own It, or $1.8 billion since inception. *Returned more than $1 billion to shareholders, close to double FY 2021 free cash flow.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company announced the receipt of an update to the unsolicited non-binding “Alternative Acquisition Proposal”, received from the strategic party (the “Strategic Party,” and such update to the proposal, the “Updated Strategic Party Proposal”) on December 27, 2021. On January 3, 2022, the Strategic Party had indicated to RRD that it was targeting January 21, 2022 for a submission of a binding proposal. In lieu of submitting a binding proposal, the Strategic Party delivered the non-binding Updated Strategic Party Proposal, which provides for the following, among other terms and conditions: *Value: Increases the offered price to $11.50 per share in cash. Previously, the offered price by the Strategic Party was $11.00 per share in cash. *Due Diligence: States that the Strategic Party has substantially completed its financial, legal, tax and other due diligence on RRD and its business. *Committed Financing and Timing: Does not include committed debt and equity financing and states that the Strategic Party requires an additional three weeks to obtain committed financing (February 8, 2022). *Chatham-Related Covenants: Removes the previously included conditions to the execution of the proposed Strategic Party merger agreement that required Chatham to release and dismiss Chatham’s litigation and claims made against RRD, and to vote its shares of RRD common stock to approve the Strategic Party merger agreement. *Non-Binding and Conditional: The Updated Strategic Party Proposal remains non-binding and subject to certain terms and conditions.

The Great Lakes Graphics Association is now accepting nominations for the Second Annual Women in Print Excellence Award. This sought after female-specific award supports our ongoing quest to recognize the contributions of women in the Midwest print, graphic arts, finishing and print packaging community as well as those women who support the print industry in a vendor or supplier capacity. Eligibility : Any woman working directly in print or in a vendor role supporting print who is in good standing with her company in the states of Illinois, Indiana or Wisconsin. Any level or title of employee is eligible. Process: Anyone (female or male) can nominate a candidate by completing the nomination form and emailing it to Debra Warner at dwarner@glga.info or faxing it to 262-522-2211. A nomination fee of $30 needs to be included with the nomination form.

TC Transcontinental is proud to have climbed to 16th place on the list of the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world, as unveiled today by Corporate Knights, in addition to ranking first in the packaging industry. This performance represents a significant improvement, whereas last year the corporation ranked 45th in the same category. According to Corporate Knights, TC Transcontinental stood out for its high percentage of clean revenue from the sale of eco-responsible products, its clean investments, and the gender diversity of its Board of Directors and senior management. The Corporation has indeed made several advances in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR), including: *Expanding its vieVERTe sustainable packaging portfolio, which includes its commercialized compostable, 100% recyclable and post consumer resin product lines *Investing more than $10 million in product research and development (R&D) *Launching the ASTRA Center, composed of four different state-of-the-art R&D labs, located in Menasha, Wisconsin *Achieving 31% women in leadership positions in its Packaging, Printing and Media sectors, exceeding its initial target.

It’s not a major surprise, really, that our 38th annual ranking of the largest printing industry companies in the U.S. and Canada, as ranked by annual sales, is now the 2021 Printing Impressions 300 — and not the Printing Impressions 350 that appeared in 2020. After all, the majority of the graphic arts businesses on our venerable list reported their calendar 2020 annual sales as their most recent fiscal year, with calendar 2019 representing their previous year sales. Given the onslaught, and subsequent shutdowns, of many segments of the U.S. economy beginning in March 2020 due to COVID-19, it’s understandable that CEOs of commercial printing companies were not racing to report their annual sales numbers. And, although the printing industry was ultimately deemed “essential,” many of the vertical markets that these primarily privately-held printing businesses serve were not. Combine that with all the business uncertainty among marketers, brand owners, retailers, and other print buyers, it’s no surprise that many companies appearing on our 2021 list in this issue reported double-digit annual revenue drops.

Flint Group, including all business units within its Packaging and its Commercial Publication & Web divisions, has achieved a Silver status from EcoVadis, the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings with a global network of over 85,000 rated companies. The company was considered to be in the top 21% of companies rated by EcoVadis in the manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, including printing inks. It was rated in the top 9% of companies in the Sustainable Procurement category, as well as in the top 7% for Ethics.

Sun Chemical will increase prices across its entire portfolio of packaging, commercial sheetfed and screen inks, coatings, consumables and adhesives in North America, effective immediately or as contracts allow. The unprecedented pace of inflationary cost movements continues to impact the entire spectrum of raw material inputs and packaging components for the ink industry. In addition, the sustained shortage of available labor, along with the supply/demand dynamics in both the global and regional logistics markets, are contributing factors in driving further cost increases. Sun Chemical continues to find ways of mitigating these costs, but the magnitude and speed of cost increases require the company to increase prices to offset impacts to the business.

When defining the outlook for book manufacturing in the year ahead, John Galligan, president of Bradford & Bigelow in Newburyport, Massachusetts, uses an apt analogy considering the topic at hand: “It’s a tale of two cities,” he says. Galligan is referring to the marked difference between the outlook at the beginning of this year to the outlook now, with regard to the ongoing supply chain challenges. In Printing Impressions’ Book Manufacturing Outlook for 2021, demand outstripping supply was already emerging as a leading concern, and as the Book Manufacturers Institute (BMI) published its "State of the Book Industry 2021," Executive Director Matt Baehr commented: “As we move forward, economic and labor trends, along with supply chain issues, will affect our industry greatly.”

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company has joined the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), the North American association for paperboard packaging manufacturers and their suppliers. “We are thrilled to be accepted into the PPC as one of their Principal members,” said Lisa Pruett, President of RRD Packaging Solutions, Forms and Labels. “The leaders in the packaging industry rely on the PPC for research, education, networking, and more; I am certain we will gain great value from our membership that will enhance RRD’s place in the paperboard packaging universe translating to better service to our clients.”

As we close in on two full years of the pandemic, lockdowns, Zoom meetings, and lives lived through screens, experts are finding that digital fatigue has firmly set in. Everyone is looking to make connections that don’t involve the light of a computer, phone, or tablet. Direct mail — a brand’s old and trusted friend — is one of the answers. “Businesses are realizing with digital fatigue that direct mail can play a critical role of getting attention,” notes Jeff Heyman, VP of product development and e-commerce for FedEx Office. “Direct mail is an integral part of the most successful marketing strategies that combine digital and physical communication.” He continues, “Customers are longing for connection after being home for so long and direct mail gives that to them. It allows businesses to communicate that they are open for business, and how they have adapted their business throughout the pandemic.”

Studies show signs give you the biggest bang for your buck. In ancient times, signs were a primary form of communication between merchants and prospective customers. Merchants in Babylon, Egypt, Athens, Pompeii and Rome used signs to identify their shops, promote prices and distinguish their businesses from competitors. In our modern world, signs are so ubiquitous that you probably barely notice they’re there. But signs are crucial to your business’s success. Signs direct customers, remind them of your brand and inspire them to make daily decisions. Research shows that about 90% of information sent to your brain is visual; that’s why imagery is crucial if you want to connect with potential customers. Because humans are visual, custom-made signs communicate powerfully with your audience because they combine attractive color and engaging text to create memorable messages that resonate. Well-designed custom retail signs with stunning graphics increase brand awareness. And the more potential customers who know about your brand, the more they’ll trust your services and the more likely they will purchase from you.

Taylor Corporation announced today the rebranding of three companies acquired over the past two decades to better reflect its “Taylor United” corporate strategy. The three companies are Curtis 1000, a leading provider of commercial print and packaging; Vectra Visual, known for design-forward solutions in retail signage and merchandising; and Optima Graphics, one of the nation’s leading wholesale suppliers to the trade show and event markets. Together, the companies comprise the newly-named Taylor Print & Visual Impressions, Inc., led by enterprise group president Mike Robinson. The newly created group encompasses 2,250 employees, 17 facilities and a diverse range of print capabilities, all supported by marketing, data and analytics designed to optimize the creation of high-impact brand communications and experiences.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading authority in sustainable printing certifications, announced the election of Birdley James of Miller Zell to its Board of Directors. James is SGP/EHS Coordinator & Compliance Manager and leads Miller Zell’s sustainability efforts. His responsibilities include expanding recycling initiatives, and overseeing sustainability program compliance, SGP certification requirements, environmental & safety compliance audits, environmental safety processes & procedures and safety training.

Specialty Print Communications (SPC) added another milestone on its strategic growth path by acquiring the assets of American Marketing Services & Consultants (AMS). Based in Mundelein, IL, AMS was founded in 1976 and provides a number of mail, letter shop & fulfillment services for companies of all sizes. With an experienced team and state of the art equipment, AMS provides added firepower to SPC’s existing lettershop. “We are excited to have AMS onboard”, stated Adam LeFebvre, SPC President. “We have a long history with AMS and the timing is right for us to make this important investment. Our business has seen dramatic growth in recent years and an expanded lettershop team will help us keep up with client demand.” SPC has retained the entire AMS team and will integrate all lettershop operations within its existing facility in Niles.

Corporate Graphics Commercial, a Taylor Corporation company, is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Reindl Bindery Co., Inc. of Germantown, Wis. The acquisition of Reindl expands CGC’s capacity and capabilities and offers immediate growth opportunities for its publishing business. “We’re seeing greater demand for bindery services than at any time in our history,” says Dan Kvasnicka, President of Taylor Print Impressions. “By adding the talent and technology of Reindl, we are positioning Taylor to serve even more customers.” Founded in 1978, family-owned Reindl Bindery has a legacy of providing innovative binding solutions throughout the printing industry, with capabilities spanning a wide range of bindery applications including perfect, layflat and case binding to Smyth sewn books, Wire-O systems and more. “We are thrilled to welcome Reindl to the Taylor team,” said Kvasnicka. “Our capabilities are complementary, and both teams are known for industry-leading quality, responsive service and innovation.”

Sun Chemical has acquired SAPICI, a global leading company in high-performance polyurethanes for coatings, flexible packaging, industrial adhesives and more. With SAPICI, Sun Chemical reinforces its integrated supply strategy in the packaging market by adding capabilities to develop and produce unique polymers for the entire portfolio of inks, coatings, and lamination adhesives. The combined resources and technologies of DIC/Sun Chemical and SAPICI will provide a comprehensive and unique polymer portfolio for areas such as industrial coatings, elastomers, industrial adhesives, and sealants.