Happy Holidays
from all of us at PrintCAN!
Be sure to check back with us
on January 6, 2009
for all the latest industry news
from across Canada.

December 23, 2008
Domtar shutters Quebec pulp mill
MONTREAL—Domtar announced on Friday that it would permanently close its pulp mill in Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Que. The mill, which produced 300,000 tonnes of softwood kraft pulp annually, has been idle since November 2006. Domtar blamed the state of the economy and the weak Canadian dollar for the decision. The mill employed 425 workers.

C.J. Graphics expands, adds new facility
TORONTO—C.J. Graphics is growing, with the addition of a new 35,000 sq. ft. digital facility in Etobicoke, Ont., and a second Xerox Docutech. A Xerox iGen4 is also currently being installed, replacing the shop’s iGen3-90. Additionally, the shop just hired 20 former Grafikom employees, and added a multi-colour Heidelberg, and a 6-pocket stitching and collating line to its main Toronto facility. C.J. Graphics specializes in high-end work for designers, and was founded in 1981.

December 18, 2008
Four resign from Quebecor World board of directors
MONTREAL—Four individuals have resigned from Quebecor World’s board of directors, the company announced yesterday. Pierre Karl Péladeau, son of Quebecor World founder Pierre Péladeau, and his brother Érik Péladeau, vice chairman of the board, stepped down, as did Jean La Couture and Jean Neveu. The resignations are related to claims filed by Quebecor Inc. and its subsidiaries as part of Quebecor World’s restructuring process, the company said in a statement. Also, Quebecor World spokesperson Tony Ross told PrintCAN today that the company would consider changing its name to avoid confusion, when it exits creditor protection, likely to happen in the first half of 2009.
There was reader reaction to a Canadian Press story the Globe and Mail ran on the subject yesterday, including one former Quebecor World employee who commented “He (Péladeau) is the one responsible for the mess they are in now. This is by far the best news for the current employees. Maybe now they can be the great company they once were before PKP ruined what his father built.” To see the rest of the comments click here.

October shipments rebound
OTTAWA—Printing shipments were up slightly in October, after falling in August and September, according to figures from Statistics Canada. Note that these numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

Shipments	2008	2007	Change
October	$933.29 million	$919.97 million	1.4%
Year to date	$8.27 billion	$8.12 billion	1.8%

Toronto shop adds second Inca Spyder
TORONTO—About a year after installing an Inca Spyder, RP Graphics purchased a second. The shop also recently upgraded its prepress department with a high-speed Fujifilm Javelin 880011 with multiple and single cassette autoloader. RP Graphics specializes in digital and commercial printing, and 1:1 marketing. It has been in business for more than 30 years and employs 65 people. 

With the new Spyder from left to right are: Danie Didow, press operator, and Brian Auty, chief technical officer, both with RP Graphics.

December 17, 2008
Sales down for Komunik in second quarter
MONTREAL—Komunik, which has been operating under creditor protection since late November, yesterday released its second quarter results, for the period ending October 31, 2008. It reported sales of $23.33 million, down from $30.51 million in the same period in 2007. The company also saw its net income fall, reporting a loss of $1.05 million, compared to a net income of $11,342 in the second quarter last year. Komunik is seeking potential buyers, and interested parties have until January 15, 2009 to submit purchase offers.

Quebecor World to install three Manroland web presses
MONTREAL—Quebecor World has disclosed the make and model of three new web presses it recently purchased to install at facilities in the U.S. and Canada. Three Manroland Lithoman S web high-speed offset presses will be dedicated to the company’s retail insert and delivery systems, segment, and the first will be operational in the third quarter of 2009.

December 11, 2008
RR Donnelly buys Grafikom MIL facility and other assets
TORONTO and CHICAGO—RR Donnelley is buying the assets of Grafikom’s Toronto-based MIL plant, the company announced today. RR Donnelley is also purchasing selected equipment from other Grafikom facilities in Canada to boost its printing services. The deal with RSM Richter, the receiver for Grafikom, is subject to court approval but is expected to close within two weeks. Grafikom also has facilities in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, and Mexico, all of which have been idled since the Nov. 10 receivership announcement. Montreal-based Phipps Dickson Integria confirmed on Monday that it had bought the assets of Grafikom’s Sherbrooke, Que. plant.

Higher revenues, lower net income for Transcontinental
MONTREAL—Transcontinental today released its fiscal 2008 figures posting a revenue increase of 4% over 2007. The company reported revenues of $2.43 billion, compared to $2.33 in 2007. For the 12-month period ended Oct. 31, the company pulled in $7.9 million in net income, compared to $120.6 million for the same period last year. Transcontinental attributes the drop to costs associated with the restructuring and consolidation of direct mail services in the U.S, and the write-off of goodwill related to those services. In its fourth quarter results, revenues rose 6% to $653 million from $618 million in Q4 of 2007. Net income was down, sliding from $38.6 million in 2007 to a loss of $94.2 million.

Winnipeg shop adds two new HPs
WINNIPEG—Light Visions recently added two HP Scitex FB6100 presses to its shop floor. The company specializes in large-format digital printing for the real estate, retail, and telecommunications industry.

With one of the new Scitex’s from left to right are: Roland Dupont, general manager; Doug Seney, vice-president, and Allan Brooks, president, all from Light Visions.

December 9, 2008
DI buys Grafikom’s Sherbrooke plant; MIL also in play
TORONTO—PDI (Phipps Dickson Integria) announced yesterday that it has purchased the assets of the Grafikom-Sherbrooke facility, formerly known as Graphica. In a statement, the company said it is in the process of re-establishing communications with customers, and plans to re-open the facility in the near future. PDI is a sheetfed firm with about $43 million in annual sales that provides pre-media, offset and digital print, multimedia, Internet, and fulfillment services. In related news, Grafikom receiver, RSM Richter confirmed to PrintCAN that it is also negotiating the tentative sale of the MIL plant in Toronto but the spokesperson did not confirm the identity of the prospective buyer. PrintCAN has, however, heard from several sources that the interested buyer of the MIL plant is Chicago-based R.R. Donnelley, but the company could not be reached for comment. RSM Richter is also soliciting bids from liquidators for the remainder of Grafikom’s equipment, mostly from plants in Western Canada, that will be auctioned off in the first quarter of 2009. Grafikom went into receivership on November 10.

Quebec bindery expands, installs new gear
MONTREAL—Reliure LeBlanc has doubled its floor space and installed an assortment of new equipment, owner Michael McLaren told PrintCAN today. The bindery, which McLaren purchased in February, was expanded from 7500 sq. ft. to about 15,000 sq. ft. in the summer, and now houses a new FMC horizontal flow wrapper, Rollem Slipstream, and two three-knife trimmers. McLaren said the plant was expanded to make room for all the new gear, including a second Rollem, not yet installed. Reliure LeBlanc specializes in traditional bindery services for the card packaging industry and employs 22 people.

December 4, 2008
Quebecor World wins in dispute with Quebecor Media
MONTREAL—The events at Quebecor World continue to take strange twists and turns. A Quebec judge has sided with Quebecor World in a dispute between it and its former parent company Quebecor Inc., over the recently announced web-press purchases. The dispute arose because Quebecor Media claimed the new web press would cause it “serious harm” and tried to prevent the purchase, the Canadian Press reported. In 2005, Quebecor Media and Quebecor World entered into a verbal agreement whereby Quebecor World would utilize 90% of the excess capacity of a US$51 million press that Quebecor Media uses to print the Le Journal de Montreal and the Ottawa Sun. Quebecor World never signed the agreement, but Quebecor Media claimed in court that the agreement was legitimate because the two parties agreed in 2007 that Quebecor World would print the Yellow Book at the facility in Mirabel, Que. That contract came to an end about a year later. Quebecor Media stated in its claim that Quebecor World’s new press would negatively affect revenues at the Mirabel plant. A spokesperson from Quebecor World could not be reached for comment.

PIA/GATF changes name, logo

Printing Industries of America’s new logo

PITTSBURGH—PIA/GATF has changed its name to Printing Industries of America, in a move to better communicate its actives and values, the company announced yesterday. It has also unveiled a new logo, and re-named its website. Additionally, the two magazines the organization produces, GATFWorld and Management Portfolio will be combined into a new publication, titled Printing Industries of America: The Magazine.

Ottawa shop upgrades with new Presstek
OTTAWA—BCT Ottawa installed a Presstek 34DI in an attempt to offset a decline in its thermography business, and has since seen sales grow 10%. The company, which prints spot colour business cards, postcards, and brochures, had been relying on thermography, and said it upgraded with the Presstek, in part, because the press is waterless and uses no platemaking chemicals.

With the Presstek 34DI is Graeme Olmsted, left, and press operator, Marc Couturier, both with BCT Ottawa.

December 2, 2008
September shipments continue to fall
OTTAWA—Printing shipments were down again in September after falling in August, according to figures from Statistics Canada. Note that these numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

Shipments	2008	2007	Change
September	$840.2 million	$860.6 million	-2.4%
Year to date	$7.22 billion	$7.2 billion	-0.7%

Sina Printing prints MetalFX award winner
MARKHAM, ON—Full-service branding company Alive Pro Studios was the only Canadian company to win a MetalFX award in the annual international competition, creative director Javad Ahmadi told PrintCAN today. The company was named Design Agency of the Year for its Alive Pro Studios Corporate Brochure, which was printed using MetalFX at Sina Printing in Markham, Ont. Sina used embossing and foil stamping on the cover, and 12 pt. gloss stock throughout the 24-page brochure. It was also wire-bound and printed on a 10-colour Heidelberg. This was the final year of the MetalFX awards, because the company is ceasing operations Dec. 19. 

The Alive Pro Studios Corporate Brochure.

Ontario shop installs second HP Scitex
RICHMOND HILL, ON—Large-format printer Icon Digital has added an HP Scitex FB6700 to its shop, to complement the HP Scitex Turbojet 8300 it installed earlier this year. The company says the new FB6700 will handle rigid substrates, and the Turbojet will print on pressure-sensitive vinyl. Icon Digital specializes in banners, posters, and vehicle wraps.

Juan Lau, president, and Peter Evans vice-president, both from Icon Digital.

November 27, 2008
Lowe-Martin Group turns 100 today
OTTAWA—The Lowe-Martin Group is celebrating its 100th anniversary today with the unveiling of a time capsule to be opened 50 years from now. The capsule will be placed in a sealed box in the reception area of the company’s Ottawa facility, and will contain an employee list, and a letter from owner Ward Griffin to his children. E.D. Lowe and T.H. Martin founded Lowe-Martin in 1908 as a small specialized print shop. The Griffin family bought it in 1984, and today the company employs 370 people, and has facilities in Ottawa, Toronto, and Ireland.

Trade Watch: Printing deficit deepens
OTTAWA—Canada’s print trade deficit continues to worsen, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada. The trade deficit sits at $82.43 million for the January-September period, down from a surplus of $50.40 million in the same period in 2007. That’s a drop of 263.6%. Exports to the U.S. dropped to $90.51 million in September, from $94.92 million at the same time last year. Imports from the U.S. were up slightly, coming in at $88.84 million for the month, compared to $78.04 million in September 2007. Imports from China were $23.56 million, up from $22.96 million in the same period in 2007

EXPORTS	2008	2007	Change
September	$109.51 million	$116.90 million	-6.3%
Year to date	$915.85 million	$1.10 billion	-15.1%

IMPORTS	2008	2007	Change
September	$129.08 million	$115.19 million	12.0%
Year to date	$998.27 million	$1.03 billion	-3.0%

Quebecor World to install three web presses
MONTREAL—Quebecor World has announced it is purchasing three Manroland web presses, one to be installed in Canada, and two at facilities in the U.S. The new presses, equipped with the latest in quality control and delivery systems, will be dedicated to the company’s retail insert segment. The Canadian press, along with one in the U.S., will be operational in the third quarter of 2009. The company would not disclose the locations where the presses will be installed.

November 25, 2008
Print World 2008 closes on high note
TORONTO—Print World 2008, which took place at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto, ended yesterday. The show ran from Sat. Nov. 22 to Mon. Nov. 24, and featured top-notch exhibitors, well-attended seminars, and presentations galore. Look for an in-depth round up of Print World on PrintCan in the coming days.

Sector Council releases industry roadmap report at Print World
TORONTO—The Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council (CPISC) released a new report at Print World in Toronto on Saturday. Titled “Charting Our Course: A Skills and Technology Roadmap for the Canadian Printing and Graphic Communications Industry,” the report aims to help the print industry deal with changing technologies and various HR issues. According to the study, technology trends most likely to have an impact on the industry include, increased demand for environmental sustainability, advances in science and print capabilities, and the application of customized databases for direct printing. The report also makes recommendations as to what the industry can do to maximize its use of these trends, including, research to better understand database printing, flexible training programs, and an industry approach to environmentally aware printing. A full copy of the report is available at www.cpisc-csic.ca

B.C. shop opts for a Kodak Nexpress
RICHMOND, B.C.—Commercial printer Glenmore Printing has installed a Kodak Nexpress M700 digital colour press to handle variable printing and to keep up with its growing business. The B.C.-based shop has been in business for more than 27 years and employs 50.

With the new Nexpress from left to right are: Peter Schwitay, prepress supervisor; Glenn Rowley, president of Glenmore Printing, and Ria Pohl, press operator.

November 20, 2008
See you at Print World 2008
TORONTO—While you’re at Print World 2008 this weekend, take a minute to drop by the Graphic Monthly Canada booth and talk to the editors of the magazine and its website PrintCAN. Also, remember to check out the Adobe Software Theatre, International and UPEX pavilions, workshops and seminars, and Design City, Canada’s largest expo for graphic designers. Print World 2008 takes place on Nov. 22-24 at the Direct Energy Centre in downtown Toronto. For more information, or to register for the seminars, visit www.printworldshow.com or www.designcityshow.com

Komunik in creditor protection
MONTREAL—Komunik is operating under creditor protection, the company announced yesterday. The company reports a long list of financial problems, including a liquidity crisis, excessive overhead costs, difficulty integrating its 2007 acquisition of Datamark, and unsatisfactory conditions in the printing industry, and owes about 16 million in unsecured liabilities. The company has been attempting to restructure for several months, and RSM Richter became the court appointed monitor in mid-September. Komunik is examining all its options and ads will be placed in La Presse and the Globe and Mail newspapers seeking potential buyers on November 25. All interested parties will have until January 15, 2009 to submit purchase offers. Komunik was formed by the merger of Komunik and Datamark Systems Group in June 2007, and employs 629 people across Canada. More details will be provided as they become available.

Quebecor World increases volume of US Weekly magazine
MONTREAL—Quebecor World has signed an extended print agreement with Wenner Media to increase printing of the publisher’s US Weekly magazine almost 20%, the company announced yesterday. Earlier this year, Quebecor World inked a multi-year agreement with Wenner Media to print Men’s Journal, Rolling Stone, and US Weekly, and has been increasing its share of US Weekly printing since. Quebecor World says most of its increased US Weekly printing will be done at its facility in Dallas.

November 18, 2008
Print World ramps up for Saturday opening
TORONTO—The stage is set for Print World 2008, opening this weekend in Toronto. There are new additions to the show, like the International and UPEX pavilions, and a number of new exhibitors setting up shop, including Océ, which has its biggest booth ever in Canada. Other newcomers include Hans-Gronhi Graphic Technology from China, Xpedx, and South Asia Plastics Group. Print World 2008 also has some top-notch seminars scheduled, including Selling to the New Print Buyer, presented by David Fellman, president of David Fellman & Associates, What’s a Printing Company Worth? with John Hyde, vice president and senior consultant with NAPL, and How to Make Money Selling Printing on the Internet, with Slava Apel, the CEO of Amazing Print Corp. Visitors should also check out Design City, Canada’s largest expo for graphic designers, featuring a series of informative seminars and workshops.
Print World takes place on Nov. 22-24 at the Direct Energy Centre in downtown Toronto. For more information, or to register for the seminars, visit www.printworldshow.com or www.designcityshow.com

Grafikom owes $49 million to banks
TORONTO—More details have become available regarding the lead-up to Grafikom going into receivership. According to papers filed in the case, Grafikom owes $49 million to the Bank of Montreal, the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Alberta Treasury Branches. The institutions demanded payment on November 7, after several months of negotiating and attempted restructurings. The documents state that Grafikom failed to meet criteria of its lending agreements as far back as June, and in August it engaged RSM Richter, the current receiver, to provide restructuring advice. RSM Richter concluded that Grafikom was overleveraged and its financial projections were not enough to cover annual interest and principal repayments. In one proposal, Grafikom offered to sell its divisions in Calgary, Edmonton, Mexico and Sherbrooke, Que., and invest in new digital printing operations. The
lending institutions did not accept the deal. A receiver was appointed November 10.

Transcontinental buys Redwood Custom Communications
MONTREAL—Transcontinental has purchased Toronto-based custom publishing company Redwood Custom Communications, the company announced today. It’s the first acquisition for Transcontinental’s newly created Marketing Communications Sector, and the company says Redwood’s database marketing, research, variable printing and premedia tools will complement the Sector’s existing services.
Redwood’s CEO will remain on as an equity partner, and will continue to lead the team of 130 employees. Redwood Custom Communications creates branded editorial material for a range of clients including

Home Depot, Aeroplan, and Sears. Redwood’s printing was being handled by Transcontinental, Quebecor World, and St. Joseph Communications, but will be done entirely by Transcontinental going forward.

November 13, 2008
Another scam hits Canadian and U.S. printers
OTTAWA—Just months after an Africa-based scam artist was targeting printers in North America and the U.K, another con artist has set his sights on printers. Bob Elliott, president of the CPIA, told PrintCAN today that at least six printers in Canada, and two in the U.S. have come to him with stories of a scammer operating out of Quebec. The scheme varies, but usually involves the printing, and sometimes mailing, of health-related brochures and flyers. He issues printers cheques, which he then stops payment on, or provides cheques banks will not honour. The con man operates under several marketing company names, and in some cases, will do legitimate business with a shop, establish a relationship, and rip them off next time.
Though Elliott wouldn’t reveal the name of the scammer or the printers affected, he did say that one shop had taken the scammer to court, but still hasn’t recovered its money. He often skips court dates, and due to his intricate corporate set-up, law enforcement and printers are having trouble tracking him down. Elliott is advising all printers to keep their guard up when accepting new jobs, and to run thorough credit checks and do research. “Just because times are tough right now…it’s sometimes tempting to take a job and cut a few corners…in this case, be careful. Take precautions.”

August shipments fall
OTTAWA—August printing shipments were down after being up slightly in July, according to figures from Statistics Canada. Note that these numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

Shipments	2008	2007	Change
August	$817.7 million	$893.5 million	-8.5%
Year to date	$6.40 billion	$6.41 billion	-.2%

CPISC to release new report at Print Word
OTTAWA—The Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council (CPISC) is launching its new Skills and Technology Roadmap report at Print World 2008. The roadmap provides information on navigating changing technology and dealing with human resources issues in the print industry. Copies of the report will be available at the launch, which takes place on Sat. Nov. 22, in Hall A, Room 101N, at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. The seminar begins at 5 p.m.

November 11, 2008
Print World 2008 seminars offer something for everyone
MISSISSAUGA, ON—Print World 2008 has some top-notch seminars scheduled, including Selling to the New Print Buyer, presented by David Fellman, president of Dave Fellman & Associates. Vice president and senior consultant with NAPL, John Hyde, will examine the question, What’s a Printing Company Worth? And Slava Apel, the CEO of Amazing Print Corp., will tell listeners How to Make Money Selling Printing on the Internet. Design City also has some informative seminars lined up, such as What’s New in QuarkXPress 8, by Graphic Monthly Canada and Design Edge Canada columnist Bob Atkinson. All Print World seminars will run twice on Monday, November 24, at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m, and Design City seminars will take place on Sunday, November 23, at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Print World takes place on Nov. 22-24 at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. For more information, or to register for the seminars, visit www.printworldshow.com or www.designcityshow.com

Special Report: Graph Expo

Mood more upbeat than expected
The mood at Graph Expo late last month, while not exactly ecstatic, was more upbeat than most people had expected heading into the four-day event in Chicago. Most of the equipment on display was a re-run of devices shown at Drupa last May and introduced for the first time to the North American market. Manufacturers acknowledged the rough ride the industry is in for, with lower levels of investments being made and shipments on a downward slide, but many also insisted they are ready to cope with the ups and downs. Perhaps in hopes of stoking demand, many exhibitors this year went to extra efforts to highlight recent sales to customers.

On the offset press side, equipment on the floor was sparse. Heidelberg demonstrated its Speedmaster XL 105 with perfecting unit; Komori, the booth with the largest number of offset presses, debuted the LSX40, a 41” press with a host of upgraded features, including new AI technology which includes self-learning features that update press settings over time to reduce waste; KBA introduced its new Rapida 75, and Presstek brought its 55DI with UV option. Digital presses with buzz included the new Xerox iGen4, the Ricoh 900 press, the Xeikon 8000 and HP’s Indigo 7000 and enhanced 5500 presses.

Inkjet continues to occupy centre stage at many booths with several manufacturers touting double-digit growth rates in this area. Hewlett-Packard released several new devices: the Designjet L65500, a large-format device that uses HP Latex inks, and the FB950 printer, a UV flatbed printer for indoor and outdoor signs. HP also announced that its Inkjet Web press, slated for release in the latter half of 2009, will feature new coating technology for printing on coated and uncoated stock. Gandinnovations introduced its Jetspeed UV RTR, a 3 m UV RTR digital printer. Fujifilm released the Acuity Advance, the next generation of its Acuity model, and the Onset S20, a smaller sibling to the Inca Onset press. Kodak is getting ready to release an inkjet head based on its Stream technology this summer. The single-colour head attaches to a web press. EFI announced a new Vutek digital screen printer for next year, and a Jetrion 4000 full-colour  label press. Agfa unveiled the Anapurna XLS, for indoor and outdoor signs.

A number of exhibitors focused on service programs instead of, or in addition to, iron. HP has its Graphic Arts Capture Business Success program—a range of tools, from training to marketing templates to market research; Manroland debuted its PrintValue program with four modules: print services for equipment; printnet, an automated workflow system; printcom to ensure consistency in the press room; and printadvice, a consultancy to help with the planning process. Fujifilm was presenting how printers can build a business base using offset, toner and inkjet application; Heidelberg presented the benefits of print-shop integration.

Other technologies that drew attention included web-to-print systems, and evolving MIS systems, the latter being chosen by an industry panel as the key technology for success in a print shop today.

Watch upcoming issues of Graphic Monthly Canada for more in-depth discussions of many of the new product releases, and remember, many of them will be on display at Print World on November 22 –24 at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto.

Gandinnovations’ Jeti 3348 Jetspeed UV.

The Acuity Advance at the Fujifilm booth.

The Speedmaster XL 105 with perfector at Heidelberg.

The Komori booth with one of its three presses.

Quebecor World loses US$64.2 million in third quarter
MONTREAL—Quebecor World reports a net loss of US$64.2 million in the third quarter of 2008 ending September 30, 2008, up from the US$315.1 million loss it posted in the same period last year. The company generated US$993.6 million in revenues, compared to US$1.17 billion in the third quarter of 2007. The company says the decline in revenue is, in part, due to the sale of its European business in June, and says it continues to make progress toward getting out of creditor protection, which it has been operating under since January 2008. The claims process has begun and Quebecor World has until December 5 to file any creditor claims.

Printers will continue on with MetalFX despite closure
MISSISSAUGA, ON—Ciba announced last week that it was shutting down its MetalFX business, effective December 19, 2008, because it does not fit with its core business. The 58 printers in Canada that are licensed to use MetalFX can continue to use it, but no new contracts will be signed and no more MetalFX software will be produced. The news hasn’t had much of an impact on the Toronto-based printers PrintCAN spoke to today. Colour Innovations was a very early adopter of MetalFX, and became certified to use it in 2003. Since then, the shop has done hundreds of MetalFX jobs, usually about one or two a month. Matthew Alexander, president of Colour Innovations, says the shop is still going ahead with MetalFX, as well as two other similar processes the shop developed, using gold and bronze ink. Sina Printing, which was licensed about a year ago, also says it will continue doing the process, though it’s only about .2% of the shop’s total work.

November 10, 2008
Grafikom in receivership
TORONTO—Grafikom went into receivership today, CEO Gord Griffiths confirmed to PrintCAN, though he would not elaborate on the events that led to the filing. RSM Richter has been appointed trustee. As of this morning, all eight plants, including operations in Mexico, have stopped working. Grafikom was founded in late 2005 following a management buyout of Quebecor World’s sheetfed plants. It posted revenues of $125 million in 2007 and employed 700. More details will be reported as they become available.

November 6, 2008
Paper prices on the rise again
MISSISSAUGA, ON—Several paper companies have recently announced steep price hikes. Coast Paper, Buntin Reid, and Asia Pulp & Paper have all raised prices for Canadians buying their products, citing the foundering Canadian dollar as the catalyst, along with the high prices of pulp and freight. Buntin Reid is hiking its Canadian prices for U.S. based products by 10% to 30% on Nov. 10, and Coast Paper is raising prices between 7% and 20% the same day. Asia Pulp & Paper says that because most of its business is conducted in U.S. dollars and the value of the Canadian dollar has declined 24% against the U.S. dollar, its costs are rising. It raised prices on Nov. 3 by 10% to reduce losses, and says if the dollar remains the same or drops further, another hike is coming in December. Paper merchants reached by PrintCAN declined to comment.

Domtar shuts down Ontario paper machine
DRYDEN, ON—Domtar is permanently shutting down its main paper machine and all converting operations at its Dryden, Ont., facility in the middle of this month, the company announced Tuesday. About 200 employees will lose their jobs, and the closure will curtail Domtar’s annual paper production by 151,000 short tonnes of uncoated freesheet paper. The company cited adverse economic conditions and a weakening demand for fine papers as reasons for the closure.

November 4, 2008
Many first-time exhibitors at Print World
TORONTO—A host of new exhibitors are setting up shop at Print World 2008, including Océ, which has its biggest booth ever in Canada. Other newcomers include: Atlas Machinery, Bowe Bell & Howell, Baldwin Paper, Hans-Gronhi Graphic Technology, Nyland Graphics, Multicam Canada, South Asia Plastics Group, XCM Graphic Equipment, Xpedx and Zund Canada. Print World takes place at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto from November 22-24. For a look at the floor plan, visit http://www.printworldshow.com/floorplan/

VistaPrint revenue up 44% in first quarter
HAMILTON, BERMUDA—VistaPrint revenue soared 44% in the first quarter of its fiscal year, the company reported on Friday. For the period ending September 30, 2008, VistaPrint saw revenue grow to US$114.2 million, up from US$79.5 million in the same period last year. Net income for the first quarter was US$8.3 million, or 7.2% of revenue, up 20% from the first quarter of 2007, when it was US$6.9 million, or 8.7% of revenue. Last month the company announced plans for a 140,000 sq. ft. expansion to its Windsor, Ont., plant, the second increase since the facility opened back in 2005. The renovation is slated to be complete in early 2009.

Ontario shop opts for an Indigo
PICKERING, ON—Labelcraft Products has added an HP Indigo ws4500 press to its shop floor. The company has been in business since 1967, and specializes in custom labels.

With the new Indigo from left to right are: Mark Robertson, Marion Lemoine, Gerbee Gamboa, and Brian Tomlinson, all from Labelcraft Products.