News Archives
June 2001
June 29, 2001
Arthurs-Jones partners leave company
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Partners Casper Stabile and Paul Dossey have left Arthurs-Jones Clarke Lithographing Inc., PrintCan has learned. Arthurs-Jones President, and partner, Emilio Ciampini refused comment when asked about Stabile's departure. Dossey, who also served as controller, could not be reached by PrintCan and Stabile said he "cannot comment at this time."

Case study ponders Moore's future
TORONTO — Moore Corp. is the subject of the July case study piece in National Post Business magazine. The decision to feature the beleaguered forms and label printer was "led by its prominence and its problems," said editor Tony Keller. Moore posted a US$66 million loss in 2000. Current CEO Robert Burton is attempting to turn the company around through various cost-cutting measures.

June 26, 2001
Invesprint reshuffles management deck
TORONTO — Specialty packaging and label printer Invesprint Corp. has installed current board member and former Ontario premier Bob Rae as its new chairman of the board.Outgoing chairman and CEO Leland Verner is stepping down to pursue personal interests. Taking his place as CEO on an interim basis is Tony Wong, current president and COO. Wong will also retain his position as president of Jonergin, a California-based subsidiary of Invesprint. One of the oldest printing companies in Canada, Investprint has annual sales of about $85 million.

June 22, 2001
Quebecor prints too many 'winners'
FREDERICTON — According to gasoline retailer Ultramar, Quebecor World is responsible for the recent furor in New Brunswick over bogus winning coupons. Quebecor was contracted by Ultramar to print coupons for it's recent "Reveal a Deal" promotion. Instead of printing three winning coupons worth $1,500 in free gas, more than 50,000 were printed and distributed across the province. According to Globe and Mail reporter Graeme Smith, the plates on the press were not changed after the winning coupons were printed. Ultramar has attempted to please irate customers with invalid 'winning' tickets by offering other prizes. Quebecor would not "get into the details" when asked by PrintCan about the mix up.

June 19, 2001
Sewer use bylaw delayed
TORONTO — Implementation of the new Toronto sewer use bylaw has been delayed from its original date of July 1. A new date has not been set. Changes to the Toronto sewer use by-law require every printer operating in the city to submit a pollution prevention plan (P2) for approval. The plan would outline methods for reporting and disposing of pollutants. "We're in a preparation stage. We will prepare a template for OPIA members, so that issues related to solvents are print industry-related. We've taken the bylaw and made it specific for print," says Tracey Preston, executive director of the OPIA.

June 15, 2001
Quebec printers merge
MONTREAL - A merger deal was announced on Monday, between three Quebec-based printers. The new firm entitled Scabrini Media, was formed when Groupe Scabrini, Servi Impression and Richard Veilleux Imprimeur decided to join forces. "We decided it would be [a benefit] for customers, especially in the field we are in, to have a larger offering [of services] as an alternative," said Pierre Goulet, president of Scabrini Media, referring to larger Quebec printers Transcontiental and Quebecor. The new firm is composed of book, commercial and digital printing divisions. It employs approximately 400 people, and is expected to produce $53 million in sales, Goulet said.

Newspapers on demand
MONTREAL - For a mere $4.25 per copy, travellers can get complete, current editons of newspapers from around the world, custom printed in three minutes on two sided 11"x17'' paper, from Benjamin News, a Montreal-based newspaper distributor. "It has raised a lot of interest. We're getting phone calls from everywhere. New newspapers are getting on board every week, " said Pierre Proulx, vice president of sales and marketing for Benjamin News. Clients can choose from 61 newspapers from 27 countries including the National Post, Financial Times (UK) and the Boston Globe. The service is currently available only in Quebec, eastern Ontario and northern New Brunswick, but there are plans to expand into other Canadian markets, including Toronto, Proulx said. The company is currently "in negotiations" with a national retailer he said.

June 12, 2001
Graphic Monthly releases its Gold List issue
MISSISSAUGA - Canada's top 100 printers are featured in the June issue of Graphic Monthly's annual ranking, and Quebecor World heads the list. The Montreal-based giant is firmly entrenched as the leader with annual sales at $9.7 billion, more than double those of second-ranked Moore Corp at $3.37 billion. The largest 20 printers continue to dominate the market, accounting for more than 90% of total sales. The total print market grew 14.7% in 2000, with total sales of $19.6 billion, up from $17 billion in 1999.

Quebecor sells Abitibi shares for $603 million
MONTREAL - Quebecor Inc. sold its 11% stake in newsprint giant Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. last Thursday in two separate deals to TD Securities for approximately $603 million. The deals are designed to help ease the company's $2.9 billion debt it took on to finance the $5.4 billion cash purchase of Quebec cable outlet Videotron last October. The company's Quebecor Media division remains saddled with a $2 billion short-term debt due on Oct.23. According to Luc Lavoie, executive vice-president of corporate affairs, long-term debt financing plans are expected to be announced shortly.

June 08, 2001
CCRMA votes to disband
TORONTO - At its annual general meeting on Tuesday night, the Canadian Corporate Reprographic Management Association voted to call it a day and disband. The CCRMA offered support, education and networking opportunities for management of corporate printing and reprographic centres. In existence for more than 15 years, the association once boasted 150 members, but has seen its membership and volunteer support drop dramatically over the last few years. Some CCRMA members have joined the Ontario Association of Quick Printers (OAQP) as programs and activities from both assocations were combined in 2000. Outgoing president Matt De Jong said financial support was not a problem. In fact, the association will be donating left over money to the Hospital for Sick Children, he said. The final CCRMA event will be its annual golf tournament on June 21.

Quebecor revenues up in Q1
MONTREAL - Quebecor Inc. reported a 2.9% increase in revenues in the first quarter over the same period in 2000. The company posted revenues of $2.72 billion, up from $2.64 billion in 2000 for the period ending March 31. It posted a net loss of $25.7 million for the quarter, compared to a $22.9 million loss in Q1 2000. The quarterly report attributes the loss primarily to the company's acquistion of cable outlet Videotron last October. Quebecor World, meanwhile, posted revenues of $2.41 billion, up from $2.37 billion over the same period in 2000.

June 05, 2001
CPIA Meets with 100 MPs
OTTAWA - The CPIA (Canadian Printing Industries Association) held its annual Government Affairs Days from May 30 and June 1. This year more than 30 CPIA members toured The Hill and met with approximately 100 MPs in two days, lobbying for federal consideration on reducing the capital cost allowance depreciation schedules from seven to three years, eliminating non-tariff trade barriers, and increasing support for industry training programs. Some of the more notable meetings were face-to-face chats with former Prime Minister, Joe Clark, and Bloc Québecois chief Gilles Duceppe. Of his meeting with Clark, CPIA chairman Don Gain remarked that Mr. Clark now knows him by name and is sympathetic to the association’s concerns.

June 01, 2001
Quebecor responds to National Post article
MONTREAL - Quebecor Inc. denies it will consider selling its profitable printing division, Quebecor World. In an interview with PrintCan, the company responded to a recent National Post article that suggested it may have to begin selling some of its assets to service its sizeable debt. "We made a couple of things clear [at the Quebecor Inc. annual meeting], and [one of those] is we will not sell Quebecor World or any part of it," said Luc Lavoie, executive vice president of corporate affairs for Quebecor Inc. "It's puzzling," he said, referring to the article, which is based on a report written by an HSBC Securities analyst. "Refinancing the short term debt for the long-term is something that we are looking at. We are well into that process," he said. In addition, Quebecor's future is the subject of a case study in the June issue of the daily's business magazine.

Cenosis strikes deal with Imation
MONTREAL - Cenosis Inc. has struck a five-year distribution agreement with Imation Europe for Cenosis's new internet-based software. The application, entitled Imation ExpressWeb powered by KangaCom, is designed to provide content capture with previewing and transport functions for the European graphic arts industry. The deal combines Cenosis's file transfer technology with Imation's prepress management software, and is the first business venture for Cenosis outside of North America.
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