Printer News

RR Donnelley & Sons Company and Consolidated Graphics Inc. jointly announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement by which RR Donnelley will acquire Consolidated Graphics, a provider of digital and commercial printing, fulfillment services, print management and proprietary Internet-based technology solutions.

A pair of state (Alabama) lawmakers are asking for $100 million in bonds to replace school textbooks with digital devices. Republican state Sen. Gerald Dial, of Lineville, and Rep. Jim McClendon, of Springville, said textbooks are obsolete and they estimate the state could eventually save $15 million by replacing them with laptops or tablet computers.

Advocates of the idea said allowing children to use tablets or laptops would give them more flexibility in terms of research opportunities, and chances to expand on what they've learned rather than working from prepared texts.

At the beginning of November, three companies will emerge under a new name. NextPage is the resulting combination of L&L Manufacturing, Graphic Services Printing and Mail Print. The three companies merged in February and consolidated into a 70,000-square-foot space in SubTropolis.

CEO Gina Danner said the expansion plans included a $3.5 million investment in new equipment and technology, and will allow for the creation of 40 new full-time jobs.

Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, Conn., recently announced that Christoph Stehmann has been named president of Ecommerce and Shipping Solutions at Pitney Bowes. In this newly created position, Stehmann will be responsible for all of the company’s ecommerce and shipping businesses.

Launching at the SGIA Expo this week, SignStore.net is set to revolutionize the sign making industry by opening up a sales channel previously considered prohibitively expensive for independent sign sellers.

EFI, a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation based in Foster City, Calif., has acquired the Edmonds, Washington-based automated print planning and imposition technology company operating as Metrix Software.

Highcon announced that West Chester, Pennsylvania-based Anro Inc. has placed an order for the Highcon Euclid digital cutting and creasing machine making it the first company in North America to be able to offer the benefits of digital package converting to its customers.

An annual Wilmington, Del. business event focused on stimulating economic opportunities and growth for small, women, veteran and minority-owned businesses has recognized one of Ennis’ partners.

Rockville Centre, located in New York, will soon host the world's first-ever parking meters that print coupons for local stores. The village partnered with meter company Parkeon and MasterCard for the 10 units. As drivers, or pedestrians, pay for parking or walk by, the meters will offer coupons for village businesses.

The kiosks, which cost $10,000 each, were purchased at a discount for $6,600 each, Mayor Francis Murray said. They are solar powered, and also accept credit and debit cards. Users will be able to select from several real-time offers, with the coupons printing from the unit.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued John and Kevin Zankowski and their Fairport company, ImageXpres Corp., on Sept. 25. The suit, brought in U.S. District Court, alleged that between 2009 and 2011 the financial performance of the digital printing and software development firm had been hugely overstated to investors.

ImageXpres "reported revenue growth rates in excess of 300 percent ... for some products in spite of the absence of virtually any bona fide sales," according to the SEC complaint. "ImageXpres is essentially dormant now with little or no capital."