Shorts

RR Donnelley will move to smaller headquarters in downtown Chicago in mid-2005, from its leased 240,000-sq.ft. facility to 110,000 sq.ft. Its space needs are shrinking as it cuts annual expenses by $100 million. The company eliminated 3,410 positions in the first half of the year after a February buyout of Moore Wallace.

IWCO Direct, Chanhassen, MN, an integrated direct-mail firm, opens a high-speed mailing center at its primary facility next month. Operating 24/7, the move creates 80 full-time jobs. The company recently expanded in Little Falls, MN, adding high-speed affixers, embossers, bindery lines, inserters and a fifth Siemens Dematic Delivery-Point Bar Code Sorter (DBCS) for co-mingling mail. IWCO also says it is pursuing an acquisition outside of Minnesota.

GreenBiz.com and Tulip Graphics, Berkeley, CA, open GreenerPrinter.com, said to be the first online, certified green printer shipping products with "zero net-impact" on the climate. The company touts real-time quotes and three-day turnaround.

Transcontinental, Montreal, will spend $53 million on three new Goss Sunday 4000 presses for plants in Quebec and Ontario, replacing seven now in use and resulting in 135 job cuts. Earlier, the company announced another $200 million in investment plans.

Pamarco Technologies' board named a new CEO, Terry Ford, effective Jan. 1. Ford succeeds Richard Segel, who will consult during the first six months of the transition. Pamarco is a holding company for Accel Graphic Systems, Chicago Manifold Products, Dauphin Graphic Machines, Diamond Holding and Pamarco Global Graphics.

Stora Enso and Xeikon have joined forces to bring to market paperboard packaging for CDs, DVDs and video games. The disc-packaging alternative, called Stora Enso DBS (Discbox Slider), uses Xeikon digital printers. DBS' automated, on-demand production line is a turnkey solution covering printing, converting and insertion. It's efficient for short runs and personalized packaging, making it ideal for the increasingly fragmented music and entertainment businesses, says a spokesperson for the new joint venture, Stora Enso Digital Solutions.

Creo defended its JPEG use against Compression Labs' patent claims, contending it has not infringed on patent laws by selling and using the popular picture file format technology. Creo is one of 44 companies named in lawsuits by Compression's parent, Forgent Networks, which claims a patent on JPEG.

Teamsters merge with Graphic Communications International Union, effective Jan. 1. GCIU becomes an autonomous conference within the Teamsters union.

Ennis pays $3 million for Royal Business Forms. Midlothian, TX, Ennis acquired 100% of the stock of the privately held Royal, Arlington, TX, which posts annual sales of $12 million and serves a nationwide client base with short-run financial print products. This follows the $259-million business forms giant's bid to buy Alstyle Apparel (in June), an Anaheim, CA manufacturer of customized fleece and T-shirts.

Bert-Co, Los Angeles, plans to spend $12 million to open a print plant in Pulaski, TN. The company's two plants in Los Angeles print packaging, labels and point-of-purchase displays. A 112,000-sq.ft. former electronic circuit board manufacturer will house the new plant.

Sun Chemical Security has been formed by Sun Chemical, Fort Lee, NJ. The new global business unit will provide products used to print packages, documents and currency that incorporate security measures. The unit also will market forensic security systems to ensure authenticity of the products themselves. John Luppino was named general manager.

An update of the industry's leading sales tool is available. The '05 Graphic Arts Blue Book Top 100 has up-to-date information for more than 1,000 locations of the top 100 commercial, financial, specialty and publication printers in the U.S. & Canada. For more information: www.gabb.com/pages/top100.html