Autumn has been a somewhat gloomy month for the printing industry, with all the twists and turns of an economy on the brink of a possible recession. Yet despite the tough economic climate, some printers have succeeded in developing hardy coping strategies and are managing to ride the storm. Printweek.com has delivered up-to-date financial and business news from the perspective of the print industry, as well as news of the latest installations, movers, shakers and deals.
Keep reading throughout November to ensure you stay informed and in the know.
Top five most read stories:
- Some welcome good news tops this month's most read stories – the results of the highly anticipated PrintWeek Awards 2008, which was attended by more than 1,200 people and hosted by top comedian Jimmy Carr. The successes and triumphs of a whole host of businesses were celebrated at this year's award ceremony, which saw York Mailing win the top gong for PrintWeek's Printing Company of the Year.
- In second place this month, was news that Iceland was nationalising bank Landsbanki – a major shareholder in Wyndeham. This running story dominated mainstream national news, as well as printweek.com and our coverage was also the fifth and sixth most read stories during October, with the follow-up news of the company's response that business was operating normally and then Wyndeham's denial of any cash flow problems which were rumoured in the national press.
- Third most read this month was the tragic news of the death of maintenance engineer Ian Ebbs in an accident at St Ives' Peterborough plant on Monday 6 October.
- The fourth most read story this month was about the sale of Cooper Clegg. Printweek.com revealed that three groups were in the running to by Pindar's magazine printing division.
- And finally, in fifth place this October, was the winning bidders of the reviewed Future magazine printing contract – Polestar and William Gibbons, who will print a number of magazines which were formerly produced at Wyndeham Heron and Southernprint.
Here are several of the hundreds of comments posted on the hotbed of discussion that is the printweek.com forum:
"Not all PM companies are the same and many offer very attractive packages for end users. Often the savings they can make for clients, part of which convert into profit for themselves are as a result of clever purchasing. As a printer myself I have healthy relationships with several PMs and these relationships have grown due to service and quality but most importantly we are geared up exactly to suit their requirements hence being capable of competitive pricing... There are two unfortunate side effects of dealing with PMs. Sometimes although the printer has behaved impeccably, if the PM loses the contract, the printer loses the work, which can prove fatal if heavily committed and secondly, if a PM goes out of business, the end user can be left high & dry. In these trying times both issues may prove to be too much for many to risk."
Dominic Hartley discusses news that T.D. Gorman has gone into liquidation
"Given DSR's situation, how would the company's creditors honestly deal with the situation themselves? Is it not first and foremost a responsibility to the employees of the company, to protect them and their own and to continue to trade? I implore any employer in the industry to stand up and be counted and say they will pay their creditors before doing the best they can for their own staff and prospects. I address you specifically when I say, I'm sure your staff will be suitably comforted and relieved that their former suppliers are getting on fine whilst they, themselves, desperately search for a job leading up to Christmas and struggle to make their mortgage repayments."
Voice of reason speaks out about the news that DSR Print Management's business and assets had been bought by the company's owners in a pre-pack deal
