PRINTING NEWS, MARCH 2012

AlphaGraphics Acquired

The AlphaGraphics franchise, formerly owned by the UK-based G.A. Pindar & Son Ltd., has been purchased by an affiliate of Maryland-based private equity fund Blackstreet Capital Partners II. The transaction closed on January 11, 2012. “We’re extremely excited to add the AlphaGraphics brand to our portfolio,” said Blackstreet director Lawrence Berger. “Blackstreet typically purchases underperforming companies. AlphaGraphics, which is healthy and profitable, does not fall into this category.”

Shortly after the acquisition, Blackstreet parted ways with Kevin Cushing, who has been AlphaGraphics’ CEO since 2004. Art Coley, who previously served as senior vice president of global development, has been named the franchise’s new president.

www.myprintresource.com/10003758

Allegra Strikes Deal with Signs By Tomorrow

Members of Allegra Network’s leadership team have reached an agreement to invest in an entity that will purchase the assets of Signs By Tomorrow, a 162-unit network of firms providing large-scale graphics. The new entity will continue to do business as Signs By Tomorrow. The management team of Signs By Tomorrow will remain intact and all operational support for franchise members will continue from its headquarters in Columbia, MD. Some administrative functions will be moved to Allegra’s offices in Plymouth, MI.

Allegra Network: www.myprintresource.com/10003729

Signs By Tomorrow: www.myprintresource.com/10158676

Investors Found for manroland

The privately owned British engineering group, Langley Holdings plc, has emerged as the investor behind the takeover of the sheetfed printing equipment division of manroland AG. Langley already operates two successful technology divisions in Germany in the field of capital equipment. All contracts were signed on February 1.

The web offset press business has been taken over by L. Possehl & Co. mbH, and will conduct business under the name of manroland web systems GmbH. This ensures the long-term continuation of the business. Uwe Lders, chairman of the board of the Possehl group, will manage the company. Around 1,400 employees will secure employment in the new company, saving more than half of the jobs at the plant in Augsburg, Germany.

manroland: www.myprintresource.com/10006536

Kodak Files Chapter 11

Eastman Kodak Company and its U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for chapter 11 business reorganization in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in January. The company obtained a fully-committed, $950 million debtor-in-possession credit facility with an 18-month maturity from Citigroup to enhance liquidity and working capital. Kodak believes that it has sufficient liquidity to operate its business during chapter 11, and to continue the flow of goods and services to its customers in the ordinary course. It also expects to pay employee wages and benefits and continue customer programs.

www.myprintresource.com/10005105

Pitney Bowes Opens Tech Center

Pitney Bowes has opened its Global Technology Center in Danbury, CT. The newly-renovated 300,000-square-foot facility brings together Pitney Bowes engineering, research and development, product management, and information technology services in Connecticut under one roof. It includes an open lab environment and office space, collaborative team and project space, upgraded wireless capabilities, and technology-enabled conference rooms and public areas. The center employs approximately 650 people.

www.myprintresource.com/10007238

xpedx to Close Stores

xpedx has announced that it will transition away from its current stores business model, and will now serve all its customers through its distribution network. In an unusual move, the company made the announcement only via Facebook. The statement went on to say that it will open “mini-merchant” locations in some of the country’s top digital print markets. The company acknowledged that the move would “unfortunately affect many talented and dedicated team members,” however there was no indication of how many jobs will be lost.