Quebecor World, North America’s second largest book printer ($678 M in 2006 book sales), which employs 58,000 in 16 countries, filed for bankruptcy protection in New York and Montreal in January and closed plants in Kingsport, Tenn., and Brookfield, Wis.
The ramifications are still roiling all parts of the industry, particularly suppliers who are owed hundreds of millions of dollars. Publishers, nervous about the outcome, have taken much of their work to other printers less likely to experience such disruption.
Quebecor World’s liquidation would turn the industry on its head and seems most unlikely. Nevertheless, when the largest printers can’t pay their bills you know that print margins remain razor thin and misreading the crystal ball can prove fatal.
u&lc Lives
One of my favorite reads used to be a magazine called u&lc (as in upper and lower case). It was, of course, intended for typographers and graphic artists, and I was (am) neither.
But the original and creative designs it showcased taught me that graphics and type aren’t two separate considerations to the designer. They exist as one to create effective, original design.
The good news is u&lc lives on at http://www.itcfonts.com/Ulc/4111/ .
Tell Them About It
Frustrated by automated answering systems with menu after menu of computer generated voice prompts? Try www.gethuman.com for the best ways to beat the prompts and talk to real live people at more than 500 companies.
Creative Co-Op Considered
Heather Buchanan Gueringer (Aquarius Press) and Nancy Feldbush (Moose Run Productions) are teaming up to explore the possibility of a Michigan-based publishers co-op initially to share marketing and mailing ideas and costs. Contact Heather at aquariuspress@sbcglobal.net for information about the April meeting.
God Bless the Independents
The news around
Borders reports that it still returns around 25% of the books it orders and a number of publishers have told me that it is taking longer and longer to be paid.
On the bright side, independent bookstores seem to be making a comeback. Membership in the American Booksellers Association was down to just 1900 in 2002 but has recovered to 2209 in 2007.
If the decade-long loss of independent bookstores has finally bottomed out, it can only be a good thing for publishers and consumers.
