Grub Street Printing Newsletter #7 Sept. / Oct. 2008

Brand New –Acrobat 9

Acrobat 9 has just been released as part of Creative Suite 3.3. Best new feature? Acrobat 9 makes collaboration on documents easier, especially with the ability to access the new Acrobat.com, a free online service and library that allows file sharing and real time discussions with other users.

Orphan Works

In late September the Senate passed the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008 (S. 2913).

The bill deals with copyrighted works whose authors or copyright holders cannot be located.

Warehouse Cleaning

Whether it’s because of a new edition or declining sales, occasionally some titles need to be disposed of.

If remaindering isn’t practical, consider donating those books to the Books for Asia Program.

Program information is available at http://asiafoundation.org/program/overview/books-for-asia.

The books won’t compete with your other editions and you’ll get a tax break.

The Future of Print

Check out www.atdrupa.de to see videos of the newest print technology from Drupa, the world’s largest print show. Andrew Tribute’s analysis is worth watching twice.

Rainforest Blues

International Paper has announced plans to build a pulp/paper mill in Indonesia where the rainforest is disappearing at the rate of 7 million acres per year. Most of Indonesia’s timber is taken illegally.

Indonesia’s deforestation creates more emissions annually than all of the cars, planes, buses and trucks in the U.S. according to ForestEthics.org.

Printer Profit Squeeze

American printers continue to struggle with profitability in the transition to digital output. Profits declined 35% in the 12 months ending June 30, 2008.

In a Related Story

Quebecor World is being sued by a group of its suppliers for repaying $376 million of bank debt just days before its 2007 bankruptcy filing, leaving the vendors with a much smaller pie to share.

Despite its bankruptcy, Quebecor remains the second largest commercial printer in North America (behind RR Donnelley) with annual revenues exceeding $6 billion.

The top 13 North American “mega printers” saw revenues decline 6% since 1999 in spite of completing some blockbuster mergers and acquisitions (think Banta and Perry Judds). The mega printers control over 30% of the North American print market.