Harland Clarke - Competitors

Harland Clarke Competition

Now Viewing Harland Clarke's competition in: Commercial Printing (primary)

Recent Developments

Quebecor World Continues Struggles - Printing giant Quebecor World recently announced significant layoffs at two of its printing facilities due to lost business and restructuring. The total number of layoffs is expected to be between 670 and 700 at facilities in Connecticut and Toronto, following job cuts in 2005, 2006, and 2007. However, the company plans additional investments in some of its more productive facilities as part of overall restructuring.

Green Push Extends to Printing Industry - Consumer and investor pressures to enact earth-friendly initiatives have resulted in many businesses changing their practices, and now investor pressure is pushing printers to do the same. Recently, Domini Social Investments, an investment fund rooted in social and environmental awareness, announced plans to pressure printer RR Donnelley, one of the industry's largest commercial printers, to adopt environmentally friendly paper policies. The company has resisted the shareholder proposal because it doesn't buy all of its own paper.

Printers Apply Lean Manufacturing - Printing companies are increasingly adopting the principles of lean manufacturing, a technique designed to improve efficiency and cut costs, according to two industry organizations. Lean manufacturing techniques are traditionally the territory of product manufacturers, but about 40 percent of surveyed printers find that the techniques are useful for their operations. In addition to the 40 percent using lean manufacturing, an additional 37 percent are aware of it.

Competitive Landscape

Demand is driven by advertising and product needs of business customers. The profitability of individual companies is closely linked to effective sales operations. Large companies have scale advantages in buying materials like paper and ink, serving large customers with regional or national needs, and making efficient use of expensive presses. Small companies can compete effectively by offering better local service in a specific product category. Annual revenue per employee averages about $160,000.

Full Industry Overview For Commercial Printing

Commercial Printing Industry Forecast

from Hoover's/D&B subsidiary First Research

The output of US printing manufacturing is forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 0.9 percent between 2007 and 2012.

Commercial Printing Output Growth Weak

First Research forecasts are based on INFORUM forecasts that are licensed from the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. (IERF) in College Park, MD. INFORUM's "interindustry-macro" approach to modeling the economy captures the links between industries and the aggregate economy.