Mike Eastley Joins Image Systems as President

We're delighted to announce that Mike Eastley has joined Image Systems, a Consolidated Graphics company located in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, as president. Over the past ten years, Eastley has held various positions in commercial printing, and brings a strong technical background and sales acumen to this Consolidated Graphics company. Mike has a solid knowledge base that spans the print industry, and emphasizes the customer service that Image Systems has built  reputation around.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Image Systems, the company was founded as a pre-press shop in 1987. Since that time, Image Systems has grown in terms of facility size and service breadth, but maintains its original focus on top quality print fulfillment and superior customer service. Image Systems joined the Consolidated Graphics team in 1998, and has become an integral part of the company's overall service offering. For more information on Image Systems, click here. 

Spotlight On: Jim Cohen, EVP, Mergers & Acquisitions, CGX

We spoke with Jim Cohen, Executive Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions at Consolidated Graphics, to get the inside scoop on the print industry’s M&A landscape. Cohen joined CGX in 2005, and has led the company’s very active acquisition strategy since then, increasing the size of CGX by about  30% during this period.   In recognition of his contributions to the printing industry, last year Mr. Cohen was inducted into the National Association of Printing Leadership’s Soderstrom Society, the honorary society that recognizes outstanding contributions of service and leadership in the printing industry. 

How have you seen the industry change since joining CGX in 2005?

Cohen: The biggest change has been in the last two years, as the printing industry was hit hard by the recession. CGX was fortunately very well positioned when the recession hit because we have one of the strongest balance sheets in the printing industry, and this  allowed us to continue to aggressively look at acquisition opportunities, but the industry as a whole has changed dramatically.   Unlike before the recession, it became very difficult to find printing companies that were growing and profitable. So we had to get creative and see if we could make lemonade out of lemons with some of the distressed deals we were seeing literally every day of the week. I also redoubled my efforts in sourcing acquisition candidates because when you look at turnaround situations you have to pick your targets even more carefully because there is virtually no margin for error.  We have become very experienced in the last two years in devising structures that work for distressed companies and have managed to make the transactions win win for both sides.  Most of the companies we have looked at over the last two years will most likely not be around two years from now, and the owners more often than not have personal guarantees which could wipe them out if their businesses fail. It is a terrible situation for printing company owners today, and I am very sympathetic.  I’ve also tried to make clear to owners today that we do have an interest in looking at your company even if it is in financial distress.  So we are looking at a very changed landscape these days.  It is definitely very challenging today for most printers out there, including us.  

Another big change unrelated to the economy is the role that technology and digital plays in our business today.  Solutions selling is no longer a buzzword, and customers don’t care what kind of equipment you own.  They want solutions.  The growth in digital printing is great for us because we have the world’s largest and most modern network of digital presses, but it is a real struggle for independents because  digital printing only makes sense if you can sell solutions.  To sell solutions, you need a pretty special type of salesperson. Then if you actually have someone who can sell solutions, you are most likely going to need multiple digital presses.  And these presses need constant upgrades just like your laptop so printers will find themselves spending a lot more on digital equipment than they ever spent on offset.  This isn’t intuitive initially to printing company owners because the initial outlay for a digital press is typically less than for an offset press.  But layer on click charges, down time, software upgrades and the rapid evolution of digital printing technology, and you’re going to find that you need a lot of capital to compete in the digital arena. This is going to change our industry dramatically in the next few years.

How has the downturn impacted CGX from an M&A perspective?

Cohen: As I mentioned, we’re in a relatively good financial position, which allows us to continue looking at M&A opportunities in the industry. With so many distressed companies out there, we’ve become a white knight to some degree, rescuing some of these companies from almost certain liquidation or bankruptcy. We’re also continuing to invest in our business, positioning ourselves as an even stronger competitor when the economy rebounds.  This ability to reinvest is a key differentiator for us.

What things do you look for when identifying acquisition opportunities?

Cohen: There are a lot of factors we look for when assessing an acquisition opportunity. The most important one is that it must fit into CGX’s overall strategy, and complement our current product and service offering. We look at earnings growth, the strength of the management team and employees as well as the company’s customer base.  We look for a history of reinvestment in the business (quality of their equipment) and a good reputation, either nationally or in the local community in which they operate. There isn’t a single formula for what makes a company attractive to CGX, but rather a combination of qualitative and quantitative considerations.  Cultural fit is also extremely important.

What is most attractive about CGX from the perspective of acquisition candidates?

Cohen: There are a lot of benefits to being aligned with a company like ours.  We allow owners to take their chips off the table but also to continue running their business as part of one of the world’s leaders in printing.  This is a pretty exciting “Chapter Two” that we offer owners in terms of their own careers.  At the same time, we allow owners to continue to run their businesses autonomously, maintaining the structure and processes that make the most sense for them, and operating under their own name so as to preserve the brand equity they have built over multiple generations in many cases.  Allowing former entrepreneurs a healthy dose of autonomy is attractive to sellers.  We also provide the risk capital and as the bank, we relieve sellers of having to both worry about securing financing and personal guarantees on debt.  Also, sellers also find themselves with an instant peer group of 70 other presidents who are best in class themselves and are always available to share best practices.

It is also the best result for their employees because we own our companies for the long-term and are not looking to make a quick flip like a financial buyer would.  We’ll also invest in the businesses we buy to ensure that they succeed and that their customers’ needs are met at all levels.  And with our strong balance sheet and breadth of product offerings, an acquired company’s employees know that they are part of a financially sound industry leader, and if they are in sales they can offer a lot more in the way of solutions and products to their customers. 

We also offer better distribution to an acquired company’s customers because we are in or near every major metropolitan area in the US and also own companies in Toronto and central Europe and have strategic alliances with companies in Asia.  This is a great benefit to national and international customers as well as those who are looking to have a smaller carbon footprint by using a distribute and print model rather than vice versa.  We also offer customers a broader service offering (web, sheet fed, digital, POP, large format, direct mail, etc.).  

What M&A trends do you foresee going forward?

Cohen: I think even as the economy recovers, we will continue to see many companies fail over the next two to four years. This kind of lag is pretty typical with economic recoveries.  As banks continue their own recovery and finish dealing with their larger credit risks, they will turn their attention to their smaller printing credits and be more willing to take the write offs that they’ve been ignoring for the last couple of years.  As the struggling printers disappear, so will their desperate pricing strategies, and that will benefit the survivors who no longer have to lose money on jobs just to compete.  

More failing companies will inevitably also result in more mergers, but many of those will be between two equally desperate companies so don’t expect a lot of those mergers to work long term.  But in general as the economy recovers over the next few years, I expect to see a big pick up in acquisition activity as earnings return to the point where owners get comfortable with the value they can pull out of a transaction.  Many of these owners will have wanted to sell for years but had to delay due to the dip in profitability that they all had to endure during the recession.  So this pent up demand should be a very good thing for our own acquisition efforts.

Wetzel Brothers Offers Lamá Display Solution

After a thorough vetting process, we are proud to announce that Wetzel Brothers, Consolidated Graphics’ longest operating company and a leader in point-of-purchase (POP) displays, was recently selected as an official licensee in the USA for Marin’s International. The Lamá®is a patented, instant display that opens instantly into position in a matter of seconds. As easy as it is to set up, it’s just as simple to fold down, and saves customers up to two-thirds of their shipping expense due to its compact size.

Here’s how it all happened...

Last year, Marin’s, a French company and owner of the Lamá® patent, started looking for just a few qualified companies to manufacture and sell the Lamá® line of products stateside. They selected Wetzel Brothers because of their exclusive focus on POP displays and national scope, and thus the partnership was initiated.

What makes the Lamá® so fantastic is its ease of use and simple assembly (or should we say more accurately, no assembly?). It pops up automatically, and can be used for sampling promotional products, as a tabletop display, as a branding display, or in any number of formats utilizing the patented paperboard technology. Display sizes range from counter displays to 10 foot-high columns.

Companies like Procter & Gamble, Kraft, Microsoft, Sony, Unilever and more have already adopted the solution, and more recently, Wetzel brought the Lamá® to retail magnates Toys ‘R Us and Nintendo. According to Carine Krull of Wetzel Brothers, “They are excited about our new Lamá® capabilities and immediately made use of the innovative displays. We also anticipate generating a lot of new business as a result of this partnership.”

For more info on the Lamá®, you can  contact Wetzel Brothers. Wetzel Brothers recently exhibited the Lamá at the 2010 Shopper Marketing Expo, October 6-7, 2010 at the Navy Pier in Chicago, but if you missed them there be sure to catch them at GlobalShop at The Sands in Las Vegas, March 28-30,2011.

Guest Blog from InfoPrint Solutions: Why Frederic Printing is the Dream Partner

At CGX, we work closely with our suppliers to keep the print industry moving forward and to continue to better serve our customers. Today, I'm happy to introduce George Promis,VP, CF Production Solutions and Technology Alliances, InfoPrint Solutions, as he shares his thoughts on Frederic Printing's installation of the InfoPrint5000:

Here at InfoPrint Solutions, we’ve realized that building strong relationships with our clients, partners and suppliers is important and we consider it as a staple in the success of our brand. As such, you can imagine how excited we were to work with Consolidated Graphics’ Frederic Printing because they share the same high standards and carry this philosophy over to their relationships with their partners and suppliers.

Upon first hearing Frederic Printing’s needs for a new printing solution and examining their workload, clients and output we knew an InfoPrint 5000 would be a great fit – specifically to address their demands for a flexible, reliable and versatile solution and to enable the creation of unique, future applications. Customized college textbooks, direct mail marketing pieces and election ballots were a few output types Frederic Printing produced and looked to InfoPrint Solutions to optimize.

What was most impressive throughout the selection and vetting process was the openness and mutually-beneficial relationship we immediately felt when working with the Frederic Printing team. Right off the bat, we could tell this would be a growing and rewarding partnership with ongoing work into the future. Coincidentally, Frederic’s facility is located nearby our headquarters which enables us to work closely together to jointly test new applications on very short runs – a capability not often supported by other inkjet offerings. By doing this, Frederic has the ability to report back to its parent company the innovative approach they are exploring in the field of short run, high quality output.

Once the implementation began, Frederic Printing had a smooth transition integrating their workload onto the InfoPrint 5000. The flexibility of the InfoPrint 5000 quickly fulfilled the company’s short run digital color printing needs. This, along with the quick, seamless installation, minimal staff training and ease of use was praised by the Frederic Printing team. The solution immediately met the demands of their clients for high quality while meeting critical print windows.

Sustainability is another important factor for Frederic Printing, as it is for InfoPrint Solutions. Hence implementing the InfoPrint 5000 was a perfect solution as it supports sustainability and cost-effective printing practices. Specifically, it is one of the industry’s lowest power consuming high speed inkjet models and also delivers exceptional operational efficiency and uses water-based inks.

We, at InfoPrint Solutions, measure our success on the outcome and satisfaction our products provide. In this particular case, we couldn’t have been more thrilled to realize that Frederic Printing shared our fundamental beliefs. Since then, we’ve garnered a strong and supportive relationship that continues to meet the needs and demands of their customers.

Want to read more? Check out InfoPrint Insights blog for a post by Chris Greene, President of Frederic Printing, where he gives everyday examples of how his company is using the InfoPrint 5000.

Thank you,
George Promis
VP, CF Production Solutions and Technology Alliances
InfoPrint Solutions

Joe Davis Wins Print CEO of the Year!

We can't say enough about our CEO, Joe Davis, but it's always nice when the rest of the world realizes what an outstanding leader he is. Mr. Davis was recently honored as Print CEO of the Year by WhatTheyThink and Manroland for his "inspirational leadership and success."

We aren't sure if it's the incredible growth the company has seen (Mr. Davis has grown CGX from a single print facility to over 70 facilities in just 25 years, and our company has reached over $1 billion in revenues), his Leadership Development Program (in his acceptance speech, he said this is his proudest achievement), or the company's successful acquisition program (which is the company's core growth strategy), but whatever it is, 2,500 of Davis' peers seem to agree that he is worthy of such an honor. To learn more about the Print CEO of the Year award, click here.

Introducing emerge Magazine

Every year, we invite our top customers to emerge, our annual conference for clients that highlights print, technology and marketing innovation. The event features breakout sessions, showcases major developments from print suppliers and manufacturers, and shares best practices from some of the biggest names in business: Merck, Aviva, Tyco, Adobe and more.

While we've gotten rave reviews about emerge over the years, one of the things we've discovered is the need to continue education and knowledge transfer among our clients in-between the annual conferences. As a result we recently launched a bi-monthly magazine (also called emerge).

Our goal for emerge, both conference and magazine, is simple: to explore new perspectives and solutions so that we, our customers, suppliers and the entire industry can improve our respective businesses. We want your input, comments, thoughts and musings, and we've also put together an online digital subscription version for you to conveniently view anytime, anywhere.

Frederic Printing's InfoPrint 5000

Part of what makes CGX such a strong company is the relationships we hold with our suppliers. Our customers tell us what they need, we translate that need to our suppliers, and they provide us with the appropriate technology. This gives us the ability to package this technology into a complete solution that makes our customers' lives easier and their marketing efforts more effective.

Frederic Printing, a CGX company in Aurora, Colorado, recently partnered with InfoPrint to install the InfoPrint 5000, which improves our ability to create print-on-demand textbooks, direct mail pieces, election ballots, and other high-volume variably-printed collateral. For more info on the InfoPrint, check out Chris Greene's guest post on the InfoPrint blog.

Joe Davis Selected as Print CEO of the Year Finalist

Joe Davis, CEO of Consolidated Graphics, was just announced as a finalist for the WhatTheyThink.com Print CEO of the Year award. While no surprise to us, it's always nice to be recognized by such a premier online resource for all things print-related.

Mr. Davis was selected from a prestigious group of thirty nominations for the first annual Print CEO of the Year award. Criteria for judging includes a demonstration of "inspirational and innovative leadership," metrics like revenue and profit growth, corporate transformation initiatives, and/or environmental leadership, and other qualifications that the nominator deems important.

We're not sure if it's his support for innovation shown through groundbreaking events like emerge, his commitment to young talent displayed through the Leadership Development Program that he founded, or the solid CGX financial performance, but whatever it is, we are in full agreement that Mr. Davis is worthy of such an honor.

Awards will be presented at the second annual Print CEO Forum scheduled for October 2nd and 3rd in Chicago, Illinois, and the winner will be selected by a group of industry peers. “We assembled a panel of 10 industry experts to narrow the list down to the top five,” said Randy Davidson, president of WhatTheyThink. “Hundreds of Print CEOs from around the globe will be invited to submit their votes to determine who will be named the Print CEO of the Year. All 5 finalists will receive a unique award crafted by a talented artist. It was a tough choice for our industry experts since all 30 nominees were highly qualified. Our congratulations to all 30 nominees, and especially to the final five.”

The five finalists, in alphabetical order, are:

* Joe Davis, Consolidated Graphics, Houston, Texas

* Robert Keane, Vistaprint, Lexington, Mass.

* John Lacagnina, ColorCentric Corp., Rochester, N.Y.

* Joel Quadracci, Quad/Graphics, Sussex, Wis.

* Adam Slutsky, Mimeo, New York, N.Y.

Congratulations to all!

CDS Publications Receives Prestigious ISO Certification

CDS Publications, a Consolidated Graphics company located in Medford, Oregon, has completed its ISO certification process, which it has maintained since 1994. ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, is the world's largest developer and publisher of international standards, and governs national standards of 163 countries. The organization forms a bridge between the public and private sectors, ensuring that companies meet the requirements of both business and society at large.

CDS renews its certification every three years, after receiving approval from a 3rd party auditor on specific processes, initiatives, and standards that have been determined as best practices for the print and manufacturing industry.

"The ISO 9001:2008 certification is a signal to our customers that we are protecting the data they send us, producing their work with the utmost quality, and staying ahead of the curve when it comes to our internal processes," said Steve Brown, President of CDS. "While not required by the industry, it's an important step in assuring our customers that we will deliver not only a superior product, but a superior experience."

The Dukes of Digital: CGX is highlighted in August's Printing Impressions magazine

Consolidated Graphics made the cover of Printing Impressions magazine this month and was featured in the prestigious trade publication. It was a group effort, showcasing the work of the entire executive team and the significant progress that the company has made since its inception under the leadership of CEO Joe Davis.

Here are just a few of my favorite excerpts from the article, but be sure to check out the complete story, as it provides a solid snapshot of who CGX is and where the company is heading:

On emerge:

• It is at the intersection of people and technology that you will find the kingdom of Consolidated Graphics, and emerge was just one way in which the company is 
building on its empire.
• "One recurring theme I hear is that marketers and procurement people are starting to think more creatively about what they can do," Grohs says. "It's kind of a perfect storm, because we have all of this technology, digital equipment and the recession all hitting the industry at the same time. And, it seems that no one else is trying to take the lead and show people what can really be done. Our event was fresh, innovative and educational."

On sales and recruiting:

• Saying that people are the most important asset at a printing company reeks of trite indulgence. But not for a firm that invests in a Leadership Development Program, an initiative that seeks out the brightest and hardest-working young men and women from American campuses nationwide to mold them into future CGX executives.
• According to Michael Barton, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, "If anything, our expectations have increased because we realize that, as CGX grows, we'll need a large pool of talented people ready to assume the leadership roles that will become available.
• Its sales force is constantly raising the bar in terms of cross-selling opportunities, with more than $100 million per year in such sales. Being able to sell the full capabilities of CGX—like its legendary stout balance sheet—is a given for its sales force.

On technology:

• Davis points out that the 220 machines which grace the CGX network make it the largest fleet of digital presses in the United States.
• Jon Biro, executive vice president, chief financial and accounting officer, notes that investments over the past two years have enabled the company to nurture what he calls the "world's largest digital platform."

On acquisitions:

• "Our acquisition strategy isn't directly tied to geography or acquiring new capabilities," Cohen notes. "We look for the best companies, with the best leadership and the best customers, no matter where they happen to be. 
• CGX's M&A platform is as robust as any, buoyed by ready access to capital and ready to stretch into a 27th state, though geography is not a requisite.

On innovation and progress:

• For a major printing conglomerate, it boasts many of the traits shown by companies a mere fraction of CGX's size.
• "It doesn't matter how big we get," Davis remarks. "The day we start thinking like a big company is the day we're going to die. We've got to stay nimble, stay flexible. We can't get caught up in big company bureaucracy. If we do that, we're going to lose what makes us so 
special."

2010 Annual Shareholders' Meeting Recap

The 2010 Annual Shareholders' Meeting just came to a close, and was a huge success. In a less than ideal economic climate, CGX has managed to strengthen its key differentiators (a strong balance sheet, a thriving training program, and state-of-the-art technology platform) to once again come out ahead.

The event attracted over 300 people with an assortment of ties to the printing company, and featured presentations from CEO Joe Davis, CFO Jon Biro, and EVP of Sales and Marketing Aaron Grohs, all of whom touched on the importance of technology in printing and a continued focus on recruiting top talent.

Each guest received a copy of the annual report (complete with QR codes and a digital version), the new Emerge publication, and a Printing Impressions cover story scheduled to release next week. There is no doubt that CGX is continuing to invest in its future, and has solid growth prospects, both organic and acquisition-based.

Following are a few photos from the event, which was a solid kickoff to the National Associates' Meeting, which will be held tomorrow through Saturday. For more images, visit our Flickr page.

CGX Annual Shareholders' Meeting Tonight

Tonight is the Consolidated Graphics annual shareholders' meeting. To most companies, this might just mean a conference call and maybe a slide show via webinar. For CGX, the annual shareholders' meeting is an event of it's own, one that kicks off the National Associates Meeting (NAM) and brings in top investors, bankers, customers, and employees of all levels to discuss the past year's progress and plans for the year(s) to come.

This year, as in previous years, a ballroom full of interested parties will network and share insight on Consolidated Graphics and the printing industry as a whole. The shareholders' meeting will be held at the Hilton Americas from 5pm to 7pm, with networking to follow.

For the two days following the annual shareholders' meeting, an inspiring, ambitious group of recent college graduates who represent the future of Consolidated Graphics. CEO Joe Davis started the Leadership Development Program back in 1992, and the award winning program has received numerous accolades for its ability to attract and retain top talent to the seemingly unglamorous printing industry. Sitting in a room with this intelligent, young group, one might wonder why they turned down various opportunities to work at a printing facility. However, once you hear stories of associates becoming leading sales reps and company presidents, you realize that at a company like CGX opportunity is endless, and your future is whatever you make of it.

CGX Flex Mailer Saves Postage

Last week, the United States Postal Service (USPS) proposed an across-the-board rate increase for its services. Consolidated Graphics is countering that effort with support from the government agency through its patent-pending CGX Flex Mailer.

The CGX Flex Mailer is a unique, eco-friendly packaging solution that saves money by taking items that are non-machinable and allows them to be mailed as automated flats. “The Flex Mailer has enabled our clients to save millions of dollars in shipping costs, shifting mailings to automated mail through the U.S. Postal Service,” said Craig Reynolds, President of Tucker Printers, a Consolidated Graphics company. “We’ve received an overwhelming response from companies that were contemplating giving up promotional mail items due to the cost limitations, that are now able to continue that aspect of their marketing strategy.”

The CGX Flex Mailer was developed as a custom solution for a premiums and fulfillment customer that needed a cost-effective mailing solution. After hours of brainstorming and testing of various design concepts, Consolidated Graphics arrived at the perfect solution: a highly flexible outer “skin” coupled with a unique inner tray design. The outer skin is tight enough to allow flexibility on both vertical and horizontal axes, while maintaining sufficient surface tension variations less than ¼ of an inch. All of this means that anything mailed within the Flex Mailer is classified as an automated machinable flat, which equals major cost savings to distributors.

The USPS has given the Flex Mailer its blessing, and one Consolidated Graphics client is already anticipated to save over two million dollars annually. The packages can be tracked by the USPS through the Intelligent Mail Barcode that can be printed directly on the piece.

Couple the cost savings with the fact that the packages are produced using wind energy and soy-based inks, making it an environmentally-friendly packaging solution that is green in more ways than one.

CGX acquires Hickory Printing assets

CONOVER, N.C. and HIGH POINT, N.C., June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Consolidated Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: CGX) announced that Hickory Printing Solutions, a Consolidated Graphics company, has acquired certain assets of The Hickory Printing Group headquartered in Conover, North Carolina.  Hickory Printing was founded in 1917 and grew to be one of the largest commercial printers in the southeastern United States. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Hickory Printing Solutions offers web and sheetfed printing, mailing and fulfillment, variable printing, interactive services and packaging and operates out of two facilities located in Conover and High Point, NC.

Commenting on the acquisition, Joe R. Davis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Consolidated Graphics, Inc., stated, "Hickory Printing Solutions offers first class quality and service to its customers.  With the additional resources of Consolidated Graphics, including the world's largest and most sophisticated digital printing network, behind it and its dedicated employees, Hickory Printing Solutions will continue to exceed every customer expectation."

Stephen Patton, former President of Electric City Printing, a Consolidated Graphics company in Williamston, SC, is the President of Hickory Printing Solutions. Mr. Patton commented, "I am looking forward to applying all that I have learned at Consolidated Graphics to help Hickory Printing Solutions continue its world class printing reputation."  

George B. Glisan and Jeffrey A. Hale, formerly CEO and CFO, respectively, of The Hickory Printing Group have been hired to serve as CEO and CFO of Hickory Printing Solutions.  Mr. Glisan said, "I have always admired the Consolidated Graphics business model and am looking forward to having the financial strength and resources of Consolidated Graphics behind us."

Consolidated Graphics, Inc. (CGX), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is one of North America's leading general commercial printing companies. With 70 printing businesses strategically located across 27 states, Toronto, and Prague, we offer an unmatched geographic footprint, unsurpassed capabilities, and unparalleled levels of convenience, efficiency and service. With locations in or near virtually every major U.S. market, CGX provides the service and responsiveness of a local printer enhanced by the economic, geographic and technological advantages of a large national organization.

Consolidated Graphics' vast and technologically advanced sheetfed and web printing capabilities are complemented by the world's largest integrated digital footprint. By coupling North America's most comprehensive printing capabilities with strategically located fulfillment centers and industry-leading technology, CGX delivers end-to-end print production and management solutions that are based on the needs of our customers to improve their results. For more information, visit www.cgx.com.

Emerge 2010 is a success!

Consolidated Graphics recently wrapped up its second annual emerge event in San Antonio, Texas, where customers, suppliers and employees came together to collaborate, learn and propel the industry to new heights. Guests learned about developments being made by industry technology leaders Hewlett-Packard, Xerox, Kodak and more. They discussed the newest features of Adobe's CS5, which the company officially launched at emerge. They collaborated on best practices and discussed what works and what doesn't, in an effort to "do more with less", which became a recurring theme of the event. We'll be compiling numbers, statistics and multimedia content gathered at the event in the days to come, so stay tuned!

Plans Are Coming Along for Emerge

CGX has over 30 sponsors on board to take part in emerge, a conference focused on print and technology innovation. The event will have an interactive business expo where sponsors showcase their latest developments, and guests have an opportunity to see new technologies first-hand. Comment below if you're interested in finding out more, or visit our site at www.cgxemerge.com!

Second Emerge Conference Is Planned!

We have great news - Consolidated Graphics has announced plans for its second annual emerge conference, which will be held at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio, Texas on April 21st and 22nd. The event is by invitation only, but all media are welcome to attend.

The two-day event that will support CGX customers by providing them with the latest print and technology solutions. CGX will be joined by industry leaders such as Hewlett-Packard, Kodak, Adobe, XMPie and others in marketing, creative design, printing and procurement. It has been rumored that Adobe will be unveiling its latest product as part of its signature suite of services, so stay tuned!

The event was held last year in Washington, D.C., and is expected to double in size during its San Antonio iteration, with attendance to exceed 750 participants. CGX will provide guests with the tools to make smart, informed, and creative decisions related to printing and technology as a means to better position their businesses in an environment that remains challenging.

Consolidated Graphics’ Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Aaron Grohs said, “Emerge is an opportunity to show our clients that CGX remains at the forefront of the printing industry, and that we are committed to the success of our customers. Over the course of these two days, we’ll show how the breadth of products and services offered by Consolidated Graphics can solve the day-to-day business obstacles that our clients are faced with.”  Guests will receive ideas on how to streamline processes, improve efficiencies and increase revenues.

For more information on emerge,  visit www.cgxemerge.com.