Reach for the Top

The biggest revenue drop among vendors surveyed in '01 and '02 was experienced by Solisco Printers, Scott, Quebec. Management there saw sales decline 40%, to $11.9 million, over 12 months.

Big dips were also recorded by sixth-ranked Courier Corp., N. Chelmsford, Mass., off 20%; McNaughton & Gunn Inc., Saline, Mich., down 15%; and no. 2 ranked Quebecor World, down 34%. Quebecor World declined to comment.

NPC Inc., Claysburg, Pa., scored the largest gains, with reported sales up an astounding 87% over last year, to $27.6 million. That rocketed NPC up to the no. 20 position, up a full 10 slots over last year's ranking.

NPC's president Mark Kelly says a stronger working relationship with print brokers, distributors, and other printers was responsible for the growth. NPC's primary book printing products are one- and two-color web offset, augmented by a full-service bindery.

Other big gainers: Hess Management Co., Austin, Tex., up 41% to $120 million; and Arvato Print USA (formerly Bertelsmann Arvato), Dallas, Pa., up 31%, to $252 million. That was enough to take the no. 5 spot away from Courier Corp.

Other changes among vendors at the top of Booktech's annual ranking: Von Hoffmann Corp., St. Louis, returned to the no. 3 position, passing Banta Corp., Menasha, Wis., on the way.

Von Hoffmann reported book revenue of $372 million, up $54 million over last year. Banta slid to the no. 4 spot, reporting book revenue of $362 million. That compares to $330 million last year.

In all, Booktech contacted 74 printers with book manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada, and asked them for their total revenues and total book manufacturing revenues for 2002. (See page 33 for the complete list.)

Among those who didn't respond to our inquiries were Sheridan Books Inc., and Webcom Ltd., numbers 14 and 26, respectively, from last year's survey.