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RosettaBooks To Address BookTech 2002
January 10, 2002

Last year, nearly 3,700 book publishing professionals from across North America convened in New York City for BookTech, the only event focused on the latest technologies and techniques in the book and e-book publishing industry. The total attendance surpassed the previous year by 21 percent, and was demonstrated by a packed exhibit hall, crowded keynote address, and standing room only conference rooms. The event featured industry experts from leading companies such as Microsoft, Adobe Systems, ContentGuard, The Lehigh Press, The Mazor Corp., Simon & Schuster and World Book, among others. Leading publishers spoke of hot topics like ASP's, e-book formatting, marketing and distribution,

Taking Stock
January 1, 2002

In looking back on 2001, the state of the pulp and paper market can be best described as volatile. And as the strains of "Auld Lang Syne" fade away, the outlook does not appear to be any more stable for the coming year. In fact, due to the dipping economic outlook that many pundits predicted months ago, paper buying has taken on a renewed set of competitive objectives starting foremost (and not surprisingly) with affordability. Since slower publishing demands contributed to a waning paper market throughout 2001, according to the Labor Department's International Price Program, buying habits have been greatly affected. Coupled with international

The Iditarod Diaries
July 1, 2001

How the 30-year-young Alaskan trek turned to a new breed of substrate to document 2001 results or 30 years, the course, which spans 1,161 miles of Alaskan wilderness, beckons more than 60 dog sled teams, each hungry to conquer the title of Iditarod champion and the $50,000 first-prize purse. The trek is one of the most challenging, historically rich sporting events. Mushers (the sled drivers) from countries far and wide team with faithful canine companions to cross treacherous mountains, rolling rivers and miles of desolate tundra. Victory is sweet for winners of this highly anticipated sporting event, long ago dubbed "The Last Great Race."

Off the Paper Roller Coaster
July 1, 2001

When it comes to predicting prices in the pulp and paper market, it seems as though we are lost in a maze, hoping for a magical crystal ball that predicts our future. The pulp and paper industry is indeed on of the most financially volatile businesses out there, but thanks to some financial strategies, paper specifiers no longer have to try to predict market fluctuations and run the risks associated with guessing incorrectly. A volatile scenario Since 1991, 40lb. No.5 stock prices rose and fell an average of eight times a year, varying between two and 13 percent with each fluctuation. It seemed impossible

On a Road Less Traveled
May 1, 2001

A few blocks from Philadelphia's famous Colonial-era buildings—buildings in which the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and drafted the U.S. Constitution—is an old restored brownstone. Away from the throngs of roving tourists, this quaint, historic building houses a contemporary publishing company that turns out some of the most creative and innovative book projects on the market today. Running Press, an independent trade publishing house, specializes in highly designed adult non-fiction books, children's titles and most especially book-plus projects. Bestsellers have included Sisters, a compilation of pictures and compelling stories about the special bond of female siblings, and I Feel Great, And

Angling for a Bigger Piece of the Pie
January 1, 2001

From its humble beginnings publishing a few fishing books, The Lyons Press today casts out 220 titles a year in 14 different categories. The Lyons Press is a classic business-school case study in the value of keeping a sure and nimble hand on the company keel to achieve a well-defined vision. Begun in 1984 by Nick Lyons, a former professor of American Literature at Hunter College and an avid angler, the New York-based company's first year revenues were only $300,000. By 1990, revenues reached $1 million; by 1998, $5 million. And by this coming March, the company's fiscal year earnings are expected to

Print On Demand
January 1, 2001

Special to BookTech by Danny O. Snow For centuries, publishers have wrestled with one simple but crucial question upon which their success often depends: How many copies should we print? On one hand, fundamental economics of printing encourage publishers to produce as many copies as possible to achieve better economies of scale and lower per-unit costs. Meanwhile, the cost of unsold copies can also erode profit margins. The sunny side of POD Print-on-demand (POD) increasingly offers today's publishers a good solution to this central dilemma. By allowing publishers to print exactly enough copies to meet market demands and no more, POD drastically reduces, or

Binding for Digital Short-Run Book Projects
November 1, 2000

By Cheryl A. Adams To stay competitive in today's fast-paced business environment, book manufacturers are turning to the latest in digital printing/binding technology. Using such strategies, they can print on-demand books, soft- or hard-cover, quickly and cost effectively, without creating excess inventory. "When rapid delivery is expected with each order — especially in the non-inventory, e-commerce environment — automatic processes become critical," says Jim Augustine, vice president of national sales, Xyan.com, King of Prussia, Pa. Indeed, in today's digital short-run book market, automatic turnaround often isn't a problem. Not even for quantities of one and case-bound books. In as little as one minute, a

The Top 25 Book Manufacturers - Intro
September 1, 2000

The Top 25 Book Manufacturers R.R. Donnelley & Sons, Chicago, continued its reign in 1999 as North America's leading book manufacturer, as measured by book printing sales volume. They remained at the top of the list even after Quebecor's acquisition last year of World Color Press, which propelled the combined company, Quebecor World, into the top slot among all commercial printers. Indeed, total sales for Quebecor World reached $6.16 billion in 1999, to R.R. Donnelley & Sons' $5 billion. However, when measured by book manufacturing revenue, Donnelley stays at the head of the pack, churning out high-volume bestsellers such as Tom Clancy's new book

About the Top 25
September 1, 2000

1. R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company is the leading North American book printer. The company's book operations provide a full range of integrated service solutions to help book publishers deliver communications to their customers. With seven book operations across the nation, R.R. Donnelley provides services such as * hardcover and softcover book manufacturing using web-offset, sheetfed-offset and digital printing technology; * conventional and digital prepress operations, including composition and page makeup; * custom publishing and print on demand; * packaging design and assembly; and * online services, in which customers' digital information is converted into Web-ready formats. 2. Quebecor World is the largest commercial