Transcon wins contract to print all Rogers magazines

Transcontinental Inc. has announced it has won the contract to print all Rogers Publishing magazines.The exclusive six-year contract involves 70 consumer, business and professional magazines including Chatelaine, Maclean's, L'actualité, and Canadian Business. It is valued at approximately $210 million and represents all new business for Transcontinental. It is a contract that was previously held by Quebecor World, the beleagured printing arm of Quebecor Inc which recently filed for bankruptcy protection.

The contract, which takes effect February 1, 2009, makes Transcontinental far and away the most important magazine printer in Canada. It is Canada's largest printer and the sixth largest in North America. It puts Transcontinental in the odd position of printing magazines that are major competitors for advertising and circulation with some of its Media division's consumer and business titles: for example Chatelaine and Flare (Rogers) vs. Canadian Living, Elle Canada, Homemakers's (Transcon).

"This contract to print Rogers' magazine portfolio underlines the positive results of our commitment to being leaders in technology and to continuous improvement across our Canadian network of printing facilities," said Luc Desjardins, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transcontinental.

For once, corporate hyperbole seemed appropriate: François Olivier, Chief Operating Officer of Transcontinental,described the deal as "a major milestone".