Rr Donnelley And Sons Co's

The print and related services industry, in general, continues to have excess capacity and remains highly competitive. Despite consolidation in recent years, the industry remains highly fragmented. Across the Company’s range of products and services, competition is based primarily on price in addition to quality and the ability to service the special needs of customers. Management expects that prices for the Company’s products and services will continue to be a focal point for customers in coming years. Therefore, the Company believes it needs to continue to lower its cost structure and differentiate its product and service offerings.

Technological changes, including the electronic distribution of documents and data, online distribution and hosting of media content, and advances in digital printing, print-on-demand and Internet technologies, continue to impact the market for the Company’s products and services. The Company seeks to utilize the distinctive capabilities of its products and services to improve its customers’ communications, whether in paper or electronic form. The Company’s goal remains to help its customers succeed by delivering effective and targeted communications in the right format to the right audiences at the right time. Management believes that with the Company’s competitive strengths, including its broad range of complementary print-related services, strong logistics capabilities, technology leadership, depth of management experience, customer relationships and economies of scale, the Company has developed and can further develop valuable, differentiated solutions for its customers. The Company seeks to draw on its unified platform and strong customer relationships in order to serve a larger share of its customers’ print and related services needs.

The impact of digital technologies has been felt in many print products. Electronic communication and transaction technology has eliminated or reduced the role of many traditional printed products and has continued to drive electronic substitution in directory and statement printing, in part driven by environmental concerns and cost pressures at key customers. In addition, e-book substitution is having a continuing impact on consumer print book volume, though adoption rates are stabilizing, and a limited impact on educational and specialty books. Digital technologies have also impacted printed magazines, as advertiser spending has moved from print to electronic media. The future impact of technology on the Company’s business is difficult to predict and could result in additional expenditures to restructure impacted operations or develop new technologies. In addition, the Company has made targeted acquisitions and investments in the Company’s existing business to offer customers innovative services and solutions that further secure the Company’s position as a technology leader in the industry.
The acquisition of Consolidated Graphics and proposed acquisition of Esselte’s North American operations support the Company’s strategic objective of generating profitable growth and improved cash flow and liquidity through targeted acquisitions. These acquisitions are expected to enhance the Company’s existing capabilities and ability to serve its collective customers as well as provide cost savings through the combination of best practices, complementary products and manufacturing and distribution capabilities.

The Company has implemented a number of strategic initiatives to reduce its overall cost structure and improve efficiency, including the restructuring, reorganization and integration of operations and streamlining of administrative and support activities. Future cost reduction initiatives could include the reorganization of operations and the consolidation of facilities. Implementing such initiatives might result in future restructuring or impairment charges, which may be substantial. Management also reviews the Company’s operations and management structure on a regular basis to balance appropriate risks and opportunities to maximize efficiencies and to support the Company’s long-term strategic goals.