Printweek - Business

Newspaper publisher Independent News and Media (INM) lost 16.6m euro (£13.8m) when it dumped The Independent last year, according to its first-half results.

HH Associates has admitted to "poor financial control on a global scale" during 2008 and 2009, resulting in a big financial hit for the group and the re-stating of its prior year results.

Howard Hunt has invested £1m to upgrade its finishing department, including two UK firsts from Friedheim.

As we approach the end of the summer, we ask how printers view their prospects

As we approach the end of the summer, we ask how printers view their prospects

"Unfavourable trends" impacted on Arctic Paper's first-half results, which it said could force the company to implement further price increases this year.

Research is under way for this year's PrintWeek Top 500, the bellwether report on the UK print industry.

Newspaper publisher Johnston Press increased its operating profit before recurring items for the first time since 2006 during the first six months of 2010.

Production of former Prime Minister Tony Blair's autobiography, A Journey, required a Harry Potter-esque level of security among publisher Random House's print suppliers - and the phenomenal sales of the title have already resulted in reprint orders.

Four men who operated a £3m drug-dealing operation from a Paisley-based print company have been jailed for a total of 16 years.

PrintWeek sister title Packaging News has been sold to Metropolis International Group.

Finishing Alliance partners Duplo International, Friedheim International and Renz have strengthened their partnership after announcing that all three companies will be exhibiting at the second Duplo London Calling event - the first time that the three companies have appeared together

Production has resumed at CPC Packaging UK's Bristol site after the £23.7m company's collapse last week.

Manroland GB has made Andrew Newton area sales manager for its Printcom division.

Future print demand, changing customer requirements and the industry's likely winners and losers are among the topics to be explored at Pira's upcoming executive retreat in Geneva.

We round up a few of the more offbeat stories from the business world this week...

High street banks are continuing to reduce their exposure to the print industry after Lombard confirmed that it is pulling out of stocking finance for the sector.

Agfa Graphic's pre-tax result rebounded strongly in the first half of the year as it reaped the benefits of the cost-cutting exercise it undertook through 2009.

Communisis has hailed the success of its ongoing reinvention as a "marketing services provider" following the publication of its first-half results this morning (26 August).

ID Data Cards has produced 600,000 plastic cards at the eleventh hour after another supplier pulled out of the job at the last minute.