COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 323117

Books Printing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

20companies1890–1991founding years18still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedR.R. Donnelley & Sons CompanyFoundedR.R. Donnelley & Sons Company
1890
FoundedCourier CorporationFoundedCourier Corporation
1894
FoundedBanta CorporationFoundedBanta Corporation
1901
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedGolden Books Family Entertainment, Inc.FoundedGolden Books Family Entertainment, Inc.
1910
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedChampion Industries, Inc.
1922
FoundedW.W. Norton & Company, Inc.FoundedW.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
1923
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedTaylor Publishing CompanyFoundedTaylor Publishing Company
1943
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedHaynes Publishing Group P.L.C.FoundedHaynes Publishing Group P.L.C.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedZindart Ltd.FoundedZindart Ltd.
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedPMP Ltd.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company →
Active · founded 1890
The largest commercial printing company in North America and a dominant player in the world communications arena, R.R.
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company →
Active · founded 1890
The largest commercial printing company in North America and a dominant player in the world communications arena, R.R.
Courier Corporation →
Active · founded 1894
1930s:Courier becomes one of America's premier printers of business forms.
Courier Corporation →
Active · founded 1894
1930s:Courier becomes one of America's premier printers of business forms.
Banta Corporation →
Active · founded 1901
Banta Corporation, one of the nation's largest printing and digital imaging companies, literally started in a…
Banta Corporation →
Active · founded 1901
Banta Corporation, one of the nation's largest printing and digital imaging companies, literally started in a…
Golden Books Family Entertainment, Inc. →
Active · founded 1910
Since 1996 when a new investor group took control of the company, Golden Books Family Entertainment, Inc., a leading…
Golden Books Family Entertainment, Inc. →
Active · founded 1910
Since 1996 when a new investor group took control of the company, Golden Books Family Entertainment, Inc., a leading…
Champion Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1922
Champion Industries, Inc.
Champion Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1922
Champion Industries, Inc.
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
W.W.
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
W.W.
Taylor Publishing Company →
Active · founded 1943
1970s-80s:Taylor broadens range of publications, begins distribution of other publishers.
Taylor Publishing Company →
Active · founded 1943
1970s-80s:Taylor broadens range of publications, begins distribution of other publishers.
Haynes Publishing Group P.L.C. →
Active · founded 1960 · United Kingdom
Haynes Publishing Group P.L.C.
Haynes Publishing Group P.L.C. →
Active · founded 1960 · United Kingdom
Haynes Publishing Group P.L.C.
Zindart Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1978 · China
After being acquired by Zindart, Corgi introduced Premier Models, which incorporated details not found in most die-cast…
Zindart Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1978 · China
After being acquired by Zindart, Corgi introduced Premier Models, which incorporated details not found in most die-cast…
PMP Ltd. →
Active · founded 1991 · Australia
PMP Ltd.
PMP Ltd. →
Active · founded 1991 · Australia
PMP Ltd.
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