COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 323119

Other Commercial Printing

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

40companies1872–1998founding years36still active4no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedMenasha Corporation
1872
FoundedDai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
1876
FoundedR.R. Donnelley & Sons Company
1890
FoundedUnited States Playing Card Company
1894
FoundedDe La Rue plc
1896
FoundedToppan Printing Co., Ltd.
1900
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedArandell Corporation
1922
FoundedCSS Industries, Inc.
1923
FoundedEtablissements Franz Colruyt N.V.
1925
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedTamedia AG
1933
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedCurrent, Inc.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedVerlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH
1948
FoundedIKON Office Solutions, Inc.
1952
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedSt Ives plc
1964
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.
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.
FoundedConsolidated Graphics, Inc.
1985
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedConcepts Direct, Inc.
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedCenveo Inc.
1994
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

Menasha Corporation →
Active · founded 1872
The third oldest privately held manufacturing company in the United States, Menasha Corporation is a holding company…
Menasha Corporation →
Active · founded 1872
The third oldest privately held manufacturing company in the United States, Menasha Corporation is a holding company…
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1876 · Japan
Japan's first modern printing company, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1876 · Japan
Japan's first modern printing company, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
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.
United States Playing Card Company →
Active · founded 1894
The United States Playing Card Company (USPC) is the largest manufacturer of playing cards in the world and sells more…
United States Playing Card Company →
Active · founded 1894
The United States Playing Card Company (USPC) is the largest manufacturer of playing cards in the world and sells more…
De La Rue plc →
Active · founded 1896 · United Kingdom
The world's largest commercial banknote printer and banknote paper manufacturer, De La Rue plc has a presence in…
De La Rue plc →
Active · founded 1896 · United Kingdom
The world's largest commercial banknote printer and banknote paper manufacturer, De La Rue plc has a presence in…
Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1900 · Japan
Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1900 · Japan
Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Arandell Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Arandell Corporation is one of the nation's leading printers of upscale catalogs.
Arandell Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Arandell Corporation is one of the nation's leading printers of upscale catalogs.
CSS Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
CSS Industries, Inc.
CSS Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
CSS Industries, Inc.
Etablissements Franz Colruyt N.V. →
Active · founded 1925 · Belgium
Etablissements Franz Colruyt NV is one of Belgium's top three supermarket and retail companies.
Etablissements Franz Colruyt N.V. →
Active · founded 1925 · Belgium
Etablissements Franz Colruyt NV is one of Belgium's top three supermarket and retail companies.
Seat Pagine Gialle S.p.A. →
Defunct · founded 1925 · Italy
Seat Pagine Gialle S.p.A.
Seat Pagine Gialle S.p.A. →
Defunct · founded 1925 · Italy
Seat Pagine Gialle S.p.A.
Tamedia AG →
Active · founded 1933 · Switzerland
Tamedia AG is Switzerland's second largest media and publishing group.
Tamedia AG →
Active · founded 1933 · Switzerland
Tamedia AG is Switzerland's second largest media and publishing group.
Current, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Current, Inc.
Current, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Current, Inc.
Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH →
Active · founded 1948 · Germany
Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH is the holding company for Germany's fourth largest publishing and media…
Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH →
Active · founded 1948 · Germany
Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH is the holding company for Germany's fourth largest publishing and media…
IKON Office Solutions, Inc. →
Active · founded 1952
IKON Office Solutions, Inc.
IKON Office Solutions, Inc. →
Active · founded 1952
IKON Office Solutions, Inc.
St Ives plc →
Active · founded 1964 · United Kingdom
St Ives plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading commercial printers and that country's leading printer of financial…
St Ives plc →
Active · founded 1964 · United Kingdom
St Ives plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading commercial printers and that country's leading printer of financial…
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…
Consolidated Graphics, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Consolidated Graphics, Inc.
Consolidated Graphics, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Consolidated Graphics, Inc.
Concepts Direct, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Concepts Direct, Inc.
Concepts Direct, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Concepts Direct, Inc.
Cenveo Inc. →
Active · founded 1994
1920s:Company changes its name to Rockmount Envelope Co.
Cenveo Inc. →
Active · founded 1994
1920s:Company changes its name to Rockmount Envelope Co.
Workflow Management, Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
1970s:Now known as Standard Forms, the company buys its own printing equipment and builds a new headquarters.
Workflow Management, Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
1970s:Now known as Standard Forms, the company buys its own printing equipment and builds a new headquarters.
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