Friday, February 17, 2006

Submitted by Pops

Do you remember Times Mirror Press (TMP)? They were a Times Mirror commercial printing house that printed telephone books and commercial work on Broadway in the square and then over on Boyel.

The Mirror Printing Office and Book Bindery as TMP was known back in 1881 printed the first LA Times. When the founders of the LA Times ran into financial problems the paper was inherited by its printer, The Mirror Printing Office and Book Bindery. The company hired as editor former military officer Harrison Gray Otis. Otis and a partner purchased the entire Times and Mirror properties in 1884 and incorporated them as the Times-Mirror Company.

In 1987 Times Mirror sold TMP to GTE and then in 2000, GTE merged with Bell Atlantic to form Verizon Communications.

The history of Times Mirror and it’s first newspaper began with TMP........ But just like San Fernando they are no more!!!!!!


Verizon Information Services
EMPLOYEE BULLETIN
Published Electronically by Public Affairs________________________

VIS Printing to Move to R.R. Donnelley Facilities; Printing Assets To Be Sold

D/FW Airport, Texas (Feb. 16, 2006) -- Verizon Information Services will begin moving all our directory printing to R.R. Donnelley and Sons facilities effective immediately. The transition of work should be completed by mid- to late-March. In addition, R.R. Donnelley has agreed to purchase all VIS printing assets in the Los Angeles and Des Plaines, Ill., printing facilities, with the exception of buildings and land owned by VIS.

The Los Angeles building and land will be sold separately; VIS leases the Des Plaines facility. Distribution operations in Los Angeles are not included in this transaction; however, a sale of the building may require a later move to new facilities.

VIS has been in negotiations with R.R. Donnelley since last September.

Because Donnelley has multiple plants, the change will improve our scheduling flexibility and reduce shipping and manufacturing costs. Under the agreement, approximately 425 different directories will eventually transition to the higher-quality heatset printing process without VIS having to make a significant investment in new presses. The improved look and feel of these directories – many of them major books – will make us more competitive and better position us for future print product enhancements.

The 171 employees in the Los Angeles printing plant and 84 employees in Des Plaines affected by this move were notified earlier today. VIS is providing 60-day notification, job placement services, resume workshops and other services to assist employees in these locations.

“Our printing plants have a long history of extraordinary quality and performance,” said Interim Vice President - Operations Gary Hruska. “But, it’s a simple fact that changes in printing technology are moving so quickly and require so much investment that it makes more sense to work with a supplier whose primary business is printing – especially since printing here is in support of our core yellow pages business. As a major yellow pages printing supplier, Donnelley has expertise and experience and can better afford to invest in new equipment and services. That makes them an excellent partner.”

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