Jim Tierney

J.C. Penney Slashing 2009 Capital Expenditures

| Jim Tierney

Cataloger/retailer J.C. Penney is scaling back: According to further details of its 2009 bridge plan released on June 25, it will reduce capital expenditures from $1 billion in 2008 to $650 million next year.

Quebecor Creates New Marketing Group

| Jim Tierney

Montreal-based printer Quebecor World, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, announced on June 16 plans to merge its retail insert, catalog, direct mail, and Sunday magazine printing divisions in the U.S. into a new integrated marketing group.

Fine print

| Jim Tierney

Your list broker is important to you. So is your tailor. But both of them take a back seat to the most essential partner of all: Your printer. Finding

MacKenzie-Childs acquired

| Jim Tierney

Private equity firm Twin Lakes Capital acquired ceramics manufacturer/marketer MacKenzie-Childs on May 7. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. MacKenzie-Childs,

Slim-jims get squeezed

| Jim Tierney

Letter-size catalogs, aka “slim-jims” have helped many a mailer get through tough times by reducing postage and paper costs. But a proposed rule adjustment to slim-jim