TRANSCONTINENTAL TWO FOR TWO
By Adnews Staff
Transcontinental Group has signed the dotted line on a second printing contract in as many weeks. The Montreal-based commercial printer announced yesterday the signing of a 15-year contract with Gesca Ltd. to print La Presse newspaper as well as its related products. Gesca owns six daily newspapers in addition to La Presse as well as four printing plants and the Cyberpresse.ca Web site. Although a value was not disclosed, the contract is said to be worth several hundred million dollars. Transcontinental plans to build a new plant specifically for the printing of the French-language daily newspaper and its related products. The contract is conditional upon Gesca signing an agreement with La Presse employees and unions. Transcontinental's new plant is expected to begin operating a year and half after Gesca reaches the agreement with its employees and unions. Previously printing was handled in-house. Yesterday's announcement comes on the heels of The Globe and Mail newspaper extending its printing contact with Transcontinental in a contract valued between $750 million to $1 billion over the next ten years. Public relations for Transcontinental are handled by Temple Scott Associates of Toronto.