LSC Communications
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Commercial printing |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Printing services, book manufacturing |
| Owner | Atlas Holdings |
| Parent | Atlas Holdings |
LSC Communications is a U.S.-based commercial printing enterprise with its main office located in Chicago, Illinois. Since December 2020, it has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Holdings. Founded in 2016 following a corporate spin-off from RR Donnelley, the company holds ownership of publishing houses such as Research & Education Association and Dover Publications.
As the foremost book manufacturer in the United States, LSC Communications leads the industry.
Acquisitions and divestitures
Between 2017 and 2018, LSC broadened its portfolio by acquiring several businesses, including TriLiteral LLC—a book distribution company jointly owned by Harvard University Press, MIT Press, and Yale University Press—as well as Donnelley Logistics, which was previously the logistics division of RR Donnelley. Additional acquisitions during this period included Fairrington Transportation, Creel Printing, Publishers Press, envelope manufacturer Quality Park, and logistics provider Clark Group.
In 2018, the company divested its entire European printing segment, selling it to the Walstead Group.
Failed buyout
In November 2018, Quad/Graphics revealed intentions to purchase LSC Communications through an all-stock transaction designed to almost double Quad’s capacity in producing magazines, catalogs, retail inserts, and books. Nevertheless, on June 20, 2019, the United States Department of Justice initiated legal action to prevent the merger on antitrust concerns. Confronted with these regulatory obstacles, both parties terminated the acquisition plans one month later.
2020 bankruptcy
During 2020, LSC Communications alongside 21 related entities filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Subsequently, in December of that year, private equity firm Atlas Holdings completed the acquisition of the company.