Quad (company)

Quad

Company type	Public
Traded as	NYSE: QUAD (Class A) Russell 2000 Component
Industry	Marketing & Advertising, Manufacturing
Founded	1971
Founder	Harry V. Quadracci
Headquarters	Sussex, Wisconsin, United States
Key people	Joel Quadracci, President and CEO
Services	Marketing solutionsTemplate:Buzzword-inline and agency services
Revenue	2.96B Revenue (2023)
Number of employees	13,150 employees worldwide (2024) (2020)
Website	quad.com

Quad is a US-based marketing solutions provider with its main office located in Sussex, Wisconsin. The company specializes in omnichannel media, creative content development, retail display and packaging, postal efficiency services, and consumer data analytics.

The firm was founded on July 13, 1971, by entrepreneur Harry V. Quadracci as a privately held printing business. As of 2023, Quad employs over 13,000 individuals globally and supports nearly 2,900 customers through about 43 manufacturing and distribution centers alongside more than 70 client on-site operations.

Quad became a publicly traded entity on July 6, 2010, listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol QUAD. In 2022, the company reported net sales totaling $3.2 billion.

Early years and initial national contracts

In 1971, Harry V. Quadracci launched Quad (initially named Quad/Graphics) in a disused factory in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, financing the startup partly with a $35,000 second mortgage on his residence. The company began operations with just 11 employees and secured early printing jobs for Investor and Fishing Facts magazines. By 1973, sales had risen to $2.8 million with a workforce of 25.

That year also saw the creation of Duplainville Transport, Quad’s trucking division that continues to operate today. Growth continued steadily; by 1976 the workforce had expanded to 100 employees operating three presses, and by 1979 the company employed 300 staff with six presses in operation.

During the late 1970s, Quad landed its first significant national contracts printing Newsweek, followed by deals with Harper's, Time, and US News & World Report.

Expansion in publishing

By the mid-1990s, Quad was producing major publications including People, Sports Illustrated, Playboy, and Architectural Digest, as well as catalogs for LL Bean and Lands' End. In 1991, the company employed close to 9,000 people and generated annual revenues of $509 million. By the year 2000, it had secured the contract to print National Geographic, producing approximately nine million copies each month.

Following the passing of founder Harry Quadracci in 2002, Tom Quadracci assumed the roles of president and CEO. At that time, Quad had roughly 14,000 employees worldwide with $2 billion in yearly sales and operated fifteen plants across three continents—making it the largest privately held printing firm globally. Tom took on chairman and CEO duties in 2004 while Joel Quadracci, Harry’s son, was elevated to president and COO in 2006.

New York Stock Exchange

On July 6, 2010, Quad commenced trading on the NYSE under the ticker symbol QUAD following its acquisition of Canadian competitor World Color Press in an all-stock transaction valued between $1.3 billion and $1.4 billion. This event was not a conventional initial public offering designed to raise capital but rather served as the stock exchange mechanism required to complete the acquisition. Control of the company remains with the Quadracci family through their ownership of high-voting class B shares, ensuring continued strategic direction and influence over key corporate governance.

Expansion to marketing and business services

In 2010, Quad became the exclusive provider of studio photography services for LL Bean, collaborating closely with LL Bean’s Photography and Creative teams to manage imagery for catalogs and e-commerce channels.

By 2016, Quad had broadened its marketing portfolio to encompass a $200 million packaging division alongside offerings in in-store displays. BlueSoho, initially established in 2004 as a digital art and retouching studio, was repositioned in 2015 to integrate mobile marketing and media planning capabilities. That year, Quad reported net sales totaling $4.3 billion.

In September 2017, Quad secured a $450 million contract to handle all catalog printing for Bluestem Brands. By 2019, it had become the sole producer of Condé Nast’s publications, extending a collaboration that began in 1993. This partnership includes flagship titles such as Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, and Vanity Fair.

In February 2019, Quad simplified its branding by transitioning from Quad/Graphics to Quad, reflecting a strategic emphasis on marketing services while retaining the legal name Quad/Graphics, Inc.

CEO Joel Quadracci has been an influential advocate for postal reform, providing testimony before Congress multiple times between 2011 and 2021 representing both Quad and the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service.

In 2021, Quad enhanced its collaboration with Package InSight by utilizing biometric technology to evaluate brand packaging effectiveness and consumer interaction metrics.

In 2024, Quad unveiled Betty, a new creative agency that consolidates its creative assets including Ivie & Associates Inc. and Periscope brands, named in tribute to the late Betty Quadracci. Additionally, the company launched InStore Connect, an in-store retail media network platform introduced through a partnership with The Save Mart Companies across an initial rollout in 15 retail locations.

Services

Quad delivers a comprehensive suite of marketing and printing solutions encompassing campaign strategy, outsourced marketing functions, production service outsourcing, data intelligence and analytics, technology platforms, media services, creative content development, managed service offerings, broadcast and digital channel execution, in-store marketing initiatives, print production logistics, as well as sourcing and procurement management. In 2023, Quad introduced its inaugural large-scale marketing campaign titled "Built on Quad," designed to showcase its integrated end-to-end service capabilities.

Operations

As of late 2022, Quad operated a global network of 45 manufacturing and distribution facilities along with more than 80 client-dedicated on-site locations. In 2023, the company supported over 2,700 clients worldwide with a workforce numbering approximately 13,000 employees—including roughly 1,500 professionals embedded within client marketing teams. Prominent clients include Cabela’s, Safeway, Vons, and Shaw’s.

Culture

In 2021, Quad, together with the Quadracci family’s Windhover Foundation, pledged $1 million over a three-year period to support The BrandLab’s mission of promoting diversity within the marketing industry. Established in 1990 by Harry V. Quadracci, QuadMed specializes in delivering onsite primary healthcare services to employees and their families, emphasizing affordable health solutions tailored for workplaces across the country. Their offerings encompass physical therapy as well as management programs for chronic illnesses such as asthma and diabetes.

People

Joel Quadracci holds the position of CEO at Quad. From 2020 through 2023, Quad enhanced its leadership roster by recruiting Julie Currie, formerly of Nielsen Company, as Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer; Josh Golden, previously with Ad Age, as Chief Marketing Officer; and Joshua Lowcock, who came from UM Worldwide, as President of Quad Media.

In 2023, Quad further strengthened its board by adding Beth-Ann Eason and Melanie Huet—President of Brand Management & Innovation at Newell Brands—thereby boosting its strategic governance.

Acquisitions and consolidation

Quad’s growth and diversification have been significantly propelled by a strategic acquisition approach. The purchase of Milwaukee Magazine in 1983 led to Betty Quadracci assuming the roles of president and publisher. Noteworthy acquisitions include World Color Press in 2010, HGI Company, along with Transcontinental’s Mexican assets and black-and-white book printing operations in 2011.

Amid evolving market dynamics marked by declining print demand and the rise of digital media, Quad responded by shuttering more than 50 printing facilities between 2010 and 2013 while simultaneously expanding marketing service offerings for clients such as LL Bean and Cabela’s. CEO Joel Quadracci highlighted the company’s goal to act as a consolidator to preserve its competitive position.

Among key acquisitions are Vertis Holdings (2013), packaging company Proteus (2013), UniGraphic Inc. (2014), French point-of-sale display firm Marin’s International (2015), and marketing agency Ivie & Associates (2018). Additionally, Quad invested $12 million in digital marketing firm Rise Interactive in 2016, securing majority ownership by 2018.

In November 2018, Quad broadened its creative advertising and media buying capabilities by acquiring Minneapolis-based Periscope, Inc. for $132 million. Leadership changes followed with Cari Bucci-Hulings appointed president in 2020.

A proposed $1.4 billion acquisition of LSC Communications was canceled in 2019 due to U.S. antitrust concerns, resulting in Quad paying a $45 million reverse termination fee.

Reacting to the impacts of COVID-19 and shifting retail landscapes, Quad closed three print manufacturing plants early in 2021, affecting roughly 650 employees, and divested its remaining book manufacturing facilities.

To further diversify its product offerings, Quad acquired Apple Tree Group—a Mexico-based company specializing in in-store marketing services—in 2020.

In October 2023, due to continued declines in industry volume coupled with rising postage expenses, Quad announced the shutdown of its Effingham, Illinois printing plant. Operations were consolidated into other locations with separation packages offered to affected staff.

Continuing its focus on digital growth, Quad acquired DART Innovation in February 2024—a provider of in-store digital media solutions—enhancing its presence within retail marketing technology markets.

Controversies

On July 1, 2020, a group of at least five employees at Periscope staged a protest against Quad, accusing the parent company of meddling in Periscope’s social media messaging related to the Black Lives Matter movement and raising issues about inaccurate employee diversity reporting. The demonstration was spearheaded by Periscope’s group strategy director, who had been actively working on initiatives to combat systemic racism within the sector. The following day, nearly 150 staff members—almost the entire Minneapolis branch—participated in the walkout. In response, Quad granted Periscope full editorial control over its social media content and issued an apology for the slow response regarding its dedication to addressing systemic racism.

Office locations

Quad’s main headquarters is located in Sussex, Wisconsin. The company operates approximately 43 manufacturing and distribution centers alongside more than 70 client-dedicated on-site locations worldwide. In December 2022, Quad launched a New York office that includes pop-up spaces designed for clients without physical storefronts, event venues, and dedicated offices for its acquisitions, Periscope and Rise Interactive.

External links

• Official website
• Quad Graphics First Responder shoulder patch