Chicago’s LSC acquires Vegas’ Creel Printing

Creel Printing, a family-owned Las Vegas printing company, has been acquired by one of the industry’s largest companies as demand for digital services grows.

Chicago-based LSC Communications agreed on Monday to buy Creel, the 10th-largest digital printing company in the world and a major provider of data services to Las Vegas casinos, for an undisclosed sum.

Neither LSC nor Creel representatives returned calls for comment.

LSC, which was spun off from RR Donnelley & Sons Co. in 2016, has been snapping up competitors as it struggles to boost revenue amid declining magazine printing. LSC expects 2017 sales to come in as low as $3.55 billion. It raked in $3.75 billion in 2015 and $3.65 billion in 2016.

“With one of the most advanced digital platforms in the U.S., plus a strong West

CREEL

Coast presence, Creel is an excellent fit for LSC,” Thomas Quinlan III, chairman and chief executive officer of LSC, said in a statement.

Creel posted revenue of $130 million in 2015, up 4 percent from the previous year, according to Printing Impressions, an industry publication that compiles and ranks sales from both public and private companies.

Creel ranked 35th in annual sales on the publication’s 2016 list of the largest printers in the United States and Canada. LSC ranked 3rd. The Creel acquisition is LSC’S third in the past year.

Creel has invested tens of millions to expand its digital presence. In 2014, it became one of a few dozen firms nationwide to have an HP Indigo W7250 digital production press.

In 2011, the company acquired Digital Lizard. In 2015, it announced $20 million in equipment and technology upgrades, as well as the purchase of New Jersey-based Globalsoft Digital Solutions.

Creel’s focus on expansion indicated to some the young owner had no plans to sell.

“To me, it was a bit of a shock,” said Mark Michelson, editor-in-chief of Printing Impressions. “They were investing aggressively in technology. It just didn’t seem like this was going to happen.”

Creel handles hotel and casino customer relationship management initiatives, printing player loyalty materials and annual summaries, as well as direct mail. Printing highly personalized content, such as direct mail, and managing data is where the industry growth is, said Michelson.

“Those types of things are high-value print and have more stickiness,” said Michelson. “They embed you deeper with the client.”

Creel, has approximately 700 employees in six facilities across the country, including its headquarters at 6330 W. Sunset Road.

The company’s clients include MGM Resorts International as well as companies from the health, financial services, automotive, real estate and publishing industries.

Aside from digital services, Creel prints brochures, catalogs and promotional material. The company prints MGM’S large, color glossy Mlife Magazine, which is given to hotel guests and visitors.

The company was founded by Eugene and Sarah Creel in 1953. Creel is now run by their grandson Allan.

Contact Todd Prince at tprince@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0386. Follow @toddprincetv on Twitter.