The R R Donnelley and Sons Company and Visant Corporation jointly announced have that they signed a definitive agreement pursuant  to which RR Donnelley will acquire Von Hoffmann, a leading printer of books and other products that serves primarily the education, trade and business-to-business catalog segments, from Visant Corporation for purchase consideration of $412.5 million (Rs1828.25 crore). The all cash deal, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval, is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2007, and to be accretive to RR Donnelley's earnings in the first year of operations.

“Together with our recently announced agreements to acquire Banta and Perry Judd's, this completes our ‘trilogy' of transactions designed to offer our print customers greater capacity and flexibility, and further secures our position as the leader in our industry,” said Mark A Angelson, RR Donnelley's chief executive officer. “This also completes our promise to grow our business through strategic acquisitions and positions us for further organic growth.”

John Paloian, RR Donnelley group president, publishing and retail services, added, “We are pleased to welcome Von Hoffmann to RR Donnelley and look forward to the added flexibility that this acquisition will offer to customers, particularly as we begin the 2008–2009 educational textbook adoption cycle. In concert with our fully-integrated international production platform, the addition of Von Hoffmann's facilities will offer our customers enhanced responsiveness as well as the ability to leverage our leading catalog, premedia, logistics and other production and service resources.”

Von Hoffmann has production operations in Jefferson City and Owensville, Missouri and in Eldridge, Iowa. It also provides design, creative, and other prepress services through an operation in Arlington Heights, Illinois.