Post updated at 9:04 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10:
Allen Press, a family-owned business operating in Lawrence since 1935, has been sold to Minnesota-based CJK Group Inc., according to an announcement from the latter Monday afternoon.
CJK Group has completed an agreement to acquire the assets of Allen Press, according to the announcement, and the print facility will be renamed Sheridan Kansas. The price of the acquisition was not disclosed.
“This acquisition is unique for CJK Group in that it will supplement and expand services and capabilities to both the Sheridan print operations in addition to its KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL) content solutions company,” according to the announcement.
The new ownership plans to incorporate the publishing services of Allen Press into KGL’s “one-stop content proposition, which includes peer review and editorial office management, business consulting, AI-powered language analysis and copyediting, XML composition and proofing, digital and print production, and online hosting,” according to the announcement. “The addition of Allen Press to the KGL portfolio will add marketing services, advertising sales, and association management to the spectrum of specialized services for scholarly publishers.”
A letter announcing the acquisition was sent to Allen Press customers on Monday.
“In the coming days, your sales representative will reach out to you to ensure a smooth and consistent transition, and to share any updates regarding offerings or representation on either the Sheridan or KGL side of the house,” Chris J. Kurtzman, CEO of CJK Group, wrote in the letter.
Sheridan has nine locations in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, New Hampshire and Michigan, according to its website.
Adding the Lawrence location “affords Sheridan a strategic production option for both Midwest and West Coast publishing communities with more efficient mailing and distribution,” according to the announcement. “The addition of this location further broadens Sheridan’s job-share abilities and raw material procurement strength.”
Allen Press leadership did not respond Monday to an email seeking comment.
“I’m happy to report that the acquisition of Allen Press is one that we at CJK Group, Sheridan, and KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. are quite excited about,” Susan Parente, marketing manager of CJK Group, said via email Tuesday morning. “As our press release and other industry communications indicate, there is a depth of talent and capabilities among the Allen Press employees that we feel is a perfect complement to our businesses; we have long admired Allen Press’s standing in our industry. Adding Allen Press to our Sheridan and KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. families further strengthens our offerings.”
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