Lexington, KY and Berwyn, PA -- WhatTheyThink, the provider of online graphic arts news and market intelligence, and New Direction Partners, the leading investment banking and financial advisory firm serving the printing industry, jointly announced today that their two firms have partnered together to create an online community for printing executives dedicated to merger and acquisition (M&A) content.

The new website will provide printing executives the ability to research and discuss investment banking topics and will include related press releases, a log of printing M&A transactions, articles on M&A trends and a blog for M&A discussion.  It will also serve as an M&A Clearinghouse in that it will include a listing of firms for sale as well as firms seeking acquisitions. 

WhatTheyThink and New Direction Partners are working with printing industry associations to better support members in implementing their M&A strategies by assisting members in listing firms on the new website. To date, New Direction Partners has executed referral contracts with the Printing Industries of New England, Printing Association of Florida, Printing & Graphics Association MidAtlantic, Printing Industries Alliance and Printing Industries of Michigan; many others are considering joining the partnership as well.

WhatTheyThink Chief Executive Officer Randy Davidson said “Merger and Acquisition topics are of great interest to our readers and we have partnered with the leaders in this field. Our online M&A community has been designed to be the ‘go to place’ for printing executives to learn about and discuss M&A topics.”

“The printing industry is going through dramatic changes and the way M&A activity is conducted is changing as well. The combination of generating deal flow through the M&A community, coupled with the experience of our professional staff, will allow us to more efficiently and effectively serve our clients” observed Paul Reilly, Partner at New Direction Partners.

Jim Tepper, President of Printing Industries of New England, noted that “Many of our members have been seeking a service like this for years.  This program will provide our members, regardless of their size, a method to implement their M&A strategies not previously available”.

The M&A community will also include a listing of select engagements of New Direction Partners and other investment banking firms. The site will be operational around May 15, 2009.

If you are seeking help in executing your M&A strategies, or are a printing industry organization seeking to offer your members a worthwhile service,  and wish to learn more about our M&A community, please call New Direction Partners at (610) 230-0635.

About WhatTheyThink
WhatTheyThink is a member-driven Website that delivers comprehensive industry news and market intelligence for the printing and publishing industry. Its in-depth commentary and analysis from top industry experts is at the core of the tools and services offered to its members. Updated on a daily basis, WhatTheyThink offers visitors and members the most up-to-date news and information on the printing and publishing industry.  To learn more about WhatTheyThink, visit their website at www.whattheythink.com.
   
About New Direction Partners
New Direction Partners is an investment banking and financial advisory services formed by Peter Schaefer, Paul Reilly, Jim Russell and Tom Williams to serve the printing and related industries.  Services include merger advisory services through the representation of selling shareholders as well as buy side representation, valuation services, financing and refinancing efforts, turnaround and restructuring services, and temporary/interim management consulting. To learn more about New Direction Partners, visit New Direction Partners’ website at www.newdirectionpartners.com.