PHOENIX COLOR CORP
10-K, 2000-03-29
BOOK PRINTING
Previous: GENEREX BIOTECHNOLOGY CORP, S-3, 2000-03-29
Next: INTERWORLD CORP, 4, 2000-03-29





                                  UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 10-K

                ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

           For the fiscal year ended                   333-50995
           December 31, 1999                       Commission File Number

                               PHOENIX COLOR CORP.

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            Delaware                                   22-2269911
           (State of                        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
          incorporation)

       540 Western Maryland Parkway
       Hagerstown, Maryland                                21740
       (Address of principal executive offices)          (Zip Code)

                                 (301) 733-0018

               Registrant's telephone number, including area code

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act
                                 Not Applicable

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act
                                 Not Applicable

     Indicate  by check mark  whether the  Registrant  (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934  during  the  preceding  12 months  (or for such  shorter  period  that the
Registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No
                                              --  --

     As of December  31,  1999,  the  Registrant  had no capital  stock or other
securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     As of March 15, 2000, there were 11,100 shares of the Registrant's  Class A
Common Stock issued and outstanding and 7,794 of the Registrant's Class B Common
Stock issued and outstanding.

<PAGE>
                       Documents Incorporated by Reference

         None

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                Table of Contents

  Item No.                        Name of Item                          Page No.

Part I
<S>          <C>                                                           <C>
  Item 1.    Business.....................................................  1
  Item 2.    Properties...................................................  8
  Item 3.    Legal Proceedings............................................  8
  Item 4.    Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders..........  9

Part II
  Item 5.    Market for Registrant's Common Equity and Related
               Stockholder Matters........................................  9
  Item 6.    Selected Consolidated Financial Data......................... 10
  Item 7.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
               Condition and Results of Operations........................ 12
  Item 7A.   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk... 16
  Item 8.    Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.................. 16
  Item 9.    Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on
               Accounting and Financial Disclosure........................ 16

Part III
  Item 10.   Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant........... 17
  Item 11.   Executive Compensation....................................... 19
  Item 12.   Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
               Management................................................. 19
  Item 13.   Certain Relationships and Related Transactions............... 20

Part IV
  Item 14.   Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on
               Form 8-K................................................... 22

</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                                     PART I

ITEM 1.  BUSINESS

Overview

     Phoenix Color Corp. (the "Company" or "Phoenix Color")  manufactures  books
and book components,  which include book jackets,  paperback covers, pre-printed
case covers for  hardcover  books,  illustrations,  endpapers  and inserts.  The
Company generates revenues primarily through the sale of book components to book
publishers. The manufacture of book components requires high-quality,  intricate
work  and  specialized  equipment,   materials  and  finishes.  Book  publishers
generally  design book components to enhance the sales appeal of the books. As a
result, many leading publishers rely on specialty printers such as Phoenix Color
to  supply  high  quality  book  components.  The  Company  also  produces  book
components  for its book  manufacturing  operations,  which  print  thin  books,
paperback books and print-on-demand books.

         In developing and growing our business, we have emphasized:

          o    Technologically advanced prepress and manufacturing equipment and
               efficient production techniques;

          o    Computer  managed  information  systems  that  link  all  of  our
               facilities and customers and furnishes real time operating data;

          o    Fast  turnaround  times  made  possible  by our  state-of-the-art
               manufacturing  equipment,  the  strategic  location  of our  five
               plants near major delivery points and the use of our own delivery
               trucks;

          o    Long-term relationships with suppliers of important raw materials
               such as paper, laminating film and ink; and

          o    Highly motivated and trained sales personnel.


History

     Phoenix Color was founded in 1979 by a group of fifteen  printing  industry
veterans,  including Louis LaSorsa, its Chairman,  President and Chief Executive
Officer.  Initially,  the Company  focused on supplying book  components for the
higher education and professional  reference markets. Then, in 1998, the Company
increased  its services to include  book  components  for the general  interest,
religious  and other  markets  of the book  publishing  industry,  thin book and
paperback book manufacturing and on-demand printing. Early operations were


                                       1
<PAGE>

conducted  in a single  production  facility in Long Island City,  New York.  In
1993,  the  Company  moved the major  portion  of its  business  to  Hagerstown,
Maryland.  We currently operate a total of five plants in the States of Maryland
and New Jersey and in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

     The  Company  was  incorporated  in the  State  of New  York  in  1979  and
reincorporated  by  merger  in the  State of  Delaware  in 1996.  The  Company's
headquarters are at 540 Western Maryland Parkway, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 and
its telephone number is (301) 733-0018.

Acquisitions

     On January 4, 1999, the Company acquired  Mid-City  Lithographers,  Inc., a
specialty book component printer that was located in Lake Forest,  Illinois, for
a total purchase price of $12.5 million.  During the fourth quarter of 1999, the
Company  decided to relocate the Mid-City  facility to Hagerstown,  Maryland and
completed the  relocation in December  1999.  See  "Management's  Discussion and
Analysis of Financial  Condition and Results of Operations."  Mid-City sold book
components  primarily  to the  elementary  and high school  textbook  publishing
market, a market in which the Company had only a minor presence.  As a result of
the  acquisition,  the Company  currently  serves the elementary and high school
textbook  publishing  market which tends to be more active during the first half
of the year.  The other  markets  served by Phoenix Color tend to be more active
during the second half of the year.

     On February 12, 1999, the Company acquired TechniGraphix,  Inc., a producer
of  print-on-demand  books that was located in Sterling,  Virginia,  for a total
purchase  price of $7.3 million.  During the fourth quarter of 1999, the Company
decided to relocate  the  TechniGraphix  facility to  Hagerstown,  Maryland  and
completed the  relocation  in January 2000.  See  "Management's  Discussion  and
Analysis of Financial  Condition and Results of Operations." The primary benefit
of the  acquisition was to provide the Company access to expertise in the use of
high-speed  digital  printing  equipment  to  reproduce  book  text,  on demand,
directly from digitally stored files.  On-demand printing technology is suitable
and  cost-effective  for small  production  runs.  With  on-demand  printing,  a
publisher's titles need never be considered out-of-print.

Manufacturing Operations and Technology

         Order Processing.

     Customer  orders are received at the Company's  various plant  locations by
physical  delivery or electronic file transfer.  Once entered into the Company's
order  processing  system,  a customer  order is monitored on a real-time  basis
throughout  the entire  manufacturing  process.  At the time orders are entered,
management  allocates  work  orders  among  the  Company's  plants  through  the
Company's  data  network in order to  maximize  plant  efficiency  and  minimize
operating cost.


                                       2
<PAGE>

     In order to limit the costs  associated with  maintaining  inventory,  many
book  publishers  have  instituted  inventory  controls that limit the amount of
inventory held by them. As a result,  specialty  printers,  such as the Company,
are under  increasing  pressure to process  orders quickly and  efficiently.  By
investing   in   upgrades  to  the   Company's   printing   equipment,   digital
communications  and  information  network,  the Company has been able to respond
successfully to its clients' increasing demands. Further, the Company's printing
facilities  operate  on a 24-hour  basis,  seven days a week.  As an  additional
service,  the Company provides real-time job status information to its customers
over the Internet.

         Digital Prepress Services.

     The Company provides a complete range of prepress services, including color
separations,  high speed imaging,  assembly,  electronic retouching,  archiving,
digital file transfer,  color-accurate  digital proofing and computer  generated
platemaking.  The  Company's  prepress  services  are  available  at each of its
plants,  and are linked  through a high speed  telecommunications  network.  The
Company does not rely on any subcontractors for its prepress needs.

         Printing and Finishing Services.

     The Company manufactures book components,  thin books,  paperback books and
print-on-demand  books.  The Company  manufactures  book  components by using 29
modern high-speed,  sheet-feed offset  lithographic  printing presses capable of
printing up to eight colors in a single pass, some of which can print both sides
of the  sheet at the same  time,  and some  with  inline  coaters.  The  Company
protects  manufactured book components by applying an ultraviolet liquid coating
or  laminating  different  types of film such as  polypropelene  and  mylar.  In
connection  with the manufacture of book  components,  the Company also offers a
complete  array of in-house  services,  including  foil  stamping,  selected and
overall embossing, selected and overall liquid coatings and die cutting.

     The Company  produces thin books in its  manufacturing  plant in New Jersey
which has two presses capable of printing up to ten colors on a single
side or five colors on each side during a single pass. These presses employ roll
stand  technology  which  sheets  the  paper as it  enters  the  press,  thereby
eliminating  the need to sheet paper off line and  continually  add paper to the
feeder system of the press.  In connection  with the  manufacture of thin books,
the Company offers several varieties of binding styles  including,  smythe sewn,
side sewn and thread  seal for hard cover  books in  addition to gluing for both
hard cover and soft cover books.

     The Company prints paperback books in its  manufacturing  plant in Maryland
which  has  two  single  color  web  presses.  The  Company's  workflow  for the
production of paperback  books is  completely  digital.  In connection  with the
manufacture of paperback  books,  the Company offers perfect  binding and saddle
wire binding.


                                       3
<PAGE>

     The  Company  assembles  print-on-demand  books  at  a  print  facility  in
Hagerstown,  Maryland that has six sheet-feed digital presses and three web-feed
digital  presses.  The  sheet-feed  presses  employ roll stand  technology.  The
Company provides  on-demand printing which permits it to print book text at high
speed on digital presses  directly from digitally stored files and permits it to
produce books and other  documents with variable data.  Such on-demand  printing
technology is suitable and  cost-effective  for smaller  production  runs.  With
on-demand  printing,  a publication  need never be considered  out-of-print.  In
connection with the manufacture of print-on-demand books, the Company is capable
of  producing a variety of  finishing  styles  including  saddle  wire  binding,
perfect  binding,  spiral  wire and  plastic  binding,  and hard cover flat back
binding.

         Distribution and Logistics.

     The Company operates its own  tractor-trailers to deliver a majority of its
products.  This enables the Company to reduce  transportation  costs and to save
one or more days of  delivery  time in  fulfilling  customer  requirements.  The
tractor-trailers  are also used to distribute raw materials  among the Company's
manufacturing plants.

         Technology.

     The Company  continues to invest in new  technology to ensure modern highly
efficient  production  capabilities.  Quality  and  efficiency  in  conventional
printing  is  augmented  by  computer-to-plate  technology,  which  permits  the
creation of a printing plate directly from a digital file and eliminates the use
of negative film. The Company uses computer-to-plate technology on new jobs, and
maintains traditional platemaking equipment primarily for reorders of older jobs
originally  produced using negative film. The Company archives negative film and
digital files to facilitate reorders.

     Before printing, the Company provides its customer a proof of the job which
must be  approved  by the  customer.  The  Company  has  developed  the  Phoenix
Colornet(R) system, a proprietary system that permits the electronic transfer of
digital files within the Company's facilities and to its customers who have been
provided with the Phoenix Colornet(R) system.  Further,  the Phoenix Colornet(R)
system  provides more reliable,  consistently  color-accurate,  digital  proofs.
Virtually  all of the  Company's  proofs are  generated  digitally  through  its
Phoenix  Colornet(R)  system.  The Company may also transfer files by mechanical
transfer or through use of the Internet, in various formats, including PDF, HTML
and FTP, among others.

Raw Materials, Purchasing and Inventory

     The Company uses  substantial  quantities of paper,  ink,  laminating film,
foil and other materials in its operations.  Management generally favors "single
sourcing" of its various raw materials  purchases,  believing that  establishing
strong commercial relationships with a relatively


                                       4
<PAGE>

small number of suppliers enables the Company to negotiate  favorable prices and
to maintain  reliable supplies of such materials.  Nevertheless,  the Company is
not party to any  long-term  supply  agreements,  is not dependent on any single
source for its raw  materials  and  believes  it could  replace  any  individual
supplier without disruption to its business.

     The  Company  generally   obtains  annual  pricing   commitments  from  its
suppliers,   but  such  commitments  are  not  legally  binding.   Nevertheless,
historically,  the Company's  vendors have complied with commitments made to the
Company.  In the event of material price  increases by vendors,  the Company may
pass such increases through to its customers.

     The Company uses centralized  purchasing and storage for book components at
the Hagerstown, Maryland plants in order to control raw material costs. Further,
the Company purchases paper in large rolls and converts the paper, using its own
computerized  sheeter,  into  sheets in the sizes  required by its  presses.  By
converting  in  excess of 30  million  pounds of paper  in-house  annually,  the
Company is able to reduce paper costs,  avoid delays in obtaining properly sized
sheets and minimize  the need to maintain an  inventory of specific  sheet paper
sizes.

Markets

     The  Company  sells  book  components,  thin  books,  paperback  books  and
print-on-demand  books to  publishers  in all  segments  of the book  publishing
market.  Various segments of the book publishing market may respond to different
economic and other factors, and declines in one or more segments in a given year
may be offset by improvements in other segments.  Accordingly,  management views
the Company's  sales to a broad range of book  publishing  market  segments as a
competitive strength.

     Sales of book components by the Company  represented 86.9% of the Company's
net sales in 1999 and almost 100% of net sales in 1998. Sales of book components
for use in general interest books accounted for 37.5% and 44.9% of the Company's
net sales in 1999 and 1998, respectively. Sales of book components to publishers
of educational  materials accounted for 24.1% and 14.9% of net sales in 1999 and
1998, respectively,  and sales to publishers of business-related books accounted
for 9.3% and 14.3% of net sales in 1999 and  1998,  respectively.  Sales of book
components  to all other  book  publishers,  including  juvenile,  computer  and
religious,  accounted  for  29.1%  and  25.9% of net  sales  in 1999  and  1998,
respectively.

     The Company began selling thin books to publishers of juvenile books in the
fourth quarter of 1998. The Company is continuing to expand its customer base in
both juvenile and non-juvenile customers,  and currently has 85 active customers
providing repetitive business.

     The  Company  began  to sell  paperback  books  in July  1999.  The sale of
paperback books represented 1.4% of the Company's net sales in 1999.  Currently,
the Company primarily services the educational and juvenile segments of the book
publishing market but will continue


                                       5
<PAGE>

to expand its customer base to include other book publishers whose  requirements
the Company is capable of fulfilling.  In 2000, the Company expects to lease two
additional  presses  and an  additional  binding  line,  which will permit it to
service  other  segments  of the  book  publishing  industry  and  permit  it to
manufacture hard cover books.

     In February 1999, the Company acquired  TechniGraphix,  Inc. As a result of
this acquisition,  sales of  print-on-demand  books for 1999 represented 4.2% of
the Company's net sales.  In addition to  traditional  book  publishers  such as
McGraw-Hill  and Prentice Hall,  the Company  serves  customers such as Research
Institute  of  America,   Bureau  of  National  Affairs,   Cambridge  Scientific
Abstracts, The Petroleum Institute, and other not for profit organizations.  The
Company  believes that digital  print-on-demand  will continue to expand as book
publishers  seek to enhance  controls on inventories and to ensure titles do not
go out of print.

Customers

     The Company has a base of over 200 active customers,  including many of the
leading  publishing  companies  in the world.  Among its largest  customers  are
HarperCollins,  Pearson Publishing,  Simon & Schuster,  Random House, Holtzbrink
Publishers,  McGraw-Hill,  Time  Warner,  Thomson  Learning,  John Wiley & Sons,
Microsoft,  Houghton Mifflin,  Oxford  University  Press, Walt Disney,  Harcourt
Brace and W.W. Norton, many of whom have been customers of the Company since its
inception in 1979.  Many of these  customers  have  decentralized  operations in
which  purchasing  decisions  are  made  by  various  divisions.   HarperCollins
Publishers and Simon & Schuster accounted for 14.9% and 14.7%, respectively,  of
the Company's net sales in 1998. Pearson Publishing and HarperCollins Publishers
accounted for 11.8% and 11.3%, respectively, of the Company's net sales in 1999.
Our ten largest  customers  accounted  for  approximately  69.4% of net sales in
1999.

Sales

     The Company has a direct sales force consisting of 40 sales representatives
located in offices  throughout the U.S. The Company  expanded its sales force in
1999 by 25% and will  continue  to  expand it to  provide  superior  service  to
customers,  to  capture  a  greater  share of the  business  from  its  existing
publishing  customers,  and to identify  and solicit  new  customers,  including
smaller  regional  publishers.  The  Company  has  established  a new  marketing
department  apart from its sales  department  to promote its services  including
participating in publishing industry trade shows.

     In this new electronic age, printing has become more technology  driven. To
remain  competitive,  the  Company  requires  its new sales  representatives  to
participate in a three-month  manufacturing and sales orientation program, which
includes spending at least two weeks at the Company's  manufacturing plants. All
sales personnel are required to participate annually in the


                                       6
<PAGE>

Company's continuing education program.  Various programs by management are used
to monitor goals for individual sales representatives.

Backlog

     The Company does not operate with any backlog. Both the Company and its
customers  share the same  goal:  processing  orders  on demand in the  shortest
possible time frame.

Competition

     The printing industry in general, and the printing and manufacture of books
in particular,  are extremely  competitive.  The Company faces  competition from
other specialty  printers,  as well as from such large commercial printing firms
such as R.R. Donnelley Financial,  Quebecor World and Banta Corporation,  all of
whom  offer  book  components  printing  services  within  the  context of their
complete  book  manufacturing  businesses,  and all of whom  have  significantly
larger revenues and assets than the Company. Competitive factors in the printing
of book components and the manufacture of complete books include price, quality,
speed of production  and delivery,  use of technology and the ability to service
specialized customer needs on a consistent basis.

Employees

     As of December 31,  1999,  the Company had 780  employees,  of whom 13 were
engaged in management,  60 in finance,  administration and billing, 96 in sales,
sales support and customer service,  14 in information systems and technological
development,  13 in  transportation  and  584  in  manufacturing.  None  of  the
employees  are  represented  by  unions,   and  the  Company   believes  it  has
satisfactory relations with its workforce.



                                       7
<PAGE>


ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES

     The Company's  corporate and  administrative  offices are located in one of
its two adjacent manufacturing  facilities in Hagerstown,  Maryland. The Company
also leases various regional sales offices. A summary of the location,  size and
nature of the principal facilities appears below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                          Leased/Owned;        Square
Location                                       Use                                       Expiration Date       Footage
- --------                                       ---                                     ------------------     --------
<S>                         <C>                                                          <C>                   <C>
Hagerstown, MD ...........  Corporate offices; printing, prepress and finishing for      Owned                 114,000
                             book components
Hagerstown, MD ...........  Printing, prepress and finishing for book components         Owned                  86,000
Long Island City, NY .....  Prepress                                                     Leased; 12/31/06       54,000
Taunton, MA ..............  Printing, prepress and finishing for book components         Leased; 12/31/12       53,000
Rockaway, NJ .............  Printing, prepress and finishing for complete books          Leased; 3/31/08        90,000
Hagerstown, MD ...........  Printing, prepress and binding for complete books            Owned                 170,000

</TABLE>


ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

     In December  1998, the Company filed a complaint  against  Krause  Biagosch
GmbH and Krause  America  ("Krause"),  which is  pending  in the  United  States
District  Court for the  District of  Maryland,  based on breach of contract and
statutory  warranties on certain prepress equipment which the Company had agreed
to purchase from Krause.  The Company  attempted to operate the  equipment,  and
contends that the equipment has failed to perform as warranted. During 1999, the
Company removed the portion of the equipment actually delivered,  and is seeking
recovery of the approximately $2.0 million paid to date on this equipment, which
includes  an  amount  for  deposits  on the  balance  of the  equipment  not yet
delivered.  As  of  December  31,  1999,  the  Company  has  included  in  other
non-current  assets a  receivable  from Krause of  approximately  $2.0  million.
Krause has counterclaimed for $1.5 million for the balance of the purchase price
for all the equipment (whether or not delivered),  plus incidental charges.  The
Company has  vigorously  prosecuted its claims  against  Krause.  On January 27,
2000, the court granted  summary  judgement in favor of the Company with respect
to the three  machines  previously  delivered to the Company.  Accordingly,  the
Court  ordered  that  after the  conclusion  of the trial  with  respect  to the
machines  not  delivered  to the  Company,  Krause  will be  required  to refund
approximately $1.1 million to the Company, subject to Krause's right to appeal.

     The Company has filed a complaint against Motion Technology Horizons,  Inc.
in the Circuit Court for Washington  County,  Maryland to recover  approximately
$300,000 in deposits  made on equipment  which  failed to perform in  accordance
with  manufacturer's  warranties,  and $703,000  for the purchase of  substitute
equipment.  Motion Technology has counterclaimed for $250,000 for the balance of
the purchase price for the equipment,  plus incidental  charges. As of March 15,
2000, the Company was in the early stages of discovery.

     The  Company  is not a party to any other  legal  proceedings,  other  than
claims and lawsuits arising in the normal course of the Company's business.  The
Company does not believe that such claims and lawsuits,  individually  or in the
aggregate,  will  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.


                                       8
<PAGE>

ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

None.


                                     PART II

ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

     No  established  public  trading  market exists for the  Company's  Class A
Common Stock or Class B Common Stock or any of its other securities. As of March
15,  2000,  there were eleven  holders of record of the Class A Common Stock and
two holders of record of the Class B Common Stock.

     The Company did not declare or pay any  dividends  on its capital  stock in
the past two years.  The Company expects to retain future  earnings,  if any, to
finance the growth and  development of its business.  Thus, the Company does not
intend to declare or pay  dividends  on its  capital  stock for the  foreseeable
future.  Further, each of the Company's senior credit facility and the indenture
under which the Company has issued 10 3/8% Senior  Subordinated  Notes restricts
the payment of dividends.



                                       9
<PAGE>

ITEM 6.  SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

     Set forth  below is  selected  consolidated  financial  information  of the
Company and its  subsidiaries as of December 31, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999
and for the years then ended.  The following  financial  data as of December 31,
1995,  1996,  1997, 1998 and 1999 and for each of the years then ended have been
derived from the Company's  Consolidated  Financial Statements and related Notes
thereto as of such dates and with respect to such  periods,  which  Consolidated
Financial   Statements   have  been  audited  by   PricewaterhouseCoopers   LLP,
independent  accountants.  Such  firm's  report  on the  Company's  Consolidated
Financial  Statements as of December 31, 1998 and 1999 and for each of the three
years in the period  ended  December 31, 1999 is included in Item 8 of this Form
10-K. The selected consolidated  financial information set forth below should be
read in  conjunction  with the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements,  the  Notes
thereto and the other  financial  information  contained  elsewhere in this Form
10-K.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                     Years Ended December 31,
                                                   --------------------------------------------------------
                                                     1995     1996(1)       1997        1998         1999
                                                   -------    -------     --------    --------     --------
                                                                      (dollars in thousands)
Statement of Operations Data:
<S>                                                <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>          <C>
Net sales ......................................   $60,907    $95,262     $104,794    $107,491     $141,338
Cost of sales ..................................    45,129     71,116       73,722      80,627      109,357
Gross profit ...................................    15,778     24,146       31,072      26,864       31,981
Operating expenses:
Selling and marketing expenses .................     3,036      6,089        5,881       6,278        5,688
General and administrative .....................     4,505      8,920       12,265      12,934       17,168
Impairment loss (2) ............................      --        1,268         --          --           --
Total operating expenses .......................     7,541     16,277       18,146      19,212       22,856
Income from operations .........................     8,237      7,869       12,926       7,652        9,125
Interest expense ...............................     1,827      4,937        4,484       5,076       14,939
Other (income) expense .........................        10       (241)          62        (460)          75
Income (loss) before income taxes: .............     6,400      3,173        8,380       3,036       (5,889)
Income tax (benefit) provision .................     2,690      1,807        3,898       2,008       (1,045)
Net income (loss) ..............................   $ 3,710    $ 1,366     $  4,482    $  1,028      ($4,844)


Balance Sheet Data (at year end):
Cash and cash equivalents ......................   $   370    $   158     $  1,045    $ 14,834     $    271
Total assets ...................................    50,038     76,113       84,993     132,440      151,505
Total debt (including capital lease obligations)    26,411     49,939       46,726      95,447      114,362
Total stockholders' equity .....................    10,154     11,610       16,154      17,283       12,471
Other Financial Data:
Depreciation and amortization expense ..........   $ 3,119    $ 8,389     $  9,142    $ 10,834     $ 17,174
Capital expenditures (3) .......................    17,841     11,052       15,131      48,168       17,871
EBITDA (4) .....................................    11,346     16,499       22,005      18,946       26,224
EBITDA margin (5) ..............................     18.6%      17.3%        21.0%       17.6%        18.6%
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (6) .........      4.2x       1.6x         2.7x        1.5x         0.6x


                                       10
<PAGE>

<FN>
(1)  On  February  1, 1996,  the  Company  acquired  New  England  Book  Holding
     Corporation  ("NEBC").  See  Note  7 of  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial
     Statements.
</FN>
<FN>
(2)  Reflects  the  write-down  of real  estate  assets  held  for sale to their
     estimated net realizable value.
</FN>
<FN>
(3)  Includes  property  and  equipment  financed  through  notes,  deposits and
     capital  leases.   See  Consolidated   Statements  of  Cash  Flows  in  the
     Consolidated Financial Statements.
</FN>
<FN>
(4)  EBITDA represents net income of the Company before interest,  income taxes,
     depreciation  and  amortization.  EBITDA  is  not a  measure  of  financial
     performance  under GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled
     measures by other companies. EBITDA does not represent income or cash flows
     from operations as defined by GAAP and does not  necessarily  indicate that
     cash flows  will be  sufficient  to fund cash  needs.  As a result,  EBITDA
     should not be  considered an  alternative  to net income as an indicator of
     operating performance or to cash flows as a measure of liquidity. EBITDA is
     included  in this Form  10-K  because  it is a basis on which  the  Company
     assesses its financial performance,  and certain covenants in the Company's
     borrowing  agreements are tied to similar  measurements.  See  Consolidated
     Statements  of Cash  Flows  and Note 2 in Notes to  Consolidated  Financial
     Statements.
</FN>
<FN>
(5)  EBITDA margin represents EBITDA divided by net sales. </FN>
<FN>
(6)  In calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges,  earnings consist of
     earnings  before  income taxes plus fixed  charges  (excluding  capitalized
     interest).  Fixed  charges  consist of  interest  expense  (which  includes
     amortization of deferred financing costs), whether expensed or capitalized,
     and  that  portion  of  rental  expense  estimated  to be  attributable  to
     interest.
</FN>
</TABLE>

                                       11
<PAGE>

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S  DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
     OF OPERATIONS

     The following  discussion and analysis  should be read in conjunction  with
"Selected  Consolidated  Financial Data" and the audited Consolidated  Financial
Statements of the Company and the Notes thereto included  elsewhere in this Form
10-K.

Results of Operations

     The  following  table  sets  forth  for  the  periods  indicated,   certain
information derived from the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations:



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   Years Ended December 31,
                                                -------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      1997                   1998                  1999
                                                -----------------     -----------------     -----------------
                                                   $          %          $          %          $          %
                                                -------     -----     -------     -----     -------     -----
<S>                                             <C>         <C>       <C>         <C>       <C>         <C>
Net sales ..................................    104,794     100.0     107,491     100.0     141,338     100.0
Cost of sales ..............................     73,722      70.3      80,627      75.0     109,357      77.4
Gross profit ...............................     31,072      29.7      26,864      25.0      31,981      22.6
Operating Expenses:
   Selling and marketing expenses ..........      5,881       5.6       6,278       5.9       5,688       4.0
   General and administrative expenses .....     12,265      11.7      12,934      12.0      17,168      12.1
Total operating expenses ...................     18,146      17.3      19,212      17.9      22,856      16.2
Income from operations .....................     12,926      12.4       7,652       7.1       9,125       6.4
Interest expense ...........................      4,484       4.3       5,076       4.7      14,939      10.6
Other (income) expense .....................         62       0.1        (460)      (.4)         75       0.1
Income (loss) before income taxes ..........      8,380       8.0       3,036       2.8      (5,889)     (4.3)
Income tax (benefit) provision .............      3,898       3.7       2,008       1.8      (1,045)     (0.7)
Net income (loss) ..........................      4,482       4.3       1,028       1.0      (4,844)     (3.6)

</TABLE>

Year Ended December 31, 1999 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 1998

     Net sales  increased  $33.8 million or 31.4% to $141.3 million for the year
ended  December 31, 1999 from $107.5  million for the same period in 1998.  This
increase  was a result  of higher  unit  volume in book  component  sales,  book
manufacturing  sales, and the Company's  acquisitions of Mid-City  Lithographers
and of TechniGraphix.

     Gross profit  increased $5.1 million or 19.0% to $32.0 million for the year
ended December 31, 1999, from $26.9 million for the same period in 1998, but the
gross profit margin decreased to 22.6% for the year ended December 31, 1999 from
25.0% for the same period in 1998.  The decline in gross profit margin  resulted
primarily  from the  operations  of the  Company's  new thin book  manufacturing
facility in New Jersey, which opened in September 1998, and by the Company's new
paperback book manufacturing facility in Maryland which opened in July 1999. The
thin book facility incurred $12.4 million of costs, of which $2.4

                                       12
<PAGE>

million  represented  depreciation,  with sales of $10.6 million.  The paperback
book  facility  incurred  $4.0 million of costs,  including  approximately  $2.0
million  excess  capacity  and  start up  costs  with  offsetting  sales of $2.0
million.  The Company  estimates that the thin book facility has the capacity to
produce a sufficient amount of books to generate $30.0 million in sales with its
current equipment, and the paperback book facility has the capacity to produce a
sufficient  amount of books to generate  $20.0 million in sales with its current
equipment.

     Operating expenses increased $3.7 million or 19.3% to $22.9 million for the
year ended  December 31, 1999,  from $19.2  million for the same period in 1998.
This  increase was  attributable  to expenses at the Mid-City and  TechniGraphix
locations as well as the  Company's  new book  manufacturing  facilities  in New
Jersey and Maryland.  Operating expenses decreased 1.7% as a percentage of sales
to 16.2% for the year ended  December 31, 1999 from 17.9% for the same period in
1998.  In the fourth  quarter of 1999,  because of over  capacity,  the  Company
decided,  to close the Mid-City  facility and  consolidate  the  Company's  book
components  operations.  The  facility  was closed by December  31, 1999 without
incurring  any  significant  exit costs.  The Company also decided in the fourth
quarter of 1999, to consolidate the operations of  TechniGraphix  to provide for
greater efficiencies and reduce overhead.  The TechniGraphix facility was closed
by January 31, 2000 without  incurring  significant  exit costs. The Company has
sublet the facility on the same terms and  conditions  as the prime  lease.  The
operations of Mid-City and TechniGraphix were relocated to Company facilities in
Hagerstown, Maryland. The Company estimates that the closing of these facilities
will save the Company in excess of $2.0 million a year.

     Interest expense  increased $9.8 million or 192.2% to $14.9 million for the
year ended  December 31, 1999 from $5.1 million for the same period in 1998. The
increase was due to the Company's  issuance of $105.0  million in 10 3/8% Senior
Subordinated  Notes and  includes a one time charge of $1.1  million  associated
with finance  costs on the 1998 bridge note with First Union  National Bank (the
"Bridge  Note") and prepayment  premiums of $1.6 million  incurred in connection
with the early repayment of equipment debt.

     During the year ended  December  31,  1999,  the Company had  non-operating
expense of $75,000 compared with  non-operating  income of $460,000 for the same
period in 1998. The  non-operating  expense in 1999 resulted  primarily from the
sale of certain assets.

     The  Company's  effective  tax rate was 17.7% and 66.1% for the years ended
December 31, 1999 and 1998,  respectively.  The change in the effective  rate is
primarily   attributable  to  the  net  loss  in  1999  and  the  proportion  of
non-deductible   amortization   expense  for  goodwill  resulting  from  certain
acquisitions.

     Net income  declined  $5.8 million to a negative  $4.8 million for the year
ended  December  31, 1999 from $1.0  million  for the same  period in 1998.  The
decrease was due to the factors above described.

Year Ended December 31, 1998 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 1997

     Net sales  increased  $2.7  million or 2.6% to $107.5  million for the year
ended December 31, 1998 from $104.8  million for the same period in 1997.  These
increases were a result of higher unit volume in the general interest,  juvenile
and religious segments of the book publishing market.

     Gross profit  declined  $4.2 million or 13.5% to $26.9 million for the year
ended  December  31,  1998,  from  $31.1  million  for the same  period in 1997,
decreasing the gross profit margin to 25.0% for the year ended December 31, 1998
from 29.7% for the same period in 1997. This decline resulted primarily from the

                                       13
<PAGE>

opening in September 1998 of the Company's new thin book manufacturing  facility
in New Jersey,  for which the Company  incurred  approximately  $2.4  million of
costs,  with  offsetting  sales of  approximately  $388,000.  Additionally,  the
Company  incurred  costs  and  expenses  during  the  first  quarter  of 1998 in
connection with the  distribution of a former  facility's  activities to various
other facilities,  including establishing a prepress department in New York, and
the relocation of the Hingham, Massachusetts facility to Taunton, Massachusetts.

     Operating  expenses increased $1.1 million or 6.1% to $19.2 million for the
year ended  December 31, 1998,  from $18.1  million for the same period in 1997.
This increase was attributable to expenses  incurred to provide for our expanded
operations in the sale of book components and in book  manufacturing,  including
promotional costs, expanded sales force, sales staff support, telecommunications
and freight costs. Operating expenses increased 0.6% as a percentage of sales to
17.9% for the year ended  December  31,  1998 from 17.3% for the same  period in
1997.

     Interest expense increased $592,000 or 13.2% to $5.1 million for the
year ended  December 31, 1998 from $4.5 million for the same period in 1997. The
increase was due to additions of certain term debt for equipment,  the write-off
of the  balance of  deferred  financing  costs for the  acquisition  of NEBC and
interest incurred in connection with the Bridge Notes.

     During the year ended  December  31,  1998,  the Company had  non-operating
income of $460,000 compared with a non-operating expense of $62,000 for the same
period in 1997.  The  non-operating  income or expense was primarily a result of
gain and losses from the sale of certain assets.

     The  Company's  effective  tax rate was 66.1% and 46.5% for the years ended
December 31, 1998 and 1997  respectively.  The increase in the effective rate is
primarily attributable to the proportion of non-deductible  amortization expense
for goodwill resulting from the NEBC acquisition to pretax income.

     Net  income  declined  $3.5  million  to $1.0  million  for the year  ended
December 31, 1998 from $4.5 million for 1997, a decrease of 77.8%.  The decrease
was due to the factors above described.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

     The Company  historically  has  financed  its  operations  with  internally
generated  funds,  external  short and  long-term  borrowings  and  capital  and
operating leases. Cash flows from operating activities amounted to $18.2 million
for 1997, $14.2 million for 1998 and $6.6 million for 1999.

     On September 15, 1998, the Company  entered into a three year $20.0 million
revolving  credit  facility with First Union  National Bank (the "Senior  Credit
Facility").  As of December 31, 1999, the outstanding aggregate principal of the
senior credit facility was $9.3 million, bearing interest at the rate of 10% per
annum. The Company's  borrowings under the Senior Credit Facility are secured by
substantially all of the Company's  assets.  The Senior Credit Facility contains
limitations  on the payment of  dividends,  the  distribution  or  redemption of
stock,  sales of assets and subsidiary stock,  limitations on additional Company
and subsidiary  debt and require the Company to maintain  certain  financial and
non-financial  covenants,  the most restrictive of which requires the Company to
maintain certain interest  coverage and leverage ratios as defined in the Senior
Credit  Facility.  The Company was not in compliance with its interest  coverage
ratio contained in the Senior Credit  Facility for the compliance  period ending
December 31, 1999.  On March 23,  2000,  the Company and its lender  amended the
Senior Credit Facility effective December 31, 1999, which

                                       14
<PAGE>

redefined the interest  coverage  ratio and brought the Company into  compliance
with the 1998 Senior Credit Facility as of December 31, 1999.

     On February 2, 1999,  the Company  issued $105.0  million in 10 3/8% Senior
Subordinated Notes (the "Old Notes"), maturing on February 2, 2009, in a private
placement.  The  proceeds  from the issuance of the Old Notes were used to repay
substantially all existing debt of the Company including capital leases,  and to
invest in the expansion of the Company.  In May 1999, the Company  exchanged the
Old Notes for notes registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under
the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended.  The terms of the registered  notes are
equivalent to those of the Old Notes in all material respects.

     The Company has operating lease arrangements for printing equipment. Rental
expense related to such leases was approximately $480,000 for 1997, $540,000 for
1998 and $3.2 million for 1999.

     Capital expenditures totaled $15.1 million for 1997, $48.2 million for 1998
and $16.5 million for 1999. The Company has traditionally invested in facilities
and equipment to increase capacity, improve efficiency,  maintain high levels of
productivity and meet customer needs. Capital  expenditures  primarily have been
for prepress, pressroom and finishing equipment and plant construction.

     The Company's  capital  expenditures  for 2000 are  currently  estimated to
total  approximately  $7.0 million.  The  expenditures  are  principally for the
replacement  of  existing  equipment   including  printing  presses,   finishing
equipment and prepress  equipment.  The Company also intends to acquire  through
operating  leases,  $13.0 million of presses and bindery  equipment for its book
manufacturing  facility in  Hagerstown,  Maryland.  The Company has in place the
necessary  commitments for financing the operating leases.  The Company believes
that in 2000 funds  generated  from  operations  and funds  available  under the
Senior Credit  Facility will be sufficient to complete its capital  expenditures
and  service  its debt.  As of December  31,  1999,  the Company had not met the
required  consolidated  coverage ratio under the Senior Notes and therefore,  is
unable  to incur  more  than $5  million  additional  indebtedness  for  capital
expenditures  until the  Company  attains  the  consolidated  coverage  ratio as
defined in the Senior Note agreement.

Year 2000 Compliance

     In 1999 the  Company  undertook  to ensure its  digital  and  manufacturing
infrastructure  would not  experience  any major  problems  associated  with the
change in the  calendar to the year 2000.  The Company  did not  experience  any
problems associated with the change of the calendar.

     In 1999,  the Company  verified that its vendors were also year 2000 ready.
The Company did not  experience  any  problems  associated  with the delivery of
material  or  services  from any of its vendors as a result of the change in the
calendar to the year 2000.

     Although the Company has not incurred any  disruptions in its systems or in
receipt of material from  suppliers to date,  there can be no assurance that the
Company will not incur dislocations at some time later in the year.

Forward Looking Statements

     The  statements in this report that relate to future  plans,  expectations,
events or performance, or which use forward-

                                       15
<PAGE>

looking terminology such as "estimate" or "anticipate",  contain forward-looking
information.  Actual results,  events or performance may differ  materially from
such forward-looking statements, due to a variety of factors, including the risk
factors and other information presented in the Company's  Registration Statement
(the "Registration Statement") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC") File No.  333-50995,  and which  became  effective  on May 13, 1999.
Readers  are  cautioned  not to place undue  reliance  on these  forward-looking
statements,  which speak only as of the date hereof.  The Company  undertakes no
obligation   to  publicly   release  the  result  of  any   revisions  to  these
forward-looking  statements that may be made to reflect events or  circumstances
after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

     The Company  has some  exposure  to market  risk based upon  interest  rate
changes.  Because  approximately 93% of the Company's debt bears a fixed rate of
interest, the Company's exposure is immaterial.

ITEM 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

     The  financial  statements,  supplementary  data and report of  independent
public  accountants  are included as part of this Form 10-K on pages F-1 through
F-20.

ITEM 9.  CHANGES  IN  AND  DISAGREEMENTS  WITH  ACCOUNTANTS  ON  ACCOUNTING  AND
     FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

     No change of  accountants  or  disagreements  on any  matter of  accounting
principles or financial statement  disclosures have occurred within the last two
years.

                                       16
<PAGE>

                                    PART III

ITEM 10.  DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

     The  Company's  Board of Directors is composed of seven  members,  of which
there are now six  incumbents  and one vacancy.  Directors  generally  serve for
one-year terms and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

     The following table sets forth certain information  regarding the Company's
current directors and executive officers:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


Directors and Executive Officers    Age                                    Positions
- --------------------------------    ---    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>   <C>
Louis LaSorsa..................      53    Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Edward Lieberman...............      57    Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Director
Dion von der Lieth.............      56    Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing
John Carbone...................      41    Vice President, Manufacturing, Book Components, and Director
David Rubin....................      43    Director
Thomas Newell..................      56    Chief Information Officer
Earl S. Wellschlager...........      53    Director
Mitchell Weiss.................      37    Vice President, Manufacturing, Commercial Print/Book Manufacturing

</TABLE>


Louis  LaSorsa has been with the Company  since its  inception in 1979,  when he
became Vice  President,  Sales and Marketing.  Mr. LaSorsa has been President of
the Company  since 1982,  was elected  Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer in
1996,  and  is  involved  in  the  management  of all  areas  of  the  Company's
operations, planning and growth.

Edward  Lieberman joined the Company in 1981, has been Executive Vice President,
Chief  Financial  Officer and Secretary  since February 1988, and is responsible
for financial information, general financing, legal matters, human resources and
benefits. From 1967 to 1981, Mr. Lieberman, a certified public accountant, was a
principal of Louis Lieberman & Company, an independent public accounting firm.

Dion von der Lieth has been Senior Vice  President,  Sales and Marketing,  since
November 1993,  directing the sales and marketing efforts of the Company.  Prior
to joining the  Company,  Mr. von der Lieth was  President  of the Book Group of
Quebec or Printing Inc., a major commercial printing company, and prior thereto,
was Vice President of Manufacturing and Inventory Control for McGraw Hill.

John Carbone joined the Company in 1981, has been Vice President, Manufacturing,
for the Book Component Divisions since December 1997, and is responsible for all
component   printing   operations.   Mr.   Carbone   was   Vice   President   of
Manufacturing/Hagerstown  from June 1996 to December  1997,  Vice  President  of
Operations/New  York from 1993 to 1996 and Vice  President of Sales from 1990 to
1993.

David  Rubin was elected a director  of the  Company in  February  1998,  and is
Corporate Vice President and a director of Don Aux Associates,  a privately-held
management  consulting  firm  which  services  a wide  range  of  manufacturing,
distribution and service-oriented client companies.  Mr. Rubin has been employed
by Don Aux  Associates  since  1984,  and has served as  Director  of  Corporate
Analysis and Director of Consulting Services.

                                       17
<PAGE>

Thomas  Newell  has  been  Chief  Information  Officer  since  May  1988  and is
responsible  for  developing,  implementing  and managing the Company's  digital
communications and information network.

Earl S. Wellschlager has served as a director of the Company since March,  2000.
Mr.  Wellschlager  is a partner at the law firm of Piper Marbury Rudnick & Wolfe
LLP,  specializing  in  general  corporate  law.  He has  served as and  Adjunct
Professor  at the  University  of Maryland Law School and at the  University  of
Baltimore School of Law.

Mitchell Weiss joined the Company in 1984,  first in customer  service and later
as a sales  representative.  In 1993,  Mr.  Weiss  joined R.R.  Donnelley & Sons
Company as a salesman,  and returned to the Company as a sales representative in
1995,  becoming a Regional  Sales Manager in 1996.  Since January 1998 Mr. Weiss
has  been   responsible   for   developing   the  Company's  new  complete  book
manufacturing  facility in New Jersey and will manage the facility's operations.
On March 4, 2000, Mr. Weiss became a director of the Company.

Directors Compensation

     Directors  of the  Company  who are also  employees  of the  Company do not
receive  additional  compensation for their services as directors.  Non-employee
directors of the Company receive annual director compensation of $10,000 cash.

Committees of the Board of Directors

     There are currently no committees created by the Board of Directors.

Employment Agreements

     None of the Company's officers have employment agreements.

Employee Stock Bonus and Ownership Plan

     The Company's  Employee  Stock Bonus and  Ownership  Plan (the "Stock Bonus
Plan") was  established in 1980,  initially as a  profit-sharing,  tax-qualified
retirement plan, and later as a stock bonus plan.  Employees become participants
on any June 30 or December 31 after they  complete  one year of service.  Annual
Company  contributions to the Stock Bonus Plan are discretionary,  and have been
made in the form of Company stock and cash.  Contributions  are allocated  among
all  Stock  Bonus  Plan  participants,   based  on  the  proportion  which  each
participant's  eligible  compensation  bears to the  total  compensation  of all
participants.  Company  contributions  for  participants  become vested for each
participant in equal installments over a six-year period of continuing  service.
The Trustees of the Stock Bonus Plan are Louis LaSorsa and Edward Lieberman, and
the Stock Bonus Plan held 6,794 shares of Class B Common Stock of the Company as
of  December  31,  1999.  The  Class B Common  Stock is  non-voting  stock.  See
"Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management."

                                       18
<PAGE>




ITEM 11.  EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     The following table sets forth all  compensation  awarded to, earned by, or
paid for  services  rendered to the Company in all  capacities  during the three
years ended December 31, 1999 for the Chief Executive Officer and the four other
most highly compensated executive officers of the Company,  including both fixed
salary  compensation  and  discretionary   management   incentive   compensation
("Bonus"):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                             Summary Compensation Table

                                                 Annual Compensation
                                                 -------------------

                                                                      Other Annual
Name and Principal Position      Year       Salary        Bonus      Compensation(1)
- ---------------------------      ----      --------      --------    ---------------
<S>                              <C>       <C>           <C>              <C>
Louis LaSorsa .............      1999      $544,284      $565,000         $ --
Chief Executive Officer          1998       549,979       452,652           --
                                 1997       599,420       847,096          6,294
Edward Lieberman ..........      1999       365,275       282,000           --
Chief Financial Officer          1998       361,350       226,326           --
                                 1997       392,729       478,840          6,294
Mitchel Weiss .............      1999       193,109       113,744           --
Vice President                   1998       164,621        37,711           --
                                 1997       166,519        56,292          6,294
Dion von der Lieth ........      1999       283,727          --             --
Vice President                   1998       278,372       150,884           --
                                 1997       289,402       211,774          6,294
John Carbone ..............      1999       274,670       226,000           --
Vice President                   1998       267,315        94,303           --
                                 1997       201,468        90,366          6,294

<FN>
(1)  Reflects  amounts  contributed  by the Company  pursuant to the Stock Bonus
     Plan.
</FN>
</TABLE>


     No information is presented for options, restricted stock awards,
long-term incentive or other compensation  because no such compensation has been
awarded.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

     The following table sets forth  information  with respect to the beneficial
ownership of the Company's Class A and Class B Common Stock as of March 15, 2000
by (i) each  person  known by the  Company  to own  beneficially  more than five
percent of the outstanding  Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock,  (ii)
each director of the Company,  (iii) each of the named executive officers listed
under "Executive Compensation", and (iv) all executive officers and directors as
a group.  Except as otherwise  noted,  the persons  named in the table have sole
voting and investment powers with respect to all shares of Common Stock shown as
beneficially  owned by them. The Company's capital stock is not registered under
Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, as a result,
stockholders  holding  more than  five  percent  of any  class of the  Company's
capital  stock are not required to file  beneficial  ownership  reports with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

                                       19
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                  Class A(1)        %    Class B(2)      %     Total          %
                                                  ----------      ----   ----------    ----    -----        ----
<S>                                                  <C>          <C>     <C>          <C>     <C>          <C>
Louis LaSorsa .................................      1,000         9.0      519         6.7    1,519         8.0
Edward Lieberman ..............................      1,000         9.0      363         4.7    1,363         7.2
John Biancolli ................................      1,000         9.0      194         2.5    1,194         6.3
John Carbone ..................................      1,000         9.0      188         2.4    1,188         6.3
Thomas Newell .................................      1,000         9.0      128         1.6    1,128         6.0
Mitchell Weiss ................................      1,000         9.0      100         1.3    1,100         5.8
Dion von der Lieth ............................      1,000         9.0       33         0.4    1,033         5.5
Henry Burk ....................................      1,000         9.0      441         5.7    1,441         7.6
Ronald Burk ...................................      1,000         9.0      424         5.4    1,424         7.5
Anthony DiMartino .............................      1,000         9.0      393         5.0    1,393         7.4
Bruno Jung ....................................      1,000         9.0      279         3.9    1,279         6.8
Judith Lieberman ..............................       --           --     1,000        12.8    1,000         5.3
David Rubin ...................................       --           --       --          --       --          --
Earl S. Wellschlager ..........................       --           --       --          --       --          --
Louis LaSorsa and Edward Lieberman, as
  Trustees under the Stock Bonus Plan (3) .....       --           --     6,794        87.2    6,794        36.0
All directors and executive officers as a group
  (8 persons) .................................      6,000        54.1    1,331        17.1    7,331        38.8

<FN>
(1)  All Class A voting shares are held directly by the named individuals.
</FN>
<FN>
(2)  Indicates  each named  individual's  vested  interest in Class B non-voting
     shares  held in the Stock  Bonus Plan,  except for Judith  Lieberman  whose
     Class B shares are held directly.
</FN>
<FN>
(3)  See  "Directors  and Executive  Officers of the  Registrant  Employee Stock
     Bonus and Ownership Plan."
</FN>

</TABLE>

     The  address of all  stockholders  listed in the above table is c/o Phoenix
Color Corp., 540 Western Maryland Parkway, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740.


ITEM 13.  CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

     On September  15,  1998,  in  connection  with the senior  credit  facility
between  the  Company  and  First  Union  National  Bank,  all of the  Company's
shareholders except Anthony DiMartino, Judith Lieberman and the Stock Bonus Plan
executed a Stock  Pledge  Agreement,  pursuant to which all of their  respective
shares of the  Company's  stock  were  pledged  as  security  for the  Company's
obligations under the loan agreement.  The Stock Pledge Agreement  requires such
shares to remain  pledged  during the term of the  senior  credit  facility  For
information  regarding  each  of  the  Company's  shareholders,   see  "Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management."

     Louis  LaSorsa,  Edward  Lieberman,  Ronald  Burk,  Henry Burk and  Anthony
DiMartino,  each of whom are shareholders of the Company, loaned $395,000 to the
Company in 1988, the proceeds of which

                                       20
<PAGE>

were used as  working  capital.  Such  loans were  represented  by demand  notes
bearing  interest  at 12% per annum.  These  notes were repaid by the Company in
1999.

     Mr. Earl S. Wellschalger,  a director of the Company, is a partner in a law
firm that  served as  counsel  to the  Company  in 1999.  During  the year ended
December 31, 1999,  the Company paid Mr.  Wellschlager's  law firm total fees of
$179,873 for legal services and disbursements.

     David Rubin, a director of the Company,  is an officer and principal of Don
Aux Associates,  which furnishes management  consulting services to the Company.
During the years  ended  December  31, 1998 and 1999,  the Company  paid Don Aux
Associates  a  total  of  $36,766  and  $31,361,   respectively,  in  management
consulting fees.

     Govi C. Reddy, a former director of the Company, is President of
General Binding Corp., which supplies certain raw materials to the Company.  For
the years ended  December  31, 1998 and 1999,  the Company  purchased a total of
$9,162,523  and  $11,510,076  respectively,  of such raw materials  from General
Binding Corp. Such purchases were on terms and conditions no less favorable than
would be obtainable from an unaffiliated third-party vendor.

                                       21
<PAGE>



                                     PART IV

ITEM 14. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K:

(a)(1)   The  following  consolidated  financial  statements  of the Company are
         included in Item 8 of the Form 10-K Index to Financial Statements

         Report of Independent Accountants

         Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 1998 and December 31, 1999

         Consolidated Statements of Operations as of December 31, 1997, December
            31, 1998 and December 31, 1999

         Consolidated  Statements  of  Changes  in  Stockholders'  Equity  as of
            December 31, 1997, December 31, 1998 and December 31, 1999

         Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as of December 31, 1997, December
            31, 1998 and December 31, 1999

         Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(a)(2)   Report of Independent Accountants on Financial Statement Schedule
         Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

                  Schedules  other than  those  listed  above have been  omitted
                  because  they are either not  required  or not  applicable  or
                  because the required  information has been included  elsewhere
                  in the financial statements or notes thereto.

(a)(3)   See Item 14(c) of this Form 10-K

(b)      Reports on Form 8-K.

         The Company  filed no reports on Form 8-K during the fourth  quarter of
its fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

                                       22
<PAGE>

(c)      Exhibits.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Exhibit
Number                                            Description
- -------     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>         <C>
 2.1        Acquisition Agreement dated as of November 30, 1998 among the Company, Carl E.
            Carlson, Wayne L. Sorensen, Donald Davis, Margaret Davis and Viking Leasing Partnership
            (schedules and exhibits omitted)**
 2.2        Acquisition Agreement dated as of February 3, 1999 among the Company, TechniGraphix,
            Inc., Debra A. Barry and Jack L. Tiner (schedules and exhibits omitted)**
 2.3        Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of December 27, 1995 among the Company and various
            stockholders of New England Book Holding Corporation*
 2.4        Plan and Agreement of Merger of Phoenix Color Corp. (New York) into Phoenix Merger
            Corp. (Delaware)*
 3.1        Certificate of Incorporation of the Company*
 3.2        By-Laws of the Company*
 4.1        Note Purchase Agreement dated January 28, 1999 among the Company, the Guarantors and
            the Initial Purchasers**
 4.2        Indenture dated as of February 2, 1999 among the Company, the Guarantors and Chase
            Manhattan Trust Company, National Association, Trustee**
 4.3        Registration Rights Agreement dated as of February 2, 1999 among the Company, the
            Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers**
 4.4        Form of Initial Global Note (included as Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.2)**
 4.5        Form of Initial Certificated Note (included as Exhibit B to Exhibit 4.2)**
 4.6        Form of Exchange Global Note (included as Exhibit C to Exhibit 4.2)**
 4.7        Form of Exchange Certificated Note (included as Exhibit D to Exhibit 4.2)**
10.1        Employment Agreement dated as of February 12, 1999 between the Company and Jack L.
            Tiner**
10.4(a)     Credit Agreement dated as of September 15, 1998 among the Company, the Guarantors and
            First Union National Bank as Agent, as Issuer and as Lender (schedules omitted)**
10.4(b)     First Amendment to Credit Agreement date March 31, 1999 by and among Phoenix Color
            Corp. and its subsidiaries, and the lenders referenced therein and First Union National Bank
            as issuer of letters of credit and agent.
10.4(c)     Second Amendment to Credit Agreement date March 23, 2000 by and among Phoenix Color
            Corp. and its subsidiaries, and the lenders referenced therein and First Union National Bank
            as issuer of letters of credit and agent.
10.5        Revolving Credit Note dated as of September 15, 1998 executed by the Company and the
            Guarantors**
10.6        Master Security Agreement dated as of September 15, 1998 among the Company, the
            Guarantors and First Union National Bank as Collateral Agent (schedules omitted)***
10.7        Master Pledge Agreement dated as of September 15, 1998 executed by the stockholders of
            the Company in favor of First Union National Bank, as Collateral Agent (schedules
            omitted)**
10.8        Subsidiary Pledge Agreement dated as of September 15, 1998 executed by the Company
            (schedules omitted**)
</TABLE>

                                       23
<PAGE>


(c)      Exhibits (continued).
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Exhibit
Number                                            Description
- -------     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>         <C>
10.10       Lease Agreement dated as of March 20, 1998 between the Company and Maurice M. Weill,
            Trustee Under Indenture Dated December 6, 1984 for the facility located at 40 Green Pond
            Road, Rockaway, NJ 07866**
10.11       Lease Agreement dated as of March 31, 1997 between the Company and Constitution Realty
            Company, LLC for the facility located at 555 Constitution Drive, Taunton, MA 02780**
10.12       Lease Agreement dated as of December 19, 1996 between the Company and CMC Factory
            Holding Company, L.L.C. for the facility located at 47-07 30th Place, Long Island City, NY
            11101**
12.1        Statement regarding Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges
12.2        Statement concerning calculation of EBITDA
21.1        Subsidiaries of the Company
27          Financial Data Schedule
</TABLE>

- ------------

*    Incorporated by reference to the Company's  Registration  Statement on Form
     S-1 (Reg. No. 333-50995), filed on April 24, 1998.

**   Incorporated  by reference to the Company's  Amendment No. 1 on Form S-4 to
     Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No. 333-50995),  filed on March 8,
     1999.

***  Incorporated  by reference to the Company's  Amendment No. 2 on Form S-4 to
     Registration  Statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No.  333-50995),  filed on May 5,
     1999.

                                       24
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to the  requirements  of  Section  13 or 15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  Phoenix Color Corp. has duly caused this Form
10-K to be signed on its behalf by the  undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,
in the City of Hagerstown, State of Maryland, on March 27, 2000.

                                            PHOENIX COLOR CORP.

                                  By:       /s/ Louis LaSorsa
                                            -----------------
                                            Louis LaSorsa
                                            Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  this form 10-K  been  signed  below by the  following  persons  in the
capacities and on the date indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Signature                                            Title                                                    Date
- ---------                                            -----                                                    ----

<S>                                         <C>                                                           <C>
/s/ Louis LaSorsa                           Chairman, Chief Executive Officer                             March 27, 2000
- -------------------------                   and Director
Louis LaSorsa

/s/ Edward Lieberman                        Executive Vice President, Chief                               March 27, 2000
- -------------------------                   Financial Officer, Secretary and Director
Edward Lieberman

/s/ John Carbone                            Vice President, Manufacturing, Book                           March 27, 2000
- -------------------------                   Component Manufacturing, and Director
John Carbone

s/ Mitchel Weiss                            Vice President, Manufacturing, Thin Book                      March 27, 2000
- -------------------------                   Manufacturing, and Director
Mitchel Weiss

/s/ Earl S. Wellschlager                    Director                                                      March 27, 2000
- -------------------------
Earl S. Wellschlager

/s/ David Rubin                             Director                                                      March 27, 2000
- -------------------------
David Rubin

</TABLE>



                                       25
<PAGE>



Supplemental  Information to be Furnished With Reports Filed Pursuant to Section
15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 as amended,  by  Registrants  That
Have Not Registered Securities Pursuant to Section 12 of such Act

     The Company has not provided any of its security holders a proxy statement,
form of proxy or other proxy  soliciting  material  sent to more than ten of the
Company's  security  holders with respect to any annual or other  meeting of its
security holders. As of the date of this Form 10-K, the Company has not provided
to its security  holders an annual  report  covering the  Company's  last fiscal
year.

                                       26
<PAGE>


                      PHOENIX COLOR CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                          INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                                                                         Page
                                                                         ----

Report of Independent Accountants...................................       F-2
Consolidated Balance Sheets.........................................       F-3
Consolidated Statements of Operations...............................       F-4
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity..........       F-5
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows...............................       F-6
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements..........................       F-8




                                      F-1
<PAGE>






                        Report of Independent Accountants

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Phoenix Color Corp.

In our opinion,  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance sheets and the related
consolidated statements of operations,  changes in stockholders' equity and cash
flows  present  fairly,  in all material  respects,  the  financial  position of
Phoenix Color Corp.  and its  subsidiaries  as of December 31, 1998 and 1999 and
the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years
in the period ended December 31, 1999, in conformity with accounting  principles
generally  accepted in the United  States.  These  financial  statements are the
responsibility of the Company's management;  our responsibility is to express an
opinion on these  financial  statements  based on our audits.  We conducted  our
audits of these  statements in  accordance  with  auditing  standards  generally
accepted in the United  States which  require that we plan and perform the audit
to obtain reasonable  assurance about whether the financial  statements are free
of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and  disclosures in the financial  statements,  assessing
the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and
evaluating the overall  financial  statement  presentation.  We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for the opinion expressed above.

                                          PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Baltimore, Maryland
February 18, 2000, except Note 5,
as to which the date is March 23, 2000


                                      F-2
<PAGE>
                      PHOENIX COLOR CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               December 31,
                                                                                     -------------------------------
                                                                                           1998             1999
                                                                                     -------------     -------------
                                             ASSETS
<S>                                                                                  <C>               <C>
Current assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents .................................................    $  14,834,035     $     270,585
      Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts and rebates of
          $1,113,784 in 1998 and $1,119,300 in 1999 .............................       14,760,695        21,184,283
      Inventory .................................................................        3,875,398         5,375,775
      Income tax receivable .....................................................        1,233,554         2,827,423
      Prepaid expenses and other current assets .................................        2,222,196         1,070,989
      Deferred income taxes .....................................................          337,571           627,438
                                                                                     -------------     -------------
           Total current assets .................................................       37,263,449        31,356,493

Property, plant and equipment, net ..............................................       70,288,665        81,942,743
Goodwill, net ...................................................................       11,239,752        24,905,065
Deferred financing costs, net ...................................................        1,892,726         4,171,005
Other assets ....................................................................       11,754,763         9,129,466
                                                                                     -------------     -------------
           Total assets .........................................................    $ 132,439,355     $ 151,504,772
                                                                                     =============     =============

                               LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:
      Notes payable .............................................................    $        --       $      45,684
      Accounts payable ..........................................................       13,619,972        13,154,518
      Accrued expenses ..........................................................        3,483,445         7,944,589
                                                                                     -------------     -------------
           Total current liabilities ............................................       17,103,417        21,144,791

10 3/8% Senior subordinated notes ...............................................             --         105,000,000
Revolving line of credit ........................................................       11,325,225         9,264,053
Notes payable ...................................................................       78,150,335            52,596
Obligations under capital leases ................................................        5,971,609              --
Deferred income taxes ...........................................................        2,606,257         3,572,711
                                                                                     -------------     -------------
           Total liabilities ....................................................      115,156,843       139,034,151
                                                                                     -------------     -------------

Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity
      Common Stock, Class A, voting, par value $0.01 per share,  authorized
            20,000 shares, 14,560 issued shares and 11,100 outstanding shares ...              146               146
      Common Stock, Class B, non-voting, par value $0.01 per share, authorized
            200,000 shares, 9,794 issued shares and 7,794 outstanding shares ....               98                98
      Additional paid in capital ................................................        2,126,804         2,126,804
      Retained earnings .........................................................       17,094,486        12,250,195
      Stock subscriptions receivable ............................................         (169,792)         (137,392)
      Treasury stock, at cost:  Class A, 3,460 shares and Class B, 2,000 shares .       (1,769,230)       (1,769,230)
                                                                                     -------------     -------------
           Total stockholders' equity ...........................................       17,282,512        12,470,621
                                                                                     -------------     -------------
           Total liabilities & stockholders' equity .............................    $ 132,439,355     $ 151,504,772
                                                                                     =============     =============
</TABLE>
               The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated
financial statements.

                                      F-3
<PAGE>



                                        PHOENIX COLOR CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Year ended December 31,
                                             -------------------------------------------------
                                                  1997              1998              1999
                                             -------------     -------------     -------------
<S>                                          <C>               <C>               <C>
Net Sales ...............................    $ 104,793,705     $ 107,491,045     $ 141,338,367
Cost of sales ...........................       73,721,630        80,627,039       109,357,385
                                             -------------     -------------     -------------
Gross profit ............................       31,072,075        26,864,006        31,980,982
                                             -------------     -------------     -------------
Operating expenses:
      Selling and marketing expenses ....        5,880,844         6,278,379         5,688,212
      General and administrative expenses       12,265,442        12,933,474        17,167,869
                                             -------------     -------------     -------------
Total operating expenses ................       18,146,286        19,211,853        22,856,081
                                             -------------     -------------     -------------
Income from operations ..................       12,925,789         7,652,153         9,124,901
Other expenses:
      Interest expense ..................        4,483,820         5,076,057        14,939,009
      Other (income) expense ............             --            (327,095)          358,174
      Loss (gain) on disposal of assets .           62,436          (132,862)         (282,682)
                                             -------------     -------------     -------------
Income (loss) before income taxes .......        8,379,533         3,036,053        (5,889,600)
Income tax provision (benefit) ..........        3,897,989         2,007,767        (1,045,309)
                                             -------------     -------------     -------------
Net income (loss) .......................    $   4,481,544     $   1,028,286     $  (4,844,291)
                                             =============     =============     =============
</TABLE>

               The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated
financial statements.

                                      F-4
<PAGE>
                                PHOENIX COLOR CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                       Common Stock
                              -----------------------------
                                 Class A         Class B    Additional                 Stock        Treasury Stock        Total
                              -------------- --------------  Paid-in     Retained   Subscription --------------------  Stockholders'
                              Shares  Amount Shares  Amount  Capital     Earnings    Receivable  Shares    Amount        Equity
                              ------ ------- ------ ------- ---------- ------------ ------------ ------ -------------  -------------

<S>                           <C>       <C>   <C>       <C> <C>        <C>            <C>         <C>    <C>            <C>
Balance at December 31, 1996  14,560    $146  9,794     $98 $2,126,804 $11,584,656    $(332,244)  5,460  $(1,769,230)   $11,610,230
Payment of stock subscription   --       --    --        --       --          --         61,700    --          --            61,700
Net income ..................   --       --    --        --       --     4,481,544         --      --          --         4,481,544
                              ------ ------- ------ ------- ---------- ------------ ------------ ------ -------------  -------------

Balance at December 31, 1997  14,560     146  9,794      98  2,126,804  16,066,200     (270,544)  5,460   (1,769,230)    16,153,474
Payment of stock subscription   --       --    --        --       --          --        100,752    --          --           100,752
Net income ..................   --       --    --        --       --     1,028,286         --      --          --         1,028,286
                              ------ ------- ------ ------- ---------- ------------ ------------ ------ -------------  -------------

Balance at December 31, 1998  14,560     146  9,794      98  2,126,804  17,094,486     (169,792)  5,460   (1,769,230)    17,282,512
Payment of stock subscription   --       --    --        --       --          --         32,400    --          --            32,400
Net loss ....................   --       --    --        --       --    (4,844,291)       --      --          --         (4,844,291)
                              ------ ------- ------ ------- ---------- ------------ ------------ ------ -------------  -------------
Balance at December 31, 1999  14,560    $146  9,794     $98 $2,126,804 $12,250,195    $(137,392)  5,460  $(1,769,230)   $12,470,621
                              ====== ======= ====== ======= ========== ============ ============ ====== =============  =============
</TABLE>
     The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.


                                      F-5
<PAGE>

                                         PHOENIX COLOR CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                                        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                            Year Ended December 31,
                                                                                     1997           1998            1999
                                                                                 ------------   ------------   -------------
<S>                                                                              <C>            <C>            <C>
Operating activities:
  Net income (loss) ...........................................................  $  4,481,544   $  1,028,286   $  (4,844,291)
   Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash
    provided by operating activities:
       Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment .........     7,017,749      8,710,352      12,513,790
       Amortization of goodwill ...............................................     2,123,544      2,123,529       3,122,712
       Amortization of deferred financing costs ...............................       180,000        210,000       1,537,684
       Provision for uncollectible accounts ...................................          --          150,000         220,000
       Deferred income taxes ..................................................       328,105      1,450,245         478,796
       Loss (gain) on disposal of assets ......................................        62,436       (132,862)        358,174
  Increase (decrease) in cash resulting from changes in assets and liabilities:
       Accounts receivable ....................................................    (2,504,779)     4,785,085      (4,490,823)
       Inventory ..............................................................       340,921        512,878        (414,407)
       Prepaid expenses and other assets ......................................       (37,680)    (1,061,399)        442,553
       Accounts payable .......................................................     4,988,585     (3,224,538)     (4,805,691)
       Accrued expenses .......................................................     2,246,669       (542,561)      4,120,225
       Income tax refund receivable ...........................................    (1,075,455)       143,423      (1,593,869)
                                                                                 ------------   ------------   -------------
       Net cash provided by operating activities ..............................    18,151,639     14,152,438       6,644,853
                                                                                 ------------   ------------   -------------
  Investing activities:
       Proceeds from sale of equipment ........................................     1,017,963        876,247       1,362,607
       Capital expenditures ...................................................    (3,294,066)    (9,415,529)    (17,871,249)
       Increase in equipment deposits .........................................    (6,056,372)    (5,262,490)           --
       Purchase of businesses, net of cash acquired ...........................          --             --       (17,617,055)
                                                                                 ------------   ------------   -------------
               Net cash used in investing activities ..........................    (8,332,475)   (13,801,772)    (34,125,697)
                                                                                 ------------   ------------   -------------
  Financing activities:
       Proceeds from issuance of senior subordinated notes ....................          --             --       105,000,000
       Net borrowings from revolving line of credit ...........................     2,764,393     (3,000,520)     (2,103,449)
       Proceeds from long term borrowings .....................................       473,760     40,000,000            --
       Principal payments on long term borrowings .............................    (8,472,215)   (18,089,753)    (78,224,270)
       Principal payments on capital lease obligations ........................    (3,760,090)    (3,679,350)     (7,653,925)
       Debt financing costs ...................................................          --       (1,892,726)     (4,133,362)
       Payment of stock subscription ..........................................        61,700        100,752          32,400
                                                                                 ------------   ------------   -------------
               Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities ............    (8,932,452)    13,438,403      12,917,394
                                                                                 ------------   ------------   -------------
               Net increase (decrease) in cash ................................       886,712     13,789,069     (14,563,450)
  Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year ..............................       158,254      1,044,966      14,834,035
                                                                                 ------------   ------------   -------------
  Cash and cash equivalents at end of year ....................................  $  1,044,966   $ 14,834,035   $     270,585
                                                                                 ============   ============   =============
</TABLE>


               The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated
financial statements.



                                      F-6
<PAGE>



                              PHOENIX COLOR CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                         CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS, continued
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                    Year Ended December 31,
                                                              1997           1998          1999
                                                           ----------    -----------    -----------
<S>                                                        <C>           <C>            <C>
Supplemental cash flow disclosures:
    Cash paid for interest ............................    $4,104,020    $ 4,722,336    $ 9,977,620
    Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds received    $4,645,339    $   414,099    $    67,892
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
    Equipment acquired under capital leases ...........    $     --      $   555,476    $      --
    Equipment acquired under notes payable ............    $5,781,290    $32,934,848    $      --

Acquisitions:
    Fair value of assets acquired .....................    $     --      $      --      $22,230,528
    Less:  Liabilities assumed and cash acquired ......          --             --        4,613,473
                                                           ----------    -----------    -----------
        Acquisitions net of cash acquired .............    $     --      $      --      $17,617,055
                                                           ==========    ===========    ===========
</TABLE>

       The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated
financial statements.

                                      F-7
<PAGE>
                      PHOENIX COLOR CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Business

     Phoenix Color Corp. (the "Company")  manufactures  book  components,  which
include book jackets,  paperback  covers,  pre-printed case covers,  inserts and
endpapers at its headquarters in Hagerstown,  MD and other locations in Taunton,
MA and Rockaway,  NJ. The Company also manufactures  complete books in Rockaway,
NJ and Hagerstown,  MD. Customers consist of major publishing  companies as well
as smaller publishing companies throughout the United States.

2. Significant Accounting Policies

          Principles of Consolidation

     The financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly
owned  subsidiaries.  All  intercompany  accounts  and  transactions  have  been
eliminated.

         Cash and cash equivalents

     The  Company  considers  all highly  liquid  investments  with an  original
maturity of three months or less at date of acquisition to be cash equivalents.

         Inventory

     Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or market value as  determined  by
the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") method.

         Property, Plant and Equipment

     Property and equipment are stated at cost,  except when acquired  through a
business acquisition,  in which case they are stated at fair value. Depreciation
for all fixed  assets is provided on the  straight-line  method over the assets'
estimated useful lives.  Depreciable lives range from 3-40 years: 5-40 years for
buildings and  improvements,  3-10 years for machinery  and  equipment,  and 3-5
years for transportation equipment.

     Expenditures  for  maintenance  and repairs are charged to operations  when
incurred.  Expenditures  determined to represent  additions and  betterments are
capitalized. Gains and losses from disposals, if any, are included in earnings.

     The Company has purchased additional equipment, which is either on order or
in various stages of installation.  Depreciation begins at the time installation
is completed.

                                      F-8
<PAGE>
2.  Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

         Fair Value of Certain Financial Instruments

     The Company  believes that the carrying  amount of certain of its financial
instruments,  which  include cash  equivalents,  accounts  receivable,  accounts
payable,  and accrued  expenses,  approximate  fair value, due to the relatively
short maturity of these instruments.

         Concentration of Risk

     Financial instruments that subject the Company to significant concentration
of credit risk  consist  primarily  of accounts  receivable.  The Company  sells
products to customers  located  throughout the United States  without  requiring
collateral.  However,  the  Company  assesses  the  financial  strength  of  its
customers and provides  allowances for anticipated  losses when  necessary.  The
Company has not experienced any losses on its investments.

     Customers  that  accounted  for  more  than 10% of net  sales  or  accounts
receivable are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       Customers
                            ------------------------------
                              A            B           C
                            -----        -----       -----
<S>                          <C>          <C>         <C>
Net Sales
     1999 .........          11%          12%          --
     1998 .........          15%          15%          --
     1997 .........          17%          14%          --

Accounts receivable
     1999 .........          --           --           --
     1998 .........          11%           7%          14%
</TABLE>

     The Company  currently  purchases  its paper and printing  supplies  from a
limited  number of  suppliers.  There are a number of other  suppliers  of these
materials throughout the U.S. and management believes that these other suppliers
could provide similar printing  supplies and paper on comparable terms. A change
in suppliers, however, could cause a delay in manufacturing, and a possible loss
of sales, which could adversely affect operating results.

     Because the Company  derives all of its revenues from customers in the book
publishing  and book  printing  industries,  the Company's  business,  financial
condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by changes which
have a negative impact on these industries.

                                      F-9
<PAGE>
2.  Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

         Intangible Assets

     Goodwill represents the excess of cost of purchased  acquisitions (see Note
7) over the fair value of identifiable net tangible assets acquired and is being
amortized using the  straight-line  method.  Goodwill  consists of $17.8 million
associated  with the 1996  acquisition  of New England Book Holding  Corporation
which is being  amortized  over eight  years,  and $9.9 million and $6.4 million
associated  with the 1999  acquisitions  of  Mid-City  Lithographers,  Inc.  and
TechniGraphix, Inc., respectively, which is being amortized over twenty years.

     Deferred  financing  costs  incurred in connection  with the Company's bank
credit  agreements  with its  financial  institutions  in 1996 (see Note 5) were
written  off to  interest  expense in 1998 upon  consummation  of the  financing
agreements  discussed  in Note 5. Costs  incurred  in  connection  with the 1998
financing  discussed  in Note 5 were  deferred  and  were  amortized  using  the
straight-line  method,  which approximates the interest method, over the life of
the related  loan.  These costs were written off in their  entirety in 1999 as a
result of the  issuance of 10 3/8% Senior  Subordinated  Notes in February  1999
(see Note 5). Costs incurred in connection with the 1999 issuance of the 10 3/8%
Senior  Subordinated  Notes maturing February 1, 2009 have been deferred and are
being amortized using the straight-line method over a ten year period.

         Long-lived Assets

     The Company evaluates quarterly the recoverability of the carrying value of
property and equipment and intangible assets.  The Company considers  historical
performance  and  anticipated  future results in its evaluation of any potential
impairment.  Accordingly,  when the  indicators of impairment  are present,  the
Company  evaluates  the  carrying  value  of these  assets  in  relation  to the
operating  performance  of the business and future and  undiscounted  cash flows
expected  to  result  from  the  use of  these  assets.  Impairment  losses  are
recognized  when the sum of the  expected  future  cash  flows is less  than the
assets' carrying value.

     In  1998,  the  Company  sold  certain  of  its  real  estate  holdings  in
Connecticut for approximately  $87,000,  which had been reflected on its balance
sheet  as  assets  held  for  sale  at  a  net  realizable  value  of  $364,000.
Accordingly,  in 1998,  the Company  recognized  a loss on the  disposal of this
asset of approximately $277,000.

         Revenue Recognition

     The Company  recognizes revenue on product sales upon shipment on behalf of
or to the customer.

         Income Taxes

     Deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences in the future
years of differences  between the tax basis of assets and  liabilities and their
financial reporting amounts at year end, based on enacted tax laws and statutory
tax rates  applicable  to the periods in which the  differences  are expected to
affect taxable income.  Income tax expense is the tax payable for the period and
the change during the period

                                      F-10
<PAGE>
2.  Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

in deferred tax assets and liabilities.  Valuation  allowances are provided when
necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

          Use of Estimates

     The  preparation  of financial  statements  in  accordance  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions  that  affect the  reported  amounts of assets and  liabilities  and
disclosures of contingent  assets and contingent  liabilities at the date of the
financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the
period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

3. Inventory

         Inventories consist of the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             December 31,
                      --------------------------
                         1998           1999
                      ----------      ----------
<S>                   <C>             <C>
Raw Materials .....   $3,031,744      $3,943,701
Work in process....      843,654       1,432,074
                      ----------      ----------
                      $3,875,398      $5,375,775
                      ==========      ==========
</TABLE>

4. Property, Plant and Equipment

     Property, plant and equipment, at cost, consist of the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           December 31,
                                                  --------------------------
                                                       1998           1999
                                                  ------------  ------------
<S>                                               <C>           <C>
Land ...........................................  $  2,842,205  $  2,998,006
Buildings and improvements .....................    18,254,125    34,129,309
Machinery and equipment ........................    80,348,167    85,165,991
Transportation equipment .......................     4,348,608     4,945,816
                                                  ------------  ------------
                                                   105,793,105   127,239,122
Less:  Accumulated depreciation and amortization    35,504,440    45,296,379
                                                  ------------  ------------
                                                  $ 70,288,665  $ 81,942,743
                                                  ============  ============
</TABLE>

     Included in other long-term  assets are equipment  deposits (see Note 8) in
the amount of  $9,786,394  and  $5,196,228  as of  December  31,  1998 and 1999,
respectively.

                                      F-11
<PAGE>
4. Property, Plant and Equipment (Continued)

     The  Company   leased   certain   printing   presses  under  capital  lease
arrangements.  Included in machinery  and equipment on the balance sheet are the
following amounts under capital lease arrangements:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                December 31,
                                                        ------------------------------
                                                            1998             1999
                                                        -----------    ---------------



<S>                                                     <C>            <C>
Machinery and equipment ...........................     $13,158,305    $          --
Less:  Accumulated depreciation and amortization...       5,988,916               --
                                                        -----------    ---------------
                                                        $ 7,169,389    $          --
                                                        ===========    ===============
</TABLE>

5. Debt

         Senior Subordinated Notes

     On February 2, 1999,  the Company  issued $105.0  million of 10 3/8% Senior
Subordinated  Notes due 2009 ("Senior Notes") in a private offering.  The Senior
Notes  were  issued  under  an  indenture   and  are   uncollateralized   senior
subordinated  obligations of the Company with interest  payable  semiannually on
February 1 and August 1 of each year,  beginning on August 1, 1999. Net proceeds
of  approximately  $101.0  million  from the  Senior  Notes  were  used to repay
substantially  all short and long term debt  facilities  (discussed  below)  and
capital  leases  existing at December  31, 1998 and to fund the  acquisition  of
TechniGraphix  (see Note 7) and working capital  requirements.  Although not due
until 2009, the Senior Notes are redeemable, at the option of the Company, on or
after February 1, 2004, at declining  premiums through January 2007 and at their
principal amount thereafter. Until February 1, 2002, the Company may also redeem
up to 25% of the Senior  Notes at a price of  110.375% of their face amount with
the net cash proceeds from one or more public equity offerings. If a third party
acquires  control of the  Company,  the Senior  Note  holders  have the right to
require the Company to  repurchase  the Senior Notes at a price equal to 101% of
the principal  amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid  interest to the date
of purchase. All of the current and future "restricted subsidiaries," as defined
in the  Senior  Notes  indenture,  are  guarantors  of the  Senior  Notes  on an
uncollateralized  senior  subordinated  basis  (see Note 12).  In May 1999,  the
Company  completed the exchange of new  registered  10 3/8% Senior  Subordinated
Notes for the original notes.  The terms of the registered  notes are equivalent
to the original notes in all material respects.

                                      F-12
<PAGE>
5. Debt (Continued)

     At December  31, 1998 and 1999,  notes  payable,  which were  substantially
repaid in 1999 by the Senior Notes, consisted of the following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          Maturity           December 31,
                                                      --------------------------
         Notes                              Date          1998           1999
         -----                          -----------   -----------    -----------

<S>                                      <C>          <C>            <C>
Bridge Notes ........................         2008    $40,000,000    $      --
Equipment Notes .....................    1999-2004     37,503,130         98,280
Former shareholder notes (see Note 9)         2000        252,000           --
Shareholder notes ...................       Demand        395,205           --
                                                      -----------    -----------
      Total .........................                  78,150,335         98,280
      Less current portion ..........                        --           45,684
                                                      -----------    -----------
      Long-term portion .............                 $78,150,335    $    52,596
                                                      ===========    ===========
</TABLE>

     All December 31, 1998 amounts attributable to notes payable, revolving line
of credit, term loans, equipment notes and obligations under capital leases were
classified  as  noncurrent  liabilities  on the December  31, 1998  consolidated
balance  sheet as a result  of the  repayment  of  these  facilities  by the net
proceeds of the Senior Notes.

         Revolving Line of Credit

     Prior to 1997,  the Company  entered  into a joint $40.0  million  Loan and
Security  Agreement ("the 1996 Loan  Agreement")  with two commercial  banks. In
September  1998, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Loan Agreement
(the "1998 Loan  Agreement") with a commercial bank for a three year $20,000,000
revolving credit facility,  the proceeds of which were used to repay the balance
of the  previous  revolving  credit  facility.  Borrowings  under  the 1998 Loan
Agreement  are  subject to a  borrowing  base as defined in the  Agreement.  The
Company's unused availability under the 1998 Loan Agreement was $9,763,027 as of
December 31, 1999. Borrowings under the 1998 Loan Agreement and Senior Notes are
collateralized by all of the assets of the Company.

     Borrowings under the 1996 Loan Agreement bore interest at 8.5% during 1998.
The 1998 Loan Agreement  provides for interest at a base rate plus an applicable
margin  which varies  depending  on the  Company's  attaining  certain  leverage
ratios, or at the LIBOR rate plus an applicable margin which varies depending on
the Company  attaining certain leverage ratios and only if the Company is not in
default of any of the covenants of the 1998 Loan Agreement. At December 31, 1998
and 1999, the interest rate on its borrowings was 9.75% and 10%, respectively.

     Included  in  accrued  expenses  is  accrued  interest  in  the  amount  of
$4,664,455 and $343,520 as of December 31, 1999 and 1998, respectively.

                                      F-13
<PAGE>
5. Debt (Continued)

         Compliance with Debt Covenants

     The 1998 Loan  Agreement  contains  certain  covenants  that  requires  the
Company to maintain  certain  financial and  non-financial  covenants,  the most
restrictive of which requires the Company to maintain certain interest  coverage
and leverage  ratios as defined in the 1998 Loan  Agreement.  As of December 31,
1999, the Company was not in compliance  with the interest  coverage  ratio.  On
March 23,  2000,  the  Company and its lender  amended  the 1998 Loan  Agreement
effective  December 31, 1999,  which  redefined the interest  coverage ratio and
brought the Company into  compliance with this covenant as of December 31, 1999.
As of December  31,  1999,  the Company  has not met the  required  consolidated
coverage  ratio under the Senior  Notes and  therefore,  is unable to incur more
than $5  million  of  additional  indebtedness  until the  Company  attains  the
consolidated coverage ratio as defined in the Senior Note agreement.  The Senior
Notes also contain limitations on the payment of dividends,  the distribution or
redemption  of  stock,  sales  of  assets  and  subsidiary  stock,  as  well  as
limitations on additional  Company and subsidiary debt, and requires the Company
to maintain certain non-financial covenants.

         Fair Value

     The carrying  value of the revolving  line of credit,  equipment  notes and
shareholder  and  former  shareholder  notes  approximated  their  fair value at
December 31, 1999. The fair value of the Senior  Subordinated  Notes at December
31, 1999,  was  approximately  $100,275,000  and was  estimated  based on quoted
market rate for instruments with similar terms and remaining maturities.

6. Income Taxes

     Provision (benefit) for income taxes is summarized as follows:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    For the year December 31,
                                                           ------------------------------------------
                                                               1997           1998           1999
                                                           -----------    -----------     -----------
<S>                                                        <C>            <C>             <C>
Current:
     Federal ..........................................    $ 2,924,739    $   592,145     $(1,498,218)
     State ............................................        645,145        130,103        (331,255)
     State payments (refunds) resulting from changes in
        estimates on prior year returns ...............           --         (164,726)        111,456
                                                           -----------    -----------     -----------
                                                             3,569,884        557,522      (1,718,017)
                                                           -----------    -----------     -----------

Deferred:
     Federal ..........................................        268,103      1,190,866         550,903
     State ............................................         60,002        259,379         121,805
                                                           -----------    -----------     -----------
                                                               328,105      1,450,245         672,708
                                                           -----------    -----------     -----------
                                                           $ 3,897,989    $ 2,007,767     $(1,045,309)
                                                           ===========    ===========     ===========
</TABLE>


                                      F-14
<PAGE>
6. Income Taxes (Continued)

     The source and tax effects of the temporary  differences giving rise to the
Company's net deferred tax liability are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          December 31,
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                      1998             1999
                                                 -----------     -----------
<S>                                              <C>             <C>
Deferred income tax assets:
   Covenant not to compete ..................    $    42,792     $    31,828
   Allowance for doubtful accounts ..........        112,827         120,708
   Accrued liabilities ......................        306,002         459,507
   AMT Credit carryforward ..................           --           625,457
   Contribution and Loss Carryforward .......           --           295,575
                                                 -----------     -----------
        Total deferred income tax assets ....        461,621       1,533,075
                                                 -----------     -----------

Deferred income tax liabilities:
   Property and equipment ...................     (2,649,049)     (4,427,799)
   Inventory ................................        (81,258)        (50,549)
                                                 -----------     -----------
        Total deferred income tax liabilities     (2,730,307)     (4,478,348)
                                                 -----------     -----------
        Net deferred tax liability ..........    $(2,268,686)    $(2,945,273)
                                                 ===========     ===========
</TABLE>
     As of December 31, 1999, the Company had net operating  loss  carryforwards
of  $514,000  expiring  in 2018  and a  contribution  carryforward  of  $251,000
expiring in 2003.

     The provision (benefit) for income taxes differed from the amount of income
tax determined by applying the applicable  U.S.  statutory rate to income before
taxes as a result of the following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                           For the year ended December 31,
                                         ----------------------------------
                                            1997       1998       1999
                                           ------     ------     -------
<S>                                         <C>        <C>       <C>
Statutory U.S. rate .................       34.0%      34.0%     (34.0)%
State taxes net of federal benefit...        5.5        4.9       (2.3)
Goodwill amortization ...............        8.6       23.8       15.4
Other permanent differences .........       (1.6)       3.4        3.2
                                           ------     ------     -------
Effective tax rate ..................       46.5%      66.1%     (17.7)%
                                           ======     ======     =======
</TABLE>
                                      F-15
<PAGE>
7.  Acquisitions

     On January 4, 1999, the Company  acquired the outstanding  capital stock of
Mid-City  Lithographers,  Inc. ("Mid-City") and certain assets of Viking Leasing
Partnership,  a related  party of  Mid-City,  for $10.8  million in cash and the
assumption of $1.7 million of  indebtedness.  Mid-City,  located in Lake Forest,
Illinois,  supplies book components  primarily to the elementary and high school
textbook  segment of the book  publishing  market.  Mid-City was merged into the
Company and does not exist as a  subsidiary.  On February 12, 1999,  the Company
acquired the outstanding capital stock of TechniGraphix,  Inc. ("TechniGraphix")
for  a  purchase  price  of  $7.3  million.   TechniGraphix  is  a  producer  of
print-on-demand books formerly located in Sterling, Virginia. These transactions
were accounted for as purchase business combinations.

     The following  unaudited pro forma  information sets forth the consolidated
results of  operations  of the Company for the year ended  December 31, 1998 had
the acquisitions of Mid-City and TechniGraphix occurred on January 1, 1998. This
unaudited pro forma  information does not purport to be indicative of the actual
results  that  would  have  occurred  if the  combination  had been in effect on
January 1, 1998. In addition, this information does not purport to be indicative
of future results of operations of the consolidated entities.


               Net sales............................. $127,924,000
               Net loss.............................. $  (412,000)



8. Commitments and Contingencies

         Operating Leases

     The Company leases certain office,  manufacturing  facilities and equipment
under  operating  leases.  Lease terms  generally  range from 1 to 10 years with
options to renew at varying terms. The leases  generally  provide for the lessee
to pay taxes,  maintenance,  insurance and other  operating  costs of the leased
property.  Rent expense  under all leases is  recognized  ratably over the lease
terms.  Rent expense under all operating  leases was  approximately  $1,914,650,
$2,154,522  and  $4,943,092  for the years ending  December 31, 1997,  1998, and
1999, respectively.

     Future  minimum lease payments  under  operating  leases as of December 31,
1999 are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                     Total
                  -----------
<S>               <C>
2000 ........     $ 7,492,783
2001 ........       7,516,411
2002 ........       7,505,581
2003 ........       7,411,258
2004 ........       7,231,881
Thereafter...      14,594,327
                  -----------
                  $51,752,241
                  ===========
</TABLE>

                                      F-16
<PAGE>

8. Commitments and Contingencies (Continued)

     Effective  March 1,  2000,  the  Company  sublet  the  TechniGraphix,  Inc.
manufacturing  facility in Sterling,  Virginia for the  remainder of the term of
the prime lease,  and on the same terms as the prime lease.  The Company remains
liable  under  the terms of the  prime  lease in the  event of a default  by the
subtenant.

         Legal Contingencies

     In December  1998, the Company filed a complaint  against  Krause  Biagosch
GmbH and Krause  America  ("Krause"),  which is  pending  in the  United  States
District  Court for the  District of  Maryland,  based on breach of contract and
statutory  warranties on certain prepress equipment which the Company had agreed
to purchase from Krause.  The Company  attempted to operate the  equipment,  and
contends that the equipment has failed to perform as warranted. During 1999, the
Company removed the portion of the equipment actually delivered,  and is seeking
recovery of the approximately $2.0 million paid to date on this equipment, which
includes  an  amount  for  deposits  on the  balance  of the  equipment  not yet
delivered.  As  of  December  31,  1999,  the  Company  has  included  in  other
non-current  assets a  receivable  from Krause of  approximately  $2.0  million.
Krause has counterclaimed for $1.5 million for the balance of the purchase price
for all the equipment (whether or not delivered),  plus incidental charges.  The
Company has  vigorously  prosecuted its claims  against  Krause.  On January 27,
2000, the court granted summary judgment in favor of the Company with respect to
the three machines previously delivered to the Company.  Accordingly,  the court
ordered that after the  conclusion of the trial with respect to the machines not
delivered to the Company,  Krause will be required to refund  approximately $1.1
million to the Company, subject to Krause's right to appeal.

     The Company has filed a complaint against Motion Technology Horizons,  Inc.
in the Circuit Court for Washington  County,  Maryland to recover  approximately
$300,000 in deposits  made on equipment  which  failed to perform in  accordance
with  manufacturer's  warranties,  and $703,000  for the purchase of  substitute
equipment.  Motion Technology has counterclaimed for $250,000 for the balance of
the purchase price for the equipment,  plus incidental  charges. As of March 15,
2000, the Company was in the early stages of discovery.

     The  Company  is not a party to any other  legal  proceedings,  other  than
claims and lawsuits arising in the normal course of the Company's business.  The
Company does not believe that such claims and lawsuits,  individually  or in the
aggregate,  will  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

         Purchase Commitments

     The Company has contractual commitments totaling approximately $3.5 million
for the purchase of various equipment.

                                      F-17
<PAGE>
9. Related Party Transactions

     In  February  1995 the  Company  redeemed  2,000  shares  from  two  former
stockholders  in  accordance  with a  stockholders'  agreement  which  has  been
subsequently  terminated  effective January 1, 1998. The total purchase price of
$1,098,000  was being paid in monthly  installments  of $18,000 plus interest at
1.0% below the prime rate,  but not less than 7.0% (7.8% at December 31,  1998).
The balance due to these  stockholders was $252,000 as of December 31, 1998, and
was included in notes payable on the  consolidated  balance sheet.  The debt was
repaid in 1999.

     The Company formerly  utilized the services of a law firm in which a former
director  of the  Company  is also a  partner.  The  Company  paid  the law firm
approximately  $315,000,  $514,000 and $127,000 for the years ended December 31,
1999, 1998 and 1997, respectively. As of December 31, 1999 and 1998, included in
accrued expenses is a payable to the law firm of $-0- and $51,948, respectively.

     Mr. Earl S.  Wellschalger,  director of the Company,  is a partner in a law
firm that  served as  counsel  to the  Company  in 1999.  During  the year ended
December 31, 1999,  the Company paid Mr.  Wellschlager's  law firm total fees of
approximately $180,000 for legal services.

     The Company utilizes the services of a management  consulting firm in which
a director of the Company is also a principal.  The Company paid the  consulting
firm  approximately  $31,000,  $38,000 and $180,000 for the years ended December
31,  1999,  1998 and  1997,  respectively.  As of  December  31,  1999 and 1998,
included  in accrued  expenses is a payable to the  consulting  firm of $-0- and
$1,800, respectively.

     The  Company  purchases  raw  materials  from a supplier  in which a former
director  of  the  Company  is  President   and  CEO.   The  Company   purchased
approximately  $11.5 million,  $9.2 million and $9.5 million for the years ended
December  31,  1999,  1998 and 1997,  respectively.  As of December 31, 1999 and
1998,  $1,763,181 and $1,637,897,  respectively,  is owed to the supplier and is
included in accounts payable.

     On December 31, 1998, the Company had outstanding  $392,765 of demand notes
payable to five  stockholders  of the  Company,  which were repaid in 1999,  and
which are included in current  liabilities in the consolidated  balance sheet at
December  31,  1998.  These  notes bore  interest  at the rate of 12%.  Interest
expense paid to these stockholders totaled $12,635,  $35,348 and $47,131 for the
years ended  December 31,  1999,  1998 and 1997,  respectively.  The Company has
classified all the notes payable to the  aforementioned  stockholders as current
liabilities.

10. Retirement Programs

     Phoenix Color Corp.'s  Employee Stock Bonus and Ownership Plan (the "Plan")
is the primary retirement program of the Company.  Contributions to the Plan are
made at the discretion of management.  There was a $750,000 contribution made in
the year ended December 31, 1997;  however,  no contribution was made in each of
the years ended December 31, 1999 and 1998.

     The Company offers a 401(k)  Employee  Savings and  Investment  Plan to all
employees of the Company who have  completed at least one year of service (1,000
hours)  during  the  plan  year.  The  Company  may,  at  its  discretion,  make
contributions  to the plan.  No  contributions  were made to the plan during the
three year period ended December 31, 1999.

                                      F-18
<PAGE>
11. Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    Quarterly Financial Information

                              First           Second           Third            Fourth            Total
                           -----------      -----------      -----------      -----------     ------------
<S>                         <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>
1999:
Net sales ............      33,303,845       35,860,929       36,266,441       35,907,152      141,338,367
Cost of sales ........      25,675,791       26,771,962       28,147,120       28,762,512      109,357,385
Income from operations       1,552,557        3,785,003        2,871,466          915,875        9,124,901
Net loss .............      (2,860,238)         (58,227)        (345,653)      (1,580,173)      (4,844,291)
1998:
Net sales ............      24,620,306       25,167,939       31,443,964       26,258,836      107,491,045
Cost of sales ........      19,973,761       19,143,343       20,791,748       20,718,187       80,627,039
Income from operations         846,919        1,983,586        5,076,207         (254,559)       7,652,153
Net (loss) income ....         (44,784)         569,790        1,707,431       (1,204,151)       1,028,286
1997:
Net sales ............      23,714,635       23,746,341       28,649,934       28,682,795      104,793,705
Cost of sales ........      16,804,341       16,930,950       19,668,733       20,317,606       73,721,630
Income from operations       2,618,666        2,615,599        4,815,143        2,876,381       12,925,789
Net (loss) income ....         759,319          827,800        1,996,567          897,858        4,481,544
</TABLE>

                                      F-19
<PAGE>
12. Guarantor Subsidiaries:

     The following summarized consolidating financial information sets forth the
information  regarding  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  all of  which  are
restricted  subsidiaries  (see Note 5) as of December  31, 1999 and 1998 and for
each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                Phoenix         PCC
                                                 Color       Express    TechniGraphix  Phoenix (MD.)
                                                 Corp          Inc.           Inc.      Realty, LLC   Eliminations       Total
                                             ------------   ---------   -------------  -------------  -------------   -------------
<S>                                          <C>            <C>          <C>             <C>           <C>             <C>
Balance sheet information:
     December 31, 1999
           Current assets .................  $ 33,854,573   $  14,197    $ 1,476,905     $     --      $ (3,989,182)   $ 31,356,493
           Noncurrent assets ..............   119,729,718     181,652      7,041,909      2,038,789      (8,843,789)    120,148,279
           Current liabilities ............    19,956,706     636,407      4,516,055           --        (3,964,377)     21,144,791
           Noncurrent liabilities .........   117,836,764        --           52,596           --              --       117,889,360
     December 31, 1998
           Current assets .................    38,030,305      14,036           --             --          (780,892)     37,263,449
           Noncurrent assets ..............    94,837,998     342,908           --        2,038,789      (2,043,789)     95,175,906
           Current liabilities ............    17,071,415     787,147           --             --          (755,145)     17,103,417
           Noncurrent liabilities .........    98,053,426        --             --             --              --        98,053,426
Statement of operations information:
     December 31, 1999
           Sales ..........................   135,459,238     975,240      5,879,129           --          (975,240)    141,338,367
           Gross profit ...................    32,396,288      (4,090)      (229,660)          --          (181,556)     31,980,982
           Income (loss) from operations...     9,124,901     (10,355)    (2,198,911)          --         2,209,266       9,124,901
           Net loss  ......................    (4,844,291)    (10,355)    (2,850,444)          --         2,860,799      (4,844,291)
     December 31, 1998
           Sales ..........................   107,491,045     915,020           --             --          (915,020)    107,491,045
           Gross profit ...................    26,596,945    (241,697)          --             --           508,758      26,864,006
           Income (loss) from operations...     7,652,153    (256,889)          --             --           256,889       7,652,153
           Net income (loss) ..............     1,028,286    (256,889)          --             --           256,889       1,028,286
     December 31, 1997
           Sales ..........................   104,793,705     459,215           --             --          (459,215)    104,793,705
           Gross profit ...................    30,826,302    (169,170)          --             --           414,943      31,072,075
           Income (loss) from operations...    12,925,789    (178,314)          --             --           178,314      12,925,789
              Net income (loss) ...........     4,481,544    (178,314)          --             --           178,314       4,481,544
</TABLE>

                                      F-20
<PAGE>

                      Report of Independent Accountants on

                          Financial Statement Schedule

To the Board of Directors of
Phoenix Color Corp.

Our audits of the consolidated  financial  statements  referred to in our report
dated  February 18,  2000,  except for Note 5, as to which the date is March 23,
2000,  included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K also included an audit of the
financial statement schedule, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts, for each of the
three fiscal years in the year ended  December 31, 1999,  which is also included
in this Form 10-K. In our opinion,  the financial  statement  schedule  presents
fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein when read in
conjunction with the related consolidated financial statements.

                                          PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Baltimore,  Maryland
February 18, 2000,  except Note 5,
as to which the date is March 23, 2000



                                       1
<PAGE>

                         Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
               For Each of the three Years in the Period Ended December 31, 1999
                                       (in thousands)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   Additions
                                                                       ----------------------------------
                                                           Balance     Charged to                           Balance
                                                             at          Costs      Rebates                   at
                                                          Beginning       and      Charged to                 End
                                                           of Year      Expenses     Sales     Deductions   of Year
                                                          ---------    ----------  ----------  ----------   -------
<S>                                                        <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
Description
- -----------

Allowance for doubtful Accounts Receivable and Rebates

Year ended December 31, 1999 .........................     $  1,114     $   220     $   814     $ 1,029     $ 1,119
                                                           ========     =======     =======     =======     =======

Year ended December 31, 1998 .........................     $    674     $   150     $   823     $   533     $ 1,114
                                                           ========     =======     =======     =======     =======

Year ended December 31, 1997 .........................     $    687     $    --     $   533     $   546     $   674
                                                           ========     =======     =======     =======     =======
</TABLE>

                                       2
<PAGE>



Exhibit 10.4(b)
                       FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

         This First  Amendment to Credit  Agreement  ("Amendment")  is made this
31st day of March,  1999,  by and  among  Phoenix  Color  Corp.  ("Phoenix"),  a
Delaware corporation, PCC Express, Inc. ("PCC"), a Delaware corporation, Phoenix
(MD.)  Realty,  LCC  ("Realty"),  a  Maryland  limited  liability  company,  and
TechniGraphix,   Inc.  ("TechniGraphix"),   a  Maryland  corporation  (singly  a
"Borrower" and collectively,  "Borrowers"), the lending institutions listed from
time to time on Schedule A to the Credit Agreement (as defined below) (singly, a
"Lender" and  collectively,  "Lender"),  First Union  National  Bank, a national
banking  association,  as issuer agent for Issuer and Lenders (in such capacity,
"Agent").

Background

     A. Borrowers,  Agent, Issuer, and Lenders are parties to a Credit Agreement
dated September 15, 1998, as  supplemented  on February 12, 1999  (collectively,
"Credit  Agreement"),  pursuant to which  certain  financing  arrangements  were
established for the benefit of Borrowers.  All  capitalized  terms not otherwise
defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit
Agreement.

     B.  Borrowers  have requested  that Agent,  Issuer and Lenders  modify,  in
certain respects, the Credit Agreement and Agent, Issuer and Lenders have agreed
to make such  modifications,  all as more fully set forth  herein and subject to
the terms and conditions thereof.

         NOW, THEREFORE, with the foregoing Background incorporated by reference
herein and made part hereof, the parties hereto,  intending to be legally bound,
hereby agree as follows:

     1. Amendments to Credit Agreement.

          a.  Definitional  Amendment.  Upon  satisfaction of the  Effectiveness
     Conditions  (as defined  below),  the following  definitions  in the Credit
     Agreement are hereby amended and restated in its entirety and shall read as
     follows:

          Consolidated  Capital  Expenditures - For any period, the aggregate of
     all expenditures  (including that portion of Capitalized  Lease Obligations
     incurred  during that  period)  made by  Borrowers  and their  Subsidiaries
     during  such  period in  respect  of the  purchase,  construction  or other
     acquisition of fixed or capital assets  determined in accordance with GAAP;
     provided however,  Consolidated  Capital Expenditures shall not include the
     fair  market  value of any assets  acquired  by  Borrower as a result of an
     acquisition  or merger  permitted  by written  consent of Lenders (it being
     understood  that such  consent may be withheld by Lenders in their sole and
     absolute discretion). For the purposes hereof, any deposits made by

                                       3
<PAGE>

     any  Borrower or its  Subsidiaries  for the purpose of  acquiring  fixed or
     capital assets shall be deemed Consolidated Capital Expenditures.

          Consolidated  EBITDA - For any  period,  Borrowers'  Consolidated  Net
     Income  (or  deficit)  plus  (a)   Consolidated   Interest   Expense,   (b)
     Consolidated  Tax  Expense,  (c)  Consolidated  Depreciation  Expense,  (d)
     Consolidated  Amortization  Expense minus, (e) extraordinary gains and plus
     (f)  extraordinary  non-cash  loses,  all as determined in accordance  with
     GAAP. In addition to the foregoing,  for the measurement period in which an
     acquisition or merger by any Borrower  occurs which is permitted by written
     consent of Lenders (it being  understood  that such consent may be withheld
     by  Lenders  in  their  sole  and  absolute  discretion),  and for the next
     succeeding  three (3)  measurement  periods,  Consolidated  EBITDA shall be
     calculated  by  giving  effect to such  acquisition  or merger as if it has
     occurred on the first day of the applicable measurement period.

          Consolidated  Interest  Expense  -  For  any  period,  the  aggregate,
     consolidated  amount of  interest  expense  required  to be paid or accrued
     during such period on all Indebtedness of Borrowers  outstanding during all
     or any part of such period, as determined in accordance with GAAP; provided
     however,  for the period commencing January 1, 1999 through March 31, 1999,
     Consolidated  Interest  Expense  shall not include the  following  one-time
     charges associated with the closing of the high yield bond transaction: (i)
     charges associated with a certain unamortized bridge loan fee in the amount
     of $1,140,000  and (ii) payment of breakage  fees on a certain  capitalized
     lease in the amount of $1, 168,000.

          b.  Technical  Amendment  - Upon  satisfaction  of  the  Effectiveness
     Conditions,  the following  technical  amendments  to the Credit  Agreement
     shall be effective:

               (i) The  reference to  subparagraph  (d)  contained in the fourth
          line of Section  6.3(e) of the Credit  Agreement is hereby  amended so
          that the reference is to subparagraph (e);

               (ii) The reference to Section 6.3 (d) contained in the fifth line
          of Section 6.7 of the Credit  Agreement is hereby  amended so that the
          reference is to Section 6.3(e).

               (iii) The  reference to Section 6.7  contained in the second line
          of Section 6.8 of the Credit  Agreement is hereby  amended so that the
          reference is to Section 6.6.

          c. Financial Covenant  Amendments - Upon satisfaction of the Effective
     Conditions,  Section  5.8 of the Credit  Agreement  is hereby  amended  and
     restated in its entirety and shall read as follows:

                                       4
<PAGE>

          5.8 Financial Covenants:  Borrowers shall maintain and comply with the
     following financial covenants:

          (a) Total Leverage  Ratio:  Borrowers  shall have and maintain a Total
     Leverage Ration of not more than the following during the following periods
     (measured quarterly on a rolling four quarter basis):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

            Period                          Maximum Ratio
            ------                          -------------

<S>                                             <C>
    1/1/99 through 3/31/99                      5.50:1
    4/1/99 through 6/30/99                      5.50:1
    7/1/99 through 9/30/99                      5.25:1
    0/1/99 through 12/31/99                     5.00:1
    1/1/00 through 3/31/00                      4.75:1
    4/1/00 through 6/30/00                      4.75:1
    7/1/00 through 9/30/00                      4.50:1
    10/1/00 through 12/31/00                    4.25:1
    1/1/01 through 3/31/01                      4.25:1
    4/1/01 through 6/30/01                      4.00:1
    7/1/01 through 9/30/01                      3.75:1
    10/1/01 through 12/31/01                    3.50:1
    1/1/02 through 3/31/02                      3.25:1
    4/1/02 and thereafter                       3.00:1

</TABLE>

          (b)  Interest  Coverage  Ratio:  Borrowers  shall have and maintain an
     Interest  Coverage  Ration  of not  less  than  the  following  during  the
     following  periods  (measured  quarterly on a rolling  four quarter  basis;
     provided  that the  measurement  at March 31,  1999  shall be based on nine
     months):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

          Period                         Minimum Ratio
          ------                         -------------

<S>                                         <C>
    1/1/99 through 3/31/99                  2.25:1
    4/1/99 through 6/30/99                  2.25:1
    7/1/99 through 9/30/99                  2.25:1
    10/1/99 through 12/31/99                2.25:1
    1/1/00 through 3/31/00                  2.25:1
    4/1/00 through 6/30/00                  2.25:1
    7/1/00 through 9/30/00                  2.25:1
    10/1/00 through 12/31/00                2.25:1
    1/1/01 through 3/31/01                  2.25:1
    4/1/01 through 6/30/01                  2.25:1
    7/1/01 through 9/30/01                  2.50:1
    10/1/01 through 12/31/01                2.50:1
    1/1/02 through 3/31/02                  2.50:1
    4/1/02 and thereafter                   2.50:1
</TABLE>

                                       5
<PAGE>

          (c) Minimum Consolidated  EBITDA:  Borrowers shall have and maintain a
     Consolidated  EBITDA of not less than the  following  during the  Following
     periods (measured quarterly on a rolling four quarter basis):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

            Period                         Minimum Amount
            ------                         --------------
<S>                                         <C>
    1/1/99 through 3/31/99                  $20,000,000
    4/1/99 through 6/30/99                  $21,000,000
    7/1/99 through 9/30/99                  $22,000,000
    10/1/99 through 12/31/99                $23,000,000
    1/1/00 through 3/31/00                  $24,000,000
    4/1/00 through 3/31/00                  $25,000,000
    7/1/00 through 6/30/00                  $26,000,000
    10/1/00 through 12/31/00                $27,000,000
    1/1/01 through 3/31/01                  $28,000,000
    4/1/01 through 6/30/01                  $29,000,000
    7/1/01 through 9/30/01                  $31,500,000
    10/1/01 through 12/31/01                $34,000,000
    1/1/02 through 3/31/02                  $35,000,000
    4/1/02 and thereafter                   $35,000,000
</TABLE>

          (d) Consolidated Capital Expenditures:  Borrowers shall not expend for
     Consolidated  Capital  Expenditures  more than the following amounts during
     the following periods (measured quarterly on a rolling four quarter basis):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

            Period                         Maximum Amount
            ------                         --------------
<S>                                         <C>
    1/1/99 through 3/31/99                  $55,000,000
    4/1/99 through 6/30/99                  $55,000,000
    7/1/99 through 9/30/99                  $40,000,000
    10/1/99 through 12/31/99                $35,000,000
    1/1/00 through 3/31/00                  $35,000,000
    4/1/00 through 6/30/00                  $25,000,000
    7/1/00 through 9/30/00                  $20,000,000
    10/1/00 through 12/31/00                $15,000,000
    1/1/01 through 3/31/01                  $15,000,000
    4/1/01 through 6/30/01                  $15,000,000
    7/1/01 through 9/30/01                  $15,000,000
    10/1/01 through 12/31/01                $15,000,000
    1/1/02 through 3/31/02                  $15,000,000
    4/1/02 and thereafter                   $15,000,000
</TABLE>

                                       6
<PAGE>

     2. Effectiveness Conditions. This Amendment shall become effective upon the
satisfactory  completion,  as  determined  by  Agent in its  discretion,  of the
following conditions  ("Effectiveness  Conditions") (all documents to be in form
and substance satisfactory to Agent):

                    a. Execution of this Amendment

     3. Representations and Warranties. Each Borrower warrants and represents to
Agent, Issuer and Lenders that:

                    a. Prior Representations.  As of this date of the Amendment,
               all  warranties  and  representations  set  forth  in the  Credit
               Agreement and Loan Documents are true and correct in all material
               respects, both before and after giving effect to this Amendment.

                    b. No Default.  After giving  effect to this  Amendment,  no
               Default or Event of Default is  outstanding  or would exist after
               giving effect to this Amendment.

     4. Incorporation into Existing Loan Documents.  The parties acknowledge and
agree  that this  Amendment  is  incorporated  into and made part of the  Credit
Agreement  and Loan  Documents,  the  terms  and  provisions  of  which,  unless
expressly  modified  herein,  are hereby  ratified  and  confirmed  and continue
unchanged  and in full  force and  effect.  Any future  reference  to the Credit
Agreement or Loan Documents shall mean the Credit Agreement or Loan Documents as
amended hereby. To the extent that any term or provision of this Amendment is or
may be deemed  expressly  inconsistent  with any term or  provision  in the Loan
Documents, the terms and provisions hereof shall control.

     5. Miscellaneous.

                    a. Headings. The headings of any paragraph of this Amendment
               are for  convenience  only and shall not be used to interpret any
               provision thereof.

                    b. Other Instruments.  Each Borrower shall execute any other
               documents,  instruments  and  writings,  in  form  and  substance
               satisfactory to Agent, as Agent may reasonably  request, to carry
               out the intentions of the parties hereunder.

                    c.  Modifications.  No modification  hereof or any agreement
               referred  to herein  shall be  binding or  enforceable  unless in
               writing  and  signed  on  behalf  of  the  party   against   whom
               enforcement is sought.

                    d. Governing Law. The terms and conditions of this Amendment
               shall  be  governed  by and  construed  in  accordance  with  the
               substantive  laws of the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  without
               regard to its  otherwise  applicable  principles of conflicts and
               laws.

                                       7
<PAGE>

                    e.   Counterparts.   This   Amendment  may  be  executed  in
               counterpart  all,  of which  counterparts  taken  together  shall
               constitute one completed fully executed  document.  A photocopied
               or  facsimile  signature  shall be  deemed  to be the  functional
               equivalent of a manually executed original for all purposes.

                  [REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

                                       8
<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties have executed this  Amendment the day
and year First above written.

<TABLE>

<S>                                             <C>
First Union National Bank, as Agent,            Phoenix Color Corp.
Issuer, and Lender

By:  /s/ Margaret Byrne                         By:  /s/ Edward Lieberman
     --------------------------------              ----------------------------
Name:  Margaret Byrne                           Name:  Edward Lieberman
     --------------------------------              ----------------------------
Title: Vice President                           Title:  Chief Financial Officer
     --------------------------------              ----------------------------


                                                PCC Express, Inc.

                                                By:  /s/ Edward Lieberman
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                Name:  Edward Lieberman
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                Title:  Chief Financial Officer
                                                   ----------------------------


                                                Phoenix (MD.) Realty, LLC

                                                By:  /s/ Edward Lieberman
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                Name:  Edward Lieberman
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                Title:  Chief Financial Officer
                                                   ----------------------------


                                                TechniGraphix, Inc.
                                                By:  /s/ Edward Lieberman
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                Name:  Edward Lieberman
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                Title:  Chief Financial Officer
                                                   ----------------------------
</TABLE>

                                       9
<PAGE>

Exhibit 10.4(c)

                      SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

         This Second  Amendment to Credit  Agreement  ("Amendment") is made this
23rd day of March,  2000,  by and  among  Phoenix  Color  Corp.  ("Phoenix"),  a
Delaware corporation, PCC Express, Inc. ("PCC"), a Delaware corporation, Phoenix
(MD.)  Realty,  LCC  ("Realty"),  a  Maryland  limited  liability  company,  and
TechniGraphix,   Inc.  ("TechniGraphix"),   a  Maryland  corporation  (singly  a
"Borrower" and collectively, ("Borrowers"), the lending institutions listed from
time to time on Schedule A to the Credit Agreement (as defined below) (singly, a
"Lender" and  collectively,  "Lender"),  First Union  National  Bank, a national
banking association, as issuer of letters of credit (in such capacity, "Issuer")
and First Union  National Bank, as  administrative  agent for Issuer and Lenders
(in such capacity, "Agent").

                                   Background

         A.  Borrowers,  Agent,  Issuer  and  Lenders  are  parties  to a Credit
Agreement  dated  September 15, 1998, as  supplemented  on February 12, 1999, as
amended on March __, 1999 (collectively,  "Credit Agreement"), pursuant to which
certain  financing  arrangements  were established for the benefit of Borrowers.
All  capitalized  terms not otherwise  defined  herein shall have the respective
meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement.

         B. Borrowers have requested that Agent,  Issuer and Lenders modify,  in
certain respects, the Credit Agreement and Agent, Issuer and Lenders have agreed
to make such  modifications,  all as more fully set forth  herein and subject to
the terms and conditions hereof.

         NOW, THEREFORE, with the foregoing Background incorporated by reference
herein and made part hereof, the parties hereto,  intending to be legally bound,
hereby agree as follows:

          1. Amendments to Credit Agreement.

               (a)  Financial Covenant Amendments - Effective December 30, 1999,
                    Section 5.8 (b) of the Credit  Agreement  is hereby  amended
                    and restated in its entirety and shall read as follows:

               (b)  Interest  Coverage Ratio:  Borrowers shall have and maintain
                    an Interest  Coverage  Ratio of not less than the  following
                    during  the  following  periods  (measured  quarterly  on  a
                    rolling four quarter basis; provided that the measurement at
                    March 31, 1999 shall be based on nine months):

                                       10
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

            Period                       Minimum Ratio
            ------                       -------------
<S>                                         <C>
    1/1/99 through 3/31/99                  2.25:1
    4/1/99 through 6/30/99                  2.25:1
    7/1/99 through 9/30/99                  2.25:1
    10/1/99 through 12/31/99                1.90:1
    1/1/00 through 3/31/00                  1.90:1
    4/1/00 through 6/30/00                  1.90:1
    7/1/00 through 9/30/00                  2.25:1
    10/1/00 through 12/31/00                2.25:1
    1/1/01 through 3/31/01                  2.25:1
    4/1/01 through 6/30/01                  2.25:1
    7/1/01 through 9/30/01                  2.50:1
    10/1/01 through 12/31/01                2.50:1
    1/1/02 through 3/31/02                  2.50:1
    4/1/02 and thereafter                   2.50:1
</TABLE>

          2.  Effectiveness  Conditions.  This Amendment shall become  effective
     upon the satisfactory completion, as determined by Agent in its discretion,
     of the following conditions ("Effectiveness  Conditions") (all documents to
     be in form and  substance  satisfactory  to Agent):

               a.   Execution of this Amendment.

          3.   Representations  and  Warranties.   Each  Borrower  warrants  and
     represents to Agent, Issuer and Lenders that:

               a.   Prior Representations. As of the date of this Amendment, all
                    warranties  and  representations  set  forth  in the  Credit
                    Agreement  and Loan  Documents  are true and  correct in all
                    material  respects,  both before and after giving  effect to
                    this Amendment.

               b.   No  Default.  After  giving  effect  to this  Amendment,  no
                    Default or Event of Default is  outstanding  or would  exist
                    after giving effect to this Amendment.

          4. Incorporation into Existing Loan Documents. The parties acknowledge
     and agree that this  Amendment  is  incorporated  into and made part of the
     Credit  Agreement and Loan  Documents,  the terms and  provisions of which,
     unless  expressly  modified  herein,  are hereby ratified and confirmed and
     continue  unchanged and in full force and effect.  Any future  reference to
     the Credit  Agreement or Loan Documents shall mean the Credit  Agreement or
     Loan Documents as amended hereby.  To the extent that any term or provision
     of this Amendment is or may be deemed expressly  inconsistent with any term
     or provision in the Loan Documents,  the terms and provisions  hereof shall
     control.

          5. Miscellaneous.

               a.   Headings.  The headings of any  paragraph of this  Amendment
                    are for convenience  only and shall not be used to interpret
                    any provision hereof.

                                       11
<PAGE>

               b.   Other  Instruments.  Each  Borrower  shall execute any other
                    documents,  instruments and writings,  in form and substance
                    satisfactory to Agent, as Agent may reasonably  request,  to
                    carry out the intentions of the parties hereunder.

               c.   Modifications.  No  modification  hereof  or  any  agreement
                    referred to herein shall be binding or enforceable unless in
                    writing  and  signed on behalf  of the  party  against  whom
                    enforcement is sought.

               d.   Governing  Law. The terms and  conditions of this  Amendment
                    shall be governed by and  construed in  accordance  with the
                    substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without
                    regard to its otherwise  applicable  principles of conflicts
                    and laws.

               e.   Counterparts.  This Amendment may be executed in counterpart
                    all, of which  counterparts  taken together shall constitute
                    one completed  fully  executed  document.  A photocopied  or
                    facsimile  signature  shall be deemed  to be the  functional
                    equivalent of a manually executed original for all purposes.


IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties have executed this  Amendment the day
and year First above written.
<TABLE>

<S>                                           <C>
First Union National Bank, as Agent,
Issuer, and Lender
                                              Phoenix (MD.) Realty, LLC
By:  /s/ Margaret Byrne
     --------------------------               By:  /s/ Edward Lieberman
Name:  Margaret Byrne                            ----------------------------
     --------------------------               Name:  Edward Lieberman
Title: Vice President                            ----------------------------
     --------------------------               Title:  Chief Financial Officer
                                                 ----------------------------
Phoenix Color Corp.


By:  /s/ Edward Lieberman                     TechniGraphix, Inc.
   ----------------------------               By:  /s/ Edward Lieberman
Name:  Edward Lieberman                            ---------------------------
   ----------------------------               Name:  Edward Lieberman
Title:  Chief Financial Officer                    ---------------------------
   ----------------------------               Title:  Chief Financial Officer
                                                   ---------------------------

PCC Express, Inc.

By:  /s/ Edward Lieberman
   ----------------------------
Name:  Edward Lieberman
   ----------------------------
Title:  Chief Financial Officer
   ----------------------------

</TABLE>

                                       12
<PAGE>


Exhibit 12.1 - Calculation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     1995          1996          1997          1998          1999
                                                   --------      --------      --------      --------      ---------
<S>                                                <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
Earnings (loss) before income tax provision...     $  6,400      $  3,173      $  8,380      $  3,036      $ (5,890)

Add:
   Portion of rent attributable to interest...          189           539           478           717         1,648
   Interest excluding capitalized interest....        1,827         4,787         4,304         4,866        12,171
   Amortization of deferred financing costs...         --             150           180           210         2,768
                                                   --------      --------      --------      --------      --------
Earnings as adjusted .........................     $  8,416      $  8,649      $ 13,342      $  8,829      $ 10,697
                                                   ========      ========      ========      ========      ========

Fixed Charges
   Portion of rent attributable to interest...          189           539           478           717         1,648
   Interest including capitalized interest....        1,827         4,787         4,304         4,866        12,597
   Amortization of deferred financing costs...         --             150           180           210         2,768
                                                   --------      --------      --------      --------      --------
Fixed Charges ................................     $  2,016      $  5,476      $  4,962      $  5,793      $ 17,013
                                                   ========      ========      ========      ========      ========

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges ...........         4.2x          1.6x          2.7x          1.5x          0.6x
</TABLE>

                                       16
<PAGE>


Exhibit 12.2 - Calculation of (1) EBITDA

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       1995       1996       1997       1998        1999
                                                     --------   --------   --------   --------   --------
<S>                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
 (1)  EBITDA Calculation
       Pretax income .........................       $  6,400   $  3,173   $  8,380   $  3,036   $ (5,890)
       Interest expense ......................          1,827      4,937      4,483      5,076     14,939
       Depreciation and amortization expense..          3,119      8,389      9,142     10,834     17,175
                                                     --------   --------   --------   --------   --------
       Total EBITDA ..........................       $ 11,346   $ 16,499   $ 22,005   $ 18,946   $ 26,224
                                                     ========   ========   ========   ========   ========
</TABLE>


Interest expense includes  amortization of deferred financing costs of $150,000,
$180,000, $210,000, and $1,538,000 in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively.

                                       14
<PAGE>

Exhibit 21.1  Subsidiaries of the Company
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Subsidiaries of Phoenix Color Corp.            Place of Incorporation
- -----------------------------------            ----------------------
<S>                                            <C>
PCC Express Inc.                               United States
TechniGraphix Inc.                             United States
Phoenix MD. Realty, LLC                        United States

</TABLE>

                                       15
<PAGE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                     5
<MULTIPLIER>                  1000

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              Dec-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 Jan-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                   Dec-31-1999
<CASH>                                                 271
<SECURITIES>                                             0
<RECEIVABLES>                                       22,304
<ALLOWANCES>                                         1,119
<INVENTORY>                                          5,376
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                    31,356
<PP&E>                                             127,239
<DEPRECIATION>                                      45,296
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     151,505
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                               21,145
<BONDS>                                            105,000
                                    0
                                              0
<COMMON>                                                 0
<OTHER-SE>                                          12,471
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                       151,505
<SALES>                                            141,338
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                   141,338
<CGS>                                              109,357
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                      109,357
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                    22,856
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                         0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                  14,939
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                    (5,890)
<INCOME-TAX>                                       (1,045)
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                (4,844)
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                       (4,844)
<EPS-BASIC>                                              0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                            0



</TABLE>


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission