Local publisher closes doors, seeks buyer
Mazer Corp. lays off staff, seeks new owner for creative services division.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
VANDALIA — Textbook publisher and printing company Mazer Corp., 6680 Poe Ave., closed its corporate and creative services divisions Tuesday, Dec. 30, and fired its staff, according to an internal e-mail obtained by the Dayton Daily News.
The company is negotiating with an unidentified suitor that may buy the creative services division, according to an e-mail by David Mazer, the company's chief executive officer.
"We hope that the business will be reconstituted with a new owner who may ask you to return as early as next week," according to David Mazer's e-mail.
"A combination of events in the publishing market and the state of the general economy has taken their toll on Mazer Corporation," the e-mail states. "The Mazer Family still believed in the company's potential and recently increased its investment to continue operations, but could not secure additional funding."
Company executives could not be reached Wednesday, Dec. 31, for additional comment.
Bill Pflaum, a retired senior executive with Mazer, said the creative services division has a strong editorial division that is well regarded in the education-publishing industry. Pflaum, who started the division, said it always was profitable and would make a strong acquisition for another company.
Mazer has printing, creative services and horticultural products divisions, according to its Web site.
It was unclear how many people worked for the company. In 2006, when city officials conducted their last visit to Mazer, the company employed 185, said Rob Anderson, assistant city manager.
The city had not received any indications that Mazer Corp. was experiencing problems prior to the closing, Anderson said.
