Nov. 5--CHICAGO -- The top executive at R.R. Donnelley & Sons said the global firm continues to pin long-term hopes on digital communications as it goes about transforming from its core printing businesses.

"We continue to expand and enhance our global digital infrastructure," Thomas Quinlan III, president and chief executive officer, said in a conference call with analysts Wednesday after the release of its third-quarter earnings report. "This year we increased the world's largest digital printing fleet to more than 1,000 units in over 60 facilities worldwide. More importantly, despite challenging economic conditions, we have introduced a steady stream of innovations this year."

The firm, which employs from 1,200 to 1,300 in the Fox Cities and up to 700 in the Green Bay area, reported net third-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $13 million on net sales of $2.5 billion, down 14 percent from the same period in 2008.

The decline was blamed on a nearly 2 percent negative impact from changes in foreign exchange rates with the remainder due to volume declines and continued price pressures across most products and services.

"I do not think any year has kicked off with more uncertainty than this one," Quinlan said.

The company forecast a sequential revenue growth rate in the low single digits.

Quinlan said a strong cash flow enabled the firm to cut debt by nearly $1 billion the past 12 months.

Pete Bach: 920-993-1000, ext. 430, or pbach@postcrescent.com

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