Commercial printer Quebecor World has decided to merge its magazine, book and directory divisions into what it calls the Publishing Services Group. The company says the new integrated division will streamline its operations and improve services.

According to president and CEO Jacques Mallete, said the organizational change will “allow the company to optimize its resources and cost structure to further improve service to our publishing customers.”

Kevin J. Clarke, who has served as president of Quebecor’s book and directory group, has been tapped to lead the new, integrated publishing group. “This consolidation is a logical streamlining of our core functions and will speed decision making to benefit both our customers and our employees,” Clarke said.

The organizational change follows Quebecor’s previous merger of its U.S. retail insert, catalogue, Sunday magazine and direct divisions into the Marketing Solutions Group, and the integration of the logistics and premedia divisions under a unified operating structure.

Early last month Quebecor cut nearly 700 jobs and closed a plant [0] in Connecticut as part of a restructuring.