From a proposed major postal overhaul to the country's anemic recovery, many continue to question whether the industry is headed anywhere but down. It's easy to get caught up in the disheartening headlines. However, if this year's top three suppliers have anything to say about it, the industry isn't sinking any time soon.
It's not terribly surprising to see Ennis Inc., Midlothian, Texas, 4over Inc., Glendale, Calif., and Western States Envelope & Label, Milwaukee, dominate once again. Successful companies are run by CEOs who flip the script in place of traditional business models. In the case of Ennis, 4over and Western States Envelope & Label, all three suppliers are using technology in different ways with the same result: profit. Whether it's for selling to a younger demographic, adding value to core products or streamlining workflows, technology continues to play an advisory role to these executives.
In the following section, we'll take a closer look at the makings of 2014's big three. See what some of the industry's brightest minds had to say about strategy, ongoing concerns and the year ahead.
1. Ennis Inc.
Principal: Keith Walters, Chairman, CEO and President
www.ennis.com
Print+Promo (P+P): What was your company's greatest success over the last year?
Keith Walters (KW): First would be another successful year in our industry, which continues to be challenging. A close second would be the acquisitions of Folder Express, Wisco Envelope, NIC (National Imprint), and the five locations that previously were under the Sovereign Business Forms brand [Curtis Business Forms, Falcon Business Forms, Forms Manufacturers, Mutual Graphics and Tri-C Business Forms]. These companies strengthened our folder and envelope product lines, while adding manufacturing capabilities to new regions. We will continue to integrate these organizations into Ennis and get them comfortable with our culture and systems. Also, continue the dialogue with additional printing companies that may want to join the industry footprint we are building.
P+P: What is your favorite part about working in this industry? Why?
KW: Coming from the automotive industry, I have always been amazed at the general civility in which the printing industry conducts itself. I see that as a credit to the type of individuals who populate the market. Those same people provide the opportunities that I see each day, even after almost 18 years in the industry. Of course there are challenges, but from the visits I make to our plants, to working with our general managers on opportunities at new business, to assisting in integrating new businesses, it is the chance to work with the people of our industry that is most rewarding.
P+P: What is the industry's biggest struggle, and can it be fixed?
KW: There is a dramatic shift taking place in the distributor model where the number of smaller distributors is declining. Some of this diminution is due to the aging of our industry and the other due to consolidation. There is still a demand for our core printed products. We need to find ways to make promoting, using and selling print appealing to a younger workforce, non-traditional distributor channels, and to our existing distributor channel that may no longer focus on the types of businesses that use our products.
P+P: What would people be surprised to learn about your company?
KW: Ennis allows each of our operations to manage with a great degree of autonomy. General managers are tasked with running the operation as if it was their own small or mid-sized business. This gives each location the ability to operate the way that best fits its regional customer base. Local management makes decisions that allow them to be competitive and react quickly to customer needs.
2. 4over Inc.
Principal: Zarik Megerdichian, CEO
trade.4over.com
Print+Promo (P+P): What was your company's greatest success over the last year?
Zarik Megerdichian (ZM): There have been many successes in technology advancements and product development over the course of the year. The most impactful to our customers has been the rapid expansion of products and options. From new additions like custom roll labels and digital envelopes, to a brand new packaging line and premium new large format substrates, we are equipping our customers with a product mix that they can leverage for maximum success.
P+P: What is your company's top priority for 2015?
ZM: We believe that to continue our transformative role in the industry, we must accelerate our offerings in two distinct areas: total customer experience and local value. First, 4over never accepts the status quo, especially when it comes to delivering solutions to improve our customers' experience with us. We have an abundance of electronic tools and services that we will soon be enabling for our customers. This will simplify the entire engagement process with 4over and deliver new ways to build a profitable business. Second, our local production and delivery network will continue to rapidly expand, bringing our print shop reach closer to our customers' local market.
P+P: What is your favorite part about working in this industry? Why?
ZM: The best part of working in this industry is having the opportunity to serve our customers' business and print needs by developing market-relevant products and services that enable them to earn exceptional profits. We are constantly receiving regular feedback through various customer-facing channels here at 4over, and we pay attention. Our marketing and product development teams take this feedback and use it to tailor our products and services to fit our customers' needs.
P+P: What is the industry's biggest struggle, and can it be fixed?
ZM: The industry's biggest struggle is over-capacity and rapidly changing technology that results in over-investment. People invest excessive amounts of money, time and energy into their businesses, a lot of which can easily be repurposed with the right outsourcing strategy. That's where 4over fits into the struggle—by bringing a new business model to the table where we enable customers to run their businesses without the burden [of] capital investment. Our own investment in state-of-the-art technology and equipment enables a broad channel of new products from locations across the U.S. and in Canada. By trusting us with their print, customers can continue to keep their core proficiencies in-house while outsourcing everything else to 4over.
3. Western States Envelope & Label
Principal: Mark S. Lemberger, CEO and President
www.wsel.com
Print+Promo (P+P): What was your company's greatest success over the last year?
Mark S. Lemberger (MSL): Our greatest success for our customers this past year was our continued ability to provide creative ideas and solutions as well as a suite of industry-leading products to our customers. Our inventory of stock products available for immediate shipment, combined with our ability to quickly manufacture any type of custom envelope or label in virtually any quantity, enables our customers to differentiate themselves from the competition and achieve prosperous growth.
P+P: What is your company's top priority for 2015?
MSL: Our top priority for the new year is to make sure that we are the best envelope and label resource our customers can utilize to help their own businesses succeed.
P+P: What is your favorite part about working in this industry? Why?
MSL: After enjoying a 38-year career in this industry so far, I personally find that my greatest satisfaction comes from being involved in our customers' businesses in a way that helps them to seize opportunities that they would have had to pass up had they been working with some other resource. Being part of an organization that is focused on its customers' success, and uses that focus as a motivating force to continue to improve itself, has been a wonderful experience.
P+P: What is the industry's biggest struggle, and can it be fixed?
MSL: Printing volume in the U.S. is being challenged as a number of other options are increasingly available to our customers. The fix for us is to build more value into the printed units our customers continue to consume. We are fortunate that technology is providing us with the means to improve graphics, add personalization, shorten run lengths and cut lead times. We must utilize this technology and communicate our improved abilities to our customers to put more value into the printed products they purchase from us.
P+P: What would people be surprised to learn about your company?
MSL: Our organization just celebrated its 106th anniversary, but if you tour any one of our facilities and visit with our people you will see and feel the energy and excitement of a very youthful-minded group of individuals who are committed to learning and improving for our customers and themselves.
Elise Hacking Carr is senior production editor for Print & Promo Marketing magazine, and managing editor for PRINTING United Journal.