David vs. Goliath

It’s David vs. Goliath all over again. With the U.S. economy on the brink of a recession, the major industry players seemingly have the advantage. Yet, when given the chance to do battle against its competitors, the smaller—but driven—company can leave the playing field victorious.

Commercial printers are no exception. Similar to those in other market sectors, commercial print specialists are feeling the crunch of escalating oil and natural gas prices, postal increases and sustainability pressures. Larger suppliers may possess scale advantages in purchasing materials, such as paper and ink, but studies indicate profitability is ultimately linked to effective sales operations. As a result, smaller- to medium-sized companies can rely on something much more meaningful—smart selling. Here, three successful commercial printers share strategies for staying competitive in a market undergoing flux.

Headquartered in Strongsville, Ohio, Dupli-Systems opened its doors in 1977. “It’s really funny how each distributor identifies the manufacturers they use. To some, we are still a traditional forms supplier, or cut-sheet provider. In the past 15 years, we have many who think of us as a high-end commercial printer,” observed Dave Griffith, vice president of sales.

He went on to say Dupli-Systems’s goal is to be known as a printer that can provide a complete package of documents, marketing materials and digital print to end-users through redistribution or a resellers program. To help deliver its promise of quality customer service, the company offers distributors a full range of digital media services.

“What we see as being successful and valuable to our customers is an affordable web-to-print software package that will cross many platforms,” Griffith said. “We have been in imaging art for proofs, film and CTP since conception. As all manufacturers know, the varied kinds and methods of submitted files by the reseller[s] and their customer[s] have always been a challenge. Our job is to be able to address these needs and give ultimate service.”