STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: Your 2015 Forecast
P+P: As business continues to take cues from the economy, what kind of plan or growth strategy has Labels West implemented to stay relevant and profitable?
JS: We don't spend a lot of time paying attention to the overall economy, as it hasn't seemed to have a direct relationship to our growth and profitability. During the Recession, between 2006 and 2010, Labels West doubled in size, for instance. At Labels West we pay attention to three core areas when we plan for growth and profitability. The first is equipment. We continuously seek out the latest advances in technology and determine if they can do either of two things: increase quality or reduce cost (or both). The second is to seek out the best people for the specific job required. The third is to invest in any technology that allows us to be more responsive to our customers' needs. Anything that will allow us to respond faster—and with greater accuracy—is an investment we will consider making.