Manufacturers

Sometimes, it's actually mother who knows best. Just ask Stacy Peluso-Slaney, vice president of Danvers, Massachusetts-based Shawmut.

Cheap, easy and fast. That's how the world likes it and that's how China delivers it.

"Many people watching tonight can probably remember a time when finding a good job meant showing up at a nearby factory or a business downtown. You didn't always need a degree, and your competition was pretty much limited to your neighbors. If you worked hard, chances are you'd have a job for life, with a decent paycheck, good benefits and the occasional promotion. Maybe you'd even have the pride of seeing your kids work at the same company.

It's a hard product to miss. In fact, some distributors may be intimidated by its size. But, they should be more fearful of the possibility of a missed opportunity.

It was Frank Sinatra's kind of town. And the Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA) agrees with Ol' Blue Eyes.

1. Leader of the Pack

Midlothian, Texas-based Ennis continues to defend its title by clinching the top spot in Print Professional's latest top 100 manufacturers list.

Last year, print professionals continued to navigate the rocky path of an economic recession. Nevertheless, overall sales figures were up from 2008. Were manufacturers able to hold on to their modest success? The answer is not so simple.

Wauconda, Illinois-based Plastic Graphic Co. has remained a family-owned business for 40 years due to some simple, but straight-forward, business reasons, according to vice president of sales Brian Grimes.

The competition has nothing on Boston-headquartered 48hourprint.com.

It's not just famous for its inner harbor and crab cakes. It's not just the backdrop of HBO's now defunct The Wire. Many know it as "Charm City," but for the printing industry it's the site of PSDA's annual Print Solutions Conference and Expo from May 24 to 26 at the Baltimore Convention Center.