2023 Hall of Fame Inductee Adi Chinai Says He Never 'Worked' a Day in His Life

Adi Chinai

You know the saying, “When you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” For some, it’s a hard sell — they wish it was true. But in the case of Adi Chinai, president and CEO of King Printing in Lowell, Massachusetts, it’s the absolute truth.

When Chinai was young, he recalls walking into King Printing’s location at the time and being awed by the “cavernous building.” King Printing was his family’s business, run by his father, Sid, and mother, Amita. Despite the early awe, Chinai didn’t start his career in printing just yet.

Chinai went to college for finance, secured an MBA, and landed in high finance after graduation. While he enjoyed it, he couldn’t shake the draw of his family roots, describing it as “the allure and passion for manufacturing.”

Nearly 20 years later, Chinai finds himself leading King Printing, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Not only did he follow in his father’s footsteps by running the business, but now, he’s being inducted into the 2023 Printing Impressions Printing Industry Hall of Fame class, an honor his father received just a few years ago.

Behind the Scenes

When Chinai got the call informing him of his Hall of Fame induction, he thought it was a joke. The family largely stays out of the limelight, choosing to maintain a laser focus on what King Printing does best: short-run book manufacturing. Despite the preference to operate in the background, the family’s, and Chinai’s, knack for success keeps surfacing. King Printing was founded in 1978 and, right out of the gate, the family excelled within its niche.

“My father has always told me to stick to our focus, and I strive to carry that forward,” Chinai says. “Our focus since the ’80s has been books — we found our niche early on. Our manufacturing model has been that every piece of capital we invest in … needs to support and be laser-focused on that, while creating deeper efficiencies for short-run books.”

Still, Chinai has experienced his share of recognition. He recalls a time “in the early days” (i.e., 2004) when he participated in a scholarship competition — the Manroland scholarship — to attend a week-long seminar in Wisconsin. Chinai was awarded one of the coveted spots. “It was probably one of the best learning experiences I had besides working in the plant and offices,” he notes. “I got to meet peers in the industry — large and small companies participated. It gave me an early exposure to a wide group of organizations and individuals.”

It was a huge honor for Chinai, but he feels his biggest successes have been more inward facing. One moment in particular stands out for him.

The company runs an impressive lineup of machinery, a point that Chinai is proud of. In 2008, King Printing installed its first continuous-feed inkjet press (a first in the book manufacturing world), which at the time was a huge event. “We created an electronic workflow that was hands-off, total automation in conjunction with the inkjet installation where we printed on a substrate that everyone said couldn’t be printed on,” Chinai says, the excitement evident in his voice. “That was a combination of the entire team coming together, and the enjoyment behind achieving that success and challenge is the highlight of the technological win for us/me.”

A Love for Printing and People

While he feels this was a high point of his career, Chinai always returns to his love for printing and the people around him. “I have fun every single day I do this,” he explains. “When I look back, I’ve met some really amazing individuals in this industry and all of the associated industries.”

Many of those companies and individuals Chinai has worked with over the years include customers, the companies he purchases equipment and supplies from, and, of course, family. Every single person you talk to says the same thing: Chinai is a focused, motivated individual with an intoxicating personality.

One such connection is Haim Levit, senior VP and GM, HP Industrial Print, at HP Inc. “Adi is my customer, and over the years, we have become very good friends, and developed a strong relationship in both personal and professional circles,” Levit states. “Adi is a visionary leader who is leading and managing a highly successful printing business through his deep industry knowledge, strategic thinking, and unwavering commitment to quality and customer service.”

Some ties have come through familial generations, as is the case with Michel Hunkeler, owner and president of the board of Hunkeler AG in Switzerland. “I got to know Adi in Lucerne, Switzerland, at Innovationdays through my father, Franz, back in 2008, and it was a special encounter because Adi and I both have the honor to be able to continue running our fathers’ companies,” Hunkeler explains. “Thanks to his open and direct manner and … his great expertise, Adi always manages to get to the point and address things directly. His approach corresponds to my style and over time, as a result of many conversations, dinners, and meetings, a good friendship has developed.”

It seems that friendship is a big part of why Chinai enjoys his career so much. He even describes his relationship with his father as a type of friendship. “Without a doubt, we are best friends,” Chinai says with an unmistakable respect. “We’ve circumnavigated the entire globe, leaving no new technology — or restaurant table — unturned. What’s really fun is we share a passion and vision for acquiring the best-in-class technology in order to be the best at what we do. My parents set that vision, and it’s been ingrained in me.”

Adi Chinai visits Hunkeler Innovationdays in Switzerland
with his father, Sid. He has since become personal friends
with Michel Hunkeler, partly because they both have the honor of continuing to run their fathers’ companies.

For Chinai, sharing the honor of being inducted into the Printing Impressions Printing Industry Hall of Fame with his father before him is yet one more highlight of his career. “When I received the call, I was in disbelief,” he recalls. “I shared the news with my dad, and he had the reaction of any proud father — extremely happy to see that I’ve been able to enjoy, and be recognized for, what I’m doing. I guess the feeling that we’ve both been given this honor is probably the highlight of my career.”

Speaking to that father-son relationship, Roger Nagger, director, global supply chain and procurement for Macmillan Learning, in New York, sees a lot of Sid Chinai’s qualities in his son. “Like his father before him, Adi’s dedication to King Printing’s philosophy of continual improvement through innovation and collaboration is a testimonial that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree,” he notes.

His knowledge and expertise that’s grown from that father-son relationship and focus on vision are qualities that his industry colleagues find invaluable.

“Anytime I have a print or equipment question, I reach out to Adi for expert advice,” says Joseph Steffney, senior VP at Amplify Education, located in Brooklyn, New York. “I have gotten to know Adi very well, and he has become more than a business partner — a true friend. I can reach out to Adi any time for advice on printing equipment and current industry trends.”

Looking Ahead

As for what’s next … while Chinai isn’t entirely sure, he has every intention of building the next legacy, as his parents did, for his two young children. Chinai is very excited about the continued path that he is taking the company. “We live in such an imperfect world, and every day we’re faced with challenges,” he says. “If I got a tattoo about it, I’d get the ‘No Regrets’ tattoo!”

Chinai stands in front of a 96-page Sunday web press unit.

All joking aside, it’s clear that Chinai’s personal passion, love for family, and relationships with employees and industry peers is contagious. Just ask industry colleague Andy Fetherman, president and CEO at Muller Martini North America. Fetherman notes that much of his relationship with Chinai, while centered around their vendor/customer connection, is personal.

“He’s so empathetic for my family … he’s a huge supporter,” Fetherman says. “It goes beyond the customer/vendor relationship. When you know what Adi’s passion is and what he’s about, to me, it’s really about a good man who’s also a good businessman.”

Perhaps that’s why so many of Chinai’s business relationships have not only stood the test of time, but have evolved into friendships.

That respect is one quality Debabrata Mukherjee, CEO of Finch & Twin Rivers Paper, admires about Chinai. “Adi and I have known each other for over a decade,” he states. “I consider him as a friend, an inspiration as an entrepreneur, and he has a very sharp business mind. His business acumen is one of the best in the printing world, and I am privileged to have known him for such a long time.”

Many of his peers point to one thing: Chinai’s forward thinking and pioneer spirit. When speaking with him, it’s clear that they are referencing his foray into digital. But to Chinai, one thing about the future when it comes to digital is this: Print is far from dead, especially in the world of short-run book production. “It’s my belief that print and electronic media are gateway products — one will always lead to the other in one shape or form,” he notes.

Despite what the future may hold, whether it’s the coexistence of digital and print, the emergence of new technologies, or even another global pandemic, Chinai will always look on the experience with a grateful lens.

“The whole thing is just surreal that I’ve been able to participate in this industry during the past 20 years,” he reflects. “I want to give a big, large, warm thank you to my parents, my family, and the entire team at King Printing (some of whom have retired and yet still offer their guidance and give their time for King — Tom Campbell, Tom Plain, and Dennis Oullette, to name a few).

“Literally and figuratively, I wouldn’t be here without them. I haven’t worked a day in my life.”