Creps United Publications: Fire Kindles Insert Printer's Spirit to Rebuild

The local and county governments also played a role in helping Creps United Publications with the necessary permits and in securing tax abatements. On the latter count, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana County Development Corp. aided the printer in obtaining a Keystone Opportunity Zone property, which provides a 10-year local and state tax abatement.

Actually, Creps United Publications almost rebuilt on its old site, but a misquote on the size of new equipment prompted ownership to look elsewhere. Instead of remaining on 3.5 acres, the company now boasts a sprawling 9.5 acres, with the tax benefits sweetening the pot even more. The layout stresses efficiency, and skylights offer ample ambient lighting.

"It turned out to be a blessing in disguise," Howard Creps exclaims.

If there's one upshot to enduring a fire, it's the opportunity to do a reboot with newer, more modern equipment. With only its salvaged Goss V-30 and a folder acting as incumbent equipment, Creps installed a trio of new Goss Sunday insert web presses: a pair of Sunday 2000i (57˝ width) models and a Sunday 3000i (66˝ width). Automated, closed-loop color controls grace all three new presses, and their fast plate loading and plate changing capabilities are important in an age where shorter, more targeted runs is critical.

Jake Creps notes that some of the new technology on the Sunday presses enables the operators to spend more time helping each other as opposed to baby-sitting a press. Howard Creps also points out that since the presses do not rely on a standard drive train—instead, individual servo motors—it means the operators can change all plates simultaneously, and that noise and heat levels are considerably less than with the older gear.

There is great cause for optimism at Creps United Publications. Ten days before the fire, arch rival Vertis, known for being the low-cost provider, went under and was acquired by Quad/Graphics. Creps has developed relationships with a number of printers in the past 17 months, and they've developed partnerships with them that can provide an alternative to regional and national retailers.