American Printing of Rhode Island — Putting Clients First

“I needed a color expert on that machine, so I just persevered until the time was right for him to join us.” Eventually, the pressman signed on with Carroll and was promoted to general manager within a year.

Whenever possible, Carroll buys good, used printing equipment because the lower acquisition cost enables him to price his work aggressively, and yet still generate a profit. “Many of my competitors say I am too cheap,” he laughs. “But we all pay about the same for electricity and overhead. My cost of financing is usually lower, so I can offer good pricing to customers, better compensation to attract good people, and still have some funds to invest in new technologies.”

He is admittedly cautious about investing in big-ticket items like new presses. But, he is more liberal with spending on new technology to boost productivity, reduce waste and expand capabilities. For example, he acquired an early Presstek device years ago and now easily creates 60 plates a day. Software is also used to automate the production workflow and give up-to-the minute data on inventory, costs and expected completion.

Remaining Nimble

One major addition under consideration is a 77˝ press. If demand continues strong, Carroll will likely make the purchase. But, he is also short on floor space. His facility now occupies 25,000 square feet and is jammed to the gunnels. So, he is looking for new space in the 75,000-square-foot range.

Still, he wants to remain nimble and is cautious about growing too big too fast. “Thirty years ago, the industry was dominated by giant printers and large advertising agencies. The focus was on economies of scale, large runs and mass communication. Today, the giants are gone, the ad agencies have downsized, and the focus is on short runs, targeted communications and multi-channel messaging.”