FAST TRACK FIRMS -- Sailing Against the Wind
Alcom Printing Group
Harleysville, PA
2003 Ranking: 257
Most Recent Fiscal Year Sales: $21.27M
Previous Fiscal Year Sales: $18.74M
Alcom addresses the Boston to Baltimore geographical market with commercial sheetfed (up to six colors) and non-heatset web (up to five colors) printing.
CEO William Coale feels the company's superior customer service (backed by its Team Attitude program) and attention to operational efficiencies helped to make for a profitable campaign.
In 2003, the company added a sheeter for one of its web presses to complement some computer and server upgrades. For the coming year, Coale anticipates adding a unit to one of the web presses and upgrading a cutter.
"We'll stick to our core capabilities while building relationships with customers and re-balancing our sales team," he adds.
Challenge Printing
Eden Prairie, MN
2003 Ranking: 109
Most Recent Fiscal Year Sales: $58.17M
Previous Fiscal Year Sales: $51.83M
A commercial, point of purchase and package printing specialist, Challenge Printing serves the retail, manufacturing, food and ad agency markets, among others.
The company's diversified product line and e-commerce capabilities have allowed it to take advantage of vendor consolidation efforts in the industry, according to Chris Bixler, national sales manager.
"Our customers have been able to drive significant costs out of the printing process by working with Challenge," he says.
Challenge Printing has invested $16 million in new equipment purchases over the past three years, with another $11 million earmarked for new gear in the next 18 months. Among the new equipment to be installed is a large-format, 81˝, six-color press, billed as the first of its kind in North America. Up to a pair of 40˝, six-color presses are also slated.
Challenge will also be making a move to new digs, leaving two manufacturing centers and a storage facility totaling 250,000 square feet for one building that boasts more than 400,000 square feet.
