Compiled annually for the past 31 years—and arguably the only list of its type for the commercial printing industry—our latest Printing Impressions 400 ranking of the top printers in the United States and Canada is featured in a special pullout insert bound in this issue.
I’m always amazed how far the tentacles of the PI 400 reach—from print buyers and specifiers, to Wall Street analysts, M&A specialists and private equity investment firms, to industry suppliers analyzing their market shares.
Just as remarkable to me is how some privately held printing establishments decline the opportunity to appear in our rankings. It’s understandable that a company might want to lay low if its sales are plummeting. But I wish I had a dollar for every time over the years I’ve encountered instances where print buyers, investors and analysts mistakenly assumed that a company not listed was due to some kind of financial troubles or internal strife.
After all, what better opportunity to highlight in a press release—and also on your Website—that your printing/marketing services business is among the 400 largest in the United States and Canada? Sure, it’s not a big deal for the large firms like RR Donnelley, Quad/Graphics and Cenveo, but it is quite noteworthy for the privately held, mid-size companies further down the rankings that make up the true core of the printing industry.
Gone from the rankings this year are heavyweights Consolidated Graphics, which was swallowed by RR Donnelley; Valassis, now part of Harland Clarke; and Brown Printing, which was purchased by Quad/Graphics. Also part of the consolidation trend in 2014 were Classic Graphics in Charlotte, NC; Woburn, MA-based UniGraphic Inc.; and Sovereign Business Forms in Houston, among others.
To the companies listed on the 2014 Printing Impressions 400, congratulations on your achievements. To those absent firms that would have qualified, we hope you’ll reconsider for inclusion in next year’s ranking. And, especially, to all the owners, managers and staff members working at establishments—big and small—throughout our industry, Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!
Mark Michelson is the Editor-in-Chief of Printing Impressions. Serving in this role since 1985, Michelson is an award-winning journalist and member of several industry honor societies. Reader feedback is always encouraged. Email mmichelson@napco.com