St. Petersburg

Industry consolidation, economic uncertainties, soaring costs for raw materials and energy and many other forces are changing our industry at the speed of thought. At NPES’ 75th Annual Conference, November 15-17 in St. Pete Beach, FL, participants will have an opportunity to learn firsthand how one progressive print organization managed to overcome these challenges. Read on for this preview of how, by developing strategic partnerships with industry manufacturers and service providers, the Valpak Manufacturing Center in St. Petersburg, FL has become a showcase of automated print production—and has managed to hold the line on costs for its customers, increased its productivity and morphed its employees into a skilled workforce for tomorrow. Valpak is one of North America’s leading direct marketers with $260 million in annual revenue and about 1,200 employees in Pinellas County. Valpak reaches more than 45 million unique addresses each month in the United States and Canada and is owned by Largo-based Cox Target Media.

Sandy Alexander has forged a reputation as an upscale, high-end printer, which continues to grow through present investments and future acquisitions. BY ERIK CAGLE Let's face it, Sandy Alexander may not be for everyone when it comes time to choose a commercial printer. Roy Grossman, president of the company, admits as much. The primary reason is as simple as asking this question: Would you go to a five-star restaurant for a burger, fries and cola? "We operate within the 20 percent of the commercial market that's considered high-end color," notes Grossman of the Clifton, NJ-based company, which has a sister plant in St. Petersburg,