
Do you realize that if every family spent just $64 this holiday on an American-made product to give as a Christmas gift, more than 200,000 jobs would be saved here in the United States? And how many of those jobs would be in the printing industry? With more and more printing companies going out of business today than ever before, why wouldn’t you want to take the extra step to help support your friend, your neighbor, or your customer?
My thoughts aren’t intended to offend or reprimand you for supporting other countries, shopping at the stores of your choice, or giving away your print services; it’s about keeping things going here in our own backyard. The U.S. manufacturers, printing companies or even the local stores in the town where you live all need your support. Our children and our grandchildren, not to mention our troops returning home, will all need a job and a place to work someday.
So if you have a chance to save a few jobs by spending less than a $100 on an “American Made” gift this holiday, why wouldn’t you?
Merry Christmas to you and your families.
Darren Gapen (darren@dgprintsolutions.com) is president of D.G. Print Solutions, a consulting firm based in Woodstock, GA, that supports printing companies of all sizes. He specializes in growth development planning, pressroom color management and pressroom training through specialty print applications.
Darren has worked in the printing industry for 30 years and spent more than 12 years at two of the nation's leading high-end commercial printers: Bradley Printing in Des Plaines, IL, and Williamson Printing Corp. in Dallas, TX.

Darren has worked in the printing industry for 30 years and spent more than 12 years at two of the nation's leading high-end commercial printers: Bradley Printing in Des Plaines, IL, and Williamson Printing Corp. in Dallas, TX. During that time, he operated conventional and UV 40˝ sheetfed presses and also successfully managed a $15-million pressroom equipment transition. Darren also was Lead Press Instructor for Heidelberg, where he directed specialty equipment startups and was involved in all aspects of the printing process by teaching both instructor and pressroom employees.
In addition, he served as a troubleshooter for various printing companies in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. As operations manager for a start-up specialty folding carton company, he played a key role in achieving more than $6 million in sales within two years. Currently Darren is president of D.G. Print Solutions, a consulting firm that supports printing companies of all sizes. He specializes in growth development planning, pressroom color management and pressroom training through specialty print applications.