PrintingNews.com

Does your firm have an open-house policy? I’m not talking about an open-door policy, as in the human resources management philosophy. What I mean is, do you market your company by opening its doors to customers and prospects en mass? In-plant parties are one of the most cost-effective ways for printers to promote themselves by showing off their technology in action.

Open houses are more than just anniversary celebrations—although a company anniversary provides a timely reason to open your plant’s doors.

Last July, Sault Printing Co., Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., marked its 40th year in business with an open house. The 18-employee firm was started in 1969 by the late Ted and Barbara Maleport, and is owned today by their three children.

Silver Anniversary Party
Web and sheetfed printer Solo Printing Inc., Miami, turns 25 this year. As part of its Silver Anniversary festivities, the G7- and FSC-certified firm hosted an open house on March 18 featuring, among other equipment, a new six-color, 40-inch Komori Lithrone press with aqueous coater. In reality, the event had more to do with the new sheetfed, installed in late 2009, than the business milestone.

“We wanted our customers [and prospects] to see our new press and what it can do,” said President and minority co-owner Manny Hernandez. Between mailing invitations, sending emails and conducting a phone blitz, Solo Printing expected about 160 people to show up the day after St. Patrick’s Day. The 110-employee firm almost ran out of food and had to make a mega beer run when some 250 visitors jammed onto the pressroom floor.

“Today’s customers are more educated,” Hernandez noted. “They want to see for themselves factors like set-up time, waste and how quickly a press gets up to color.” Solo held a similar open house a few years ago, after it installed a six-color Komori System38 web press.

Those excellent attendance figures are on par with Solo’s sales, which were up 45 percent last year, ending 2009 at approximately $25 million.

“We’re up another 60 percent in the first quarter,” Hernandez proudly reported, “and hope to hit $35 million to $40 million by the end of this year.” Hernandez’s killer app is distinctive customer service, which keeps Solo’s high-end clientele coming back for more. He hopes to grow the 100,000-sq-ft plant by another 25 percent later this year to help house its large web paper inventory.