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Family-Run Printing Leader Achieves 220% Faster Production Through 20+ Years of FlexTG Partnership

Overview: Long-Term Partnership, Modernization, and Market Expertise 

For more than two decades, a family-run commercial printing company in Northern California has partnered with Flex Technology Group to drive modernization, efficiency, and growth. Founded over 60 years ago, the company is operated by two brothers who manage every aspect of the business themselves- a lean, two-person model that is rare in the printing industry but has proven highly efficient and sustainable. 

Over the years, the company has evolved from a traditional offset operation into a fully digital, high-performance print environment, increasing production speed, reducing operational costs, and expanding its wide-format printing capabilities, which now represent the majority of its revenue. Serving a diverse range of clients, from educational institutions and sports organizations to restaurants and creative design firms, the company has successfully combined traditional craftsmanship with modern efficiency to thrive in a competitive market, all while maintaining the personal touch that has defined its reputation for decades. 

The Challenge: Digital Transition, Cost Management, and Growth Needs 

As the printing industry shifted toward digital production, the company faced growing pressure to modernize without compromising quality. Rising material and service costs created financial constraints, while customer demand for signage and large-format printing required capabilities that their offset equipment could not provide.  

They aimed to increase capacity and implement smart automation to drive profitable growth, without hiring additional staff. At the same time, they strived to maintain the precision and responsiveness their clients depended on. 

The FlexTG Solution: Strategic Upgrades, Digital Adoption, and Wide-Format Expansion 

With operations stretching from regional offices to more than 200 active job sites, the company’s print environment simply wasn’t built to keep pace. A patchwork of vendors and more than 20 device models, many managed through a third-party consultant, left teams without clear accountability and turned print into a constant source of frustration in the field. 

Delays became routine. Service calls sometimes dragged on for a week, and equipment moves often missed the very project timelines they were meant to support. Billing confusion left project managers without a clear path to recover costs, while IT lacked the visibility to track spending or performance. Even in marketing, where advanced production technology was available, limited training meant the tools rarely delivered their full value. 

Instead of acting as a reliable backbone, print had become a daily source of wasted time, added expense, and missed opportunity. The company needed a system built for consistency and scale, one that could support projects as reliably as the crews delivering them. 

The FlexTG Solution (Implementation)

FlexTG has supported this transformation for more than 20 years through ongoing consultation, technology upgrades, and quarterly performance reviews. The partnership began with a phased transition from offset to digital production, increasing speed, consistency, and automation while managing costs effectively. 

As client needs grew, FlexTG identified opportunities to expand into the wide-format market. Outsourced signage work quickly became a core revenue stream, now representing about 65% of the company’s total business.  

In 2024, FlexTG helped the team install two RICOH Pro C9500 systems paired with Plockmatic finishing technology. This upgrade enabled high-volume digital work at 135 pages per minute, full redundancy for rush projects, and faster turnaround times- all while reducing operational and service costs. 

The Results: Efficiency, Savings, and Revenue Growth

With the installation of the RICOH C9500 systems, Plockmatic finishing technology, and ongoing FlexTG optimization, the company achieved measurable performance and financial gains: 

  • Production Speed: Increased print speeds from approximately 40 pages per minute on legacy equipment to 135 pages per minute- a 220% improvement. 
  • Finished Book Output: Produced up to 650 lightweight books per hour with Plockmatic finishing, roughly a 70% increase over previous capacity. 
  • Small Signature Books: Halved finishing steps for small signature books, significantly reducing per-book processing time and increasing output. 
  • Service & Operational Savings: Realized $2,300 in monthly savings through optimized leasing and a 20% reduction in service costs. 
  • Revenue Growth: Captured high-value, time-sensitive projects, including major local clients that expanded the company’s portfolio and contributed significantly to overall revenue. 

Looking Ahead: Future Growth, Expansion, and Market Leadership 

The company’s success illustrates the power of adaptability and long-term partnership. With FlexTG’s consultative approach, the printshop continuously refines operations, exploring new market opportunities, and scaling profitably while preserving their family business model.  

Building on this momentum, the company continues to invest in signage and wide-format capabilities, targeting an additional 15% year-over-year growth. With their lean, flexible structure and long-standing partnership with FlexTG, they are well-positioned to stay ahead of evolving customer demands while preserving the craftsmanship, reliability, and personal service that have defined their legacy for more than six decades. 

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