Best Workplaces: No Place I'd Rather Work...

Using 5S principles, Ripon Printers employees maintain organized and clean offices and manufacturing areas. Executives and floor personnel alike make an extra effort to greet each other on a first-name basis.

Courier Corp., North Chelmsford, MA

The nation's second-largest book manufacturer has appeared on the Best Workplace list every year since the program's inception in 2000. It manufactures one- to four-color books for a variety of markets, including trade, education and religious. In recent years, the company has established two digital book printing plants to go with its headset web and sheetfed operations, and also provides inventory management and order fulfillment, backed by its employee base of 1,600. Aside from its book manufacturing division, the company operates Courier New Media (Highcrest Media, FastPencil) and Courier Publishing (Dover Publications, REA).