Color Ink Celebrates 40 Years with Retro 'Reunion'
Forty years in business is something to be celebrated. For Sussex, Wisconsin-based Color Ink, which is a third-generation family business, its 40th anniversary marked an opportunity for the company to celebrate its history and the people who helped the company grow, including past and present employees, clients, and vendors.
We reached out to company president Todd Meissner to find out more about its 40-year celebration — called "The Reunion" — and why it's important to acknowledge and celebrate important milestones in a company's history.
Printing Impressions (PI): Can you give a brief history of Color Ink?
Meissner: Founded in 1984 by visionary Jim Meissner, Color Ink Printing Company has left an indelible mark on the Wisconsin printing landscape. What began as a modest venture has blossomed into a distinguished company known for its commitment to innovation, precision, and creative expression.
Prior to founding the company, Jim Meissner was a graphic designer and creative director. At that time, Jim was purchasing such a significant amount of print materials that he ultimately chose to acquire a printing press and venture into the realm of commercial printing. With the steadfast support of his wife, Sue, Color Ink established itself as a prominent provider of print media solutions.
Quickly outgrowing a modest building in Hartland, Wisconsin, Jim purchased a Meissner family dairy farmland plot on a then undeveloped intersection in Sussex. Several expansions and renovations later, Color Ink operates in two buildings, with 105,000 sq. ft. of space on the old family dairy farm. The facility features a complete pre-press department, a sheet-fed press room, small- and wide-format digital presses, a complete bindery, mailing and fulfillment operations, and plenty of warehousing space to facilitate nationwide distribution and long-term storage of finished goods.
A legacy continues. Today, the company continues to be fully family-owned and operated. With nearly four decades of experience in the trade, Color Ink’s business model has expanded well beyond commercial printing.
The theme of the 40th anniversary celebration at Color Ink is "The Reunion," a time to bring together past and present employees, clients, and vendors.
PI: Color Ink is celebrating its 40th anniversary in a fun way. Can you describe “The Reunion”?
Meissner: We’ve done quite a few open houses over the years. Most of them were customer-focused with an emphasis on growing or developing new business. This year, we wanted to show our appreciation of the many people who have played a significant role in our growth over the years. Thankfully, through the power of social media, it is easier than ever to get the word out and reconnect with past associates. “The Reunion” as the name would imply, is a reunion and reconnection designed to encourage any past associates of Color Ink to join in the celebration and share their memories. Instead of doing formal printed invitations, we will be doing a series of social media posts and online registration with graphics that are fun and representative of the decades we have been in business.
PI: Have you ever had an anniversary party like this before or is it the first time?
Meissner: We’ve done a couple anniversary parties before. This is the first one that specifically honors the people who have helped us grow over the years. I think the 40-year mark is the perfect time to do this. We are young enough as a company for many to remember our beginning, yet we have been around long enough to have crossed paths with a lot of people.
PI: You’re inviting past and present employees, clients, and vendors to the event. Why did you decide to do that?
Meissner: We have many former associates who check in with us on a regular basis. It’s always a pleasure to hear about what is going on in their lives and share a laugh over some fond memories working together in the past.
PI: Why do you think it’s important to acknowledge this milestone and celebrate with Color Ink supporters?
Meissner: It is so rare these days to see privately-owned printing companies survive and thrive in this industry of constant change. We’ve been fortunate to survive because of the commitment and hard work of our employees and the support of our families.
PI: Anything special planned that you can share?
Meissner: The open house will be a typical summer barbecue with an opportunity for everyone to check out the facility and just enjoy interaction with familiar faces. We’ve also asked attendees to wear any company swag they may have kept over the years and bring any relevant artifacts or pictures for us to share at the event.
Ashley Roberts is the Managing Editor of the Printing & Packaging Group.
