Gannett Offset/Minneapolis -- A Winning Plan

By Caroline Miller

When you first meet Doug Mann, the first thing you notice is his positive attitude. Mann, president of Gannett Offset/Minneapolis, just exudes enthusiasm.

Frankly, he's got a lot to be happy about: In the past two years, Gannett Offset/Minneapolis has witnessed a dramatic turnaround. Since Mann took over, the company has gone from $34 million in sales to more than $60 million.

It's the kind of story that few printing operations are able to tell these days. Aside from serving as a satellite printer for USA Today, the plant was recognized recently with the Gannett Offset Commercial Print Site of the Year award, as well as being named a "Best of the Best Workplace in America" by The Master Printers of America.

The success that this Gannett facility has enjoyed is thanks, in large part, to a back-to-basics business strategy that is intermixed with Mann's philosophy that work should be a fun and positive experience.

"When you walk in here you find people smiling all the time. The energy here is just amazing. Customers are blown away by our positive attitudes. But it's not just all sizzle," Mann insists. "We offer them the steak, as well. We have developed an extremely competent staff, a comprehensive product and service offering and, most importantly, we rally around finding solutions to our customers needs. We also don't create false expectations. We don't promise what we can't deliver. Sizzle without the steak is disastrous."

The meat of Gannett Offset's plan began back in April of 2001, when Mann was hired to rejuvenate Gannett's new acquisition, PMC Companies, which had already been through several failed attempts at reorganization.

Mann brought with him his background in commercial printing, including his ability to turn around under-performing companies.

With the help of a new operating committee, the executive mapped out a strategy to get the failing company back on track. That five-pronged approach included energizing and recognizing their work force, cost reductions, changes in sales and marketing, and an intense focus on quality and customer satisfaction.

"We are now enjoying a lot of success, but it is success by design thanks to our turnaround strategy and exceptional overall execution," he remarks.

With a new plan in place, the team first set out to bolster employee morale. "We could not have accomplished what we did without an energized, motivated and caring work force," notes Mann. "We needed to develop that fire in the bellies of our employees."

The company instituted an "Employee of the Week" recognition program that includes a parking spot next to the front entrance. Managers and supervisors are also given the freedom to recognize good work by passing out Gannett Wear such as caps and shirts to top performers. Employees are also rewarded for good work with tickets to local professional sporting events.

Each year, the company hosts a cookout and holiday party for its employees. A favorite event at the yearly cookout is the Dunk-a-Doug tank. Employees can choose to target Mann, Operations Director Doug Wilson or the company's IT director, Doug Holzschuh. The Dunk-a-Doug contest raises money for Toys-for-Tots and helps management and plant employees bond.

Employees That Care

"Communication is critical to us. We need to be in the plant talking and building relationships with our employees," Mann stresses. "We need to share our vision through the company newsletter, one-on-one interaction and group meetings. Workers need to know where this company is going and how each employee fits in. Some people might think that employees don't care, but they do."

The next cog in Mann's plan was a sales and marketing strategy that involved an intense focus on the company's core competencies of printing inserts, publications and catalogs. The plant currently runs two, four-unit Goss C500s with three folders; one eight-unit Goss C500 with two folders; one six-unit Goss World 16 with a folder and a Vits sheeter; one six-unit Didde VIP with interchangeable 14˝ and 22˝ cutoffs; a six-tower MAN Roland Uniset 70 with two folders; and a six-unit, 40˝ Heidelberg Speedmaster sheetfed press. In addition, they have complete in-house bindery and mailing services.

The company also moved to extend its sales boundaries beyond the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. It currently is focused on a nine-state area and is targeting Fortune 1000 companies. In addition, Mann encourages his sales staff to aggressively pursue competitors' best accounts. Although he doesn't want to go into specific strategies, he does reveal having "five children that I need to feed and clothe."

Another aspect of the Mann plan was reducing costs, which did include staff reductions and other measures. "However, we didn't get crazy like a lot of companies do and cut to the bone. We did have some low-value-added positions that we eliminated. We consolidated and offered early retirement plans where we could," he reveals. And Mann went a step further; he also approached suppliers and received significant reductions in non-payroll costs.

Productivity was the fourth element in the plan. "We are very big on day-to-day reporting," Mann reveals. "We are constantly looking to raise the bar. We closely follow the PIA Ratios and are always looking to improve our processes and procedures. Doug Wilson, my director of operations, and his staff have done a nice job here," he praises.

The last part of the success story has been improved customer service. According to Mann, all accounts receive at least two service representatives to ensure that customer needs are being met and understood.

While the past two years have proven to be an exciting ride, Mann is looking forward to the future. "We are constantly improving our business and are on target to continue our aggressive sales and profit growth. We are also looking forward to continue to work with other Gannett facilities to share our success and to help them succeed."