Lehigh Press Expands Its Capabilities

Broadview, IL—Lehigh Press has made what it calls a major equipment addition at its Lehigh Cadillac Direct direct marketing division here. The installation is a custom-built, full-size, six-unit Heidelberg M-1000 web press.

Raymond A. Frick, CEO and president, points out that under the leadership of Lehigh Cadillac Direct President Paul Palmer, the division's revenues grew more than 20 percent in 1998. To drive the division's continued growth, Lehigh Press has launched a $14 million, corporation-wide, capital investment program concentrating on the installation of cutting-edge technology including presses, digital prepress and finishing systems.

"The added press capacity is just the start," Frick reveals. "It immediately expands our capabilities and provides the opportunity to compete aggressively for new business."

The new heatset web offset press includes an in-line finishing system, an extended drying oven to optimize print quality and an oversize cutoff that gives customers a wider range of product size options. The press is fully upgradeable with modules that provide specialized functions. The modularity feature of the press allows Lehigh Cadillac Direct to add the newest technological advances as they are released.

Palmer notes that the new press provides Lehigh Cadillac Direct with an important gain in productivity and a powerful sales tool.

"We now have in place the capability to deliver a much wider range of exciting printed products to our customers. By offering customers more size and finishing options, we're opening a whole new spectrum of opportunities for them to develop and efficiently produce materials that can be even more creative and effective. The press addition also underscores the underlying strength of our company, and of our resolve to commit our resources to serve our customers' needs now and in the years ahead."

In addition to his company's commitment to new technologies, Frick also credits the success of all Lehigh Press divisions to the performance of its sales, manufacturing and service teams.

"When you see how the dedicated people in our organization enthusiastically embrace new printing technologies and quickly bring new systems up to maximum productivity, then you can understand why we're so confident about the future of Lehigh Press."

Founded in 1924, Lehigh Press includes four divisions: publishing components, direct marketing materials, electronic prepress, and pharmaceutical inserts and labels. With four manufacturing facilities, The Lehigh Press has approximately 500 employees. The company's total sales are expected to exceed the $125 million mark in 1999.