Marshall & Bruce Printing Rebounds After Devastating Flood

“We told our customers that we would understand if they temporarily needed to work with another printer. That preserved a lot of relationships and we lost no major clients in the flood’s wake,” Smith reports.

Almost as devastating as the flood was the realization that he would need to reduce his workforce to save the company. The looming layoff haunted Smith and created as much anxiety as all the other issues. By far it was his most difficult task, he says.

As the KBA press was being rebuilt and returned to working condition, other key equipment needed to be replaced. Marshall & Bruce lost its platesetters and computer systems, as well as bindery equipment. Damage to its materials and paper were significant as well as finished goods. Luckily, the firm uses a three-tier storage system and only the first tier was damaged by the flood. In all, the firm’s loss was assessed at $2 million.