Suttle-Straus Inc.

IT WOULD be foolish to overlook how valuable an experienced, committed and skilled set of employees is to a company. This is especially true in an industry such as the graphic arts, with its strong focus on technology, trends toward computer-based processes and a continued shortage of qualified labor. The latter is an ongoing problem for Suttle-Straus in Waunakee, WI, admits President John Berthelsen, who adds that the lack of skilled workers in the industry has limited the company’s ability to grow and expand as rapidly as he would like. “We have now geared ourselves much more towards identifying and hiring bright, motivated entry-level people and

Vertis Receives Industry Honor BALTIMORE—The Association for Graphic Arts Training (AGAT) recognized Vertis' contributions to graphic arts education and training with an AGAT Industry Award. AGAT Industry Awards are bestowed to companies that have given extraordinary support to the organization, the industry and the training field. Printers' Gift Helps Fill Santa's Sleigh BALTIMORE—More than $17,000 was raised by members of the Printing and Graphics Association MidAtlantic (PGAMA) for charity at the Santa Claus Anonymous Benefit Auction held at Sparrows Point Country Club in December. Milwaukee-based Visual Systems Inc. (VSI), a manufacturer of overhead transparencies and ancillary products for textbook publishers, has hired Michelle Roloff as human

Honor Societies Merge, Induct New Members The Ash Khan Society of PIA and the Society of Fellows of GATF have merged to form The Ben Franklin Society of PIA/GATF. The officers for the new Ben Franklin Society are Robert Murphy, chairman; Kent Martin, vice chairman; William Evans, secretary; and Ted Ringman, treasurer. The Ash Khan Society and the Society of Fellows have inducted 15 new members including: Robert Brown, CEO, Goss International; Wendell Burns, president and CEO, Jones Printing; John Green, president, Automated Graphic Systems; David Langhans; Herbert Hall Provence III, former president of Provence Printing; Charles Vaughan, president, Vaughan Printing; Alfred McCulloch, retired

Trade Binder Adds New Equipment LONG ISLAND CITY, NY—J&M Finishing recently installed a four-pocket Heidelberg Stitchmaster ST 270 saddlestitcher with cover feeder to increase production and versatility in this all-Heidelberg shop. In order to update J&M Finishing's equipment, owner Mike Perreca temporarily replaced an existing six-pocket Stitchmaster ST 90 saddlestitcher with the new ST 270. Perreca plans to reinstall the ST 90 when additional space becomes available. In addition, J&M Finishing added additional pockets to two machines, making the new ST 270 a five-pocket stitcher and an existing ST 270 a seven-pocket system. Founded in 1999, J&M also houses three B-30 Stahlfolders, a TD-56 Stahlfolder, a Stahl

(Editor's Note: Company rankings for the current and previous years are based on figures reported in 2003. Therefore, companies that revised their 2002 revenues may have changed their 2002 ranking as compared with the ranking that appeared in last year's Printing Impressions 400. Similarly, the percentage change in sales is calculated on the most recent information provided.) 151 ('02: 147) The Hickory Printing Group, Hickory, NC Total Sales (Millions): $38.36 Previous Year's Sales (Millions): $40.01 Change (%): -4 Principal Officer: Thomas W. Reese Employees: 237 Primary Specialties: COM 50%; ADV 25%; DM 10%; CAT 10% Web Offset Press Units: 18 Sheetfed Press

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor The whispers that point toward an improving economy are becoming louder and louder. And 2004—some observers are confident—will show a marked improvement in the fortunes of commercial printers across the country, ending a downward cycle that traces to the fall of 2000. Of course, anything above the 2001 and 2002 performances would constitute an improvement. Still, among the ranks of our annual Top 400, tucked in between the masses of companies that experienced flat or negative growth from the previous campaign, are some establishments that have actually soared. We've provided a capsulated look at 13 companies randomly selected from