The people behind Thomson-Shore didn't view the recent recession as a problem as much as an opportunity. The Dexter-based printing company took the shrinking of its traditional business in hard economic times as a way to break into new markets, such as ebooks and print-on-demand jobs.
"The recession, in many ways, was healthy for us," says Kevin Spall, president & CEO of
Thomson-Shore. "We took that opportunity to look at what other products we could be offering."
That philosophy has allowed the 40-year-old company to grow to just under 200 employees (and the occasional intern), twenty of which were hired over the last year.
The new staff is now handling a variety of jobs that are associated with the publishing industry. The business is now printing older books, such as the Bible. It's also offering digital printing and print-on-demand services, along with other publisher services.
These new avenues have added up to a growing number of customers, mostly smaller clients looking for smaller orders of niche products. Thomson-Shore has invested close to $4 million in its operations, ranging from new technology and personnel development in the hopes of keeping its growth streak alive through the rebounding economy, too.
Source: Kevin Spall, president & CEO of Thomson-Shore
Writer: Jon Zemke
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