03.15.12
15 Superior Printing Ink
100 North St.
Teterboro, NJ 07608-1202
Phone: (201) 478-5600
Fax: (201) 478-5650
www.superiorink.com
Sales: $60 million.
Major Products: Sheetfed, UV, waterless, heatset web, flexo and gravure inks, coatings and varnishes.
Key Personnel: Jeffrey I. Simons, chairman, CEO and president; Stan Hittman, executive VP; Harold Rubin, chief financial officer; James La Rocca, chief operating officer; Peter Nunez, VP, finance & administration.
Number of Employees: 250.
Operating Facilities: Fifteen branches and more than 20 in-plant facilities. The company operates facilities through Gotham Ink and Color operations (New York and Massachusetts) and Spinks Ink (Chicago) subsidiaries.
Comments: For Superior Printing Ink, 2011 mirrored its core sheetfed ink market, with plenty of challenges but also some opportunities emerging in new technologies.
“It was another challenging year for many reasons, but in the end we fared well,” said James La Rocca, chief operating officer. He added that there was not much growth in the printing industry in general, as many print venuesremain unchanged while a few fared better than others.
Superior has enjoyed success with its UV products, and has some promising new products in the pipeline for 2012.
“We had better than expected growth with our UV products,” Mr. La Rocca said. “We also made significant progress in the development of some new products we hope to add in 2012.”
In a move that strengthens its presence in Southern California, Superior Printing Ink acquired Ink Makers, Inc., a Commerce, CA-based sheetfed ink specialist. Founded in 1969, Ink Makers, Inc. is noted for its excellent quality and customer service.
Superior Printing Ink had opened its own facilities in Commerce four years ago, and Ink Makers, Inc. will be consolidated into the new facility. Rick Mills, Ink Makers, Inc.’s president, will remain with Superior Printing Ink as Western regional sales manager.
“Ink Makers, Inc. has good people and many good customers, and they will help us expand our reach in the Southern California market,” said Mr. La Rocca. “The company will be moved into our current operations in Commerce, a state-of-the-art plant we built four years ago.”
Raw materials continue to be a concern for ink manufacturers, and while prices seemed to stabilize in the latter part of 2011, supply still remains an issue.
“Raw material costs and supply remained unstable through most of 2011,” Mr. La Rocca noted. “Costs stabilized during the last quarter of 2011. However, supply of some items still remains a concern.”
Superior Printing Ink made some key capital improvements during the past year.
“We added automated flexo ink filling equipment during the last quarter of 2011,” Mr. La Rocca said. “We expect delivery of a state-of-the-art cartridge filling packagingequipment in the first quarter of 2012.”
Mr. La Rocca believes that economic stability is the key to growth in printing during the coming year.
“Stability in the economy will generate a modest increase in printsales using traditional print methods during 2012,” Mr. La Rocca said. “Digital and inkjet technologies will continue to find more applications and secure a larger piece of the print market in 2012 and beyond.”
100 North St.
Teterboro, NJ 07608-1202
Phone: (201) 478-5600
Fax: (201) 478-5650
www.superiorink.com
Sales: $60 million.
Major Products: Sheetfed, UV, waterless, heatset web, flexo and gravure inks, coatings and varnishes.
Key Personnel: Jeffrey I. Simons, chairman, CEO and president; Stan Hittman, executive VP; Harold Rubin, chief financial officer; James La Rocca, chief operating officer; Peter Nunez, VP, finance & administration.
Number of Employees: 250.
Operating Facilities: Fifteen branches and more than 20 in-plant facilities. The company operates facilities through Gotham Ink and Color operations (New York and Massachusetts) and Spinks Ink (Chicago) subsidiaries.
Comments: For Superior Printing Ink, 2011 mirrored its core sheetfed ink market, with plenty of challenges but also some opportunities emerging in new technologies.
“It was another challenging year for many reasons, but in the end we fared well,” said James La Rocca, chief operating officer. He added that there was not much growth in the printing industry in general, as many print venuesremain unchanged while a few fared better than others.
Superior has enjoyed success with its UV products, and has some promising new products in the pipeline for 2012.
“We had better than expected growth with our UV products,” Mr. La Rocca said. “We also made significant progress in the development of some new products we hope to add in 2012.”
In a move that strengthens its presence in Southern California, Superior Printing Ink acquired Ink Makers, Inc., a Commerce, CA-based sheetfed ink specialist. Founded in 1969, Ink Makers, Inc. is noted for its excellent quality and customer service.
Superior Printing Ink had opened its own facilities in Commerce four years ago, and Ink Makers, Inc. will be consolidated into the new facility. Rick Mills, Ink Makers, Inc.’s president, will remain with Superior Printing Ink as Western regional sales manager.
“Ink Makers, Inc. has good people and many good customers, and they will help us expand our reach in the Southern California market,” said Mr. La Rocca. “The company will be moved into our current operations in Commerce, a state-of-the-art plant we built four years ago.”
Raw materials continue to be a concern for ink manufacturers, and while prices seemed to stabilize in the latter part of 2011, supply still remains an issue.
“Raw material costs and supply remained unstable through most of 2011,” Mr. La Rocca noted. “Costs stabilized during the last quarter of 2011. However, supply of some items still remains a concern.”
Superior Printing Ink made some key capital improvements during the past year.
“We added automated flexo ink filling equipment during the last quarter of 2011,” Mr. La Rocca said. “We expect delivery of a state-of-the-art cartridge filling packagingequipment in the first quarter of 2012.”
Mr. La Rocca believes that economic stability is the key to growth in printing during the coming year.
“Stability in the economy will generate a modest increase in printsales using traditional print methods during 2012,” Mr. La Rocca said. “Digital and inkjet technologies will continue to find more applications and secure a larger piece of the print market in 2012 and beyond.”