Local commercial printer DPI has adapted to industry changes

Matthew Daneman, Staff writer(November 20, 2007) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

DPI of Rochester Commercial Printing, with new offices and millions of dollars in new digital printing equipment, scarcely resembles its roots.

The company started 20 years ago doing proofing and image color correction work for local commercial printers. When printers started doing that work in-house in the 1990s, DPI became an offset commercial printer.

And with increasing demand for the capabilities of digital printing — short press runs and personalized materials — DPI largely has partially reinvented itself again.

Inside the company's new 25,000-square-foot location at 1560 Emerson St. sits a 2007 Komori Lithrone, a behemoth of a six-color offset press, plus two new Hewlett-Packard Indigo digital presses and a variety of equipment for short press runs.

The investment was $5.3 million for the building and new equipment. But going into digital printing was a business necessity to stay viable, said President James Stanley.

An investment like the $3.3 million Komori "brings a lot of trust and comfort from the client base," said co-owner and Executive Vice President Matthew Kellman.

DPI specializes in direct mail and marketing materials for local advertising agencies, colleges, manufacturers and other clients.

In 2002, the company had revenue of slightly less than $4 million. For this year, it anticipates revenue will hit about $8 million, with expectations $9 million-plus in 2008. Employment has grown from about 30 in 2004 to 49, and likely will grow to 58 next year, Kellman said.

Digital printing is one of the engines pushing growth in commercial printing, according to a study about the commercial print industry done earlier this year by market research firm Freedonia Group.

The industry is expected to grow to $82 billion by 2011, according to the report, with digital making up more than $10 billion, up from around $6 billion now.

For years DPI had been on South Clinton Avenue before moving to Emerson in October. It has since sold off or traded in most of its old equipment from the South Clinton site.

"We were never down a day" during the move, Kellman said, adding that the company posted record one-month sales in October.

The move gave DPI more and better space, Kellman said.

"You don't want to worry about the roof leaking when you're worrying about a quality print job."

Press Contact:
Matt Kellman
Executive Vice-President
DPI of Rochester LLC
Commercial Printing
1560 Emerson Street
Rochester, NY 14606
Phone : 585.341-3100
Email : matt.kellman@dpirochester.com

About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructures, global services business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended Jan. 31, 2006 HP revenue totaled $87.9 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com About DPI of Rochester, LLC., Commercial Printers

DPI is one of the premier commercial offset printers in the upstate New York area. DPI produces award winning direct mail programs, point-of-purchase, packaging, annual reports, commercial top sheets and litho labels for nationally recognized companies such as Eastman Kodak, University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Constellation Brands, Frontier Communications, Time Warner and more.

Along with the most updated, state-of-the-art equipment, and a highly knowledgeable staff, DPI is one of the fastest growing companies in Rochester, New York. DPI prides themselves on unparalleled service, quality and reliability. Please visit DPI of Rochester’s new website to see how their new digital printing technology can help your business at www.dpirochester.com.