HIGH POINT, NC -- Graphic Printing Services, Inc., is again expanding and making a significant investment in new technology and equipment to greatly expand its capabilities to include wide-format graphics, signage and digital printing.  This is Graphic's 10th major expansion since its beginning in 1985.
   
The company is also changing its name to Graphic Visual Solutions to reflect the progressive nature of the company and the full spectrum of solutions that it will now provide. Graphic Visual Solutions will offer its customers a portfolio of visual solutions that includes print, labels, packaging, digital printing, wide-format graphics and signage, direct mail, fulfillment and graphic design.

The company, located at 4301 Waterleaf Court in High Point's Piedmont Centre, is branching out beyond its traditional printing, labels and packaging to include additional imaging and visual solutions such as digital printing and wide-format graphics and signage.  This expansion will include:

- a $2 million investment in new technology that will include over 10 NEW state-of-the-art pieces of digital and imaging equipment;

- a 5,000-square-foot digital production area; and

- most importantly, the hiring of 5-10 additional employees at its 80,000-square-foot facility in High Point's Piedmont Centre. 

When these additional jobs are filled in the next few months, Graphic Visual Solutions will have a total of over 80 employees.

Bryan Hall, Graphic's President and CEO, said, "We are excited to be expanding our diverse portfolio of imaging and visual solutions to now include digital printing and wide-format graphics and signage which will be up and running in late December and early January.  Graphic will be the first company in North Carolina to install this new technology from Hewlett-Packard and only one of a few in the entire southeast to offer the ability to print and image directly on any rigid substrate up to two inches thick and on flexible substrates up to 87 inches wide. We will be able to directly image onto a wide range of materials such as paper, plastic, glass, vinyl, metal, textiles and even wooden doors.   This investment will allow us to offer our customers a total solution for their printing, digital imaging and wide-format needs that are all color-coordinated to better manage and promote their brand." 

The $2 million investment in additional technology and equipment will allow Graphic to supplement its current capabilities of commercial printing, labels and packaging with short-run digital printing, variable data printing, web-to-print, point-of-purchase/sale, indoor and outdoor signage, banners, backlit displays and textile imaging all under one roof.  The company will also offer new finishing capabilities to include UV coating, film laminating and three-dimensional cutting and routing for unique and eye-catching graphics and displays.  The company, which won an award in 1994 for being the fastest-growing printing company in the United States, has expanded every three to four years since the company was founded in 1985.
 
Just last year, Graphic completed a $5 million equipment expansion to further supplement its capabilities in commercial printing, flexo labels, and folding-carton packaging. The expansion included a new 40" 8-Color Komori Perfecting Printing Press, a new 13" 8-Color Nilpeter Flexo label press as well as additional investments in workflow automation.

The company is very involved in making the community a better place to live.  In the past ten years, Graphic has contributed over $1 million dollars to help local non-profit organizations and foundations enhance and improve the quality of life in the greater Piedmont Triad Community.

The company has a number of initiatives in regard to environmental stewardship and sustainability including being one of the few companies in the Triad certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Graphic recycled 700 tons of paper in the past year.  This effort saved 12,000 trees, 5 million gallons of water, 1,400 barrels of oil, and 3 million kilowatts of energy which would power approximately 300 homes for one year. 

The company has won numerous printing industry awards in the past decade including over 150 awards for exceptional print quality and has been named the "Best Place to Work in America" by Printing Industries of America three times.  Hall sees this substantial new investment as a means of providing its customers broader capabilities along with superior quality, turnaround times and value in order to help them achieve their goals and grow their businesses which is particularly important in the current challenging economic environment. 

"Graphic Visual Solutions goes beyond investing millions of dollars in new technology, workflows and automation, developing unique techniques and systems to better utilize our advanced printing technology.  Through employee training, lean manufacturing and advanced quality processes we provide unique printing, imaging and visual solutions to our customers that allows them to grow their businesses.  We strive to be their partner in making them more successful while at the same time providing them superior quality, quick turnaround and value," said Hall.

Loren Hill, President of the High Point Economic Development Corp., said, "Graphic has grown four times in my eight years in this job.  Impressive is how I describe the company's creation of jobs, additions to High Point's tax base, and the quality of their work."