Dallas, Texas - Convenience store giant 7-Eleven, Inc. earlier this year awarded two of its print management and print fulfillment contracts to a new single-source provider. Chris Hetterich, president of Dallas, Texas-based Presslink Printing, Ltd., led a collaborative effort with one of his long-time print supply chain partners to secure the business. The team of printing and fulfillment industry veterans replaced two incumbent 7-Eleven suppliers, including print industry giant RR Donnelley and a Carrollton, Texas-based stationery supplier.

The contract will permit Hetterich and his affiliate to manage and supply printed materials to approximately 6,800 7-Eleven stores in the United States and Canada, in addition to supporting the printing needs of the corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas. The managed print solution encompasses commercial printing and print fulfillment of stationery products and business forms programs. "In part, we supply individual stores with products like employment applications, inventory sheets and store task forms," said Hetterich. "On a corporate level, we supply HR brochures, recruiting forms and packets, stationery, business cards, letterhead, envelopes, loose leaf three-ring binder products, etc."

The scope of services also involves inventorying and managing trade show exhibits and promotional products for 7-Eleven. The company supplies the needed exhibits and printed materials, ships them to the trade show, and arranges for their return. "Print management is all about making life easier for our customers," says Hetterich. "We look at the enterprise-wide needs of an organization and consolidate those needs into one system that will help them to run more efficiently. We make the printing process easier for 7-Eleven. Rather than using multiple vendors, they now go through us. That translates into speedier turn times, better communication, and ultimately, reduced costs. And that's what they really want."

Hetterich has been in the printing business since 1993, and he credits his company's success, including this last achievement, to one key ingredient: trust. "Our customers rely on us to expertly implement mission-critical programs to procure and fulfill printing needs 24/7," says Hetterich. "We're there for them, whenever they need us."