Craig Clark is the marketing director at Advance Business Graphics (ABG). He says he had a transfusion of ink into his blood at the age of 14 - the rest is history. As a hobby, Craig printed business cards in a garage. After high school, he received a Print Management Degree from Cal Poly State University then a Masters Degree from Claremont Graduate University, Peter F. Drucker School of Management. Craig worked for 19 years at R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Los Angeles where he performed billing, customer service, production/strategic planning and marketing functions. Craig is currently at Advance Business Graphics, a world-class literature and digital imaging facility with a 45 year history in forms printing, commercial print and direct mail.

Capabilities include document and print management, literature fulfillment and distribution services, inventory and warehouse management, billing and mailing services, production of labels, business forms, business cards, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), full color and on-demand printing. With a historical base in business forms, the company has 11 rotary business forms offset presses, 5 digital service printers, 3 labels presses, 14 commercial offset presses, 5 collators, addressing/mailing/inserting equipment, full bindery and prepress to support a diverse manufacturing operation.




Tell us about the corporate structure of Advance Business Graphics.

We continue to grow in literature fulfillment, on demand digital print and our core business of print management accounts. Our recent segmenting of our business into three distinct operating business units - Advance Technology Services, Advance Print Solutions and Advance HealthCare Services - allows us to align our value proposition to meet the distinct needs and growth opportunities in each market. Our growth, both in sales and infrastructure has created an efficient, all-under-one-roof, value to a vital customer base.

What is your annual revenue and what services comprise those sales?

Annual sales is expected to exceed $50 million - In addition to the above business unit matrix, our operations produce fully contained print management opportunities, from creation and design, commercial print, business forms, labels and tags, direct mail, customer retention, invoicing and billing, digital imaging, fulfillment, warehousing, internet enabled ordering interface, and marketing support.

Advance Business Graphics bundles its products and services around unique applications targeted to relieve our customer's specific "points of pain" among a diverse market mix. Using the latest technology that enables end users to access information directly from their own desktop, ABG provides added value to our customers. This added value benefits our customers in the form of effective information management, enhanced productivity and ongoing purchasing efficiency.

What investments have you recently made and how have they paid off?

Technology continues to be major focus for investment, in both machines, education and physical expansion. Our newest 70,000 square foot Digital Imaging and Fulfillment Center is a great example of the investment in these growth operations. Through staffing our organization with "the best and right people", we have specific growth initiatives and strategic plans in place to support this expansion.

What are buyers doing in your market to reduce their print spend if anything?

Prudent purchasers of print will look beyond the cost per piece and evaluate what it costs to procure, inventory, distribute and lose in obsolescence. Reducing the number of vendors and streamlining the process in placing orders are now key. Outsourcing non core operations will be more of the "norm" as businesses are focused on defining "their" business, that which they deliver value.

You built your own e-Commerce system, how is that going?

With abg AdvanceNet, our own e-commerce purchase, proof and inventory control and delivery network, we have a world-class system already proved successful for over 250 customers. It has been in place for over 5 years. ABG's work with Ariba, as the first supplier on-line with their 7.0 solution, has enabled California's third largest commercial bank to allow 3000 bank employees electronically source and purchase goods an services from ABG.

Many businesses in your segment have struggled to actually grow - what has been your secrets to sustained growth?

Our business has grown at a respectable 7.1% CAGR since 1995, with over 10% growth anticipated in the next 3 years. This growth is a result of continuing to offer added value services to a long-standing wide customer base, diversified operations and solutions, and a consultative sales support staff. Our plans to effectively market growth opportunities in our Advance Technology Services business unit is a major focus for 2001. With planned growth in this segment alone at close to 40% is a testament to our strong belief in the value proposition we offer.