HANOVER PARK, Ill., July 2003 — Beginning in the mid-90s, many color separators were forced to close their doors because their printer-customers started doing their own prepress work. Printers were expanding their capabilities and providing their consumer-clients with more in-house services. Yet, this same investment strategy — purchasing new equipment to provide more services — has helped C. Walters, a small color separator with Big Apple clientele, to survive. A Fairfield, N.J.-based color scanning and film output operation, C. Walters Advertising has been expanding its capabilities since 1999, reports Chuck Enering, operations manager. One of its most recent additions is a new Fujifilm Ninja imagesetter, which was installed last fall. Having the right technology, contends Enering, sharpens the company’s edge in the fiercely competitive market inherent in New York City. “We do high-end color scanning for ad agencies and printers out of New York and New Jersey. For 16 years, we’ve built our business by producing a quality product, quickly and cost-efficiently,” he explains. “However, we wouldn’t be able to stay in business if we were just a color separator. We had to invest in equipment and expand our capabilities in order to survive.” Not only did C. Walters survive, it has been able to change market directions (from mostly ad agencies and printers) to serving major corporations. Having produced circulars for smaller retail chains like Bradleys and Jamesway, Enering says, the company’s technological advancements have enabled it to pick up larger corporate accounts, such as King Supermarkets and Modells Sporting Goods. Much more than a service bureau, Enering reports, C. Walters now offers wide-format printing, color copying and digital copying services. Enering attributes the company’s growth and stability to two important factors. One is having a veteran staff of prepress professionals. Another is having dependable, high-tech equipment. The Fujifilm imagesetter, he says, is the latest example. “The Ninja is an excellent machine. It lays out multiple negatives, which is an extremely efficient way of outputting film. The technology significantly reduces waste and has cut our overhead film costs by about 30 to 35 percent. Plus, we’re saving money by not having to do reruns. “The Ninja is just amazing,” Enering continues. “It’s very easy to operate, very easy to work with. It’s so user friendly, it’s almost impossible to make a mistake on it. And, it’s extremely fast. Projects that used to take 12 hours, now take only three or four. We’re definitely spoiling our customers by turning around work so quickly.” Spoiling customers comes with the territory, Enering concludes. It’s what a small commercial printer/prepress operation has to do to survive in the high-end, highly competitive New York City.