BRAINTREE, MA – Superior Packaging & Finishing, the premier trade finisher based in Braintree, MA, has merged with Graphic Arts Finishers of Charlestown, MA, as of February 1, 2017.

Superior is the leader in packaging, bindery, and finishing services in New England, serving customers throughout the northeast and all over North America. The company works in partnership with printers to help them deliver the finest and most effective packaging and finishing solutions.

Superior currently occupies two side-by-side facilities in Braintree, MA, just 20 minutes south of Boston, for a total of 183,000 square feet. It has a history of growth by acquisition and is known for its focus on the customer and on providing high-end services to the trade.

Founded in 1990 as Superior Bindery, the family-owned company became Superior Packaging and Finishing in 2010. Along the way, Superior has acquired Area Trade, Baystate Bindery, J&M Finishing, North Shore Graphics, Pearl Bookbinding, Trade Bindery, Matheson Higgins/Congress Press, Bow Finishing, S & L Mail, and Graphic Fulfillment. 

Graphic Arts Finishers (GAF) will be moving operations from Charlestown, MA, to Superior’s Braintree facility, as of February 1^st. GAF is merging with Superior so that they can vacate their Sullivan Square Charlestown property to begin a joint venture with Berkeley Investments to build 171 apartments there.

The principals of Graphic Arts Finishers – Alan Greenbaum, Michael Greenbaum, and David Greenbaum, will be joining Superior. GAF employees were offered positions in Braintree as well. 

Superior has been built on a model of reinvestment that has lead to its explosive growth and expanded services. It is widely considered to offer the most efficient, cost effective and best quality in finishing and packaging. This latest merger will result in an economy of scale that will continue to improve this model. A customer-centric philosophy – a hallmark of both companies – will be strengthened.

As a result of this merger, Superior’s customers will be able to offer a broader range of services to their own customers, including the following atypical trade services: structural design; digital printing (due to two HP 10000 presses with state-of-the-art workflow); web portal development; digital spot coating; and foil stamping. These are all now available in addition to Superior’s traditional trade bindery and finishing services. 

Superior’s owner Donny Charlebois noted additional benefits that customers will realize from this latest merger, including faster turnaround and enhanced service. “With our increased capacity, we’ll achieve more machine-hour utilization. This means we can lower our cost to the trade, which in turn will help their customers become more affordable in today’s competitive environment.”

Growth by capital investment is also a trademark of Superior. Extensive new equipment and services added this year include case binding, Smyth sewing, a top-of-the-line Bobst Blanker and Bobst foil stamper, MGI digital spot coater and foil stamper, high-speed Zund digital production cutting and scoring system, and a state-of-the-art CNC machine for foil stamping and embossing dies. There are also increased capabilities in the coating and mounting department.