Copresco—a digital printing pioneer in the graphic communications industry—is celebrating its 30 anniversary.

When the company opened for business in a one-room Wheaton office in 1987, there was no email, iPhones or Android devices, and desktop publishing was in its infancy. Offset printing was king. Large printers running massive four-color jobs made the headlines in graphic arts media. 

Copresco President Steve Johnson believed that the future of printing was in digital technology and formed an organization specializing in the overnight printing of books and publications. “We were one of the very first companies to use digital imaging technology for book manufacturing,” Johnson says.

"Long before on-demand became an industry buzzword, we were turning out high-quality, short-run work in extremely short turnaround times," Johnson added. "We have always thrived on doing the impossible, taking on projects that others can't or won't handle. Our clients get the best of both worlds. With a journeyman staff averaging a dozen years with our company, no one in our field can offer more skill and experience, combined with the most up-to-date proven technology.”

The company’s digital presses produce millions of impressions for a diverse range of clients. Projects include catalogs, training manuals, textbooks, directories, calendars, cookbooks, planograms, workbooks, booklets and yearbooks.

Study after study proves the superiority of printed books and publications over electronic media. Print quantities are getting smaller, which has contributed notably to the growth and success of Copresco’s digital on-demand services.

Short-run, on-demand paperback books are an expanding market. Publishers like Copresco’s two to three-day turnaround schedules that get books to the market faster—and eliminate waste and inventory. Reprinting can be done quickly and economically.

Copresco continues to grow and expand its technology base. Within the past two years, the firm has completely updated and modernized its digital press lineup, including installation of one of the first Ricoh Pro C9100 digital color printers in the country. “We can now print sheets up to 27-1/2” long, a major achievement for high-volume digital printing. These oblong sheets are perfect for book covers, dust jackets and six-page brochures,” Johnson explained. 

New laminating equipment enhances the aesthetics and adds value to the covers of books, booklets, catalogs and calendars as well as technical and marketing publications. Recently added bindery equipment has significantly increased coil binding production capacity for clients’ wire and plastic-coil bound books.

Copresco’s walls are covered with an impressive array of prestigious awards and honors from customers, the graphic arts industry and professional organizations. Achievements include international awards for printing excellence as well as recognition for quality and innovation from equipment manufacturers and graphic communications industry publications.