Meridian Printing Invests More Than $5 Million in New Printing Presses

The first of two Komori six-color presses has just been delivered to Meridian printing at 1538 South County Trail, arriving on four tractor trailers. The two presses, which will replace three older units, are more efficient and according to partners Bob Nangle and Steven Lee will lay up color much faster, getting more done in less time.

Nangle and Lee say the investment in new equipment represents job security for the company and their 65 employees. When the presses are in place they feel they will be well positioned and once they get through the next 12 to 24 months, they expect to see an increase in business that will allow them to hire more people and continue to grow.

The project was funded through an Small Business Administration loan, underwritten by Washington Trust. The two owners say their investment is evidence of their commitment to Rhode Island.

In a tough economy, partner Steven Lee says Meridian has been fortunate not to have layoffs and has hired two people in the last six months, a trend they hope to continue.

Right now the company is busy, which they admit is due in part to the loss of some of their competitors. Several years ago they tackled the New York City market and now have two sales people there, plus one in Connecticut. That strategy has paid off.

Lee says the company is also seeing changes on the secondary side of the market. He has had some feedback from colleges and universities that alumni donations diminished somewhat as the institutions tried to replace magazines and publications by going digital.  Now they seem to be returning to traditional print pieces.

Online publishing has a place, according to Lee, but that is not what Meridian does. “We still believe the traditional printed piece will not ever be replaced by digital,” he says. “Touch and feel is very critical.”

Meridian Printing was founded in the late 1970s. Nangle joined the company in 1997 and he and Lee acquired it in 2002.

The company is described as a premier quality printer with a nationwide high-profile client base.

On their web site, they boast of being one of the world’s finest printing companies in the museum, retail, commercial, financial and educational markets, with a portfolio that includes finely-illustrated books, product catalogs, college publications, travel brochures and limited-edition posters.