No firm in Western Massachusetts went untouched by the pandemic, however one, Springfield Label & Tape, actually and figuratively, caught to it and stayed in enterprise.
Companions Herman Libowitz and Joseph Souvigney based the corporate with a single printing press in Chicopee in 1963. The enterprise has since grown to make use of 34 individuals, run six presses and has moved to a big, fashionable facility in Springfield.
“We’re a real household enterprise,” says Scott Libowitz, co-owner and vp. Libowitz is a third-generation proprietor of Springfield Label.
He began with the corporate within the gross sales division within the Nineties and progressively took the reins, working alongside his father. He felt a little bit of trepidation as he assumed growing accountability for working the corporate.
“I turned petrified after we started engaged on the succession plan as a result of many companies fail on their third technology,” he says. “And, I didn’t need that to occur on my watch, however we’re doing OK and we’re rising.”
The enterprise has performed higher than “OK”, rising 20% within the final 5 years, growing annual gross sales from $5 million to $6 million, in line with Libowitz.
“One of many issues that’s made us profitable is our means to be buyer pleasant,” he says. “We don’t have 18 layers of forms. If one thing must be modified in a day, it may be performed. We attempt to be buyer centered.”
Springfield Label prints 16 sorts of labels for a spread of industries together with aerospace and protection, hashish and vape, chemical and security, client merchandise, craft beer, wine, and spirits, meals and beverage and lots of others.
The corporate managed to carry its personal throughout the pandemic whilst a few of its most essential companies like candles and conventions shut down utterly. That was offset by different corporations that truly grew when COVID struck.
“We had a number of clients that did develop resembling chemical corporations, disinfectants, wipes, biopharma corporations and aerospace,” Libowitz says.
Springfield Label is investing closely in new expertise because it enters 2022. In truth, the corporate added a brand new digital printer to its tools stock.
“It’s received higher colour stability, (and) it’s going to permit us to print sooner with higher high quality graphics,” Libovitz explains. “We’re trying to do extra customized label printing with fast turnarounds. Firms that order on a Monday could have their labels on Thursday. We’re additionally making an attempt to distinguish ourselves by reaching out to specialised markets.”
The vast majority of Springfield Label’s manufacturing staff have been with the corporate for not less than 20 years. The problem going ahead will likely be changing retirees with a diminishing crop of recruits, as vocational colleges prove fewer and fewer graduates licensed in printing, Libovitz notes.
