The challenge

McCormick Armstrong Co. Inc., a Kansas manufacturer, offers a world of printing solutions from domestic commercial sheet-fed and web printing, digital printing, bindery, mailing and fulfillment to a vast array of international production solutions. Revenue across the board decreased in the American print industry due to increasing levels of imports as well as a shift from providing just printed material to becoming a full service fulfillment center to clients. This company has been working with the Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TAAC) since 2011.

The solution

The firm was awarded $75,000 in Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) funding which they matched to total $150,000 to implement the following strategic projects:

• Sales team training
• MIS software conversion to improve operation efficiencies and project data management
• IT infrastructure upgrades to more efficiently process data and improve customer relationship management
• Production related software updates to improve printing capabilities, reduce errors and enhance color output

Results since program entry

• Employment increased from 58 to 65.
• Sales increased from $8.5 million to $10.5 million.