The Paperless Revolution can’t be denied. Service providers, banks, hospitals and all manner of companies have moved their business online, seemingly leaving printing a thing of the past. The structure of the printing industry has no doubt evolved and, as a result, many printers have permanently closed their doors.
Over his 30 years in purchasing and print management, David Blain, Director of DCL Print Solutions and Purchasing, has seen this change first hand. Where once there was a lot of print waste, people are now more conscious of and want to curb wastefulness.
“Now, because of tech progress, people print a lot less … just what they need,” he said.
While this shift in people’s behavior has led to many failed businesses, a handful of companies have changed their model and become key players in the market. Along with DCL Print Solutions, David is riding the new wave of the print industry.
Adapting to the needs of the market, DCL Print Solutions specializes in small, print-on-demand runs.
“Our customers love the concept of print-on-demand. because they can order just what they need at that time,” David said. “Our client base includes technology, pharmaceutical and solar companies.”
The logistics side of DCL feeds the print side with customers who need branded boxes, marketing collateral and promotional products. Most everything is executed internally and all items can be bound, kitted, inventoried and shipped all under one roof.
“Our value proposition is, because DCL Print Solutions is under the DCL family of companies, lead times are shortened and accountability is tied to one partner,” David said. “As long as we provide a quality product, there is a synergy in having projects managed under one roof — from printing to fulfillment.”
DCL Print Solutions’ marketing and product fulfillment activities are powered by client marketing portals, which empower customer administrators to establish budget tiers for their employees, roll out assets to be printed on demand, and inventory promotional items to be fulfilled to their sales force.
When he isn’t at work, David — an avid tennis player — can most likely be found on a court. With his longstanding career in purchasing, his role at DCL Print is pretty much Match Point. And while the digital age has caused instability in print management, David sees a bright future for companies, like DCL Logistics, that take a lean approach.
“Printing will never go away,” he said. “It’s just smaller and leaner.”
Tags: Employee Spotlight, Fulfillment Articles
