Printing and Related Support Activities

Employees: 942

Businesses: 77

2006 employee wages: $26.9 million

Nowata Printing Co., Minuteman Press, ColorGraphic Printing

Rick Taylor, vice president and general manager at Minuteman Press, said printers face a unique challenge from online competitors that can offer greater economies of scale.

Online competitors, he said, deal with companies all across the country, and can run several jobs simultaneously or with very little adjustment to equipment settings. Traditional printers, however, have a more individualized approach.

“If I’m pricing a job, I’m not pricing it with 50 other jobs; I’m pricing it on its own merits,” Taylor said.

While national competitors also take away money from the southwest Missouri economy, Taylor said local businesses offer an advantage: loyalty.

“The majority of local businesspeople understand about keeping money local and would rather deal with local manufacturers because it’s a hands-on situation,” he said. “They can look us in the face, and we can build relationships based on similar goals for our businesses and for the area.”