Niagara Label is nestled within the picturesque village of Akron, NY, just on the outskirts of Buffalo. For over 38 years, this family-owned enterprise has thrived. The story of Niagara Label begins in 1985 when Mike and Margie Whitmarsh, fueled by a desire to forge their own path, decided to start a label printing company.

Niagara Label was the embodiment of Mike Whitmarsh’s relentless dedication. Spending his mornings nurturing customer relationships and securing orders, the hum of the Webtron 650 press would fill the afternoons producing labels that Mike would meticulously rewind, pack, and often hand-deliver to his customers.

Within a month, Niagara Label welcomed its first employee. After transitioning its modest 600-square-foot rented space into multiple larger locations, the company found its permanent residence in 1993 in an ever-expanding 30,000-square-foot facility.

A plan for growth
Growth has always been a part of the plan. The Whitmarsh family has continually looked to the future, strategically investing in more space, new equipment, and the right people to drive growth.

While Niagara provides labels for a wide variety of vertical markets, in 2008, the company consciously decided to target the wine and spirits market. It invested heavily in equipment that would allow it to do the embellishments expected for labels in that industry. Currently, almost 60% of Niagara’s business comes from wine and spirits.

Today, the facility boasts nine presses, including three HP Indigos, with A B Graphic finishing units to support them. Knowing that highest-definition decoration is key in the wine industry, Niagara Label invested in state-of-the-art digital and finishing systems, arming it with the capabilities to do just about any decoration standard a vineyard could dream up for a label, including hot and cold foiling, high build, screen/tactile print laydown, UV, matte, high gloss, and everything in between.

A (multiple) family affair
As Mike Whitmarsh built his business, he recognized a leader in Keith Hatswell. Keith came to Niagara in 1994 looking for a summer job. He started sweeping floors, packing cartons, and eventually running the rewind/inspection systems. Keith left for a construction job but soon found himself back at Niagara. He discovered that he had a flair for graphic arts and honed in on the platemaking process. Under Keith’s direction, Niagara Label now has a state-of-the-art prepress department, where it is making its own plates, including certified HD Flexo plates. Mike took Keith under his wing and began to teach him the business, encouraging him to learn all aspects of the company.

Mike’s son, Chris, had always worked at Niagara Label during the summers. After high school, realizing the opportunity the company held for him, he threw himself into the business, learning all aspects of the company and taking the time to learn every job function. Chris would soon realize, however, that he wanted the opportunity to experience something else. With the encouragement of his parents, he left Niagara and headed to New York City in 1998. He was never far from the business and continued to review monthly reports and have strategy discussions with his father. Eventually, he realized Niagara was his home and returned to the company in 2001.

Shortly after Chris returned to Niagara, Keith Hatswell’s sister, Michele Vanderlinden, found herself drawn to the company and joined the team after some encouragement from her brother. She took ownership of customer service, HR, and other administrative duties, bringing a new level of professionalism. Like her brother, Michele jumped in with both feet and was eager to learn the business.

Recognizing that they had a pair of superstars in Keith and Michele and already feeling like they were members of the family, the Whitmarshes invited them to become vested in Niagara by making them minority partners in the business. Today, both Keith and Michele’s sons are full-time employees, and they have many other relatives working alongside them at the plant, keeping the close family atmosphere alive and well.

An award-winning culture
At the heart of Niagara’s culture is an understanding that its employees are more than just workers. The company goes beyond traditional employer-employee relationships and emphasizes the personal and professional lives of its staff. They know that their work is not solely about printing labels; it’s about the people who make it all happen. Michele shares, “We acknowledge the time, effort, and energy that our employees spend here, and we want them to know that we appreciate that.”

By consistently reminding themselves and their employees of the ‘Why,” the company ensures that its workforce holds a profound understanding of their shared mission and the meaningful, positive influence they wield in the lives of others. This commitment is showcased through their dedication to improving the well-being of not only their employees but also their families. Niagara Label consistently extends its support beyond conventional employment obligations, especially when employees find themselves facing challenging circumstances. The company takes great pride in the culture they have nurtured and remains dedicated to both its preservation and ongoing improvement.

Niagara Label breaks away from traditional corporate hierarchy by operating as a cohesive team rather than a collection of job titles. This collaborative mindset creates a sense of unity, where everyone pitches in to keep operations running smoothly. This flat structure fosters a culture of respect, where every individual’s contributions are valued, irrespective of their position.

While the team feels like it has a unique culture and Niagara is a great place to work, this has also been recognized outside of the company. Niagara Label was awarded the Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Award in 2020, recognizing business ethics, respect, honesty, and integrity. The company was also one of Buffalo’s Best Places to Work in 2022.

According to Keith, “At the end of the day, it’s not the awards that matter, but the fact that when people walk through our facility, they see more than 50 people, employees who are genuinely happy to be here. These people are the reason that we do what we do. It’s why we exist and why we are able to thrive.

FLAG Member
The Niagara Label team was immediately drawn to their high energy after meeting John and JC McKay at Labelexpo seven years ago. It made sense to join FLAG because several of their current vendors were vendor partners, and they saw the cost savings benefits of the group right away.

Chris shares, “We joined FLAG and have never actually written them a check. From day one, our dues were covered by the quarterly rebates we receive.”

While cost savings was the number one draw, it quickly became apparent that FLAG offered so much more. The connections between the converter members are invaluable according to Whitmarsh, the group has essentially become an executive roundtable where members can reach out to bounce ideas off one another or ask for help to solve a particular challenge.

The team is thrilled to be hosting the FLAG Annual meeting this year and is especially looking forward to showing off its new spaces. The old office space has been converted to accommodate new presses and equipment, and a state-of-the-art 3,000-square-foot space is being built to house the growing team, including offices, bathrooms, and a lunchroom.

When asked what they most look forward to in hosting the event, Keith says, “We are looking forward to having the FLAG member companies come to our facility and for our employees to be able to show off what they do.”