www.aslprintfx.com
www.aslprintfx.com

ASL PrintFX, with three production facilities across North America, was considered a successful small business in its own right prior to its acquisition by AWT Labels & Packaging (AWT) in June of this year. The highly decorated producer of labels for the beverage, consumer packaged goods, envelope, and promotional markets has been in business since 1965 and is excited for the opportunities its new parent company provides for growth – both into different markets and for expanding its current business.

Operating as All Stick Label for its first 40 years, ASL PrintFX rebranded and completely “retooled” its business when Charlie MacLean, Sr. and his partners took over in 2004. At that time, the new partners decided they wanted to refocus the company, which previously worked with an assortment of industries, to specialize in producing labels for wine manufacturers. This meant the company needed to invest in new equipment and expand its capabilities for high-end, high-embellishment production.

“That really set us off on the journey that we’ve been on for the past 20 years,” says Charlie MacLean, Jr., who recently took over as president of ASL PrintFX. “It was the big turning point for our business.”

The company now employs 90 people and operates a 55,000 square-foot facility in Vaughan, Ontario, outside of Toronto (its headquarters), plus two US production facilities in Winston Salem, NC, and Napa, CA. After winning the business of many of Canada’s top wine makers, it then expanded into the wine and spirits business throughout North America.

In 2016, ASL PrintFX opened a sales office in Napa, CA, with a desire to grow that area’s customer base. Thanks to experienced sales lead Travis Pollard, the company quickly acquired enough new customers to install a press and began production out of the facility by the end of 2017. By 2021, it installed a 10-color Gallus RCS 330 from Heidelberg, which allowed for multiple inline production processes, including offset, flexographic, screen, and hot foil stamping. The Napa plant now employs 14 people and has grown tremendously over the past six years. “We’re really proud of what we’ve accomplished in Napa,” says MacLean, Jr. “It’s been a challenging but incredibly rewarding journey.”

With its Vaughan and Napa facilities focusing mainly on wine label production, ASL PrintFX’s Winston Salem plant primarily serves the automotive and durables industries. Seemingly an “outlier” to the company’s other customers, MacLean says the automotive industry matches well with the capabilities and equipment that the company runs in North Carolina and has run for the past 15 years. “It’s something that really helps contribute to our profitability,” he notes. “It also complements some of AWT’s existing markets and experience.” With the help of AWT, MacLean believes there is an opportunity to grow the automotive business, which historically has not been of one of the company’s strategic priorities.

ASL PrintFX’s new parent company is a Minneapolis based provider of custom labels, flexible packaging, and precision converting solutions for healthcare, consumer brands, and technology companies. AWT has been in growth mode over the past few years – expanding into new markets and verticals by acquiring multiple businesses.

“For ASL PrintFX, the acquisition is really an opportunity to catapult our business to the next level with the right strategic investments and the right internal partners,” says MacLean. His team is already encouraged by the new momentum it has gained over the past few months as it begins plotting its course ahead. He adds, “It’s been a big change, but at the same time, it’s been very seamless and natural.”

Through all of its changes, Gallus, whom MacLean calls a “partner,” has played a vital role in his company’s growth. ASL PrintFX invested in its first Gallus press in 2004 so it could be properly equipped to produce the high embellishment, high-quality labels that premium wine manufacturers demand. Pleased with the machines’ quality and reliability, the company now owns four Gallus presses – three in Vaughan and one in Napa. “We have different equipment on the floor, but I think the Gallus equipment has really catapulted us to be able to deliver the quality that we needed to break into new markets,” he notes.

ASL PrintFX has also recently purchased new front-end software and inkjet and hybrid printing technology, which it sees the industry trending toward, as it makes strategic investments to continuously improve. “We want to be able to target new markets and better how we bring our customers’ brand visions to life on the shelf,” says MacLean. The company will also continue to look for technology that provides its employees with the right tools to do their jobs and increase overall operational efficiency.

“Our number one priority is always our employees,” says MacLean. “If we treat our employees the right way, they’re going to take great care of our customers.”

He credits the long tenure of many of its dedicated employees to the company’s success over the years with many of them celebrating 20- and 30-year milestones.

The company’s foundation is built on three values: trust, respect, and communication, which he says apply to everyone from employees to customers to suppliers. These building blocks create an open environment where employees are encouraged to bring forward ideas to improve areas like efficiency, safety, and sustainability. “I think by encouraging employees to have a voice, and to use it where they see fit, has really leveraged the collective power of our team to continuously improve,” he adds. 

While noting the current difficulties in today’s economy, MacLean says he’s encouraged by the resiliency of print. “I think we’re in a fairly exciting time for the industry,” he adds. ASL PrintFX belongs to TLMI, which he says does an excellent job bringing people and organizations together to “elevate the entire industry.” Regarding his company’s future, MacLean says, “It’s the beginning of our new success story. Our forecast is strong, and the prospects are good. I think there’s a lot of new wins to come, and I’m excited about it.”