Prairie Dairy raises heifers for fellow dairymen
January 9, 2024
STEVENS POINT – Over the past two years, Spectra Print Corporation has added $6 million worth of new equipment to its 5000 Woodward Drive location to stay ahead of the competition.
“In our industry, in our opinion, the way you can get ahead is to use top, state-of-the-art technology,” Eric Hofmeister, the current executive vice president of Spectra, said. “We’ve made a conscientious decision to upgrade all of our equipment so we are running some of the most state-of-the-art equipment you can buy.”
Equipment additions, Hofmeister said, include a color perfector, saddle stitcher, die cutter, automated cutting system, Stahl folders, digital press with booklet maker and laminator.
“All of our equipment is automated,” he said. “In a lot of the cases, we’re getting done three times as much as what our same employees did on the old equipment.”
A welcome outcome, Hofmeister said, amid a worker shortage.
“It’s allowed us to have our employees shine and be able to produce a lot with the state-of-the-art equipment,” he said. “The equipment’s quite expensive and you have to have good operators on it to be able to run it around the clock – which, if you can do that, is very cost-effective.”
Hofmeister said the equipment has also allowed Spectra to meet customer deadlines.
“We’re able to turn jobs quickly for our customers with this new technology because it will produce things a lot faster,” he said. “Like with our printing press, for example, it uses LED ink, which comes off the press perfectly dry. It’s a process where you are getting files, you’re making plates quickly, you’re printing it right away, you’re cutting right away – you’re able to finish the job much quicker with all this high-tech equipment.”
Hofmeister said the stitcher Spectra has, was the first one purchased in the country.
“So, we’re running some of the best of the best equipment right now,” he said.
Centrally located
Being located in Stevens Point, Hofmeister said, comes with many advantages.
“It is a great place to raise a family, and the work ethic of our employees and the people in this community is exceptional,” he said. “And we’re close to mills and are close to the middle of the country, where shipping and mailing gets done quickly – whether it’s going to California or New York. We can get paper quickly. It all adds up to a manufacturing environment that can be cost-effective.”
Technological advances, Hofmeister said, have supported Spectra’s growth.
“A lot of people ask us if the Internet hurt us,” he said. “Certainly, there are certain things that have gone on the Internet, but it’s helped us immensely. We’re able to get files electronically, send proofs electronically and work with customers all over the country as easily as if they were right here in Stevens Point.”
Currently, Hofmeister said Spectra has about 100 employees.
“We’re hoping to continue growing by adding employees,” he said. “(We plan to) add more equipment as we grow.”
A full-service printing and communications group, Hofmeister said Spectra offers a variety of services.
“We have an outstanding digital department that can do smaller runs,” he said. “We have a creative prepress department that can do jobs from start to finish for our clients. We have sheet-fed and web presses that can do anything from small jobs to big jobs.”
Mailing, Hofmeister said, is a strong aspect of the business.
“As an example, (we did) a project for the Iowa presidential caucuses – we got files for a postcard for almost 300,000 on Tuesday afternoon,” he said. “Because of our new equipment, we were able to print it and cut it – as well as ink-jetting it so it can be verified at the post office – by Thursday. Those are the kind of turnarounds we’re able to do right now.”
Long-standing family business
Originally founded in 1930 as Valley Sales Company by Oscar Hofmeister who sold and distributed trading stamps, Spectra has come a long way in its near century in business.
“My grandfather decided he was going to try to become a one-man trading stamp business and put a printing press in the basement of his house – so he would sell during the day and then trade stamps at night,” Hofmeister said. “We actually (worked with) stamps for many years up until about the 1950s.”
Hofmeister said his father, Richard, joined the business in 1958, installed the first offset press a year later and Spectra Print was born.
“We became more of a commercial printer at that time,” he said.
Hofmeister, along with his brother Hans and sister Heidi, make up the third-generation leadership team at Spectra.
“We’re fortunate we have four from our fourth generation working for us right now, too,” he said. “We’re truly a family business – we have nine family members working full-time right now.”
Carrying on the family legacy with several of his family members, Hofmeister said is “really special.”
“The hope and expectation is the next generation will keep it going for a long time after we’re done,” he said. “It’s more of a legacy as a family than a business in my opinion.”
For more information on Spectra Print Corporation, the services it offers and the new equipment available to customers, visit spectraprint.com.
