Surviving a Midwest Winter . . .
April 9, 2019: As I sit here, preparing for the latest publisher conference, I reflect on how we survive as Printers. Similar to the US Postal Service, we provide book printing services come rain, shine, AND Blizzards. This has been an exceptional year of records for us in the Midwest. We had the 5th snowiest winter on record (that record could go even higher this week), and we already broke the record for the snowiest February in history. We are a hardy bunch, and push through the elements to ensure that we provide the best customer service possible even when the weather is against us. We even cancelled an annual tornado drill because of the recent blizzard and flooding. Another statistic I’d like to share, is that we are listed as #71 Printer on the Printing Impressions Top 400 Printers list for 2018. That’s a statistic that doesn’t make me sad.
A little bit about us: We are located in Eagan, Minnesota. Historically known as West Publishing, we have been in the book printing business since the late 1800s. We were purchased by Thomson in 1997, and then Thomson bought Reuters in 2008, which evolved us into Thomson Reuters. So, who in the world is Core Publishing Solutions?
As I mentioned, we have been printing books since the 1800s. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that we began our outreach to external publishers (we call them 3rd party customers), to provide book manufacturing services for others. A group of creative minds got together, and came up with our new name, Core Publishing Solutions. We had never really marketed ourselves to the outside up to this point, since we were predominantly an “in-plant” printer.
Our external outreach began to evangelize our capabilities as a Commercial Printer. It started as a one-person team, who helped invent our first website www.BookPrintingTR.com. It was full of frames, and pictures, color, and Sooo much information. The more the better, right?? That outreach worked! We started attending conferences for trade publishers, university presses, and in most recent years, faith-based publishing events.
We keep evolving . . . with a larger team, a clear focus to provide premium customer service, more marketing, and a new and improved www.CorePublishingSolutions.com website, current with the times, including video. Our plant continues to invest in the latest technologies for workflow, inkjet technologies, and offset presses. We are here for the long haul, to focus on what we do best . . . print books. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall (yes, the seasons do get confused here!). And, we just don’t print them, we can warehouse and fulfill for you, too!
To really get an in-depth view of our capabilities, click here to be directed to our 2018 Guide to Book Manufacturing. It literally takes you through every department in our facility.
Just so you know I’m telling you the truth about our ability to survive, Here we are in full-living color!