in St ck Volume 1, Issue 1 Winter 2014
A publication of Millcraft
INSIGHT INTO THE PAPER, PACKAGING AND GRAPHIC ARTS INDUSTRY
inside 3 ways to get the most from your digital press Solution-focused packaging The value of print
Doubling up Millcraft acquires Ariva Distribution to improve its breadth and depth of product, increase efficiencies and strengthen relationships with customers
Travis Mlakar president, Millcraft
welcome Into the future As a paper merchant, Millcraft’s goal is to help our customers be more profitable. We used to do that by ensuring they got a fair price on products. Today, we do that by changing. The difference between a paper merchant and a distributor is that, as merchants, we have more flexibility in our business structure to put the needs of our customers first. We then find a customized solution — whether it is competitive pricing, creative logistics or consumer education about the paper, packaging and graphic arts industries — to directly impact our customers’ bottom lines. As part of our goal to provide consumer-based education, we are excited to introduce the inaugural issue of in Stock. Throughout the magazine, you’ll find information on topics and issues to help you build stronger partnerships with suppliers, grow and expand your business, increase your competitive advantage in your marketplaces and improve overall profitability. You’ll read stories with ideas on how to drive efficiency, lower costs and streamline your supply chain, as well as in-depth articles on the latest industry trends and happenings — with insight and advice from Millcraft’s in-house team of experts and specialists. In this introductory issue of in Stock, we focus on adding value. All businesses continuously look for ways to cut costs and maximize efficiency, and we’ll help you determine where and how you can add value. Globalization, technology and fewer manufacturers are transforming the dynamics of our industry. Combine these factors with today’s information-driven society, and one can understand why companies increasingly are forced to justify their existence with hard data. Businesses must be able to answer tough questions, from “What is the return on investment of a print versus online advertisement?” to “How can I use equipment to improve productivity and labor costs?” Of course, we hope that you find helpful information to navigate the challenges you face in your business. But ultimately, we hope you will gain a sense of just how pivotal customer relationships can be for all of us. In Millcraft’s case, those relationships have been at the core of our mission for more than 93 years. I invite you to contact me directly with your feedback on in Stock, so we can be sure to share timely, applicable and insightful content for you, your employees and customers. Sincerely,
Travis Mlakar President, The Millcraft Paper Company (216) 429-9823 mlakart@millcraft.com @mlakart 2
in Stock • Winter 2014
Volume 1, Issue 1 • Winter 2014
contents Cover Story 6 Doubling up
Millcraft acquires Ariva Distribution to improve supply, increase efficiencies, strengthen support and build customer relationships.
2 Letter from the president
Welcome to in Stock Magazine
6
in brief 4 News and trends in paper, packaging and design Features
in the industry
to packaging
10 Editor: Todd Shryock Associate Editors: Laura Green Erik Cassano Danielle Toth Art Director: Lori Smith Production Manager: Andrea Jager Project Manager: Jessica Hanna
10 How to deliver a solution-focused approach 12 The printed word still wields a lot of power 13 Three ways to maximize the value
of your digital press
in the family
translates into strong relationships with customers and employees
14 How family ownership at Millcraft
15 Long-time employee Bill Desantis sees trust
as a driving force at Millcraft
6800 Grant Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44105 Phone: (800) 860-2482
in Stock is published by SBN Interactive 835 Sharon Drive, Suite 200 Westlake, OH 44145 (440) 250-7000
mymillcraft.com millcraft.com Connect on
>
Visit www.millcraft.com to sign up for Millcraft’s enewsletters PaperClips and FullCircle.
Printed on NewPage Sterling Premium – 100# Cover and 100# Text
Visit mymillcraft.com to order online.
3
inbrief Marketers continue to invest in magazine media Marketers aren’t giving up on magazine media any time soon. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, according to third quarter 2013 data from Publishers Information Bureau (PIB). Looking at PIB-member consumer magazine titles, PIB identified positive trends in magazine advertising across platforms. In the third quarter of 2013, the number of magazines with increases in pages and revenue nearly doubled year over year for the period. Not only did print advertising revenue increase 4 percent compared to the same period in 2012, but tablet ad units climbed 17.5 percent in the third quarter and 22 percent year to date. “Marketers are shifting dollars in some instances from print to tablet editions but continue to invest in magazine media,” says Mary Berner, president and CEO of MPA — The Association of Magazine Media.
> To get the latest in paper, packaging and graphic arts industry news, visit www.millcraft.com to sign up for Millcraft’s enewsletters PaperClips and FullCircle.
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in Stock • Winter 2014
> Paper Check-Off Program approved The U.S. Department of Agriculture has formally established the Paper Check-Off Program, a promotional program to showcase the positive attributes of products in the paper industry. Initiated by a panel of industry leaders and approved by companies last November, the U.S.D.A. referendum assesses 35 cents per short ton on printing and writing, containerboard, paperboard and kraft paper on companies that produce or import 100,000 tons or more each year, generating roughly $25 million per year to spend on the promotion of paper and print to the public. Producers and importers who fall below the 100,000-ton threshold and converters do not pay the fee but still receive the program benefits. The Paper Check-off Program is similar to other popular check-off programs such as “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner;” “Pork. The Other White Meat” and “The Incredible, Edible Egg.” According to American Forest and Paper Association immediate past Chairman David Scheible, the program will provide a new opportunity to build on the industry’s long history of innovating paper products to meet the needs of consumer products around the world. The Paper Check-Off Program will also shine a light on the sustainability benefits of paper and paper-based packaging, says AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. Harman says the program will offer a brighter future for the recyclable, reusable and renewable paper and paper-based packaging products that inform and communicate; package and protect; and capture life’s memorable moments. The program goes into effect March 1.
Companies to halt ‘anti-paper’ green claims More than 20 U.S. companies have removed their “anti-paper” green claims used to promote electronic billing and other services as a more environmentally friendly solution than paper, according to Two Sides U.S. Two Sides President Phil Riebel says that the goal is to put an end to unsubstantiated and misleading claims that electronic communications are more environmentally friendly than print and paper. Because the goal is not to embarrass companies about their claims but to stop them, Two Sides works with them individually to achieve a solution. “We fully understand the advantages of electronic billing,” Riebel says. “We just want companies to stop misleading consumers by using vague and unsubstantiated environmental claims and to continue offering no-cost paper options to people who say they want and need them.” Please visit the Two Sides U.S. website, www.twosides.us, to learn more.
Consumers still value catalogs when making purchases Although the number of catalogs mailed in the United States has decreased over the last five years — from a high of 19.6 billion in 2007 to 11.8 billion last year, according to the Direct Marketing Association — research shows customers still utilize them when making purchases. About 58 percent of online shoppers look to catalogs for ideas, while 31 percent have a catalog with them when making an online purchase, according to Kurt Salmon, a global management consulting firm. In addition, the firm found that those who shop using the Internet in conjunction with catalogs spend more money more often than those who only utilize the Internet.
Print tied to greater comprehension and memory While tablets and e-readers continue to rise in popularity — 43 percent of people ages 16 and older own a tablet or e-reader, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey — studies have found reading on paper is more effective for comprehension and memory than reading on a screen. Researcher Erik Wastlund conducted a study at Karlstad University in Sweden in which he administered a reading comprehension test to two groups. One group took the test on a computer, the other on paper. Those who took the test on a computer had lower scores and reported higher levels of stress than those who took the test on paper. These results can be attributed to the brain’s recall process. Humans do not have areas of the brain that interpret the written word, according to a recent Scientific American article. Rather, we use areas dedicated to verbal language and object recognition to identify words and create a mental picture of the text, which allows us to interpret it. The solid form of print, including the placement of text and thickness of the pages, helps readers better place information within a context, as opposed to the transient nature of an e-reader, which provides less physicality. In addition, screens are mentally and physically straining. To read on a tablet or e-reader, the user needs to constantly scroll, while the Studies have found reading LCD lights from on paper is more effective for these devices can comprehension and memory also cause eyestrain than reading on a screen. and headaches.
Visit mymillcraft.com to order online.
5
Doubling
Travis Mlakar president, Millcraft
6
in Stock • Winter 2014
up
Millcraft acquires Ariva Distribution to improve its breadth and depth of product, increase efficiencies and strengthen relationships with customers
L
ike many businesses in this economy, today’s printing companies are looking for ways to do more with less, whether it’s reducing paper costs, improving equipment efficiency or saving time on purchasing orders. For many paper merchants, this means re-evaluating a fundamental area of their business: distribution. “The distribution business is a tough business right now, especially in the paper industry,” says Mike Davoran, vice president of national accounts at Millcraft and a former regional manager at Ariva Distribution. To get all of the products needed to stock inventory — and at a competitive price — you may find your company frequently placing orders with multiple vendors. But over time, the result is higher overall costs and more downtime. “There’s just not enough time anymore to call four suppliers,” Davoran says. “Instead of buying from three or four different distributors, you want to buy from one, so the costs of purchasing, billing and accounts receivable all go down. It’s one-stop shopping.” With this goal in mind, Millcraft successfully completed its acquisition of the Midwest assets of Ariva, a North American paper and packaging supply distribution company, in August of last year. Common ground The Ariva acquisition was attractive to Millcraft for a number of reasons. As the distribution arm of a large, publicly traded company, Ariva was a direct competitor of Millcraft, with customers throughout North America. Both companies shared a strong Midwest footprint, with locations in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Detroit, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. Through the acquisition, Millcraft gained access to Ariva’s customer base, new product lines and team expertise in digital printing and packaging to enrich Millcraft’s already substantial investment in these burgeoning areas over the last few years.
Photography by Jeff Downie Visit mymillcraft.com to order online.
7
“There was strong overlap in markets like Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Indianapolis,” Davoran says. “With the combined facilities and new lines in the different locations, Millcraft has become twice as strong.” For customers, this consolidation offers the ability to rely on Millcraft for a wider range of paper and print suppliers with a single point of contact, says Travis Mlakar, Millcraft’s president. “At the end of the day, the value that a merchant like Millcraft brings is that we’re a one-stop shop for customers,” Mlakar says. “They can come to us and buy products from 15 or 20 different suppliers, and we can bundle those orders together in one shipment in their desired quantities.” Millcraft now purchases more than 300,000 tons of product a year from its suppliers. “That’s a large amount of business that we can leverage to represent our customers’ interests,” Mlakar says. “With Millcraft, they truly are part of a buying group that allows them to take advantage of their collective volumes to ensure the best deal possible.” After months of negotiations, Millcraft announced the acquisition of Ariva to the market on July 22, completing the final transaction on Aug. 1, 2013. Leaders from both sides worked diligently to minimize disruptions for employees and customers, which required bringing on new suppliers to work side by side with existing supply partners. “We really only had 10 days between when the deal was announced and when it closed,” Mlakar says. “During that time, we had to interview more than 150 people. We brought on board 75 and immediately had to train and integrate them into our business.” Because the two company cultures were very similar, the transition went relatively
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in Stock • Winter 2014
smoothly during the quick turnaround period. Ariva had found a partner in Millcraft that shared its structural flexibility, ease of doing business and, most of all, focus on the customer. “When you merge two business units, there’s always the risk of it not all coming together,” Davoran says. “But ‘the customer is king’ is key to both of our organizations. In this regard, we’ve become an even stronger merchant for our customers — on top of having more lines, more people, more trucks and more services to accommodate them.” One-stop shopping Since the close of the deal, Millcraft has focused on bringing employees up to speed, developing training programs, balancing workloads and adjusting inventory for the newly unified company. Customers and suppliers have been especially supportive, as many see the benefits the acquisition will offer their businesses, Mlakar says. Millcraft has added a number of key suppliers on the fine paper side in the acquisition. The company now carries a complete portfolio of the best brands in the
industry, including those made by Appleton Coated, Burgo, Domtar, Finch, Glatfelter, International Paper, Lecta, MeadWestvaco, Mohawk, Neenah, NewPage, Sappi and Tembec, among others. Bringing all suppliers under one roof provides immediate advantages for customers who can simultaneously consolidate their costs, simplify their ordering processes and receive broader product support. “Our customers don’t have to place multiple calls to multiple suppliers to get these products anymore,” Mlakar says. “They can place one call and get all of them from Millcraft.” With the addition of Ariva’s experienced packaging sales team and in-house equipment specialists and technicians, Millcraft can now supply companies — whether printers, manufacturers, distributors or other businesses — with packaging products such as tape, stretch wrap, foam cushioning, corrugated and even custom-specified equipment (including shrink tunnels and stretch wrappers), along with its traditional paper offerings. Moving forward, packaging also gives
“Our job is to be an advocate for our customers by representing their needs.” > Travis Mlakar, president, Millcraft
Millcraft a new avenue to pursue business — supplying packaging for industries outside of printing companies. “If we can’t find new printing business, we need to find new business elsewhere,” Davoran says. “The manufacturing sector in all of our cities is very strong. Printers can buy our packaging product, but we can also sell to anybody looking for solutions to drive efficiencies and save money in their operations.” Supply partnership As the print and paper industries continue to evolve, paper merchants must help their printing customers evolve with it. To do that, they need top-notch talent. Today, 70 percent of the orders Millcraft receives from customers come in between 2 and 6 p.m. and need to be delivered by 9 a.m. the following day. Meeting this demand requires a consistently high level of service and technical support from employees. It also requires a team that not only understands the customers’ businesses but the urgency of response and reaction to their specific needs.
“We want our customers to feel confident in making us their partner, not just a vendor, on the supply side,” Mlakar says. When considering acquisition opportunities, Millcraft looked for a partner with a talented group of employees who offered unique expertise and who could help strengthen its value proposition with customers. It found that team in Ariva. “One of the things that really made us excited about the acquisition opportunity with Ariva was the great people who were with the organization,” Mlakar says. “In our world, we sell a commodity product. What keeps us from being a commodity merchant is the people we have working for us and the relationships we have with our customers.” Over the years, Ariva had invested heavily in specialists to add value for its distribution customers. “As a distributor, we don’t make anything,” Davoran says. “We have to get the product there on time, when the customer needs it and at a competitive price, but a lot of people can do that. Where we feel like we can differentiate ourselves is with our specialists.” Through the acquisition, Ariva brings to Millcraft extensive expertise in areas such as packaging, operational solutions, wide format, digital printing and workflow. In areas such as digital, Ariva hired specialists who had backgrounds in the digital space. For example, Millcraft now has one employee on staff with more than 20 years of digital experience. His focus is to consult
with customers on equipment purchases, workflow management, color optimization and substrate selection. “Now we really can go to our customers’ operations and help them be more efficient by finding ways to lower their overall operating cost, not just the cost of their orders,” Mlakar says. Ultimately, today’s printing companies have a wide range of options for paper supply, from small paper merchants to national distributors. If merchants such as Millcraft want to maintain their long-term relationships with customers, they know they need to provide more than a competitive price on products. Helping customers be successful now means becoming their single, comprehensive source for supply, services and technical support. “When there are lots of different vendors for different orders, nobody gets the full depth and breadth of the customer’s needs,” Mlakar says. “Our job is to be an advocate for our customers by representing their needs. If we’re doing our job right, we become a trusted partner who acts as an extension of their business to help improve their raw material costs and production and operational efficiencies.”
> To learn more, feel free to
contact Mike Davoran, Millcraft’s vice president of national accounts, at davoranm@millcraft.com or your local Millcraft account manager at (800) 860-2482.
Visit mymillcraft.com to order online.
9
in the industry
Front of the pack How to deliver a solution-focused approach to packaging
P
ackaging materials are almost universally viewed throughout the industry as commodities, manufactured and sold to customers for use in their own operations. There is money to be made in the mass production of packaging, so most packaging companies seldom think beyond manufacturing and sales as business drivers. So when Millcraft embraced a solution-driven model for its packaging business, it was a market differentiator. “In a solution-driven model, your mission is not to go out and simply bring low-cost goods to market,” says Gregg Schuliger, Millcraft’s director of packaging. “It is to go out and help as many people as possible figure out where they have opportunities to save money, increase productivity and improve their bottom line.” Millcraft embraced this philosophy when it completed a full rollout of its packaging business three years ago. The commodity aspect of manufacturing packaging materials took a backseat to the conceptualization and implementation of ideas and innovation centered on delivering packaging solutions to customers.
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in Stock • Winter 2014
“It’s an approach that requires an entirely different set of tactics and strategies when you go to market,” Schuliger says. Customer relationships The difference between a product-driven model and a solution-driven model is the difference between sales and building relationships. So when Millcraft sends representatives of its 15member packaging sales team to visit a customer, the team’s initial objective is not to return with a purchase agreement. Instead, it is to perform rounds of thorough research regarding the customer’s business structure and unique packaging needs to find the pain points that result when those needs are not adequately met. In some cases, Millcraft finds problems that its customers were not even aware existed. “Many times, the businesses that we work with are happy with their current packaging supplier,” Schuliger says. “But when you go in and really take a look around, and find areas where they could be improving efficiency and reducing costs, you get them to see things in a new way.” Millcraft recently worked with a manufacturing
“You want to know about the issues they’ve had with production, returns, equipment use, safety, labor force cost problems — everything — because each company has a unique set of circumstances. There are no good cookie-cutter solutions.” From there, the Millcraft representatives take a facility tour to develop a visual concept of the manufacturing and shipping process, asking a lot of questions of the people who have hands on the processes from start to finish. “We really rest our laurels on taking those facility tours and getting under the hood,” Schuliger says. “We take a look at what you’re doing as a company, we talk to many different people working on the production floor, we weigh the pros and cons of everything the company is doing and isolate the areas that need the most attention.”
company that was pouring large sums of money into the upkeep of machines used to wrap pallets of product in plastic film prior to shipping. The company could not afford to purchase new machines until Schuliger’s team recommended a lower-cost plastic film. “We gave them a proposal that could save them upward of $75,000 a year, just by changing the film,” he says. “That, in turn, allowed them to pay for new equipment through the savings. That doesn’t happen if you merely offer a product to a customer. You need to wade in and really do some due diligence.” Finding the pain points Customers are earned. And when you are focused on driving solutions for them, they are earned in the presence of tables, chairs, laptops and notepads. The first stop on Millcraft’s packaging customer visits is the conference room so Schuliger’s team can meet with the business’s executives and process managers. They want to hear, in the key personnel’s own collective words, how the company builds and ships its products and what problems tend to arise in the process. “You want to know everything,” Schuliger says.
The big picture Millcraft wants to sell packaging materials as the result of that customer research, but as an extension of a larger approach to business services — developing the relationships that can lead to stable customer accounts for years to come. Driving solutions is, at the end of the day, about leveraging the expertise within your company to position yourself as a partner and a resource — far more than merely a vendor. “That’s what I realized when I first came here,” Schuliger says. “We possess areas of expertise that not a lot of companies in this space have. And if we leverage that to deliver solutions, we’re going to develop many more loyal customers as we establish ourselves within the marketplace. “I always tell my team to wake up in the morning and understand that someone out there needs our help. It’s not about making us look better; it’s about our clients and what they need and using our talents to help them succeed. If you do that in a solutiondriven model, you’ll succeed yourself.”
> For more information on packaging solutions, contact Gregg Schuliger, Millcraft’s director of packaging at (940) 765-1876 or schuligerg@millcraft.com.
Visit mymillcraft.com to order online.
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in the industry
The value of print The printed word still wields a lot of power
I
n a world of smartphones, computers and TV, print often gets pushed to the wayside. However, print is still a very effective medium — especially when combined with digital. According to a recent chooseprint.org survey, 69 percent of consumers rely on direct mail to receive coupons and special offers. In addition, 60 percent of online brand searches are a direct result of a printed message. “The latest trend is digital paired with print,” says Jill DiNicolantonio, a long-time paper and design specialist at Millcraft. “Print is very tactile. It produces an emotional response because touching and feeling a piece makes it real to the person. It becomes ingrained in their memory.” To get the most out of your printed materials, DiNicolantonio recommends taking an interactive approach. IKEA, for example, uses augmented reality to make its catalogs come alive. With the use of a smartphone app, readers can shop from their own home without the fear of purchasing furniture that does not fit with the rest of their décor. The catalog is placed within the room that the user wants to decorate, and the app senses and measures the booklet itself to create accurate images. Products then appear on the user’s smartphone screen in the correct size and color. DiNicolantonio also suggests using printed materials to craft your brand’s message. With digital media, users control the order in which they access your brand’s message. However, with print, you can craft a story for your audience. You control the order
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in Stock • Winter 2014
in which the information is presented and impart personality through the use of typeface, paper, color and print techniques to subtly convey your brand’s message to achieve real results. “In a multifaceted world, tactile design provides clients a moment to truly connect with their audience, inspiring them to step away from their computers and experience the beauty of image and message,” says Christine Wisnieski, a Millcraft client and freelance art director and graphic designer. “Print is most definitely not dead, and those who claim it is don’t understand how to use it effectively,” DiNicolantonio says. She says that the craft of print is experiencing a resurgence, largely due to the rise of entrepreneurs and the maker movement. Many young designers are discovering older print techniques such as letterpress and love the sensory experience of mixing the ink and cranking the press. “It’s great to see techniques like that regaining popularity,” DiNicolantonio says. “There are so many creative ways to use print, and it continues to be a very viable part of the marketing mix.”
> For more information about how to
make print work for you, contact paper and design specialist Jill DiNicolantonio at jilld@millcraft.com or (216) 441-5505, ext. 1026.
in the industry
Digital breakdown Three ways to maximize the value of your digital press
O
nce a technology reserved for large commercial printers, digital printing is now a staple for most of today’s printing companies. Printers of all sizes benefit from the greater flexibility, convenience and on-demand nature of digital presses, but there’s just one problem: Most companies aren’t getting the full value out of their digital investment. “Digital output is the largest growth area for any one of our customers,” says Chester Quinn, a digital specialist at The Millcraft Paper Company. “But we often see companies that are not taking full advantage of their digital presses or fully understand what digital output can produce for them.” Whether you already have a digital press or you are considering investing in digital, these three tips can help you get more bang for your digital buck. • Keep up with trends. Digital printing, or digital output, has been around for a long time, yet it is a constantly evolving industry. To understand where your company can offer the most value for customers, it’s important to continuously research new digital trends and technologies, Quinn advises. Variable data printing, high-speed inkjet printing and printing on special media — such as synthetics, polyesters and fabrics — are all growing areas for digital print customers. Wide-format printing, used in point-of-purchase displays, car wraps and other advertising, is also a high-growth opportunity for printers that can provide it.
• Weigh your options. When it comes to commercial printing, digital may be faster, but it isn’t always the most affordable or effective option for a print project. If you are printing more than 2,500 images or have a large-quantity job, for example, you’ll get a better price point going the traditional route. The same goes for customers who want post finishing on a piece, such as scoring and perforation. In this case, traditional printing will produce a better quality piece than a digital press. Knowing when digital is the best option for a project will help you deliver better value and higher quality for customers. • Partner up. To make digital output efficient and cost effective, you need a good understanding of the materials used with your digital device — including substrates, inks and supplies — as well as the press itself. Partnering with a paper merchant that specializes in digital output is a way to master both areas. Experienced digital specialists, such as those at Millcraft, can work with you to ensure you are using digital presses efficiently while helping you select substrates and materials that meet all of your needs. “As a vendor of material, we can evaluate any shortfalls on your digital press workflows to increase your overall opportunities in digital,” Quinn says.
> For more information on getting the most from you digital printing, contact Chester Quinn at Quinnc@millcraft.com or (937) 224-3145.
Visit mymillcraft.com to order online.
13
in the family
The
power of family How family ownership at Millcraft translates into strong relationships with customers and employees
E
ven as a child, Travis Mlakar knew he
pany makes for its customers, many of whom
wanted to go into the family paper business.
are second-, third- and fourth-generation family-
“I remember listening to my father and
owned businesses themselves. Without the pres-
grandfather talking about the company and being
sures of meeting quarterly earnings or reporting to
fascinated at how much they loved the business,”
Wall Street investors, company leaders can instead
says Mlakar, president of Millcraft. “They had such
focus more on building lasting customer relation-
great friends within the industry and the company.
ships, says Eric Michel, vice president of corporate
I always wanted to be involved one day.”
accounts at Millcraft.
Founded by Mlakar’s great-grandfather, Harold Keil, who moved to Cleveland to start the business
than some of the big-box stores and chains that
in 1920, Millcraft began primarily as a wedding
we compete with that aren’t family owned and
invitation and stationery supply company before
operated,” says Michel, who has been with Millcraft
growing into one of the largest independent paper
for more than 23 years. “That’s been a big part of
merchants in the country. Today, the company is
why we’re successful. Our customers can relate to
owned by Mlakar’s mother, Kay McKinney Mlakar;
us, and we can relate to them.”
she is the third generation of women to own the
The same goes for the company’s 215 inter-
company after her grandmother, Pauline Keil, and
nal customers — Millcraft’s employees and their
her mother, Jane Keil McKinney.
families. Family values are an important part of the
When he joined the company in 2002, Travis
company’s culture, where employees are viewed —
Mlakar realized his dream to become the fourth
and treated — as an extension of the Mlakar family,
generation involved in the family business. What
not just as workers doing a job.
does being family owned mean for Millcraft and Mlakar? No. 1, it means business is personal. “We have close relationships with customers
“It goes back to the Golden Rule,” Mlakar says. “We try to treat our customers and employees the same way we want to be treated. We want
that, in some cases, date back generations,” Mlakar
long-term partnerships, not just orders. We want
says. “It allows us to be deeply rooted in our com-
everyone to realize that the lifetime value of our
munities in terms of how we operate and what
relationships is worth far more than any transac-
we bring to market. I believe that when you work
tion could be. Profits are important, but they are
with and for friends — and our customers are our
never worth more than our integrity.”
friends — you work harder.”
> To learn more about Millcraft and how it
Over the years, being a privately owned family business has allowed Millcraft to take a long-term view of the decisions and investments the com-
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“We have more in common with our customers
in Stock • Winter 2014
can help your business, contact Eric Michel, Millcraft’s vice president of corporate accounts, at michele@millcraft.com or call your local Millcraft sales office at (800) 860-2482.
in the family >
Employee: Bill Desantis Sees trust as a driving force at Millcraft
The
F
long haul
or 40 years, Bill Desantis has worked for The
I’ll do it.’ That’s the culture we have, and I don’t
Millcraft Paper Company, and during that
think it’s widespread throughout our industry by
time, he has learned a lot about how to do
any means.”
right by customers. Some of the lessons are business basics, such as, “Always maintain trust.” “There’s nothing more important in our business
Desantis joined Millcraft in 1973 after graduating from Ohio University. After his start in the sample department at the company’s Cleveland office, he held customer service and outside sales positions
than our customers trusting us, and us trusting
in Akron, Ann Arbor, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and
them,” says Desantis, senior account manager and
Toledo before returning to Cleveland, where he
commercial printing specialist at Millcraft. “It’s a
works today.
‘can’t-say-no’ attitude. If we can’t do it, we’ll provide another solution so they can find their answer.” Other lessons come from years of building deep
As a senior account manager at Millcraft, Desantis balances his time between customers and mentoring younger sales and customer
relationships with customers and suppliers —
service staff. By helping the next generation forge
for instance, the idea that the customer is always
lasting relationships of their own, he believes Mill-
right, sometimes.
craft will uphold its reputation with customers and
“The old adage, ‘The customer is always right’ is true when you’re handling delicate situations,” Desantis says. “But the customer isn’t always right
employees as a business that people want to be a part of for many years. “The more that the industry is asking for close
in how they think they want to resolve a problem.
relationships in a world that’s driven by the dollar,
You need to bring a solution that might work. It’s
our relationships are standing the test of time,”
really asking, ‘Have you considered this yet?’”
Desantis says. “No matter how big we get, I hope
In his four-decade career with Millcraft, Desan-
we can look back and say we still have a pulse on
tis has always been attracted to the company’s
exactly what our customers want us to be doing
transparent and family-driven culture. As a private,
for them.”
family-owned company, Millcraft can be nimble and
> Have a question for Bill Desantis? Feel free to
flexible in addressing customer challenges without the hierarchy of larger organizations.
email him at desantisb@millcraft.com.
“It’s kind of like camping,” Desantis says. “If something needs to be done, everyone says, ‘OK,
Visit mymillcraft.com to order online.
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PRSRT STD U S POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OH PERMIT NO 1940
6800 Grant Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44105
Serving the paper, packaging and graphic arts industries from concept and design through print production and packaging.
Tested. Proven. Consistent.
corporate headquarters | 6800 grant avenue, cleveland, ohio 44105 | 800.860.2482 | www.mymillcraft.com