NEW LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ANNOUNCED
October 25, 2023
Royal, one of the Midwest’s leading independent print manufacturers, is pleased to announce the following leadership changes.
Kim Suchy is being promoted to the position of General Manager. Kim has held positions in inside sales, account management, marketing and sales management during her 22 years at Royal. In her new position, Kim will be responsible for managing sales growth within our company and overseeing both production and sales.
According to Royal’s President and Owner, Tim Urness, “Kim has proven herself to be a strong leader in each position she has held. She is a respected leader in our industry and most recently won the Manager of the Year award from Printing Industry Midwest. Her years of experience at Royal have given her a great understanding of our company’s brand and culture.”
In addition to his current position as Plant Manager, Keith Futhey will be taking on a larger role in helping to plan complex projects. He will also work closely with our sales team and our clients to help troubleshoot product quality or other technical issues. Keith has been a part of the Royal team for over 40 years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position.
Mitch Boswell is being promoted to the position of Production Manager/Supervisor. Mitch has been a part of the Royal team since 2003. In his new role, he will be working with the production team on daily scheduling and will also help make decisions on production staffing and equipment changes. He will also work with our production team to ensure that orders are produced efficiently and accurately.
Kristie Johnson is being promoted to the position of Customer Service Manager. Kristie has been a part of the Royal team since 1996. Her previous experience includes working with the bindery team, warehouse team, and shipping team before moving into the sales department. In her new role, Kristie will lead the sales and account management team and will work with key growth clients.
Congratulations to Kim, Keith, Mitch and Kristie on their new roles within our company.
update regarding supply chain disruptions
September 22, 2021
To our Valued Distributors:
There continues to be significant supply chain issues related to paper and raw materials, which increases lead times for Royal and all other printing companies. Paper mills are operating at full capacity, mill inventories are at historically low levels, allocations have been put in place, and input and transportation costs continue to rise. These disruptions have reduced our ability to accommodate short lead time requests.
Some raw materials are taking 6 to 8 weeks to ship, so we strongly encourage you to inform your clients about these supply chain disruptions and motivate them to order early. Currently, our lead time for production is a minimum of 8 weeks if raw materials are not readily available.
We understand this is frustrating and are working hard to minimize these disruptions as much as possible. We will work with you on a case-by-case basis to find alternative solutions to meet your needs. We appreciate your support as we navigate this difficult supply chain environment together.
We thank you for your partnership and continued support. Together, we can continue to succeed in this rapidly changing industry.
ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT TEAM WINS PIM AWARD
June 17, 2021
We are proud to announce that our account management team was named “Outstanding Team of the Year” at the Printing Industry Midwest’s Star Awards Banquet on June 17th. Their selection was based on their performance in 2020, as they improved efficiencies, implemented new technologies, and met departmental goals, while also supporting each other and our company. We are proud of our team and the way they embraced the challenge to help our company succeed in 2020 and beyond. Congratulations!
Pictured: Kristie Johnson, Sierra Maurer, Jill Neitzel
Not Pictured: Teri Prokott, Luke Van Asch, retirees Debbie Koep and Dale Yant
- Steve Johnson Celebrates 40 Years
- RISING STAR AWARD WINNER
- Tim Van Norman Celebrates 40 Years
- Royal Announces New Owner
- Thank You!
- Keith Futhey Celebrates 40 Years
- Karen Lindquist Celebrates 40 Years
- Follow us on LINKEDIN
- Royal Sponsors Local PSDA Event
- Royal Celebrates 40th Anniversary
- Royal Expands Flexo & Digital Print Capabilities
- Paper Price Increases Announced
- Royal Announces New Capabilities: Label & Flexo Print
- Royal Announces New President
- Paper Price Increases Announced
- Royal Purchases Variable Imaging Equipment
- Royal Installs New Press
- Royal Launches New Web Site
Tools
Case Studies
GOAL: TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH PREVIOUS VENDOR
We worked with a local distributor on a machine-applied label item that he was producing with a different vendor. The distributor was having several quality problems and was looking to move the order to a vendor who could eliminate those issues. We developed a customized checklist and quality control process specific to this item. We have been running this order for over a year now without issue.
GOAL: TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF PRODUCT
We worked with a distributor who had a specialized preprinted check program with a mail house. They were having a lot of problems with offsetting and dry time, so we offered to produce the orders with UV drying on both front and back. This move allowed us to earn the business, and solved several problems for the end user. The ink was cured immediately using our UV technology, allowing the forms to be imaged as soon as they were received by the end user. The UV drying also resulted in sharper color without offsetting.
GOAL: TO EARN NEW BUSINESS
We started working with a local distributor who wanted to earn new business from a large local company. Representatives from the end company met jointly with us and our distributor. Together, we toured our facility, and the end company was pleased with the results. We proceeded to set up the artwork and run some test forms. During the test process, we decided to invest in some new equipment to provide a higher quality barcode on the end product. We also recommended a change in paper stock to save money. The end company ended up awarding us the business, and we have now been producing large volume orders for them for over several years.
GOAL: TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE
A distributor came to us with a unique label, matte with a spot gloss pattern overlay. The order had been produced by a different vendor, but the ink started chipping off the bottles once the label was applied. The original vendor remade the labels with their proposed solution and it was supposed to be better but had the same disappointing result. The distributor reached out to us and after a couple of meetings, we had a detailed analysis of the label and a proposed solution to the problem. We produced samples at no charge for our distributor to show their client. The end result was a much more durable label achieving this same tricky design all at a very competitive price point. The end client placed an order with this new alternative and, in the words of our distributor: “Thanks to Royal, I feel confidence has been restored.”
GOAL: TO CUT COSTS
A local distributor had a large program established with a marketing company to provide them with materials. They were looking for ways to cut costs. We were able to streamline their processes in down, and therefore we were able to capture the business. Our suggestions included changing to a select list of standard inks, and redesigning the artwork to include lockup. Our full prepress department handle and modify their artwork as necessary to keep the layout and color consistent.
