PrintingNews.com

Progressive Solutions, located in Santa Clara, Calif., an 18 year old company, was formed in 1990 by Mark Sarpa and Scott Feldman.

The company started out as a print broker, then added fulfillment in 1991. As customer needs grew, so did the demand for more equipment and services: Sarpa slowly added more equipment, ultimately making the company a digital shop.

"In the 1990s, about 70 to 80 percent of our work in books was outsourced, but as customers wanted better quality and faster turnaround, we found that our partners weren't doing well meeting their requirements. We decided to bring in a color laser printer to print the books ourselves," said Sarpa. In 1999, he brought color printing to the shop with a Xerox 2045.

"We implemented our first Web-to-print system in 2000 with our on-demand book printer. We kept looking at more and more color systems, and in 2003, 50 percent of our work was color. We purchased our first HP Indigo in 2004 and our fifth one in October 2008," he noted.

Progressive Solutions' equipment list also includes a Roland Soljet Pro III large format printer; two lamination systems and a UV coating system; binding machinery including wire, perfect bind, three-hole drill, saddle stitch, round cornering, scoring, folding and cutting; packaging equipment for assembly and fulfillment; and mailing equipment and certification software used to execute mail programs.

On a Mission

Sarpa and Feldman chose the company name, ‘Progressive Solutions' because of its mission to "progressively develop solutions to serve our customer's changing needs." The company aims to exceed client expectations by providing the highest-quality product possible in a timely manner, and creates long-term relationships with its clients in order to help them reach their goals and objectives.

Progressive Solutions also offers intergrated direct mail and online marketing programs that can be customized to its clients' strategies. The company has a successful "three touch" approach that includes:

• Physical mailer—Personalizing the mailer has proven effective. The mailer can be further embellished with dimensional elements such as a gift, custom offers, and more.
• Personalized Web page—The prospect is invited to a personalized Web page to learn more and qualify for additional materials, discounts, etc.
• Follow up e-mail—Respondents receive a follow up e-mail as an additional touch, which might contain additional offers and information. Follow-up correspondence might also include additional direct mail and/or phone calls.

"Last year, we launched personalized kit books for our partners to sell," said Sarpa. "We also launched our Web site that makes it easier for customers to request estimates, place orders, check proofs, or transfer files online."

Variable data printing currently accounts for 10 percent of the company's work. Perhaps the most interesting of its work is personalized children's books.