Quad/Graphics Inc. has had its share of struggles over the last year, but the Sussex-based company has continued to invest millions of dollars into Wisconsin facilities and is looking to hire hundreds in the state.
The company marked the completion of a $20 million investment in a new Midwest Digital Supercenter at its Pewaukee facility with a visit from Gov. Scott Walker on Monday. Tom Frankowski, Quad’s chief operating officer, said the new HP digital inkjet web printing press at the heart of the center gives the company inline, custom finishing capabilities and will go live in September.
The supercenter line will have a variety of capabilities for 1-to-1 direct marketing including hyper-personalized direct mail pieces in complex formats produced cost-effectively on a mass scale.
“The investment shows we are committed to our clients,” Frankowski said. “We are a dynamic company that continues to transform itself to remain competitive and remain a great place to work.”
Walker joked about finally receiving a Quad/Graphics shirt with his name on it after making several visits to the company’s facilities.
“I got my shirt, I feel a part of the team,” Walker said, praising the company for investing in the state.
Frankowski said the company is looking to fill 60 full- and part-time positions at the Pewaukee facility and a total of 500 positions around the state. The company received $15.7 million in tax credits from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation last year to support the creation of 500 jobs over five years.
Quad has invested $200 million in capital improvements for its Wisconsin platform over the last five years, even as it has had to close facilities in other states.
The company announced a $100 million cost restructuring plan in November that included plant closures, along with efforts to streamline its organizational structure, reduce costs and improve productivity.
Quad reported a $3.8 million profit for the first quarter of 2016, its first profitable quarter since the fourth quarter of 2014. The company credited improved operations for the profit as volume and pricing pressures pushed revenue down.
