TGI CEO Jack Glacken Shares Insights on Company's Past Growth and Future Plans

We all have unique narratives to share, but some of the most captivating tales originate from the digital pioneers who experienced and overcame the numerous changes in the printing industry during its rapid evolution in the 1970s.

While some may be considered "gray-haired," many of these pioneers transformed into skilled technologists and craftsmen. What set these survivors apart from the rest? What valuable insights did they gain? What risks were they willing to take?

When I converse with individuals who were a part of the printing industry, such as Jack Glacken, the president and CEO of Today's Graphics, Inc. (TGI), a printing company based in Philadelphia, I am able to observe a captivating journey that spans many years. From the initial days of phototypesetting to the era of e-commerce, TGI has managed to remain relevant and maintain a leading position despite increasing competition.

The A League Apart exhibition at the Cheery Street Pier in Philadelphia showcased the importance of breaking barriers through the stories of the Philadelphia Negro Leagues and their ongoing legacy. Using photos and stories from the past — printed and installed by TGI — the exhibition focused on the players who stepped up to the plate to change the biases and traditions of baseball. | Credit: TGI

TGI started in 1977 as a typographer and, according to Glacken, did well for the first 15 years. "We were a $2.5 million to $3 million shop. We were small, but we were one of the best in the city," he recalls. But around 1991, that business disappeared practically overnight when desktop publishing arrived via the Macintosh.

Glacken needed to have an important discussion about ensuring the company's survival. During the meeting, he took the time to listen to his staff as they shared their ideas on how the company could improve. Because TGI worked with many agencies and designers who valued their creative freedom, making some necessary changes would improve operations and better serve its clients.

“During the PRINT 91 Show, I gained valuable insights on color corrections and digital printing, which presented a new potential source of revenue for our company,” Glacken says. “This message was reinforced in 1993 when we acquired the Heidelberg GTO DI and Spark technology.”

Recognizing the importance of color, Glacken invested in a scanner, retouching software and the AGFA Select 7000 imagesetter, the largest Postscript output device available at the time. “Though a financial risk was involved in acquiring this expensive equipment, it ultimately paid off in increased revenues for our company," he says.

TGI printed and installed these graphics for the Muddy Run Reservoir. | Credit: TGI

Despite making sound and profitable decisions, Glacken never thought he had all the answers. So, he engaged consultants in 2000, 2012, and 2020 to take the company through a discovery process. "The surveys and interviews they conducted with our customers and employees were clear," he reveals. "Our willingness to embrace technology, and our ability to turn things around quickly, are what set us apart. We never say 'No' unless it's impossible. These values have helped us transform from being a typographer to what TGI is today."

Build It, and They Will Come

Currently, TGI is building its e-commerce work — a whole new field for the company — with Glacken estimating e-commerce is already at least half of his business — and growing. Along with e-commerce, automation is an essential feature. It helps to deal with labor challenges and creates efficiencies through fewer touches. "Profit margins on web-to-print prints are slim for the printer, so it is necessary to optimize production processes to maximize profit," Glacken notes.

TGI sometimes integrates its systems with a third party and creates a hybrid workflow, but customized workflows can also be developed in-house, especially for some large accounts. According to Glacken, the work “just comes in” once that integration is set up. It flows directly to TGI's fleet of HP large-format and HP Indigo digital presses. The system enables TGI to produce anything from yard signs and banners to cards and photobooks for a global market.

"The trick is evaluating which parts of the e-commerce business are profitable and which are not," Glacken stresses. "There are a lot of great benefits to it, and it's a very cool thing that we have developed good business relationships with key players in this space."

These digital and automated workflows allow TGI to do business with companies worldwide, allowing overseas printers to provide onshore fulfillment when they need it. "Our community is fairly small, and we collaborate and help when it makes sense," he adds.

Wide-format graphics are ideal for giving ordinary items — like a workroom cafeteria table — a face lift. | Credit: TGI

When Challenges Bring Opportunity

The printing industry has evolved over the years, and it's interesting to see how it has adapted to the digital age and more recent global challenges. While much of what was once printed has now shifted to electronic formats, print is still in demand. "I believe that print will continue to have a place in our lives, though perhaps not at the same levels as before," he says. "Print and digital can work together in many ways."

Glacken points to a multi-touch, multi-media campaign TGI runs for a High School Hall of Fame annual event as an example of this trend. TGI produces the video and emails and creates an entirely digital program, complemented with a printed save-the-date card, signage, and a 2.5K run program booklet.

"The point is, print still goes along with a lot of things that you're doing digitally," Glacken notes. "While the future of print may be different from what it was in the past, I believe it is here to stay."

Like many companies in the printing industry, TGI felt the impact of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Companies throughout the industry saw business dip in many cases because their clients' needs changed dramatically. For instance, with sales reps no longer visiting customers in person, the demand for printed collateral materials declined sharply. But, according to Glacken, there are signs of recovery. "From the time the pandemic started to just recently, business dipped to approximately 25% of what we used to do. Now, it's creeping back up to 50%. I hope that trend continues," he says.

The pandemic has undoubtedly caused a shift in how the printing industry is staffed. As a result, the recruitment, retention, and training of the industry's future workforce has become a significant concern for print shops — even more than pre-pandemic. This challenge is consistently identified as the Number One issue they face today.

TGI printed and installed beautiful wall mural graphics on Widener University's campus as a way to freshen up a community space and make students feel welcome. | Credit: TGI

According to Glacken, TGI has found an enormous benefit in using staffing agencies for its hiring needs. "The best part is that if the candidates work with us for 90 days, we can hire them if we have an opening," he explains. "It's also a great opportunity for people to try out new skills and see if a career in print is the right choice for them. We’ve brought about seven or eight talented individuals on board using this approach."

And even though TGI has been building its e-commerce platforms and implementing various automated workflows, there's still a need for people. "There's no question about it," he says. "Print is still a manufacturing business, and finding good people remains challenging."

Finishing automation has helped TGI in some ways regarding staffing requirements. One example is calendars. Two years ago, TGI acquired a system that allowed the company to eliminate two steps in a manual process. Workers needed to sort, add a hole punch, and Wire-o to produce a finished calendar. Once sorting is complete, the calendar goes into the new unit, which hole punches and binds the calendars automatically.

Additionally, TGI expanded its product line by adding new accounts for perfect-bound books. This product saw significant growth for TGI during the pandemic.

On the customer side, TGI recently acquired an account that produces high-quality, 5x5" and 5x7" cards — a simple yet potentially high-volume account.

"We prefer to work with products created from templates because it simplifies the production process and ensures consistency and accuracy," Glacken notes. "We are excited about these new additions to our offerings and look forward to serving our customers with the best possible products."

The pandemic created much uncertainty in the economy. Companies would try to pivot into something different to keep the doors open and the work coming in. For TGI, it provided even more emphasis on its aggressive move into e-commerce.

"Think about what we've been through with 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, and then the pandemic, not to mention all the little recessions in between. It's been wild, and you need to have a great team around you, which is why we’ve succeeded," he says.

TGI is facing a space crunch as it has outgrown its current facility. Currently, the company occupies 60,000 sq. ft. of space with about 70 employees. "I need to work on this issue before early 2024, to expand our business with more equipment," says Glacken.

He is also planning to attend DSCOOP conferences in Europe, as he finds it an excellent place to network and get referrals for U.S.-based work that European companies cannot produce.

"Overall, I am satisfied with my career in graphics arts and printing, as well as my personal growth," Glacken concludes. "And I look forward to playing much more golf."