Pandemic brings challenges, as well as new opportunities, to Bradenton-area printers
The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bradenton brought business of all kinds to an abrupt halt, and pushed what had been a 3 percent unemployment rate into double digits.
Bradenton area printers were not spared the pain.
But the coronavirus did create some new opportunities for printers, with businesses seeking signs, stickers and other items to tell their customers they were open or to remind them of the need to practice social distancing.
“We are probably about 40 percent of what would be normally. When it first happened we took a big hit right away and lost $80,000 of business the first week,” said Mark Pickelsimer, production manager of Manatee Printers, 1007 30th Ave. W.
The commercial printing company, in business in Bradenton since 1977, is known for its high-quality color brochures, fliers, calendars, booklets and more.
Manatee Printers acquired its first four-color press in 1981, and added a five-color, 40-inch sheet-fed press in 1997, and in 2008, installed a six-color, 40-inch Mitsubishi Diamond 3000 Press with all of the latest technology.
“We did get federal stimulus money and that helped our employees get through it for sure,” Pickelsimer said.
Manatee Printers has had to lay off some of its employees and cut back days that it is open to adjust to the downturn in business.
Alliance Print Service, 813 Seventh Ave. W., also took a hit.
For the first week, there was still plenty to do, catching up on back orders, said owner David Ardis.
But after that, business seemed to have run off a cliff, he said.
“We went down to working two or three hours a day. It seemed like that was the norm for a while. It was tough. We were looking for work to do. After the maintenance got done, there was absolutely nothing to do until work started picking up about a month ago,” Ardis said.
Ardis’ sister, April Pyle, who has the nickname “PRINTcess,” said that Alliance’s smaller presses worked to the company’s advantage.
Businesses started looking for companies that could print “we’re open” posters, floor stickers, and company logos on personal protective equipment.
“It is not a paperless world, and the pandemic has brought a new focus for us,” Pyle said. “When many of our customers closed and restaurant dining rooms closed, we took a look at what we needed to do.”
What Pyle and Ardis saw was the need for print products that businesses could post as reminders to customers and staff to keep them safe.
“We have expanded and broadened our business. We are family-owned and operated. I can deliver our products to the customer if they don’t feel comfortable going out,” Pyle said.
Dave Hassall, the working owner of Allegra Printing, a full-service marketing and print communications company at 4230 26th St. W., said his company has been serving the Bradenton area nearly 40 years.
“We did experience a downturn but there were other opportunities. We saw an uptick in marketing services,” Hassall said.
One of the opportunities was direct mail. With many residents stuck inside their homes by the lock down, some companies recognized there might be more opportunity to get their message out by mail. The receipt of mail took on more significance as an event to look forward to each day.
“We are a complete mail house as well as a sign and print business,” Hassall said.
Allegra also picked up business during the pandemic by printing beach closed signs for Anna Maria Island, and using its routers to make acrylic panels to keep customers and business staff safe.
Florida’s jobs figures for May showed that while business has started to reopen, the state’s unemployment rate actually increased to 14.5 percent, up from 13.8 percent in April.
But the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday also reported that the number of workers involved in printing and related support activities grew to 15,300 in May, up from 14,400 in April. In May of 2019, there were 17,000 workers involved in printing and related support activities.
Manatee County’s unemployment rate fell to 12.9 percent in May, an improvement over the 13.5 percent rate reported in April.
