Meeks Group: Casting a 'Wide' Swath

Want to know a little something about Meeks Litho? Take a look at the company it keeps.

The firm, based in Tulsa, OK, recently embarked on its 51st year in business. There are two significant aspects of its hometown. For one, it used to be known as the "oil capital of the world" and was a major player in the U.S. oil industry throughout the 20th century. But the city has since diversified into technology, finance and aviation, among other areas.

A second noteworthy point: Tulsa is in the heart of Tornado Alley. That tends to keep inhabitants on their toes.

Perhaps Meeks Litho is a product of this environment. It was a small commercial shop for its first 25 years of existence, but once Jerry Crockett—the son of one of the the firm's co-founders, Frank Crockett—bought out his partner Minton Meeks in 1986, he took Meeks Litho down the path of diversification, a journey that resulted in a name change to Meeks Group and continues to the present.

"In the beginning, I worked the front office, finding new customers and exploring new markets," Jerry Crockett explains. "My dad kept the production moving by adapting to the rapid changes in industry technology."

The company has flourished tremendously since the younger Crockett's arrival, growing to one of the three biggest printing concerns in Tulsa. Meeks boasts 45 employees and a 65,000-square-foot facility, not to mention a fascinating combination of printing formats and capabilities that truly highlights the beauty, bold range and fun aspects of printing.

Sure, Meeks Group still offers garden variety commercial printing, including business cards, brochures, annual reports, pamphlets and magazines, backed by a fleet of Heidelberg sheetfed offset presses. The company also offers static and variable data printing, employing a Kodak NexPress M700 digital press. Its clients range from corporate to retail, small businesses, casinos and trade shows.

Wider is better at Meeks Group. Its signs division provides vinyl wraps for automobiles, windows, walls, sidewalks, ceilings, floor graphics, trade show graphics—any place where wide-format signage can provide an added kick for business. The shop, backed by 3M-certified installers, has produced some dazzling auto wraps to promote radio stations, repair shops and community events, loud and bold enough to cause fender-benders by distracted drivers.

"Meeks has been aggressive in diversifying and embracing new technology," according to Crockett. "Our employees are extremely talented and excited about growing our capabilities. Without these quality people, it would be impossible to keep up.

"Ultimately, we deliver and that's what matters in this competitive environment," he adds. "The challenges of the recent recession have forced us, as a company, to learn, adapt and improve our performance. The key to this ability is a positive, aggressive workforce that is committed to our success and willing to do what it takes."

Printing is just one leg of the company. In addition to signs, its various divisions include SEPS prepress; Professional Promotions, a promotional products offering; Best Warehouse, its warehousing and fulfillment business; and, recently, the company diversified into trophies and plaques.

In terms of wide-format digital machines, Meeks Group relies on an Epson StylusPro 9800 and a 10600 for durable signage as large as 44x100˝. A six-color, 80˝ EFI VUTEk QS2000 flatbed printer churns out signage on substrates as thick as 2˝ and provides high image quality for point-of-purchase displays.

In the summer of 2011, Meeks Group took it to the next level by adding HP digital printing equipment to its arsenal. It purchased HP Scitex LX850 and HP Scitex FB700 wide-format flatbed inkjet printers for indoor and outdoor printing applications from the digital division of pressroom solutions provider Prisco. PriscoDigital serves as an HP Elite Partner and distributor to the U.S. commercial printing industry. The HP Scitex printers were designed to address the needs of a client base that is close to Crockett's heart and, suffice to say, not a typical vertical market.

The state of Oklahoma plays home to more than 20 recognized Indian tribes, with the Tulsa area counting the Cherokee Nation, Creek Nation, Osage Nation and Quapaw among its populace. Crockett himself is a Cherokee, and since Native American-owned businesses can apply for preferred vendor status with these tribes, the Meeks Group became certified. It is not surprising that Native Americans prize environmental responsibility from its providers; in fact, the Cherokee Nation encouraged Crockett to gain Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

The tribal customers, which avail themselves of the full range of products offered by Meeks Group (including engraved wine glasses), also played a role in the printer's acquisition of the HP Scitex printers from PriscoDigital. "In terms of the LX850 purchase, the tribal emphasis on green technology was a motivating factor," Crockett notes. "We really liked that it uses latex ink, which is one of the greener ink choices. We also liked the dual roll technology, which allows us to run more efficiently to meet tight deadlines.

"The FB700 has the ability to run a 4x8-ft. sheet of material sideways, which gives us quicker throughput of our rigid material," Crockett adds. "This is important to our efficiency ratios because we've been told by materials suppliers that we are the largest consumer of rigid sign materials in Tulsa. This is only possible because of the speed of our equipment."

Crockett has especially been impressed with the service and after-sales diligence components provided by Prisco and his sales representative, John Walker, during the first year of ownership. The minor issues that cropped up since September 2011 were quickly rectified by Prisco's service personnel.

"The installation technician clearly worked above and beyond to make it a simple and pleasant installation, even though we installed both machines at the same time," he says. "Our hope is that we will continue to see responsiveness and excellence in service at the end of the warranty period."

While printing will probably always represent the backbone of Meeks Group, Crockett wouldn't be surprised to see the day where wide-format printing and vehicle wraps take over as the dominant product offerings. He sees the potential as being limitless.

"We've found tremendous growth in wraps beyond those typically used for advertising," he says. "We're now finding applications for wraps beyond vehicles, walls and floors to items like street graphics and oil field equipment."

With a focus on technology, environmental responsibility and raising its game (the company is also certified by both 3M and the Professional Decal Application Alliance), Meeks Group is positioned to continue on its growth track.

"Having the foundational values of always focusing on quality and service has served us well over the years," he concludes. "Frank Crockett always insisted on simply 'doing what you say you'll do.' In many ways, our business is really just that simple." PI