Shopping For More Work At Spartan

Spartan Stores

Grand Rapids, Mich.

Growth would be an understatement when talking about the changes that have taken place at Spartan Stores' in-plant over its 35-year existence.

The Midwestern grocery wholesaler, located in Grand Rapids, Mich., began its in-plant with just a one-color duplicator used for printing company bulletins, according to David DeWildt, director of printing and design at Spartan.

Since then, Spartan's in-plant has grown into a 36,000-square-foot, full-service print shop, which includes three Heidelberg sheetfed presses, four Goss webs, 43 Macintosh workstations and full binding and copying capabilities. And there are no plans for stopping there, let alone downsizing.

DeWildt projects even more growth and other new purchases in the future. Most notably he sees additions and upgrades in the sign shop, bindery and web offset departments.

Much of the high-volume work is produced on the Goss web presses, which output 6 to 8 million flyers each week. The presses account for 75 percent of the in-plant's annual income. Spartan also designs and prints posters, circulars, shelf cards, store maps, newsletters and ad inserts for its grocery retail clients.

Getting approval for new equipment hasn't been an issue for DeWildt, who hints that management knows that it will be getting a return on its investment when purchasing new items for the print shop. He lists an increase in productivity and a decrease in overtime pay and set-up time as selling points for getting new equipment.

DeWildt says the company officers understand the value of the in-plant to the company and that the shop has been supported by management all along—so much so that when facilities management companies attempt to take business away from the in-plant they are either discouraged by Spartan's upper management or they are brought in to take a look at the operation.

After seeing the size and efficiency of the shop, facilities management teams tend to, "walk away with their tails between their legs," asserts DeWildt.

The quality and effectiveness of Spartan's in-plant has came out of necessity, since retailers do not have to use the in-plant for their printing needs. They can go elsewhere if a better price is found.

"We still have to capture their business, just like a commercial printer," DeWildt says. Also like a commercial printer, the in-plant looks for customers outside of Spartan. About 5 percent of its web printing business and 15 percent of its sheetfed business is from outside clients, DeWildt says.

Obviously the in-plant is keeping its customers happy. Spartan produces 98 percent of all its printed work in-house.

Along with the all of the printing services, Spartan also boasts a creative services department complete with all graphic design capabilities necessary for advertising or direct mail campaigns. The in-plant also offers a production services department that covers photography, design, typesetting, illustration and editorial services.

—by Chris Bauer

Key Equipment

• Four Goss Community Web presses

• Five-color 20x29˝ Heidelberg Speedmaster

• Two-color 20x29˝ Heidelberg

• Two-color 13x18˝ Heidelberg Quickmaster

• Two programmable cutters

• Two 20x26˝ folders

• Xerox DocuTech

• Canon color copier

• Novajet Pro 50 ink-jet printer