Company History

Grit was founded in 1882 by Rev. Henry R. Wolf, Jr. who published a weekly, one-color, four-page broadsheet called the Daily Sun and Banner. During that time, a young German immigrant named Dietrick Lamade began working for Wolf. The Daily Sun and Banner closed its doors in 1884 but the young 25 year old Lamade, along with two investors, were able to purchase the printing equipment and the Grit name. In the same year, Lamade published the first issue of Grit as an independent newspaper for the “plain people”. It was the first of its kind to feature color and fictional supplements.

As the newspaper grew from 1,500 to over 200,000 readers, it was able to acquire a new building along Third Street in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. From there it continued to expand and grow, building on the philosophy that readers were more important than advertisers and that providing the latest and best machines to its workers would allow it to be the most efficient newspaper in the country.

Commercial printing was added to the Grit Publishing Company’s successful newspaper in the early 1900’s. As the commercial printing business grew, so did the company’s size. A second building was added to the Grit site in 1906 to house all the Job Department and mechanical needs. The Lamade Family continued to manage Grit for nearly 100 years, creating “America’s Family Newspaper”.

In the early 1990’s, Grit Publishing and its newspaper were purchased by Stauffer Communications and eventually moved to Topeka, Kansas. Today, the Grit Newspaper is published by Ogden Publications. Grit Commercial Printing was purchased by a local partnership and today is a family-owned and operated printing business located in Montoursville, Pennsylvania.

Today, Grit continues to build on and deliver the same quality and value its customers have come to expect for over 100 years. Specializing in the printing and mailing of catalogs, postcards, brochures, posters, annual reports and magazines. Grit has continued to add state-of-the-art equipment such as Computer to Plate technology to stay on the cutting edge of the printing industry and deliver the highest quality products and services to its customers. Our niche is helping metropolitan customers and local customers alike with a high-quality, low-cost, great service alternative.

If you’re interested in learning more about Grit’s history, visit our youtube page or click the link here!

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The Grit Difference

Many print shops have similar equipment, software, and therefore capabilities. Our employees are what make us different. At Grit, our employees are the heart and soul of our organization. Our staff is committed to going above and beyond for you while making your project not only look great but also be successful.

Grit employees receive either in-house or outside industry-specific training, on a continuous basis, to keep on top of what is happening
in the industry. Whether it is learning the latest release of prepress software or the latest updates on postal changes – Grit is committed
to investing in our number one resource, our employees, to better
serve you.

All of our employees act as quality assurance managers every day.
Each staff member is trained to quality check each project closely that passes through their area, and can change or stop a project at any time.

When you work with Grit you receive world-class service from a world-class print and mail facility.

The Customer is Always 1st

At Grit Printing, we strive to go above and beyond our customers' expectations. From the moment you reach out to us, to the final delivery of your product, we ensure that every step of the process is handled with care and excellence. Our goal is to make sure that you are completely satisfied with our service, as we believe that your happiness is key to our success. By understanding your needs and effectively communicating, we aim to build strong and lasting partnerships.

Grow  Respect  Inspire  Teach

    • Embrace teamwork and customer focus. Cultivate gratitude in all interactions.

    • At Grit, we value our employees and invest in their growth and success through learning opportunities, tools, and training.

    • At Grit, we believe that everyone is unique and valuable. We appreciate the strengths and abilities of our employees, customers, and vendors. We encourage our staff to continuously improve and we provide our customers with alternative solutions to help them succeed. At Grit, we value individuality and diversity. We recognize the strengths of our team members, customers, and suppliers. We motivate our staff to strive for growth and educate our customers on alternative options to enhance their image.

    • At Grit, we believe in fostering a supportive workplace where everyone can learn, grow, and collaborate. This includes offering opportunities for skill development, cross-training, teaching, and sharing ideas with colleagues. Through this, we aim to promote both personal and company-wide improvement.

InteGRITy

At Grit Printing, we value honesty and respect. Our team and stakeholders are trusted and dependable. We prioritize productivity and keep things organized. Customers and vendors rely on our genuine interactions. When it comes to integrity, we don't hesitate to say "no" if needed. We give honest answers consistently, even if they're not always well-received. Our employees work diligently, ensuring that our customers always receive top-quality products.

We Care

At Grit, we prioritize the environment and community. We continuously find ways to reduce waste, reuse materials, and recycle. We also engage with our community by doing charity work and donating locally. We value our employees and their well-being. Flexibility, such as providing time off, is important to us. We encourage commitment and loyalty, offering the same in return. Our business practices are professional, and we hold high expectations for our staff both at work and in the community.

Be The Best Team Always

Each of us has a role to play at Grit, and it's the teamwork that gets the product delivered. Let's always keep in mind the importance of acknowledging the value each team member brings to the table. By embracing a culture of kindness and understanding, we foster an environment where collaboration and teamwork thrive. When we realize that our shared objective unites us, we can work together harmoniously, respecting each other's strengths and viewpoints. This inclusive approach not only encourages individual growth but also helps in achieving our common goals efficiently. Our front office and prepress personnel exhibit a positive, enthusiastic attitude when dealing with internal and external customers. The pressmen show commitment to Grit and completing the workload by working longer hours or weekends if necessary. The entire production floor from bindery to shipping are dedicated to meeting deadlines while performing quality control.

Solution Provider

Help solve problems by being accountable and adaptable. We prioritize what the customer needs and make changes without resistance. If we make mistakes, we take responsibility and find ways to prevent them in the future. Our attitude is positive throughout the facility, from answering the phone to greeting customers. We have a "Can Do" attitude rather than a negative one. We listen to our customers' needs and deadlines and aim to answer their questions before they ask. We are flexible in scheduling work to meet deadlines and assist customers in creating effective marketing materials on time.

Our Core Values

Green Commitment

Everywhere you look today – everyone’s going green. Environmental responsibility has become the latest business trend that is here to stay. Going Green is not new to Grit. What Grit has done since it opened it’s new plant in Montoursville, PA in 1992:

• Recycle paper waste from all aspects of print production

• Recycle all paper waste from office environments

• Invest in state-of-the-art presses with shorter make readies, reducing paper usage

• Recycle aluminum printing plates

• Buy paper from environmentally responsible suppliers who are FSC–certified and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certified

• Use aqueous (water-based) coatings and vegetable/soy-based inks

• Continuously evaluate areas for waste reduction and lowered energy use

Our ultimate goal is to produce printed materials for our customer’s efficiently, cost-effectively and with minimal waste material.
At Grit we are committed to helping protect the environment and reducing waste materials that enter the air, water, and our landfills.

Lean Manufacturing

Problem: demands for quicker turns and providing competitive pricing without losing out on quality.

Solution: In 2023, Grit embraced the challenge of transitioning into a lean manufacturing operation. Over the span of a year, various departments within Grit engaged in 5S events following an initial training phase. These events were held across the front office, pressrooms, and bindery, aligning with the core principles of lean manufacturing aimed at fostering organized, efficient, and productive workplaces.

The 5S methodology was diligently applied:

Sort: Streamlining operations by eliminating clutter and unnecessary items.

Set In Order: Arranging remaining items logically and efficiently to enhance workflow.

Shine: Maintaining cleanliness and safety standards to ensure a conducive work environment.

Standardize: Documenting the 5S practices to promote consistency, efficiency, and quality across operations.

Sustain: Upholding the commitment to lean principles through regular internal audits, employee training, and engagement initiatives.

The implementation of lean manufacturing principles yielded manifold benefits. It resulted in increased productivity, reduced lead times, and enhanced product quality. By systematically eliminating waste and optimizing processes, production costs were lowered, while customer satisfaction soared. Moreover, the adoption of lean practices cultivated a culture of employee empowerment, innovation, and continuous improvement, driving sustainable growth and bolstering competitiveness in the market.

G7 Master Facility Color Qualification

Problem: A partner approached Grit seeking a solution for achieving consistent color on their printed marketing material for a brand. Not only was consistency required, but it also needed to be achieved within a budget.

Solution: Grit's approach was to convert the selected PMS colors into CMYK builds. These builds were tailored for both digital and offset presses, as various projects were involved. Grit conducted multiple rounds of testing by running sets of color palette swatches off both their digital press and Epson color match printer until achieving a color that the partner approved.

Now, when a project comes in, Grit simply plugs in the custom CMYK build. With the implementation of G7 color calibration, colors match consistently every time, ensuring brand integrity and meeting the partner's requirements efficiently. This solution not only provides the desired color consistency but also does so within the partner's budget constraints, demonstrating Grit's commitment to delivering effective and cost-efficient solutions.

Mail Tracking Service

Problem: Grit faced issues with mail getting lost or undelivered, impacting their direct mail practice.

Solution: To address this, Grit implemented a free mail tracking service for every mailing containing a barcode. This service provides detailed information, including the drop-off date at USPS and scan dates as the mail moves through the stream. Leveraging data from past mailings for similar projects, Grit can offer estimated delivery dates for future project planning.

Example: During a monthly mailing of 300 pieces, including letters in #10 envelopes, Grit encountered a valuable illustration of this service's significance. Despite receiving four returned pieces with errors, causing concern among customers, Grit utilized the mail tracking service to confirm successful delivery of the remaining pieces. This instance demonstrated the service's ability to provide reassurance and accurate delivery insights, mitigating potential panic and ensuring efficient project execution.

Success Stories

Trade Printer

As a reputable trade printer known for our commitment to excellence, we pride ourselves on offering an extensive range of high-quality printing materials. These materials are readily accessible to print brokers, graphic designers, ad agencies, and other printing businesses, all at highly competitive wholesale rates. Our dedication to providing seamless order fulfillment is especially evident when working directly with end-users as the reseller. We recognize the significance of upholding your unique branding and identity with your clients. Therefore, rest assured that our packaging is intentionally free of any branding or distinguishing information, ensuring a discreet and smooth transaction for your clients. This unwavering dedication to discretion and quality exemplifies our position as a trusted partner in the printing industry. We are committed to delivering reliable and professional services that contribute to the success of our clients' businesses.