Professional Grade: Beyond the Marketing (and SEO) Hype: The Real Value of Specialized Folder Production and Unmatched Customer Service

If you had a fall and are experiencing what feels like a minor discomfort and appears to be a slight bruise, you would go see your primary care doctor. If the pain is excruciating or determined by a general practitioner physician to be much more serious, you consult with someone who specializes in the human musculoskeletal system (bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles): an orthopedist.

In this article, we'll explain how the principle of specialization applies to professional commercial printing. We'll show you why our company made the strategic choice to become a specialist and, in the process, an expert in a single item: custom presentation folders. Most importantly, you will discover how this focus on specialization creates tremendous benefits for our customers.

THE INDUSTRY

The commercial printing industry has many facets—from products and processes to services—and has experienced major upheaval in the last decade or so, largely driven by digitization and the advent of the internet. One glaring example of this is the dramatic drop in the number of printed newspapers.

Even so, certain circumstances still demand a measure of professionalism and level of personalization that a physical, printed piece can best deliver.

Overwhelmingly, the feedback we get from our clients is that high-quality, physical print items such as a personalized presentation folder command a level of professionalism and credibility. More importantly, a tangible item leaves a more lasting impression than a fleeting digital one, thereby reinforcing their brand and message.

THE EXPERTISE

Regarding its products, processes, and services, many have been commoditized. But producing certain items, custom presentation folders (with post-press die-cutting, gluing and assembly) among them, still requires specialized processes, not just a simple churn-and-burn approach.

The founder of FolderPrinters, Sam Sowlaty, built our company on a deep understanding of specialized printing. When he started our online business 12 years ago, he already had 30 years of experience producing complex, custom-configured products like boxes, displays, and pop-ups.

His expertise in this exacting work, combined with his recognition of broader industry trends, laid the foundation for our focus on high-quality presentation folders.

He recalls the turning point: "I realized that while the industry was racing to commoditize print, the true value was in doing the opposite. After seeing so many processes — and consequently, quality – get diluted, I knew there was a market and an opportunity to redefine what a single, well-executed print item could, and should be.”

Thus, FolderPrinters.com was born.

THE FOUNDATION

Laying the foundation for success was paramount. Sam knew this entailed strategically hiring the right personnel, procuring best-in-class equipment, and cultivating a robust company culture defined by a commitment to quality, speed, and service.

THE SERVICE

"Somebody actually answered the phone and was very helpful."

That declaration in a recent verified review by one of our customers, fills us with pride, and highlights one of the key factors that sets us apart from the competition.

While taking a customer's call might be a major undertaking for some of our competitors, to us it is the bare minimum and just the beginning. Our service team members aren't mere order takers (or basic query handlers); they’re problem solvers, listeners, and true partners in helping our customers create winning presentation folders.

One example of this is their dedication to helping you utilize as much of a folder's printable real estate as possible, including often overlooked areas like the back cover and pockets. This maximizes your visual, brand, and message exposure, and ultimately, the value for your money.

We noted earlier that our company's bedrock is rooted in large part in our founder’s extensive industry experience. However, that expertise isn't confined to him; our service team members are just as knowledgeable. Combined, our staff has more than 100 years of experience.

THE EXECUTION

Building on our existing fleet of powerful multi-color offset presses and classic die-cutters, we invested in acquiring the specialized equipment and machinery needed to efficiently produce custom folders. These included a new rotary die-cutter with in-line gluing and final fold system..

Our commitment to quality, competitive pricing, and forward thinking approach was clearly demonstrated when we became one of the first printers in the United States to install the cutting-edge and award-winning (ISO/PAS 15339 System Certification for color consistency an system reliability) Fujifilm J Press Inkjet Press, allowing us to efficiently and economically handle low-volume orders that are more costly to run on our large offset presses.

VALUE TO THE CUSTOMER

Of course, the true measure of a company's worth isn't found in a checklist of equipment technical specs, but in the core belief that guides its operation: For us, it is to provide the best value and meet — or exceed — the expectations of those who need custom presentation folders.

Some may argue that being “a printer of all things to everyone" allows for better economies of scale and thus better pricing, but the reality is quite different. For one, we eliminate the quality compromise in “gang-running” a folder with a cheap business card or flyer. For another, and perhaps more importantly, because we purchase a high volume of the exact same specialized card stock, our purchasing power is strengthened, which allows us to secure superior pricing from our vendors.

Our singular focus on this one specialty item has resulted in the mastery of producing folders of the highest quality and in the most efficient and cost effective manner, while making the the entire process pleasant for our customers.

RESULT

Today, FolderPrinters.com is one of the leading national custom presentation folder manufacturers. We have enjoyed continuous growth for the past decade, and more gratifyingly, the trust and satisfaction of our loyal customers.

This is evidenced by our more than ten years and 1,800 of five-star reviews. We take this very seriously and confidently declare that not a single one was paid or edited to be positive – all are 100% verified.

IMPROVEMENTS

Behind the scenes, we've upgraded our public facing website as well as internal software management systems to support smoother production flows and greater overall efficiency.

Many of our competitors excel at marketing, and you may have seen them on the first page of online search results, but what you don’t see is their manufacturing process. Because of the specialized and multi-step nature of folder production, many of those companies outsource their folder work, either partially or entirely. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, they often print a wide range of non-folder items that don’t demand the same level of quality and finishing expertise.

At Folderprinters.com, our priorities are different. We focus our energy on maintaining fully self-contained, in-house manufacturing capabilities—a commitment that delivers superior quality, pricing, and speed, all backed by a customer service team that genuinely cares about your folders and your experience.

We’ll admit, marketing hasn’t always been our strongest suit. We can and will do better in that area. This blog is one step toward that goal: sharing our story more openly.