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screen printing => General Screen Printing => Topic started by: tonypep on October 30, 2014, 08:01:37 AM
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I just received a commercial real estate publication release stating that Teespring is opening a new facility in Hebron, Kentucky. 105,000 sq ft, 60 presses, and will create 300+ new jobs. It appears to be legit from some reliable sources. Stay tuned.
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Yes, I heard this too, from Mr. Coudray.
Steve
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Yep it's true. I don't necessarily doubt that they can manage that, but man I'd like to watch how all of that plays out as they get it up and running.
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Takes some of the biggest issues off the table for the consumer. No risk, nothing out of pocket.
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Except $22,000,000 for Teespring
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and their backers...
Steve
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i had never heard of them until this...shows you what I know.
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This could go one way or the other. If it fails it will obviously fail hard. I wish them well but there will be serious, serious pitfalls to side step in order to be successful. Seen it before. Having the start-up capitol is only a small first step.
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I've known about them for a while. It's a very interesting niche.
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http://www.thinkkentucky.com/newsroom/NewsPage.aspx?x=09112014_Teespring.html (http://www.thinkkentucky.com/newsroom/NewsPage.aspx?x=09112014_Teespring.html)
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That came out probably a month ago. They ended up cutting it to 40 presses last I heard(at SGIA). MHM's.
Talked to a current contract printer of theirs now(12-15 jobs per day he said) and he had no idea. :o
Guess it pays to watch the headlines!
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That came out probably a month ago. They ended up cutting it to 40 presses last I heard(at SGIA). MHM's.
Talked to a current contract printer of theirs now(12-15 jobs per day he said) and he had no idea. :o
Guess it pays to watch the headlines!
So the guy just found out from you that he is losing 12-15 jobs a day? WOW! That had to be a kick in the nuts. Hope he didn't buy a new auto just for that customer.
If the guys behind it are smart, it has a great chance of being what they want, a 50+million dollar company. If it's a bunch of guys like me, and a few of you yahoos :), it will fall hard. I couldn't imagine trying to facilitate all of that once it's up and running. I would think getting the facility up and running will be the easy part. Installing all the autos and ink departments, CTS and dark rooms, screens/mesh, that stuff is easy. Trying to keep it all organized and the logistics in place to keep it efficient sounds like a nightmare. Hell, I can't find 3 guys to work as a team in my production and it's clean, open, efficient and they have all the tools and equipment they could ever wish for. Could you imagine trying to have a team to manage this type of facility? One auto and 3 guys is enough for me to call in quit. I know this isn't unprecedented and there are bigger operations out there, but it doesn't mean it is not a bear to deal with.
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That came out probably a month ago. They ended up cutting it to 40 presses last I heard(at SGIA). MHM's.
Talked to a current contract printer of theirs now(12-15 jobs per day he said) and he had no idea. :o
Guess it pays to watch the headlines!
So the guy just found out from you that he is losing 12-15 jobs a day? WOW! That had to be a kick in the nuts. Hope he didn't buy a new auto just for that customer.
If the guys behind it are smart, it has a great chance of being what they want, a 50+million dollar company. If it's a bunch of guys like me, and a few of you yahoos :), it will fall hard. I couldn't imagine trying to facilitate all of that once it's up and running. I would think getting the facility up and running will be the easy part. Installing all the autos and ink departments, CTS and dark rooms, screens/mesh, that stuff is easy. Trying to keep it all organized and the logistics in place to keep it efficient sounds like a nightmare. Hell, I can't find 3 guys to work as a team in my production and it's clean, open, efficient and they have all the tools and equipment they could ever wish for. Could you imagine trying to have a team to manage this type of facility? One auto and 3 guys is enough for me to call in quit. I know this isn't unprecedented and there are bigger operations out there, but it doesn't mean it is not a bear to deal with.
Ya he found out from me, and he had just overheard the conversation. I had no idea he printed for them or anything like that. Apparently they are not big jobs, but he said eeeeeeeasy as they come!
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They will print shirts and such, but reality is they will be a logistics company because if they are not on their game with the ducks in a row it will fall on its face. I suspect it will be done very well though.
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I sure hope they got there ducks in a row or someone will be getting cheap auto's in about five years or a nice auction. I would love to see that come together, question who has the largest plant right now as in presses/dryers on the floor?
darryl
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how large of a foot print will that facility be?
I know of a local printer in chicago with 8 autos, and they're around 85,000 sq feet... with most of it being job staging/warehousing space.
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No time to do the math and its none of my business but even 40 presses at 105K sq ft doesn't add up.
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No time to do the math and its none of my business but even 40 presses at 105K sq ft doesn't add up.
DTG maybe....
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No time to do the math and its none of my business but even 40 presses at 105K sq ft doesn't add up.
The numbers are wrong. They are starting with 25 and no they are not ours. Going to try and compete with people like Custom Ink.
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I heard 25-30 presses myself all MHM's.
Wish em luck as stated, the logistics of this will be a nightmare.
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20 presses to start from what I heard. Also, some pretty talented guys are taking the lead on this (printing part). Venture capital is providing the funds and business help so they have about 90% chance of succeeding.
Pierre
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If you saying 90% chance of success that's better odds than about 80% of all business out there
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The way the site is, sure sounds like more money for them!
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Its getting easier and easier to get into printing. So all it takes now to create uber shops is a little money and some connections. Next thing you know someone has a empire sucking millions outta the print market for the rest of us. All it really takes is a few people with some knowledge and a couple investors and BOOM.
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I have been in this business since 1978. It amazes me that anyone would want to get into the production end of the business. The real money in this business is made in the sale and marketing of our products. They already have a good business model working on the sales and marketing end without the costs and hassles of the production end. With so many small to mid size printers already in the market it is relatively easy to negotiate contract printing. Custom Ink has already shown that. With so many printers cutting prices and battling over contract work why bother to spend millions to do it yourself. Unfortunately my largest contract customers are pretty much able to dictate special favors any time they want because if I won't do it for them someone else will. As a small shop (2 autos, 4 manuals) the hassles of employees is bad enough. Multiply that by 20 and the problems would be crazy. If I had it to do over again, I would forget the production end and concentrate on the sales end.
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I think that the current abundance of cheap labor is the appeal that may be helping tip the scales on the decision to bring production in-house.
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The way its typically done is to assign Team Leaders to oversee 2-3 autos. Usually in charge of teardown/setup and keeping things running smoothly. The loaders/unloaders are often unskilled laborers. Huge staging areas for blanks and prepress; normally kept far apart. Setup carts and teardown carts assembled and maintained by Production Coordinators. There is a Scheduling Department keeping track of everything. Pre-Press is totally automated. Quality control people monitor product. Much more of course; just don't ask me how I know. It can be done but in my mind a much smaller plant with controlled outsourcing would be a better biz model
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some pretty talented guys are taking the lead on this (printing part).
The printing is the easiest thing we do these days. They'll build it up and make a state of the art facility for sure, no doubt there.
The people is the hard part.. just look at how long you, heck any of us keep looking for good people to work in our shops and we're only looking for 1 or two people.
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Tony the one thing about keeping it all at one location is lower cost on blanks...Now it may not be more than 15 or 20 cents a shirt, but if you are doing millions of shirts, it adds up....
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No doubt however it would be wise to weigh that savings against down spikes in sales, layoffs, rehiring when upward spikes occur, etc. Think of the Nike model
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Business a gamble...I am guessing Tee Spring is guessing that at the end of the day they will be ahead of the game.....Time will tell...
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I don't know how many big screen plants are in the US, but if this works we might see more big plants with 2 to 300 workers Wow doing cheap labor and really putting a hurting on some of us small shops like Wal-marts. I don't know about you cats but I enjoy working for me and the public at my on rates instead of punching a wally world type time clock and getting underpaid. Everyone has a right to do there biz the way they feel, but dam we little guys have to keep fighting for crumbs against the big money. I have a question, I read all the time about you guys trying to fill positions at your on shops and coming up empty, where in the world are these guys going to fill 2 to 300 skilled screen shops or are we looking at bad products getting shipped out?
darryl
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I'm with ya Daryl, but it reality, that's life. Things change, and one either changes with them or suffers the consequences of not keeping up. The difference with people like us, is that we are self-starters and go with the flo, even if reluctantly. Now when I started, it was before digital, so a certain amount of photographic knowledge was necessary, how to staple mesh correctly (that one kills me) and other stuff we no longer do. We learned to communicate with email too, LOL!
Steve
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I have a question, I read all the time about you guys trying to fill positions at your on shops and coming up empty, where in the world are these guys going to fill 2 to 300 skilled screen shops or are we looking at bad products getting shipped out?
darryl
Darryl, as has been pointed out, operations like this don't require a lot of skilled workers. Like in engraving and embossing, and printing shops in which I have worked, one skilled guy can set up a half dozen presses, which can then be operated by just about anyone.
I don't know the exact location here, but I will venture a guess that it could be in an area filled with unemployed "anyones".
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At Ecko the Team Leaders got $75K everyone else=minimum wage. Again mostly unskilled labor.
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Hebron Kentucky
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Yep Steve it's a smart move on there part to go after small orders in big bunches using cheaper labor...they say you have to fight fire with fire put if you got a match and they got a flame thrower, who's gonna win LOL. We could easily lowball and have tons of work but at what cost to us and for how long can we last that way, but it would be nice to see big plants come back to the US and put people back to work. Every day we past huge cotton fields here and I know all the big azz bales are heading oversea's only to be sold back to us at a higher price WTF.
darryl
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I have a question, I read all the time about you guys trying to fill positions at your on shops and coming up empty, where in the world are these guys going to fill 2 to 300 skilled screen shops or are we looking at bad products getting shipped out?
darryl
Darryl, as has been pointed out, operations like this don't require a lot of skilled workers. Like in engraving and embossing, and printing shops in which I have worked, one skilled guy can set up a half dozen presses, which can then be operated by just about anyone.
I don't know the exact location here, but I will venture a guess that it could be in an area filled with unemployed "anyones".
Yes I know Frog, but who are these unskilled workers, where are they coming from
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well, foreign countries for one...most of the new jobs created are to foreign workers...
also, there are plenty of people looking for jobs...
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First we all must start admitting that you dont have to be super smart to be a screen printer. Its getting way easier.
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I have a question, I read all the time about you guys trying to fill positions at your on shops and coming up empty, where in the world are these guys going to fill 2 to 300 skilled screen shops or are we looking at bad products getting shipped out?
darryl
Darryl, as has been pointed out, operations like this don't require a lot of skilled workers. Like in engraving and embossing, and printing shops in which I have worked, one skilled guy can set up a half dozen presses, which can then be operated by just about anyone.
I don't know the exact location here, but I will venture a guess that it could be in an area filled with unemployed "anyones".
Yes I know Frog, but who are these unskilled workers, where are they coming from
Should be a lot of fallout and leftover mine workers from the Kentucky coal industry kinda' falling apart when natural gas took over as the wiser energy source.
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Its a good location. Amazon has a distribution warehouse there. Cheap real estate and plenty of labor from the tri-state area
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I have a question, I read all the time about you guys trying to fill positions at your on shops and coming up empty, where in the world are these guys going to fill 2 to 300 skilled screen shops or are we looking at bad products getting shipped out?
darryl
Darryl, as has been pointed out, operations like this don't require a lot of skilled workers. Like in engraving and embossing, and printing shops in which I have worked, one skilled guy can set up a half dozen presses, which can then be operated by just about anyone.
I don't know the exact location here, but I will venture a guess that it could be in an area filled with unemployed "anyones".
Yes I know Frog, but who are these unskilled workers, where are they coming from
Should be a lot of fallout and leftover mine workers from the Kentucky coal industry kinda' falling apart when natural gas took over as the wiser energy source.
Fracking made natural gas cheaper. Not sure which is wiser though from an environmental impact. Oil is dropping in price and hurting the natural gas market now!
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Couple shirt wholesalers and ink suppliers in that area as well.
I'm not concerned AT ALL about something like this hurting business. The vast majority of my clients use me because they like working with me and have been referred by others who like working with me. Price doesn't really factor into it, though obviously I try to give people a good deal and be competitive. Honestly, even things like turnaround time, location, and quality play a smaller roll in keeping customers than just having a good relationship with them and the people they know. As long as you don't screw someone over they will stay with you for a long time. Obviously this doesn't apply to every customer, but it certainly applies to many of them.
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Couple shirt wholesalers and ink suppliers in that area as well.
I'm not concerned AT ALL about something like this hurting business. The vast majority of my clients use me because they like working with me and have been referred by others who like working with me. Price doesn't really factor into it, though obviously I try to give people a good deal and be competitive. Honestly, even things like turnaround time, location, and quality play a smaller roll in keeping customers than just having a good relationship with them and the people they know. As long as you don't screw someone over they will stay with you for a long time. Obviously this doesn't apply to every customer, but it certainly applies to many of them.
It can still drive down expected prices.
No matter how much you might LIKE someone, there comes a point where you think "why are you charging me so much more than other guys charge?"
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Generally speaking for the typical screen printer a lot of them over charge for the quality they are producing. At least in my area thats what I see.
Now this forum doesn't exactly have people that are the typical screen printer over all I would say.
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It can still drive down expected prices.
These folks probably charge an arm and a leg per piece, really. Lot of logistics involved with printing and shipping
individual garments to individual people, and on top of that, the movement or whatever has to have their cut.
What the customer is charged per piece doesn't matter because it's the individuals paying for it. Most people
will pay $15 for a special shirt, but would baulk at that when ordering hundreds. Basically retailing out wholesale printing.
It's a good idea that makes ordering easier for groups that can't get their chit together, and that's the majority of them.
Obviously it's working, but just like CustomInk bringing printing in house, we'll see how it goes.
I guess it makes sense to have all manufacturing in one place so the design is printed all at once and shipped out, but if
you are going that big I don't understand why you wouldn't open two or three locations to cover the country, and maybe
just a couple presses each to see how it goes.
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Honestly, most of my regulars don't even ask for quotes any more. They just tell me the details and I print and invoice them. I doubt they are price shopping at all...
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It's not a matter of price shopping... It's that word of mouth.
Your customer: "You should use my guy"
Friend: "yeah? How much?
YC: "bla blah blah"
Friend: "wow! I'm only paying X for mine."
YC: "hmmm..."
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I guess it makes sense to have all manufacturing in one place so the design is printed all at once and shipped out, but if
you are going that big I don't understand why you wouldn't open two or three locations to cover the country, and maybe
just a couple presses each to see how it goes.
Same reason so many companies import into the east or west coast and truck/train the goods to places like Kentucky - square footage and labor is dirt cheap and running a distribution center there is cost effective.
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but if
you are going that big I don't understand why you wouldn't open two or three locations to cover the country, and maybe
just a couple presses each to see how it goes.
that model sounds vaguely familiar.. hmmm... 8)
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This place is 15 minutes from my contract shop. I just want to know where they are going to find between 20-60 reliable operators. My pool for finding quality press operators is slim pickings in my area. My op lives 25 mins away. Too bad they went with MHM, they may also be a good training spot for operators that don't like how they do business.