Expansive view | A conversation with Dave Boilard, owner of Print It Big in Biddeford
Photo/Bob Cook
Dave Boilard
Print It Big
Founded: May 2009
Employees: 2 full-time, 1 part-time
Startup costs: $300,000 plus
Revenue, year one: $150,000
Projected revenue, year two: $350,000
Contact: 283-2524
Airport Industrial Park
394 Hill St., Biddeford
www.printitbig.com
What is Print It Big?
The company provides wide-format printed products for both interior and exterior surfaces. We have the capability to print on material up to 8-feet wide, 3-inches thick and at any length. We print on a wide variety of rolled material like banner and vinyl stock. Additionally, we can print directly on flat stock like foam board or even a door. We work with a flat bed/roll-to-roll printer that allows us to print objects far beyond banners and common signs. We also do window graphics, vinyl floor graphics, ceiling tiles and wall graphics. Our design gallery showcases what we do. Our company promotes products and sales of other companies. We are a big part of branding, providing services to a variety of companies both nationally and internationally.
Why did you start the company?
I owned Lincoln Store Fixtures for 16 years. That’s where I realized there was a need to provide large-scale printing products to our customers. What really started Print It Big was the need to make graphics on fixtures, essentially for two of Lincoln’s clients, Green Mountain Coffee and Keurig. We printed Green Mountain’s Fair Trade graphic and the logo Keurig uses on its point-of-purchase places. That’s what got us thinking that there was a segment of the market that has strong growth potential. The large-scale printing allows us to offer products that no one can offer under one roof. Now, we can identify a company’s needs and can basically print on anything.
How do you market your business?
With our design gallery. We created a 1,000-square-foot showroom for people to come in and get inspired. We generally identify a potential end user of our products and invite them to experience the showroom and a tour of our 36,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. Clients can also check out our website.
How do you finance this business?
Through a local bank, Norway Savings, which is also a client.
What has been the biggest challenge running this business?
Well, the economy has been tough, but there is also less viable competition. The reality is, now is a great time to invest… it’s a great time for us to grow. My advice is that if a company or person is going to start a business, they should do it right now as long as they can get past the financing.
Aside from this, we rarely face major issues that we can’t overcome as a team. The man who runs the printer is great and super meticulous about his job. We rarely have troubles there.
What has been successful about your business strategy?
We serve a wide variety of larger companies, but we also offer printing solutions to retailers, offices and even home projects. Hospitals have been a market we’ve done well in. This spring we printed a banner 16 feet wide by 30 feet high for the MaineHealth building on Oak Street in Portland, announcing its new location. Kittery Trading Post is another customer.
We also use eco-friendly practices. The printer we use is a UV-curing printer. The ink is cured instantly, emitting fewer toxins into the air. We also recycle as much product as possible in-house, like the laminate finishes. Anything that we cannot recycle here we have picked up and properly recycled or disposed of offsite.
What are your goals for the future of this business?
We are continually working on the business model as we watch the direction of the economy. Our long-term goal is to open more design galleries, possibly in the Boston area and maybe even in New York. We want to attract businesses, and plan to do it by providing more showrooms.
Interview by Kayla Collins
New Ventures profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to editorial@mainebiz.biz.
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