Published: March 09, 2009 03:37 pm      

Leaving an imprint

For the first time since Dan Cline could carry a gun, he didn’t go pheasant hunting last fall because he was too busy working. That was a good thing for a new business owner in an economy that was going south.

After working for the Taylor Corp. for 25 years, 2008 was Cline’s first year as co-owner of Printwear Graphics in New Ulm. And Cline isn’t looking back — only forward.

“I love knowing that when I make a decision, the outcome affects the customers, employees and us,” said Cline, of North Mankato.

When Cline was just 16 he started working for Taylor running the presses and printing business cards. By 1987, Cline was 21 years old and on the management track. For the next 20 years, he held a number of management positions in a number of divisions.

When Cline left Taylor Corp., he was a vice president of sales. He credits Glen Taylor for teaching him how to run his own company.

“Glen Taylor looked at managers as people who wanted to be entrepreneurs and to run the company as if it was their own,” Cline said.

In 2007, Cline and LaDon Henderson, another former Taylor vice president, took the plunge and bought Printwear Graphics, a 24-year-old business, from John and Phil Vorwerk.

Getting the job done

Both Cline and his partner have worked long hours, seven days a week to make their business successful in its first full year of operation. When it’s your own business, you don’t think about the long hours, Cline said.

With four screen-printing presses and three embroidery machines, Printwear Graphics prints advertising and promotional products such as pens, key chains, coolers and coffee mugs. They produce many kinds of signs including LED reader boards, banners, vinyl lettering and vehicle magnets. Last fall, campaign signs kept them busy.

The bulk of the business is screen printing and embroidering apparel for businesses and schools. That’s hats, jackets fleeces, T-shirts, sweaters and button-up shirts.

“We will personalize anything and I do mean anything,” said Cline with a laugh.

The strangest and smallest item Cline personalized was skimpy women’s underpants for Crow Bar and Good Thunder Bar.

Now and again, Printwear Graphics may print some crazy things, but the owners and staff are professionals who take every job seriously. A graphic artist is on board to design layouts and logos and one staff member specializes in signs.

Cline kept all six of the company’s employees, including Phyillis Vorwerk, the wife of the previous owner. She still works in the front of the shop. Then they hired two more employees.

Sales and service

To get a business loan, Cline and Henderson had to make a business plan to grow sales. “We came up with 300 contacts who use custom-printed apparel,” Cline said.

“Even in an economic downswing, there’s a lot of potential,” Cline said.

In 2008, they raised sales by about 30 percent to between $700,000 and $800,000. That barely scratched the surface of their 300 contacts. In 2009, the goal is to grow the business by another 30 percent.

Printwear Graphics kept the loyal customer base from the previous ownership, regained some former customers and added some new customers.

One satisfied customer is Mark Petersen, market president of the New Ulm branch of United Prairie Bank. The bank purchases promotional items such as mugs and embroidered hats, as well as apparel for employees to wear on casual days.

“Dan is an excellent person to handle customer service. He delivers quality service to all his clients no matter how big or how small,” Petersen said.

Cline’s sales philosophy is also something he learned from Taylor; a sale doesn’t happen without a customer and you don’t get a customer without a relationship. Building relationships with customers comes naturally for Cline.

“He’s a tremendous people person. He can relate to people from all walks of life,” said Bob Hoffman, former Taylor Corp. executive and vice president of strategic business education and regional partnerships at Minnesota State University.

Hoffman observed that Cline built solid relationships with his clients by becoming a trusted adviser. Cline understood the needs of the customers, how to solve their problems and improve their business, Hoffman said.

“He cares about his customers as much as his employees,” he said.

Making it work

Cline and Henderson ride to work together every day possible. That gives them 60 minutes of windshield time. They use the time to plan, discuss what needs to get done and look ahead. They also talk about their lives and family.

The two partners split the accounts down the middle for sales and service. Henderson handles accounts payable and Cline handles accounts receivable. They share the responsibility of phones, orders, debt collection and customer service.

Cline also keeps the machines in working order. Cline wanted to be a mechanic and completed his two-year auto mechanic training at South Central College. His skills have come in handy as he has been operating and fixing printing machines throughout his career.

The two biggest challenges they face is the rising cost of materials and providing health insurance for their employees. Printwear Graphics covers 80 percent of its employee health-care plan and in 2008, Cline saw a 14 percent increase in costs. They didn’t pass that on to employees.

In fact, in year one, these owners were the lowest-paid people on the staff.

“It’s not about us. We’re taking care of our customers, growing our business and getting people in the right places,” Cline said. “You want to call it chasing a dream. That’s exactly what we’re doing. That doesn’t come without sacrifice.”