printing industry midwest Archives

Nahan Takes Home Best of Category at 2023 PIM Star Awards

Posted on June 23, 2023June 28, 2023 by Bryan.Formhals

SAINT CLOUD, MN – June 23, 2023 – Nahan has received a Best of Category award win at the 2023 Star Awards, hosted by Printing Industry Midwest (PIM). The Star Awards is an annual five-state print competition that recognizes excellence in print quality in the printing, communication, and graphic arts industries.

Nahan was proud to receive the award for Best of Category – Web Press Printing, which is the highest award a printer can receive in this category, for a catalog produced for Room and Board, a high-end furniture retailer. Nahan also received four Awards of Recognition in the Product Catalog and Single Promotional categories, and two Certificates of Merit.

Nahan’s very own Jolene Simi, Senior Account Manager, took home the win for Customer Service Representative of the Year. Team members Dawn Volante Brown, VP of Business Services and Erik Turbin, Direct Mail Production Supervisor were also nominated for Young Professional of the Year and Production Professional of the Year, respectively.

Dawn Volante Brown, Jolene Simi, and Erik Turbin

It was also an honor to have our very own, Aaron Weekes, VP of Information Technology, speak at the event on behalf of the PIM Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion DE&I) Program.

About PIM Star Awards

The PIM Star Awards competition recognizes the companies, teams, and individuals who take part in the creation and production of print communications in the Midwest. For more information about the Printing Industry Midwest Star Awards, please visit www.pimw.org or call PIM’s office at 612.400.6200.

About Nahan

Nahan is a world-class, privately owned, direct marketing services and print solutions company. Nahan produces integrated marketing solutions for their clients, enabling them to successfully acquire, develop, and retain profitable customer relationships. Nahan leverages the power of omnichannel marketing strategy, creative, data, and analytics coupled with exceptional production and postal strategies to closely connect brands with customers. For more information about Nahan and to learn more about joining the Nahan team, please visit http://www.nahan.com.

###

Nahan Awarded Star One – Commitment in PIM’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Accreditation Program

Posted on February 6, 2023February 7, 2023 by Bryan.Formhals

(SAINT CLOUD, Minn.) – February 7, 2023 – Nahan, a full-service, direct marketing and print solutions provider, is proud to announce it has been awarded Star One – Commitment, from Printing Industry Midwest’s (PIM) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Accreditation Program. As one of the first in the industry to unlock this achievement, we’re excited to continue working with PIM to grow this program in the industry.

This program is comprised of a passionate group of PIM members working towards creating foundational changes in the recruiting, hiring and training practices of our industry. Achieving this accreditation demonstrates our compliance and dedication to being a more diverse, equitable and inclusive company.

“We’re proud of the DEI initiatives we’ve implemented in recent years. This recognition from PIM underscores that we’re on the right path to helping the printing industry diversify and expand opportunities for marginalized groups,” said Chad Coss, VP, Human Resources at Nahan.

Nahan’s journey to becoming a more diverse and inclusive company will continue as we work towards the next star level, Aim. To achieve this level, Nahan will review our processes and documentation, setting measurable goals on how we can move forward with having an effect on DE&I.

###

About Nahan

Nahan is a full-service direct marketing and print solutions provider. Our portfolio of services includes strategy, creative, data, analytics, print production, mailing, logistics and fulfillment services.

Founded in 1962 by Jim and Helen Nahan, the company established a strong reputation for providing high-quality direct mail and commercial print and exemplary customer service. What was then a 15-person, family-owned print shop is now home to over 400 employees, including industry-leading experts in direct marketing strategy, data, analytics, creative, and more.

For more information about Nahan and our services, please visit http://www.Nahan.com.

ABOUT PRINTING INDUSTRY MIDWEST

Printing Industry Midwest (PIM) is the trade association representing print service companies in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Membership resources add value to companies that provide print, graphic communication services, market or manufacture supplies for the printing industry. Visit PIM’s website (www.pimw.org) or call PIM’s office (612.400.6200) for more information and questions about membership.

ABOUT PIM’S DE&I PROGRAM

Printing Industry Midwest’s (PIM) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Accreditation Program was designed to create foundational changes in the recruiting, hiring, and training practices of our industry. This program was created by the PIM Diversity Coalition, a group of individuals from companies who are members of PIM, who put together metrics and a process for accreditation that will help your company continue to uphold and enforce a more diverse and inclusive company environment. For more information, please email Kristin Pilling-Davis & Sadie Johnson (diversity@pimw.org) or visit our website (www.pimw.org/diversity/).

Nahan Takes Home Best of Category at 2021 PIM Star Awards

Posted on June 24, 2021June 24, 2021 by Bryan.Formhals

SAINT CLOUD, MN – June 22, 2021 – Nahan has received a Best of Category award win at the 2021 Star Awards, hosted by Printing Industry Midwest (PIM). The Star Awards is an annual five-state print competition that recognizes excellence in print quality in the printing, communication, and graphic arts industries.

Nahan was proud to receive the award for Best of Category – Booklets, which is the highest award a printer can receive in this category, for a mailer produced for an international natural fragrances company. Nahan also received four Awards of Recognition in the Booklet, Product/Service Catalog, and Consumer Promotional Campaigns categories, and three Certificates of Merit.

It was also an honor to have our very own, Aaron Weekes, Director of Technology and Service Operations, speak at the event on behalf of the PIM Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DE&I) Program. This program is a “coalition of graphic communications companies and professionals. The coalition works to solve the racial inequities in our industry and to promote diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace” (https://www.pimw.org/pim-diversity/).

(https://www.pimw.org/pim-diversity/).

About PIM Star Awards

About Nahan

###

The Quality of our Employees – One of our Nahan Differentiators

Posted on June 3, 2020June 3, 2020 by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Melissa Fransen

Quality. We pride ourselves on the quality of our print. We pride ourselves on the quality of our customer service. We pride ourselves on the quality of delivering results. Ultimately, all of the quality we pride ourselves on comes down to one thing and that is the quality of our people. Expecting excellence from our employees requires a strong dedication and vision from our training team. Excellent employees are built with the support, encouragement, and knowledge of talented team leaders. When you become an employee of Nahan, you become a part of something bigger – an entire community of people who are invested in producing great results and in living our Nahan Values. No matter your position, whether you are a Production Assistant or a Leader in the company, everyone on our team plays an integral role at Nahan and every position matters.

“A fun fact about Nahan is that our average tenure is 12.2 years.”

Our Hiring Process

Finding quality employees starts with our hiring process. Great employees refer great employee so we offer an employee referral bonus program. Other than word of mouth for new recruits, we post open positions on our website, our social media pages (LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter), on the radio, and through a variety of other advertising means. Our hiring process includes a series of interviews and if selected for a role, the new employee will be required to a complete a background check and a physical prior to starting with our team.

Starting a Job at Nahan – Orientation

Beginning a new role at Nahan starts with a day of orientation, which includes everything from basic safety to hearing protection to learning Nahan’s emergency action plans. We also invite a number of employees from across the company to a luncheon to welcome our new employees and to make them feel comfortable (Note: with COVID-19, this is temporarily suspended at the moment). At Nahan, safety is at the cornerstone of what we do, so we put a lot of emphasis on our safety programs right from day one. On the second day of employment at Nahan, we start training on manuals, processes, and procedures. For manufacturing positions, we also start to give new employees “a feel” of their new position with some very basic training on the production floor.

Setting our Employees Up for Success

After orientation, the employee starts to learn more about their new role each day. We get them comfortable with equipment, maintenance, trouble-shooting, basic procedures, and standard operating procedures (SOP’s). Our leaders also pair our new employees with a “buddy” so they will have a resource to learn from and a “go to person” with questions. Our leaders stay in close contact with new employees and they also move them to different equipment so they get cross-functional training on a variety of equipment. This provides an opportunity for our employees to gain experience and to find what they enjoy doing each day.

Mod Training

In addition to the above ways of setting our employees up for success, we also start doing “mod” training. There are four mods for each position. These mods provide “on-the-job training” for employees. Each mod takes up to twelve weeks. These mods give employees time to “practice” their new role. We track the progress of each new employee in their mods and each mod has a test at the end that will need to be completed and passed. If we see an opportunity that the employee should have further training, we will continue hands-on training with the employee to ensure they are successful in their role.

Certification Patches

Once an employee passes all four mods, they become “certified.” With the certification process, they receive a patch that they can put on the sleeve of their uniform to showcase their certification level.

Promoting Within

At Nahan, there is a lot of room for growth and for advancement opportunity. We prefer to promote within our walls for positions and post our available positions internally.

Jobs at Nahan

If you are interested in learning more about a career at Nahan, visit our careers page or contact us to learn more.

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

Valuing Safety at Nahan: An Interview with Doug Roob

Posted on May 21, 2020May 21, 2020 by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing

Safety at Nahan is our top priority. Operating our business in this way allows us to attract and maintain our amazing employees and serve our customers in the best way possible. Our devotion to safety is made possible by our Safety and Environmental Compliance Coordinator, Doug Roob, as well as Nahan’s Safety Team, comprised of a team of dedicated employees. To learn more about how Nahan ensures a safe environment, I interviewed Doug to get his perspective on safety in the printing industry and how Nahan rises to the occasion.

Doug Roob – Safety and Environmental Compliance Coordinator

Can you tell me a little about your work experience prior to your current position?

Doug: While I was finishing my degree studying Physical Education and Health with a minor in Business Management, I began working part-time at Nahan. The strong “family feel” made me enjoy working here so much, that I decided to stay. While it was a smaller company at the time, it had such a great potential to grow that I went full-time in the fall of 1989. From 1989 to 1992, I handled the production scheduling. At this time safety was controlled by the department managers.

What led you to become the Safety and Environmental Compliance Coordinator?

Doug: As the company was rapidly growing, I was asked in 1992 if I would be interested in taking over safety matters. Since my background is in education, I saw the opportunity to be able to help educate employees on safety and to teach the necessary skills to work safely. I have seen how an injury from unsafe conditions can not only affect the individual but how it affects an entire family. My father was injured on the job while working in construction. He was out for almost two months and continued to suffer from nerve damage. He went through physical therapy to strengthen his right leg after not being to use it fully until he was healed up. His frustration with not being able to work and the effects it had on our family is a memory that sticks with me, and one that I don’t want others to have to deal with. Helping employees recognize hazards and how to minimize their exposure or eliminate the hazards on the job is what I love to do. At the end of the day, if everyone goes home the same way they came to work I am very happy. If they don’t, I wonder what could I have done differently. I still love it today.

What are the benefits of a Safety Team at Nahan?

Doug: At Nahan the benefits are many. The team is a link between the employees and Management. Employees bring their safety ideas, suggestions, and input to the Safety Team members who in turn bring those items up during the Safety Team meetings. They then review and discuss those items to find solutions and make recommendations to management to make Nahan more safe. The team is our on-the-job safety advocate. During these trying times with the COVID-19 pandemic, they are amongst their peers promoting social distancing, washing of hands frequently, covering your cough, staying home if not feeling well, and general safety all the time. They help promote the safety culture that is needed for us to be our safest and healthiest.

Are there any stand-out moments that made you proud of the accomplishments of the Safety Team or a particular way they improved safety at Nahan?

Doug: The Safety Team has a few new members and I am happy with the passion each one has for safety. The willingness of the team to listen to the employees about their safety concerns and the willingness to help in any way they can to help improve safety is so great to see. They are willing to take action if need be and to work with the leaders and employees if asked. We have started a new program that the team is very excited about. The program consists of Safety Team members making Safety Observations weekly of their peers. When the observation is over, the Safety Team member meets with the individual they observed and discuss the great things the employee is doing safely and things they can do differently to stay safe. I see great things coming out of this program going forward with this group.

How can safety benefit Nahan’s customers?

Doug: The benefits of safety and a safe work environment carry over to the improved quality of service and a satisfied customer. When you have a safety culture that stresses safe work practices and having a clean/safe work environment, it carries over to a work behavior of paying attention to detail and to the quality of products being produced while completing jobs to the satisfaction of the customer without worrying about being injured. The employees can truly focus on the customer’s needs and expectations.

Here are our amazing and dedicated Safety Team members!

Thank you, Doug, for telling us about how the Nahan Safety Team works for the good of our employees and clients. We appreciate all that you and your team do.

If you are interested in working with great people like Doug, view our career page for current openings.

Bio: Camille Lehmann is on the Marketing team and started with Nahan in January of 2020. Camille is responsible for assisting in Nahan’s marketing strategies and goals. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Marketing with a specialization in Project Management. In her spare time, Camille enjoys writing, going to coffee shops, and spending time with friends and family.

Nahan Receives Best Of Category Win In Five-State Print Competition

Posted on April 15, 2020January 14, 2021 by DigitalTeam

SAINT CLOUD, MN – April 13, 2020 – Nahan Printing, Inc. has received a Best of Category award win in the annual Star Awards, a five-state print competition hosted by Printing Industry Midwest (PIM), the region’s trade association for the printing, communication and graphic arts industry.

Competing against entries from printing and graphic art firms throughout the Midwest, Nahan was proud to receive the award for Best of Category – Web Press Printing (Uncoated Paper), which is the highest honor a printer can receive in this category. The winning entry was a mailer produced for a renowned multi-channel artisan jeweler. Nahan also received two Awards of Recognition in the Brochures and Broadsheet (Large) categories for two Self-Mailer formats for an iconic New York-based luxury brand retailer. In addition to these awards, Nahan also received 12 Certificates of Merit in other various categories.

The Star Awards recognizes those responsible for the creation and production of print communications in the Midwest. The competition promotes excellence in print communications and rewards companies and individuals who produce the best in print media.

“We are very proud of our winning team,” said John Klumb, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

“This was a close competition with a very impressive standard of entries. The judging process was very challenging. Nahan should be proud of the company’s achievement and the excellent work done by employees,” said Steve Bonoff, PIM President.

About Printing Industries Midwest (PIM) and Star Awards

For more information about the Printing Industry Midwest (PIM) and the Star Awards, visit PIM’s website at www.pimw.org or call PIM’s office at 612.400.6200.

About Nahan

Nahan Printing is a Minnesota-based, independent, privately-owned, world-class printer committed to providing end-to-end solutions that add value to our clients. Since its inception in 1962, Nahan has specialized in catalog and direct mail printing for industries such as retail, financial services, healthcare, non-profit and hospitality. With a client roster of legendary brands, Nahan prints iconic work that represents the highest level of quality and innovation in the industry. For more information about Nahan, please visit www.Nahan.com.