When we set out to bring our Giant Coloring Sheets to life, we wanted more than a great product — we wanted to make it the right way, and as close to home as possible. That search led us to Paragraphics, a family-owned printer in Ohio that's been doing precision work since 1975. What started with a few secondhand presses and five employees is now run by the second and third generations of the Bosworth family. We sat down with Brenden Bosworth to talk about the family story, what "Made in the USA" really means on the factory floor, and how our coloring sheets actually get made.
Q: Let's start at the beginning. Paragraphics goes back to 1975 — tell us the origin story. How did your family get into the printing business?
My grandfather, Jim Bosworth, worked for a local printer and was put in a challenging position when ownership suddenly decided to close the doors. Undeterred, he and his partner Ted Whitacre were able to retain past customers, their print assets and start Paragraphics several months later. Together they set up shop on 29th Street in Canton, OH in a former food processing facility, with a few second hand presses and small bindery. At 50 years old, he decided that you are never too old to chase your dreams. Through 3 generations, multiple expansions, new facilities and changes in product mix, that small shop on 29th street proudly stands today.
Q: You're carrying on something your grandfather started. What's it like being the third generation in a family business, and what did you grow up hearing about the early days?
My grandfather Jim passed away when I was only 3 years old but I am fortunate to know him through stories from tenured team members. He was a quiet man, loved his employees like family and followed two simple business philosophies:
- “We adapt to our customers' needs and deadlines, not the other way around”
- “If I work my a** off, others will follow suit.”
I have always been surrounded by family business through both parents and grandparents so seeing the highs, lows, long hours and sense of responsibility was part of growing up. My dad (Andy) and my uncle (Scott) always worked Saturdays and most of my summers as a kid were spent at “Camp Paragraphics” working. I was very fortunate to have those lessons as a kid but also to have the opportunity of choice after graduating college.
Personally, having experience outside of the family business for the first 7 years of my career was important. It helped me grow professionally, garner my own management style and also gain perspective. When I made the decision to join Paragraphics, having wonderful mentors in both my Dad (Andy) and Uncle (Scott) was extremely beneficial. Family business is more than a common last name, it’s about the family and value based culture you extend to the company as whole. Ultimately, having the responsibility to serve, lead and grow this company is a humbling gift and something I cherish very deeply. Through support from my wife and three boys, I am optimistic about the future!
Q: A lot of products today get made overseas. What does keeping production here in Ohio — and in the U.S. — mean to your family and your team?
Northeast Ohio and other “rust belt” regions overall, have endured some tough times as off-shoring increased in the 1970’s. It is one of my biggest motivators to retain production and grow manufacturing jobs here in Canton, OH. Paragraphics strives to serve as a pillar and example in our community of manufacturing excellence and home for great manufacturing jobs. For my family, we want to continue to grow and provide opportunity and Paragraphics can serve as a great vehicle for that.
Q: Walk us through it: when Lalo's Giant Coloring Sheets come through your shop, what actually happens? What goes into making them?
While getting artwork to press is much easier with today’s technology than when my grandfather started the company, a lot still goes in to a job from start to finish. In our industry precision is key, if you print the wrong thing the product is good to no one.
The Giant Coloring Sheet starts in pre-press where we impose artwork of different versions onto a sheet. Those can change depending on the order. Each imposition is tagged with lot details for traceability. They are then ran through a special offset press that both prints and die cuts in the same pass. Adhesive strips are then applied in the corners and the sheets pass through a buckle folder, and collated for efficient packout into a theme specific mailer (that we also produce).
Lalo’s Giant Coloring Sheet is a really special product for us because its the first complete “sellable” finished good we have produced vs other packaging or print products that are typically part of a greater project.
Q: What's something most people would be surprised to learn about how a product like this gets printed and finished?
I am a self-proclaimed paper nerd but I think most people generally see paper as just a plain white or kraft color sheet. They don’t realize how many options there are and how important the quality and performance of that sheet is to producing a job. We are pretty selective on the paper brands and substrates we choose, well knowing how it can impact machine speeds and quality throughout every production process.
Q: What makes a partnership like the one with Lalo a good fit for your family's shop?
With packaging, getting to work with brands where you were initially a consumer is always special. Lalo's products are very thoughtful and intentional in their design and we share that same appreciation in our manufacturing processes. We do not use the term partnership lightly. For us it means being an extension of the team and taking ultimate pride in a customer trusting us with their brand.
Q: Quality and sustainability come up a lot for our customers — you're G7 Master and FSC certified. In plain terms, what does that mean for the sheets a family brings into their home?
With G7 Master Certified it means holding the highest standard for your machines, processes and craftsmen before and on press to ensure accuracy of color and print specifications. Paragraphics is proud to be FSC® certified and embrace this gold standard chain-of-custody certification as the leading model for sustainable forest management.
With both of those certifications combined, it means a lot of thought, time and intensive vetting went into each part of the products chain of custody.
Q: Last one: what are you most proud of when you see a finished product with the Paragraphics touch leave the building?
I truly believe everyone at Paragraphics is in the business of customer service. From the Press Operator to the delivery driver, it is a team effort to exceed the customers expectations and uphold a brand's standards through print and packaging. I am proud of that dedication to craftsmanship and making a positive impression on the customer and their consumer.
