SOLAR PRESS; PERRYVILLE OPERATION TO EXPAND FACILITIES

PERRYVILLE -- Solar Press Inc., has expanded facilities and services at its Perryville operation, located at 1205 Corporation Lane in the city's industrial park.

"A warehouse addition has almost doubled our existing space," said Mary Peters from the firm's headquarters at Naperville, Ill. "We now have a total of 160,000 square feet."

Also new at the Perryville operation are two Siemens printers, Label-Aire machines and other new equipment.

Solar Press, a manufacturer of direct mail response printing inserts and cards, samples and premiums, and packaging aimed at the consumer market, has experienced big growth at its Perryville facility since locating there four years ago.

"We've grown from an original 40,000 square feet and 40 employees to 160,000 square feet and 300 employees," said Peters.

Solar Press located its new production facility at Perryville in June 1988 in a 40,000-square-foot shoe-factory building that became available when International Shoe Co. ceased operations.

More than a year later, the operation moved into a new 100,000-square-foot building in the industrial park and doubled its employment to about 90 workers.

"We have been adding workers ever since," said Peters. "We're now up to about 300."

Solar Press, which employs about 340 workers at its Naperville operation, also maintains sales offices in New Jersey, Paris, France, and London, England.

"We're not adding new workers now because of the new warehouse facility," said Marilyn Course of the Human Resource Department at the Perryville plant. "But, we've been adding workers gradually and will probably continue to do that. We have added 20 new workers this year."

The new warehouse will free space in the production area.

The warehouse features an electronic wire-guidance system that allows a narrow-aisle, man-up turret truck to navigate among more than 5,000 rack locations.

The new storage system is designed to accommodate a growing volume of solo mailings and product sample packaging, noted Perryville Plant Manager Vince Adelman. "It's 40 percent more efficient in space usage than any conventional system," he said.

Solar Press can provide increased personalization with its two new Siemens 2140 LED printers. The new printer gives the firm the ability to print two standard, high quality, 8.5-inch forms side-by-side.

Additionally, the Perryville plant's new customer modem connection capability is now available to new Solar Press customers, said Peters. "Previously, this service was designed for International Masters Publisher of Stamford, Conn.

"With Label-Aire machines and new forms, table handling time and customer cost have been reduced on peel-off pressure sensitive labels which elicit greater consumer participation and response," said Peters.

"In addition to an already wide range of domestic and international mail services, the Missouri facility also provides mail preparation of promotional campaigns and projects for direct entry into Canada," said Peters.