TaylorMade Printing, known for its cutting-edge technology, dependability, and personal touch, started from humble beginnings.
The company’s founders believed in a hard effort and that friends and neighbors would respond to high-quality output. TaylorMade Printing is commemorating 50 years in business and thanking its customers.
“We’ve loved every minute of serving the Ohio Valley and beyond,” said departing business president Debbie Taylor. Serving our friends is a labor of love. I’m surprised at the advancements in services and technology over the last 50 years and happy of what we’ve put up for TaylorMade’s next 50 years.”
In 1972, Debbie’s husband and former business president Jim Taylor approached Chuck Fortney, a home-based printer, to start TaylorMade. Friendship led to collaboration.
Copies Incorporated moved from 1618 Jacob Street to 1910 Jacob Street after that collaboration.
Debbie Taylor claimed she started her firm with a $25,000 SBA loan. “We spent many nights worrying about how we would repay the loan, but our customers didn’t let us down.”
Jim Taylor said the early years were challenging yet thrilling.
I believed we would succeed if we supplied honest prices and excellent service. Our credo remains.”
The name transition to TaylorMade wasn’t simple.
“We were afraid to change it from Copies Incorporated,” said Jim Taylor. It became a brand. Our equipment and skills made us more than a quick-print enterprise. Full service.”
Business expansion began.
After six years, Fortney, who has since died, went to Florida and the firm became the husband-wife partnership of Jim and Debbie, together with son and then-production manager Scott.
They introduced two-color Komori, Ryobi, Davidson Web, and Multilith presses. Complex image setting equipment was available.
Changes continued.
Debbie Taylor said the printing business now favors digital printing over offset printing. Our Canon ImagePress C8000VP prints files electronically. We are a “Union” political printing and mailing firm.
The Taylor family has always taken pride in satisfying clients. The 5% outsourced is closely monitored.
Debbie Tayor said son Scott will keep working.
“He knows and loves printing,” she added. He started with deliveries and learned to operate cutters, collators, folders, and many printing machines over 30 years. He knows management. Our friends will continue to receive excellent service.”
TaylorMade has 300 clients, including Wheelhouse Creative LLC.
Two indoor loading docks are in the 10,000-square-foot facility. That gives storage and a good workplace.
Jim and Debbie Taylor are especially proud of their older son Jim, a Linsly alumnus who earned a Ph.D. in pharmacy and teaches at the University of Florida, and their daughter Crystal, who majored in fashion merchandising at Kent State and lives in Colorado.
