Fineline Printing Group’s Company Culture and Community Commitment
What is Fineline?
It’s a question I get asked all the time, and as Fineline’s Business Development Manager, I answer just as often.
However, thinking through the question a little more, I was curious to get some insight from the folks who’ve really helped shape the company to what it is today. You see, Fineline’s unique in that the average employment of our staff is 15+ years!
To get some perspective, I interviewed some of Fineline’s long-standing employees to get their insights on the company, culture, and what exactly Fineline is. Here’s what they shared with me:
Fineline is Family (and family-owned)
Since the beginning, Fineline has been a family-owned business. Richard Miller, President and Owner of the company, enlisted the help of his son, Ric, early on. 25 years later, Ric is now the Vice President of Manufacturing, and Richard plans to pass the company torch to him in due time.
But the family ties don’t end there. Working in a company with under 100 employees brings everyone closer in the day-to-day interactions. This has remained true even beyond the company’s earliest days when it had a handful of people on staff.
“The work facilitates comradery,” said Phil Mikesell, Senior Account Manager at Fineline who’s been with the company for over 20 years. It’s not uncommon for some of the sales and CSR staff to jump into the warehouse and help with inserts and other projects when needed.
Trust is built between people you can count on, people who care. In this way, the Fineline team is family, and we extend that sense of family to our customers.
Fineline is Growing
The Argentinian sun on Fineline’s logo is a fitting symbol of the company’s commitment to growth. As much as the sun helps the plants of the earth grow, Fineline is committed to growing its own.
“Fineline has always invested in its employees,” said Lisa Young, COO and fellow 20+ year veteran of the company. “We strive to provide employees with the best training and immersion to help them better understand our customers and business.”
The investment pays off in many ways. It allows Fineline to cross-train employees and enables them to diversify their experience and skills. Furthermore, this allows employees to grow into new roles and opportunities with the company.
Growth is realized at the facility as well. Fineline grew out of 2 other manufacturing plants just down the road before finally settling into the space we now occupy. We added a 17,000-square-foot expansion, more machines, and consolidated the IT department into a central workspace.
Fineline is committed to growing in all ways.
Fineline is Customer-Centric
Fineline has always focused on providing the best value to customers. It goes hand in hand with one of our core values: “We will not ask for your business until we can improve it.”
Every angle of the Fineline experience is customized to best suit and serve our customers. From the moment clients enter our facility for a tour, they are welcomed with a personal greeting on our lobby monitor.
Our tours showcase areas of interest to our clients, and we make every effort to provide as much detail as they want to see. Our presentations focus on defining exactly what our customers need and then detailing what products and services we can bring to the table that meet those needs and add value.
We pride ourselves on offering a consultative approach to printing. Our reps and CSRs work with customers to develop a strong relationship and provide value that makes a difference.
Fineline is customer-centric.
Fineline is Always Learning
It’s no secret that the print industry has changed over the years. These changes have shut many printers’ doors, but Fineline was focused on learning and adapting from the very beginning.
Fineline took early steps to stay ahead of change by hiring Guy Vreeman, Director of Technology, to lead IT initiatives. Since then, Fineline has found a niche in healthcare as a minority-certified, HIPAA-compliant printing company.
Fineline is also unique in that it’s always invested in a Marketing Department, which is rare in the industry. Much like the IT Department, our marketing efforts have evolved over the years to better position Fineline as a leader in print communications. This includes expanding print and marketing services in our online Marketing Portal: Finelink 2.0.
Richard’s motto, “I am always learning,” is showcased on plaques around the building. It’s a core value that’s allowed Fineline to adapt to industry changes.
As you’ve seen, Fineline is many things. But at the end of the day, I suppose there’s one statement that sums it up best:
