HISTORY
Nies/Artcraft Companies has been a dominant force in the St. Louis printing industry since its founding as Nies-Kaiser Printing Company in 1901. The company first catered to the railroad industry and other diverse local companies, always keeping their customers’ needs a priority in the process. In 1955, Nies-Kaiser acquired its first two-color press. Other major equipment additions and manufacturing milestones included the first four-color press in 1964; the first web press in 1979; and installation of an electronic prepress department in 1990.
After first acquiring Wilkes Direct Mail in 1980 and Artcraft Lithographers in 1982, Frank Little acquired Nies-Kaiser in 1985. In 1986, Nies/Artcraft was formed by the consolidation of Nies-Kaiser and Artcraft Lithographers.
In 1996, Jim Finger and other senior managers of Nies/Artcraft acquired the company from Frank Little. During the ensuing decade, this ownership group completed a number of strategic acquisitions and capability expansions, which positioned the company as a full-service graphic arts provider. The acquisition of Valcour Printing, Inc., Digital Ink Systems, Impression Label Company, the formation of Nies/Artcraft Fulfillment Company and a promotional solutions company, along with the original web and sheetfed capabilities of Nies/Artcraft, today provides the core operations of Nies/Artcraft.
The ownership group made a strategic decision in 2006 to sell Nies/Artcraft Companies to Consolidated Graphics, Inc., a Houston based NYSE company. The additional resources of Consolidated Graphics has allowed Nies/Artcraft to accelerate its expansion of service offerings into digital variable data printing (VDP), mailing and photo book printing markets. During 2008, 16 new Hewlett Packard Indigo digital presses were purchased and a new six-color Komori 40″ press was added.
With its industry leading digital print technology and other core service offerings at the foundation of its operations, Nies/ Artcraft continues to deliver on its long established legacy of customer focused solutions.