Over 200 Years of Moving Forward
When the Lancaster Journal ran a small notice beneath its nameplate offering to accept all types of printing work in 1794, it was the beginning of a business enterprise that has grown and flourished to this day.
Journal proprietors William Hamilton and Henry Willcocks envisioned taking on small jobs like printing broadsides and public notices to keep the presses rolling between editions. They never imagined that their fledgling pressroom would one day be capable of turning out 30 million pages of high-quality, high-definition printing in a 24-hour period.
The history of Intelligencer Printing is marked by continuous innovations in technology and customer service. To this day, we pursue an unending quest to advance the art and science of printing.
1794: Lancaster Journal offers printing of broadsides and other public notices.
1796: The Dickson brothers establish a printing office and bookstore, most likely doing a considerable volume of public notices and pamphlets.
1799: The Dickson brothers begin publishing the Lancaster Intelligencer & Weekly Advertiser.
1866: Andrew Jackson Steinman buys the Intelligencer newspaper operation.
1930s and 1940s: Under the guidance of J. Hale and John F. Steinman, Intelligencer Printing begins expanding its commercial work.
1956: Printing sales gross $500,000.
1963: Intelligencer Printing reaches the $1.5 million revenue mark. The Steinmans decide to expand the business and build a new, 35,000-square-foot plant on Eden Road, northeast of Lancaster city.
1970s: Intelligencer Printing's business soars.
1978: The company doubles the size of its plant, adding more equipment including a web press.
1985: Steady growth leads to further expansion as the plant reaches 100,000 square feet. Another web press is added in the following year.
1990s: The company adds state-of-the art sheetfed and web presses to dramatically increase printing capacity.
1993: Intelligencer is the Beta site for Scitex™ Computer-To-Plate and adopts film workflow
1996: NAPL grants Intelligencer its highest honor — The Excellence in Management Hall of Fame Award — recognizing the company as the best managed printer in North America.
2000s: Intelligencer Printing focuses on new technology, offering High-Definition™ Printing, UV coatings, higher speed web presses, and environmentally friendly printing services
2004: High Definition™ Printing becomes available across the entire plant.
2005: Full-web press installed.
2006: More than 20 Intelligencer Printing Sales professionals serve over 500 customers from Florida to New England.
2007: Intelligencer Printing obtained FSC® Certification from the Forest Stewardship Council™. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.
Intelligencer begins to use Wind Energy to power presses as part of its Intelligent Green environmental sustainability program.
2008: Intelligencer Printing opens 70,000 square foot Intelligencer Mailing and Fulfillment center at Greenfield Corporate Center.
Intelligencer introduces Renew™ Bio-based NO VOC and LOW VOC inks, increasing its commitment to the environment.
2009: Indigo 5500 digital press installed.
Intelligencer wins 3 Gold Ink Awards Print Competition.
2010: Intelligencer Printing showed once again that is ranks as one of the best printers in the world at the prestigious 2010 Premier Print Awards. The 216-year-old Lancaster, Pennsylvania company was recognized for the stunning catalog it produced for legendary piano maker Steinway & Sons and the complex interactive Stainmaster pop up mailer.
2011: Intelligencer Printing Earns Platinum Customer Plus ™ Award, A Top NAPL Honor for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction.
Intelligencer Printing has received a prestigious Gold Ink Awards for high-end color printing work done for NASA’s brochure “2009 Science Year in Review”. Sponsored by Printing Impressions and Publishing Executive magazines.