HISTORY OF EPI


  • October 1959 - Founders Ike Mellema and Vern DeYoung launch EPI as Embossing Letter Service, Inc. in a 500 sq. ft. farm house in Battle Creek, MI. St. Joseph Catholic church awards Ike and Vern their bulletin as the first EPI print job.

  • 1966 - Embossing Letter Service changes name to Embossing Printers Inc. (EPI) and company moves to rented 20,000 sq. ft. facility

  • 1972 - EPI again moves operations to the existing 5350 Dickman Road, Battle Creek, MI location. At that time EPI operated four 11x17 inch presses, one 12x18 press and two 29" two color presses.

  • 1974 - EPI purchases first 38" inch press, a 5 color Miller perfecter

  • 1976 - EPI launches fulfillment operations under the name American Response & Measurement Company (ARM)

  • 1983 - EPI enters consumer promotion management with fulfillment of Kellogg's cereal box promotions

  • 1992 - EPI acquires facility and launches existing 72,000 sq. ft. Livonia, MI print production facility at 13305 Wayne Road

  • 1992 -EPI enters digital print market with purchase of first Xerox Docutech digital presses

  • 1993 - ARM fulfillment is integrated into EPI

  • 1994 - EPI constructs existing 80,000 sq. ft. Indianapolis, IN print production facility at 7502 East 85th Street

  • 1994 - EPI purchases existing 120,000 sq. ft. material distribution, consumer promotion management and digital lettershop facility at 4956 Wayne Road in Battle Creek, MI

  • 1997 - EPI constructs existing 140,000 sq. ft. fulfillment facility at 61 Clark Road in Battle Creek, MI

  • 1998 - All EPI prepress operations convert to digital direct to plate production

  • 2000 - EPI constructs additional 140,000 sq. ft. fulfillment facility at 65 Clark Road in Battle Creek, MI

  • 2001 - EPI purchases and relocates corporate functions to 5404 Wayne Road in Battle Creek, MI

  • 2002 - EPI obtains ISO 9001:2000 Certification

  • 2003 - EPI partners with Workforce Strategies Inc. (WSI) staffing company to service EPI and partner staffing and recruiting needs

  • 2006 - EPI partners with DP + Company marketing agency to extend service offering to partner clients

  • 2007 - EPI and DP + Company launch Turnkey Merchandise Programs (TMP)

  • 2008 - EPI obtains Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain-of-Custody certification at all EPI print production facilities

HISTORY OF EPI

EPI was founded almost fifty years ago in a 500 sq. ft. farm house in Battle Creek, Michigan. Founders Ike Mellema and Vern DeYoung started their small lettershop operation with a $2000 loan and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. While that commitment to doing "whatever it takes" to satisfy our partner clients remains unchanged, EPI has steadily expanded upon our original print shop capabilities to include offset, flexo and digital print, direct mail, material distribution, promotion fulfillment, call centers, kitting and assembly, packaging and much more.

In 2001 EPI began further expansion of our service portfolio with the development of the EPI Group of affiliated companies. Today EPI is proud to offer our clients the full portfolio of EPI Group company services including those of the DP+Company marketing agency, Workforce Strategies Inc. (WSI) staffing and recruiting and Turnkey Merchandise Programs (TMP).

EPI's history of profitable, sustainable growth has been rooted in our mission to service the current and emerging needs of our partner clients with entirely in-house capability. Today, EPI is one of the largest marketing service providers in the country and continues to grow each year with this same mission at the center of our strategy.
(800) 562-9733 • 5404 Wayne Road Battle Creek, MI 49037
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