Executive Perspectives: Maribeth Sandford's Journey from One Flexographic Printer to the Big Time

As part of Print & Promo Marketing’s ongoing feature, Executive Perspectives, we get to know leading professionals in the print and promotional industry. This month, we interviewed Maribeth Sandford, CEO of Bag Makers Inc., Union, Illinois. Here, she shares her promo journey, discusses what makes printing exciting, and explains why it’s a race to the finish line.

How did you get started in this industry, and what path did you take to land in your current role?

Maribeth Sandford

Maribeth Sandford: In the 1970s, I worked for a company that sold supplies, including bags, to retail stores. I kept getting requests for bag quantities of less than the 5,000 minimum. It gave me the idea for smaller bag runs, but I needed startup money to buy my first press. With the help of a temporary loan from my father, I bought a flexographic printing press and set up shop in a local barn. We sold bags by day and printed by night. The hard work paid off, and I was able to repay my dad within a year.
Shortly after, I got involved with the promotional products industry. I heard about a trade show where we could exhibit our products. I met a mentor who helped me put together our first catalog and showed me how to tap into this sales network and reach a broader market. Today, our family-owned business offers more than 200 products and 12 imprint processes, and sells more than 90 million bags annually!

How do you set goals for yourself? For your business?

MS: When I first started out, my goal was just to establish my own business so I could take care of my two children as a single mom. Today, I set goals to help us continue to grow as a leading industry supplier. I’m always looking for innovative new products and print processes that can help our customers be successful with their businesses. Compared to when I first started out, I’m still seeking to take care of my family — but now, as a business owner, that family has expanded to include more than 380 employees and their families.

How does the economy continue to affect the industry?

MS: The economy hasn’t been a smooth ride. The constant ups and downs create uncertainty for businesses and for the industry overall. Many companies in the industry are still working to rebuild business back to pre-COVID levels.

What do you expect to be some of the biggest changes or challenges the industry will face?

MS: Overall, companies in our industry are finding it challenging to balance margins with the pricing pressures related to the cost of doing business. Another challenge will continue to be turnaround times. Many retailers and grocers now offer same-day or next-day delivery, and consumers increasingly expect to receive products almost instantly. This expectation will continue to push companies in our industry to reduce lead times. It’s forcing suppliers to become more efficient, and is challenging established order and production processes.

What keeps you up at night?

MS: I’m always thinking about finding new products and innovative print processes to help us keep our offerings fresh and exciting for customers and to maintain Bag Makers’ leadership role in the industry.

What do you think is the most exciting, cutting-edge thing your company is doing right now?

MS: I’m really excited about how much we’ve expanded our domestic full-color print capabilities on paper and plastic bags in the last couple of years. One of the machines we added even allows us to do small runs of full-color printed tissue.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

MS: When I first started out, I went to design school in Chicago. This design background has been helpful in business, but also led to an interior decorating hobby. I’ve also spent many years as part of the horse racing community. I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky — home of Churchill Downs — and it was a dream come true to have one of our horses, Take Charge Indy, run in the Kentucky Derby
in 2012!

Want to be considered for a future edition of Executive Perspectives? Contact Elise Hacking Carr at ecarr@napco.com for a list of questions and other details.