Steinhauser celebrates 110 years

Business leaders are constantly faced with challenges, dire from time to time, that test their ability to endure. ‘We were in crisis mode,’ says Tara Halpin, president of Steinhauser. The fourth generation leaders of Steinhauser, a 110-year-old family owned company, fortified their strength to overcome adversity with the resolve to protect the institutions built by their respected and beloved predecessors. Halpin continues, ‘We have a great responsibility to carry on the legacy of the business.’

Ten years ago Steinhauser, a printing company located in Newport, Kentucky, USA, received grave news. Its CEO and third generation leader, Robert (Bob) Steinhauser, had been diagnosed with a disease that would end his life within a year. Robert’s daughter, Tara Halpin, had been named president of Steinhauser only one week prior to the diagnosis. Still, amid the pain of knowing she’d lose her father and mentor in due time, Halpin remained strong in her new role with the support of her younger brother and vice president, Trevor Steinhauser. Halpin says, ‘Dad was going to stay on board for as long as he added value. We would have always valued his opinion and experience.’

During this time, Steinhauser was an offset printing house primarily serving the commercial market in the midst of waning growth rates and massive consolidation. Earlier in 2005 management had made the decision to buy its first flexo press, a 10-color 16in Mark Andy Comco Pro Glide, to move the business deeper into the labels and packaging market where it was sure to find opportunity for expansion and profitability.

With passion and the drive to carry on the family’s legacy, Halpin and Steinhauser have come together not only to keep the company alive, but to establish their own mark in fulfilling the ‘Steinhauser Way’.

Dusting off, driving on

Halpin and Steinhauser’s grandfather Wilbur had established a board of directors during his tenure as Steinhauser president (1962-1983). This infrastructure proved to be invaluable during the crisis. Jack Brown, Bob’s best friend, assumed the role of chairman of the board after the diagnosis and the rest of the group was compiled of professional experts capable of affording guidance for effectively overseeing the company.

In 2007 the sister and brother duo finalized the purchase of Steinhauser and held back nothing in driving the business forward. The company invested in a second 16in Pro Glide in 2008 to support the successful growth of its flexographic label division, and it sold off the commercial division. Halpin explains, ‘We went from hundreds of customers down to one.’

Today Steinhauser competes solely in the label and packaging sector, producing pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, IML, tubes and flexible packaging. It serves more than sixty customers, mostly small to medium sized businesses, focusing on the high-end health and beauty sector, which represents around 80 percent of sales.

The company has achieved its goal of growing 10 percent every year over the last three years. In fact, in 2014 the business grew 20 percent. Trevor Steinhauser says, ‘We are excited about the challenge of continuing with our steady growth.’