Jones Printing bought by local managers

TFP Default Tile
TFP Default Tile

Six years after coming to Chattanooga to run Jones Printing Co., the head of the $10-million-a-year printing business decided to buy the company from its corporate parent.

R. Dale Ford, the president of Jones Printing since 2009 who acquired the company from Nationwide Argosy Solutions, recently turned 65. But the leader of the new ownership group for Jones isn't thinking about retirement.

"We see a lot of opportunity for growth," Ford said Friday. "We hope to grow from $10 million to $15 million in sales in the next five years."

The purchase and management reorganization has been in the works for the past year, Ford said. As an independent, family-owned business, Ford said he will keep the company's 42-employee staff and hopes to build upon the company's success in serving the carpet and other industries.

Jones operates about 48,000 square feet of leased facilities on Crutchfield Street and Dodson Avenue and specializes in dye sublimation, package printing and digital printing for the carpet and other industries across the South.

"The new organization known as Jones Printing LLC will transform from a traditional established printer, utilizing conventional printing methods, to a dynamic, forward-looking provider of commercial printing, digital printing, e-marketing, mailing (both conventionally and electronically), dye-sublimation, packaging, and fulfillment with inventory management," Ford said. "Employees here are our greatest asset and I want to make sure they keep their jobs and that we continue to grow this business."

Jones Printing , which was started by Thomas H. Jones in 1947, was acquired in 1972 by Wendell Burns and was later sold to Master Graphics in the early 1990s, a publicly traded company that was later acquired by GE capital and then Nationwide Argosy, which is now spinning off several businesses.

Ford, who was previously was president of Overnight Prints, came to Jones Printing to be closer to his mother, who lives in Manchester, Tenn.

"Jones Printing is well known for service, innovation and commitment to quality." said Ken Bendrick, the company's new vice president of sales. "Our expanded services will allow us to continue providing strong solutions to marketing departments in all verticals while offering brand management to manufacturing companies with consumer product needs."

Nationwide Argosy, which generated sales of $110 million among all of its businesses, is selling off most of its businesses. Terms of the Jones Printing sale were not disclosed.

Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340.

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