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Century Printing and Packaging takes pride in showcasing its team of accomplished professionals, each contributing diverse expertise to the company. This month, Ben and Neil are delighted to introduce Page, an esteemed member of CP&P’s prepress team for over a year. Her transition from mechanics to graphic design has dramatically enhanced Page’s contributions to the team, making her journey worth sharing and diving deeper into.

Page’s path into the printing industry is unique, marked by her adaptability and determination to succeed no matter her role. She began her career in mechanics, working for an oil change company where she learned the ins and outs of mechanical work. “I started getting into cars a few years ago,” Page explains. “It taught me everything I know from the ground up, mechanically speaking.” As impressive as her mechanical skills are, Page’s true passion lies in graphic design.

So, she began to look for job opportunities that could marry both her passions and skills together. In her pursuit of transitioning to Graphic Design, Page accepted an opportunity at a different printing company, where she dedicated a year to refining her production skills. This experience provided the groundwork for her current position at Century Printing and Packaging.

As a member of the prepress team at CP&P, Page’s day-to-day responsibilities are both creative and technical. She spends most of her day getting customer artwork, editing, and creating labels and designs from scratch. With a foundation in graphic design and fine arts from Greenville Tech, Page has cultivated her skills independently by creating art for enjoyment. This blend of formal education and self-directed learning has empowered her with the knowledge and creativity required to thrive at CP&P.

Page’s role is integral in the production of flexographic plates. As part of the Prepress team, she is responsible for creating and preparing the plates for production. Leveraging her background in mechanical engineering, Page possesses a deep understanding of the printing process. “It provides me with a comprehensive perspective on the functioning of every aspect,” she emphasizes, underscoring the value of diversified skill sets.

Since joining CP&P, Page has been able to come to work every day, knowing that what she does is aligned with her dream goals and career aspirations. “If someone asks me if this is my dream job, I would say yes,” she says enthusiastically. “I get to do a lot of work in Illustrator and Photoshop, which is exactly what I want to do.” Her passion for graphic design is evident in the results of her work.

Page has had the opportunity to participate in valuable training experiences, both in-house and out-of-state. One notable experience was her week-long training in St. Louis, Missouri. “I learned how to optimize my prepress skills and tweak different things for the press,” she recalls. “It was great to meet other people in the industry and see how things are done.”

Ben, Neil, and Connie’s mentorship has been invaluable to Page’s professional development. According to Page, their guidance has helped her gain valuable problem-solving skills. Connie, who is Page’s boss, has been particularly influential due to her extensive experience in the printing industry. Page has made significant progress in her personal development, focusing on honing multitasking and time management skills that have contributed to her impressive success.

One of the most rewarding aspects of Page’s job is the positive work environment at Century Printing and Packaging. “I’ve had quite a few jobs, but this is the only one where I truly enjoy the people I work with,” she shares. “It’s like a big family.”

Page’s story exemplifies the supportive culture Ben and Neil strive to maintain at Century Printing and Packaging—a healthy workplace where every employee feels valued and motivated to excel. From fostering positivity on the production floor to encouraging open communication and collaboration between teams, CP&P sees the value in investing in its employees and the culture they are a part of from the ground up.

In today’s competitive business environment, investing in employees’ professional development is more crucial than ever. A recent study by LinkedIn found that 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their careers. Ben and Neil recognize this and offer various training programs and opportunities for skill enhancement. This investment in staff development not only equips employees with the latest industry knowledge but also ensures they feel valued and motivated to bring their best selves to work every day.

By nurturing talent from within and prioritizing employee professional growth, Century Printing and Packaging ensures that it remains a top choice for current and prospective team members, leading to high client satisfaction and long-lasting relationships. Thank you, Page, for all that you do for our customers!

Recently, we sat down with Madison DeShields in the Production Department of Century Printing and Packaging to discuss her role and work.

So Madison, tell us about yourself?

I’m originally from Woodruff, South Carolina and I started working here when I was 20 years old and it will be five years this month. I had some experience with screen printing in high school and experience in printing but nothing like at this level.

How did you find the job and where did you begin at Century Printing and Packaging?

I actually found the job on Indeed. I started in the back with entry level duties folding paper and putting it in boxes for shipping. Then I started doing different printing in the plate room, rewinding and I’ve done a lot of different things.

How did that prepare you for what you are doing now?

It helps me understand printing to know what they are doing in finishing. There are things I know now in how to help them back there.

What is your current role and what do you do?

Right now I’m a press operator and I’m on the digital press and bounce around wherever I’m needed. I fill in for people on breaks and run their press for them. Mount plates and do whatever is needed. If someone calls out I can fill wherever I’m needed.

What do you like about your job?

I like the communication between everyone and how we always work as a team together. We have a high level of communication and we are cross-trained on multiple presses or machines to be able to fill in the gaps when someone is out sick, or can’t be there. We don’t miss a beat and cover well for one another.

What have you noticed about the growth of the company in the five years you have been here?

I’ve seen so many different jobs that keep coming up. It’s such a wide variety. Some of the artwork is really cool like the beer labels and other stuff. It keeps everything interesting.

What’s a typical day like for you?

When I started this morning I had some @CityRoots labels to run picking up from yesterday on the digital press. They are a family-owned, urban, organic farm that specializes in year-round microgreen production based out of Columbia, South Carolina. Then I fill in for someone and when they get back I will fill in for someone else so I will be bouncing back and forth between printers and jobs. It makes the day fly by and I like it because I’m always busy and not standing in the same spot all day.

What do you like about your company?

They are just really nice people. They are understanding and have taught me everything I know about printing. All around good people!

What have you learned?

Coming from high school it’s a completely different level of printing. I’ve learned so much. I take notes on everything I’ve learned and have notebooks on everything. It’s a lot to take in but I just keep learning every day. I’ve always loved graphic design since tech school and I’ve loved the artwork and the process.

Tell us what you like to do in your free time?

I like outdoors stuff like tubing, kayaking, hiking and those kinds of things. I have two cats and live in Spartanburg so I’m relatively close to the shop. My family is from Woodruff and I’m close to them. I am the youngest of three with an older brother and sister.

At Century Printing and Packaging we have a long line of tenured employees who make up our team. We are proud of their work, spirit, and the contribution they make to our quality of work and production. All of them work hard to fulfill customers’ orders and produce high-quality work.