You've been told not to judge a book by its cover. But we all judge a product by its package. StratusGroup creates better product packaging for the pharmaceutical, health and beauty, and food and beverage markets - both paperboard packages and pressure-sensitive labels. A commitment to precision and innovation allows StratusGroup to add value to brands with packages that pop.
Robert Curran, a Cincinnati native, founded StratusGroup in 1992 with his son, Curtis. The senior Curran, who had just sold his label business to the large label conglomerate CCL, had planned on retiring, but then decided he wasn't ready. The entrepreneurial spirit that made Curran start a label business in his basement in 1974 still drives StratusGroup today.
"We explore all that's in the marketplace, and find the most up-to-date technology [clients] could use for packages," says Christopher Corgiat, Marketing Manager for StratusGroup. Corgiat, whose background is branding and digital branding, came to StratusGroup to bring different facets of the business into cohesion. He mentioned a "gap" of understanding between designers, who create the look of package labels, and converters, who use paper, plastic, dyes and equipment to print them.
StratusGroup bridged that gap by hosting The Bling Affair in March. Top clients saw the inside-out process of creating a great package. A nine-member team debriefed them on the basics of flexography, like how printing machines worked, and the pros and cons of high-tech printing methods. StratusGroup is planning a second event of this type for July.
To give collaboration that much time, a company must have a people-centered culture from the top down. "I’ve heard the press operators say this is the best company they’ve ever worked at," said Corgiat. After a stint on the West Coast, he's happy to serve a growing team in his hometown.
StratusGroup's West Chester facility employs about 125 - the company has doubled in size in the last five years, and plans to hire in the coming year. Historically, Cincinnati has been a leading market in the U.S. printing industry. Location and expertise leave StratusGroup poised to grab even more packaging "pop" in the years to come.
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@StratusGroupWriter: Elena Stevenson
Source: Christopher Corgiat, Marketing Manager, StratusGroup