The business, initially founded in 1957 as National Printing Plate Company, Inc., was formed in order to service the local corrugated box industry’s needs for printing their products.

Major strides toward becoming a full-service quality prepress house began occurring upon the acquisition of the business in 1967 by Mr. Stewart Ruch, a pharmaceutical executive. Stewart Ruch’s dynamic sales and marketing skills, combined with the progressive management and sales abilities of his son, Bill Ruch, rapidly grew the organization, increasing sales and expanding its focus.

Because of his pharmaceutical industry background, Stewart understood the importance of research, product development and technology implementation.
This influence resulted in the creation of the patented Foto-Flex technology, a high-definition plate making process that entirely eliminated the need for photoengraved master patterns in the molded rubber plate manufacturing process. In 1973, its market success added new dimensions and expanded opportunities for National Printing Plate. The newly created Flex Division of the company began to successfully penetrate the web flexographic printing segment of the industry. Worldwide marketing of the process began in 1976, with licensees in Europe, Japan and South Africa. This Foto-Flex innovation became the springboard for the company’s continued growth into higher value graphic reproduction market segments.

Having a dedicated and well-trained workforce, combined with a strategy of continual reinvestment in the newest processes, equipment and technology, National Printing Plate was able to maintain a strong position in its traditional markets, while expanding into new areas of opportunity.

In 2002, as a response to the need to accommodate the constantly changing environment of the graphics, prepress and plate making industry, the management team formulated a new business plan to strategically re-focus and re-define the company’s core business organization. The company broadened its horizons beyond its current business focus to position itself for flexibility, adaptability and dynamic future growth. One of the components in its strategic marketing initiative included the changing of the company name to NPP Packaging Graphics Specialists. To insure future success, the company embarked on its current course to take full advantage of new market opportunities, new technologies and new product offerings, while continuing an intense focus on its traditional customers and products.