Strong growth signs for National Marker

ATTENTION TO DETAIL: Nick Boruta, a tier one digital cut operator, left, and National Marker Company President Michael Black are seen at the North Smithfield company. / PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
ATTENTION TO DETAIL: Nick Boruta, a tier one digital cut operator, left, and National Marker Company President Michael Black are seen at the North Smithfield company. / PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

All safety signs, tags and labels are not created equal, says Michael Black, owner, president and CEO of National Marker Co., which manufactures more than 15,000 such safety products.

After many years in the industry, including a stint as NMC’s national sales manager, Black bought the company in 2012. Founded in 1934, NMC is thriving under Black’s leadership. His goal is to double NMC’s growth every five years.

After demand outpaced production capacity for several years, NMC invested a tremendous amount of money in infrastructure, new equipment and new processes. “Our operations are now prepared to support our sales effort,” said Black. “From 2011 … until now, we’ve doubled gross revenue and … we’re shipping twice as fast,” he said.

Two factors contribute to that extraordinary growth. The company acquired greater market share of its core business and expanded into a new market: producing Fathead images – often life-sized wall decals – of major professional athletes, and of Pixar and Disney characters. A Fathead vendor of the year in 2013, NMC credits its strong relationships with customers and vendors for helping land the Fathead business.

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A $500,000 investment in a liquid laminate, Sign Muscle, enabled NMC to differentiate itself and produce superior products with a lifetime guarantee. Protecting signs from UV rays, fading and cracking, the liquid laminate is chemical-resistant and can be easily cleaned of graffiti.

The North American safety-sign industry is a $5.5 billion market, with no one owning more than 5 percent, said Black, who says NMC is first in speed and innovation.

Innovation is critical, with the increased demand for customized signage with company-specific language, logos and branding, he said. NMC sells products through distributors to end-use customers, primarily in manufacturing, food processing, construction, oil and gas.

“Our organization runs in real time; monitors throughout our warehouse [are] updated every two minutes,” he said. “We’ve eliminated all paper in the warehouse and operations; we’re working with tablets.”

Six years ago, Black brought Microsoft programmers to work in-house to ensure data was correct, displayed in real time and shared throughout the company. “We use data to create conversations to better the organization and exceed customers’ expectations,” he said.

Investments in leadership, team building and training in big-picture thinking “are a good spend for us,” said Black. In a company that measures square inches for workplace efficiencies, employees wear pedometers twice yearly. Using spaghetti diagrams to evaluate productivity and efficiency, Black noted that one analysis and reorganization cut the department’s work area by 60 percent and increased capacity by 25 percent – all for an investment of less than $1,000.

Two years ago, NMC moved into the Canadian market through two different programs and, in 2015, implemented two new systems that significantly improve the speed, accuracy and efficiency by which products are created.

In contrast to some, Black is enthusiastic about the resources and support from the state’s congressional delegation, and state and local officials. Calling workforce-training grants a big part of NMC’s success, he encouraged other companies to access such resources.

NMC also received invaluable assistance from U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, National Grid and others, after last-minute challenges nearly derailed the timely installation of a 242 KW, roof-mounted solar system at the facility.

A commitment to improvement extends beyond NMC’s North Smithfield operations: It contributes to organizations addressing autism, heart disease and cancer, among others; spearheaded fundraising for a new dog for the North Smithfield Police Department; donates safety signs and sports banners to local schools; and helps underwrite costs for an aide to accompany an individual with special needs who performs tasks twice weekly at North Smithfield High School.

“I’m very proud of our organization and [happy] to be in Rhode Island,” said Black, who expressed abiding gratitude to NMC’s employees – more than 75 strong – and the state’s elected and appointed officials. •

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