Combination Printing Opens New Markets

A state-of-the-art facility and new printing capabilities add up to expanding business opportunities for Star Label Products.

STAR LABEL PRODUCTS, a label printer located in Fairless Hills, Pa., operates with a customer-focused philosophy to provide the highest quality labels at a competitive price with a faster turnaround than its competition. Shev Okumus, president of the 30-year-old company, sums this up in more simple terms: "We bend over backwards for our customers."

With customers covering a range of markets including pharmaceuticals, medical device manufacturers, food, health and beauty, and electronics, customer demands for high-quality, high-end labels and superior service are the rule rather than the exception. Star Label strives to meet these demands by thoroughly learning its customers' businesses and products so that "we can fully understand their application and needs," says Okumus. "We also want to give our customers a service level that will allow them to trust and depend on us for all of their labeling needs."

Humble beginnings

Shev's father, Don, who currently serves as vice president of the company, founded Star Label Products in 1972. Don started his career in printing as a press helper and press operator for two years before starting up the company with one Mark Andy 800 Series press. Shev joined the company full time in 1988, after learning the label printing trade by working summers and after school in the family business.

Today, the company consists of a single, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility with 10 Mark Andy presses. Its 30 employees work on a one-shift basis, with overtime and some Saturday shifts picking up the slack when needed. Shev says proudly that the company has never had a layoff in its 30 years of operation.

The company's capabilities include flexography, UV flexo, UV letterpress, UV rotary screen, and hot foil stamping. These capabilities provide the basis for what he says makes the company distinctive. "We have the capabilities and self containment of a large company, but the personalized service of a small company. This allows us to deliver labels to our customers in 24 to 48 hours on multi-color jobs if needed."