Graphic Systems, Inc.

What Graphic Systems, Inc. does

Graphic Systems, Inc. is a privately held, Minneapolis-based commercial graphics and program management provider founded in 1971. The company delivers end-to-end merchandising graphic solutions, branded as Design, Produce, and Fulfill, to national retail chains and consumer brands. Production is built on wide-format UV inkjet (two Inca Onset UV flatbed presses), roll-to-roll (five HP Latex presses with 8-color plus white ink and spot gloss), small-format digital (HP Indigo 12K HD and Ricoh Pro C7110x), and a finishing stack that includes three ZUND digital cutters, Perfecta guillotine, AGL 6400 laminators, and an Autobond Mini 53 with foiling/sleeking. Fulfillment runs out of a doubled (since 2007) climate-controlled Minneapolis facility, with a proprietary Graphic Systems Online (GSO) web-based ordering, inventory, and reporting tool supporting national roll-outs to thousands of retail stores. Sub-brands GS Design, GS Texture, and GS Cling extend the offering into structural displays, dimensional texture graphics, and window-cling solutions.

The business sells through direct enterprise sales to major retail and consumer-brand accounts, with pricing delivered as custom project quotes across design, production, and fulfillment, typically under multi-year contracts. Headcount is in the 101–250 range. The customer base spans roughly two dozen named logos, including Williams Sonoma, Sephora, Sleep Number, Luxottica (and its LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Target Optical, and Oakley brands), Levi's, New Era, Yankee Candle, Bare Escentuals, Capital One, Edible Arrangements, Harry & David, Kohl's, Belk, and Wilson. The company holds a G7 Master qualification and is an SGIA member.

Operating signals point to a mature, stable enterprise: a 2007 facility doubling, 2014 on-site solar installation, 2017 leadership transition to Steve Ferris accompanied by a second Inca Onset X Series press, and a 2021 refresh of the GSO platform. There is no disclosed funding history, no M&A activity, no geographic expansion beyond the United States, and no AI/ML capability. The economic model is anchored on multi-year enterprise contracts and recurring seasonal roll-outs rather than transactional SMB volume.

Name

Graphic Systems, Inc.

Legal name

Graphic Systems

Website

https://graphicsystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Graphic Systems is a privately held Minneapolis commercial graphics and fulfillment provider that delivers design, wide-format and small-format digital printing, finishing, kitting, and national distribution to enterprise retail chains and consumer brands under multi-year contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Printing and Retail Graphics Services

NAICS

Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Graphic Design & Visual Content Production (BPAFAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Signage & Commercial Displays (HDACADAL), Graphic Design & Visual Communications (Collateral, Illustration) (MPAAAEAC)

Keywords

• Large format printing
• Retail graphics production
• Digital printing services
• Structural display design
• Fulfillment logistics services

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Graphic Design Services: Full-service design offering including concept renderings, structural design, creative art and layout using CAD and graphic design software. Revenue generated through project-based design fees.
2. Wide-Format Digital Printing: Production of grand format digital prints for retail displays, signage, wall graphics, and structural elements. Revenue from per-project printing based on size, substrate, and complexity.
3. Small Format Printing: High-speed digital printing for packing lists, instruction sheets, and smaller format materials using HP Indigo and Ricoh equipment.
4. Fulfillment and Logistics Services: Kitting, packaging, warehouse storage, and national distribution services. Revenue generated through per-order fulfillment fees and storage charges. Includes customized kits based on store size and type.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Graphic Systems is a full-service commercial graphics provider that designs, prints, and distributes retail merchandising materials for national chains and consumer brands. The company operates an integrated Design, Produce, and Fulfill model, delivering concept renderings, structural and creative design, large- and small-format digital printing, digital finishing, kitting, packaging, and climate-controlled warehouse fulfillment with national distribution.

Product overview

Graphic Systems is a single unified service offering that provides end-to-end graphic solutions through three core service lines—Design, Produce, and Fulfill—supplemented by a proprietary online fulfillment platform. The design team uses CAD and graphic design software for concept renderings, structural design, and creative art/layout. Production encompasses grand format digital printing (using Inca Onset UV flatbed presses and HP Latex roll-to-roll presses), small format printing (HP Indigo and Ricoh presses), and finishing services (ZUND cutters, laminators, cutting). Fulfillment includes shipping, kitting, packaging, and climate-controlled warehousing with inventory management. The company also offers branded sub-services: GS Design (structural displays), GS Texture (dimensional graphics), and GS Cling (window clings). Work is organized into portfolio categories: Print Methods, Signage, Store Front, Structural, Texture, and Wall Paper.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design Services Full-service design offering including concept renderings, structural design, creative art, and layout using CAD and graphic design software, intended for retail chains and consumer brands needing custom merchandising graphics.
• Grand Format Digital Printing Large-format digital printing on Inca Onset UV flatbed presses (up to 126" x 63"), HP Latex roll-to-roll presses (up to 118" with 8-color plus white ink and spot gloss), and HP DesignJet Z6610 production printers (60" wide, 2400 x 1200 resolution) for retail displays, signage, wall graphics, and structural elements.
• Small Format Printing High-speed digital printing using HP Indigo 12K HD 7 Color press (29.13 x 20.07 print area) and Ricoh Pro C7110x printer for packing lists, instruction sheets, and other smaller format printed materials.
• Finishing Services Comprehensive finishing including cutting, folding, laminating, taping, grommeting, packaging, and box making using ZUND digital cutters, Perfecta guillotine cutter, AGL 6400 thermal and pressure-sensitive laminators, and Autobond Mini 53 thermal laminator with foiling and sleeking option.
• Fulfillment Services Shipping, kitting, packaging, and national fulfillment with climate-controlled warehouse, customized kits by store size and type, inventory management, pull tickets, manifests, and audit trails.
• GS Design Sub-brand offering structural display design with 3D elements and custom display solutions for retail environments.
• GS Texture Sub-brand offering dimensional graphic texture application that adds depth and visual dimension to retail graphics.
• GS Cling Sub-brand offering window cling and adhesive graphic solutions for retail storefronts and promotional displays.
• Graphic Systems Online (GSO) Web-based fulfillment platform enabling customers to order print materials via web, email, or phone, with inventory management, pull tickets, manifests, and comprehensive audit trails; an updated version with improved maintenance and reporting tools was released in 2021.

Named customers28 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Speedpro Imaging: Speedpro is the largest franchise network of large-format digital printers in North America, producing signage, vehicle wraps, and retail graphics. Comparable in core technology (wide-format digital printing) and customer types to Graphic Systems, with a different geographic delivery model.
• The Vomela Companies: Vomela is one of North America's largest large-format graphics, signage, and visual merchandising providers serving national retail, transportation, and event markets. Directly comparable to Graphic Systems in service scope (design, print, finishing, fulfillment) and customer base of national retail brands.
• InnerWorkings (HH Global): InnerWorkings (now part of HH Global) is a managed print and marketing execution provider serving enterprise brands across retail, CPG, and financial services. Highly comparable to Graphic Systems' model of bundling design, production, and fulfillment for national account programs.
• Meyers (Meyers Research): Meyers is a large-format printing and brand activation provider for retail, exhibits, and events. Comparable production technology stack (UV flatbed, digital finishing) and customer base of national brands seeking integrated program execution.
• Barkley Inc. Barkley produces in-store point-of-purchase displays, signage, and retail merchandising graphics for consumer brands. Directly comparable to Graphic Systems' retail display and signage production offering.
• DPR Group (ASG): DPR/ASG designs and manufactures custom retail displays, fixtures, and in-store merchandising solutions. Comparable to Graphic Systems' GS Design structural display offering and shared retail customer base.

Regional players

• Artisan Colour: Artisan Colour is a Phoenix-based commercial printing and large-format graphics provider serving regional and national brands. Comparable production technology and service mix, with a different geographic footprint than Graphic Systems' Minneapolis base.
• Color Ink: Color Ink is a Midwest-based commercial and digital printing company offering large-format, offset, and finishing services. Comparable in equipment stack and customer types, though smaller and more regionally focused than Graphic Systems.

Broad incumbents

• Quad/Graphics (Quad): Quad is a large publicly traded commercial printer with retail, marketing, and logistics services. Comparable in commercial print and retail fulfillment capabilities, but operates at much greater scale and across broader categories than Graphic Systems.
• SGK (Matthews International): SGK provides brand design, prepress, and packaging graphics services to global consumer brands. Comparable in design-to-production integration for retail and CPG customers, though SGK is broader and substantially larger.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/graphicsystems
• Facebookfacebook.com/graphicsystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/201233

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Graphic Systems, Inc.