The Print Authority

What The Print Authority does

The Print Authority, founded in 1991 and headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, is a privately held commercial printing company that specializes in serving franchises and multi-location businesses with centralized print, fulfillment, and brand-management services. Its core production stack combines offset printing (Heidelberg Suprasetter with 250-line hybrid screening, chemistry-free plate production) and high-volume digital printing (up to 14,400 B&W and 11,400 color prints per hour) with an integrated bindery offering folding, laminating, UV coating, foil stamping, embossing, and bookbinding. The company operates on 100% renewable energy (70% solar, 20% wind, 10% biogas) and uses biodegradable plant-based toner, positioning print-on-demand as a waste-reduction model.

The platform layer is anchored by custom web-to-print portals — password-protected, branded online ordering systems with multilevel access, automated approval workflows, variable data printing, preset pricing, and custom accounting codes, supported by a national infrastructure with 99.9% uptime. Fulfillment encompasses kitting, packaging, rolling/tubing of posters, and nationwide shipping (FedEx preferred), with 99%+ of orders shipping within two business days. Adjacent service lines include graphic design, large format/signage printing, and eco-friendly print-on-demand.

The revenue model blends one-time printing orders (pay-in-advance, quote-based) with recurring contract revenue from custom portal deployments where portals are provided free in exchange for exclusive or preferred-vendor printing agreements on multi-year terms. GTM is enterprise field sales targeting franchises and multi-location brands, with supporting self-serve portal ordering for distributed end-users and a website quote funnel for smaller inquiries. Customer segments are franchises and multi-location brands (primary), corporate teams and organizations (primary), and agencies/white-label partners (secondary). Named enterprise customers span restaurant franchises, an athletic services franchisor at 90+ locations, a nationwide medical practice company, and a bank, with case-study evidence of $24,000+ annual savings from obsolete-inventory reduction and order volumes ranging from $10,000 to hundreds of thousands annually.

Name

The Print Authority

Legal name

The Print Authority

Website

https://theprintauthority.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Print Authority is a Brentwood, Tennessee-based commercial printer founded in 1991 that provides digital and offset printing, custom web-to-print portals, graphic design, and nationwide fulfillment for franchises and multi-location businesses across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Printing Services

NAICS

Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Printing (Short-Run, Variable Data) (MPAJALAC)

Keywords

• Commercial printing services
• Web-to-print solutions
• Franchise printing services
• Print fulfillment
• Digital printing

Headquarters

HQ city

Brentwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Printing Services: One-time printing services for business cards, flyers, brochures, booklets, training materials, signage, and other printed products. Revenue generated per order with payment required in advance.
2. Web-to-Print Portal Services: Custom portal development and hosting. Basic portals provided free with contractual agreement for exclusive or preferred printing services. Ongoing fulfillment from portal orders.
3. On-Demand Fulfillment: Kitting, packaging, storage, and nationwide shipping services for multi-location clients. Same-day or next-day shipping capabilities with FedEx preferred shipping provider.
4. Graphic Design Services: Full-service graphic design including concept development, branding, logo design, and design for printing. Offered as standalone service or bundled with print orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Print Authority is a commercial printing services provider based in Brentwood, Tennessee, founded in 1991. The company delivers digital printing, offset printing, graphic design, finishing, shipping, and centralized fulfillment services, with a specialization in serving franchises and multi-location brands through custom web-to-print portals and on-demand production. Operations are powered by 100% renewable energy and eco-friendly plant-based toner technologies.

Product overview

The Print Authority is a printing solutions provider specializing in serving franchises and multi-location businesses with complete printing solutions. The company's offering is structured as a platform-plus-services model centered on two primary printing capabilities: Offset Printing and Digital Printing. Offset printing uses Heidelberg Suprasetter metal plate technology for spot color (PMS) and full-color process work, while digital printing delivers high-volume output up to 14,400 black and white and 11,400 color prints per hour. These core capabilities are supported by graphic design services, custom web-to-print portals (branded ordering platforms with automated workflows), print fulfillment services (kitting, packaging, nationwide shipping), large format/signage printing, eco-friendly print-on-demand (using renewable energy and plant-based toner), and comprehensive finishing services (binding, laminating, UV coating, foil stamping, embossing). The company runs on 100% renewable energy and emphasizes sustainability through print-on-demand which virtually eliminates waste.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced obsolete inventory costs by $24,000+ annually for restaurant chain client
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IFA Supplier ForumcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Official supplier forum partner for the International Franchise Association (IFA), participating in annual supplier forum events to connect with franchise organizations and multi-location businesses seeking print solutions.
• MBE (Membership Based Expos)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with MBE for event participation and exposure to franchise and multi-location business community at conferences and trade events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cimpress (Vistaprint): Vistaprint is a mass-market online commercial printing platform serving SMBs and individuals with business cards, marketing materials, and signage. It is comparable as a high-volume, multi-product commercial printer, though it operates at a much larger scale and is primarily self-serve rather than enterprise-portal driven.
• FedEx Office: FedEx Office is a national retail and commercial printing chain within FedEx. It is a broad incumbent in commercial and retail printing, signage, and shipping, competing with The Print Authority on same-day/next-day business printing nationwide.
• Staples Business Printing: Staples Business Printing is the commercial printing arm of Staples, offering online ordering of business cards, flyers, banners, and signage. It is a broad incumbent competing on SMB and mid-market online print orders.

Direct peers

• MOO: MOO is a direct-to-business commercial printer specializing in business cards, brochures, and branded marketing materials. Comparable as a design-forward, online-ordering commercial printer, though MOO focuses on SMB/design buyers rather than franchise-portal accounts.
• 4over: 4over is a wholesale commercial printing marketplace serving print brokers, agencies, and resellers. It is directly comparable as a trade printer offering offset and digital production for multi-location and agency customers.
• AlphaGraphics: AlphaGraphics is a franchised network of business-printing and marketing-services centers. It is directly comparable in targeting franchise and multi-location buyers with print, signage, and marketing services under a multi-location brand.
• Minuteman Press: Minuteman Press is a franchised commercial printing and marketing-services network. It is directly comparable as a multi-location print franchise serving business customers with offset, digital, and finishing services.
• Sir Speedy: Sir Speedy is a franchised printing, marketing, and signage network. It is directly comparable as a multi-location print franchise offering commercial printing, finishing, and direct-mail services to business customers.
• PrintingForLess: PrintingForLess is a commercial printer offering offset, digital, and large-format printing with online ordering. It is directly comparable as a digital-and-offset commercial printer serving business customers with quote-based ordering.

Emerging players

• MGX Copy: MGX Copy (formerly PrintGiant/Marenco) is an online commercial printing platform offering offset and digital printing with web-to-print ordering. It is comparable as a digital-first commercial printing peer, though it skews more toward self-serve SMB than enterprise franchise portals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ThePrintAuthority
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/print-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/theprintauthority
• Xx.com/tprintauthority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Print Authority