Copycats

What Copycats does

Copycats is a privately held, full-service commercial printing and mailing company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, founded in 1984 and led by CEO Ruth Starer. The company serves NYC-based medical and research institutions, law firms, event organizers, non-profits, general businesses, artists, and individual consumers with a vertically integrated production stack: digital and offset printing, wide format printing for posters, banners, and displays, CMYK and PMS spot color, variable data printing for personalized mail, and a comprehensive menu of in-house finishing services (saddle-stitch, perfect binding, coil, wire-o, lamination, embossing, foil stamping, diecutting). Mailing and fulfillment — including insertion, sealing, list maintenance, de-duplication, and pre-sorting for postage discounts — round out the offering, enabling customers to execute direct mail campaigns end-to-end from a single vendor.

The business model is transactional and quote-based: customers submit specifications via phone (212-557-2111), email, or website forms and receive custom pricing per job based on quantity, substrate, finishing, and turnaround. There are no published rate cards, no subscription tiers, and no channel partners; all revenue flows through the single Midtown facility. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-customer, with no enterprise sales team or reseller network, supplemented by an educational blog and SEO-optimized service pages. Geography is operationally concentrated in NYC (same-day Manhattan delivery, files received by noon shipped next day), with national and international shipping available primarily for specialty products like scientific posters.

Copycats is differentiated less by technology than by tenure and trust: staff average 17 years with the company, four employees have 30+ years tenure, and an independent survey found 100% of respondents would recommend the company. It holds research poster contracts with two world-class research institutions and serves long-tenured customers in legal and retail (e.g., Terrafirma Ceramics, NYC law firms) on relationships exceeding a decade. The company is owner-operated with no disclosed institutional capital, M&A activity, or partnerships, operating as a stable, mature specialty print provider rather than a venture-backed growth platform.

Name

Copycats

Legal name

Copycats

Website

https://copycats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Copycats is a privately held NYC commercial printing and mailing company founded in 1984, serving medical, legal, event, non-profit, and business clients with digital/offset printing, large format, finishing, and direct mail services from a single Midtown Manhattan facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Printing Services

NAICS

Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111), Support Activities for Printing (323120)

SIC

Commercial Printing (2750), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Reprographics & Large‑Format Printing (Posters, Banners, Blueprints, Signage) (EDAEAJAD)

Keywords

• Commercial printing services
• Digital and offset printing
• Wide format printing
• Direct mail fulfillment
• Binding and finishing services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Printing Services: Transaction-based printing services for a wide variety of printed materials including newsletters, direct mail, brochures, business cards, stationery, labels, presentations, books, badges, postcards, promotional items, and more. Revenue is generated per job/order based on quantity, materials, and finishing options selected.
2. Mailing and Fulfillment Services: Mailing services including insertion, sealing, mail list maintenance, pre-sorting for postage discounts, and fulfillment. These services are offered as add-ons to printing orders or as standalone services.
3. Finishing Services: Binding services (saddle-stitch, perfect bind, coil, wire-o, tape, velo), folding options, perforation, padding, shrink wrapping, lamination, embossing, debossing, foil stamping, diecutting. These are typically add-on services to print jobs.
4. Large Format/Wide Format Printing: Wide format printing for posters, banners, displays, floor graphics, signage. Includes both indoor and outdoor applications on various substrates (paper, fabric, vinyl, rigid materials).
5. Specialized Printing Services: Scientific posters, trial boards, court exhibits, event printing, medical/research printing, custom greeting cards, and promotional products. Premium services with specialized expertise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Copycats is a NYC-based commercial printing and mailing company that produces offset and digital printing, wide format displays, binding, finishing, and direct mail fulfillment for businesses, institutions, non-profits, and individuals. The company also offers specialized printing for scientific posters, trial boards, event materials, medical/research facilities, custom greeting cards, and promotional products. Orders are placed via phone, email, or website and delivered locally in NYC or shipped nationally and internationally.

Product overview

Copycats is a traditional printing services company offering a comprehensive portfolio of print-related products and services. The company operates primarily as a service-based print provider rather than a software platform. Core offerings include offset and digital printing, wide format printing, binding services (saddle-stitch, perfect binding, coil, wire-o, velo, tape), and folding services. Specialized services include Scientific Posters, Trial Boards/Court Exhibits, Event Printing, Medical & Research Print Support, and Custom Greeting Cards. The company also provides Direct Mail Services with fulfillment capabilities, Finishing Services (embossing, debossing, foil stamping, lamination), and Promotional Products. The product portfolio is organized around print production capabilities rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scientific Posters High-quality scientific and research poster printing at 600x1200 dpi resolution on satin photo paper or non-woven foldable fabric, used by researchers, hospitals, and universities for conference presentations.
• Trial Boards / Court Exhibits Production of trial demonstratives, dry-erase boards, magnetic boards, overlays, flip charts, handouts, and enlargement printing for legal documents and court exhibits, with 24-hour or same-day delivery to offices and courthouses.
• Event Printing Comprehensive event printing including invitation packages, step-and-repeat banners, seating cards, retractable banners, save-the-date cards, directional signage, personalized badges, podium signs, mounted posters, and conference materials for galas, trade shows, and conferences.
• Medical & Research Print Support Specialized printing services for medical facilities, universities, and research institutes including scientific posters, signage, floor/wall graphics, CME materials, patient education materials, staff training materials, development mailings, forms, and stationery.
• Custom Greeting Cards Custom greeting card printing for artists and designers including flat cards, fold-over cards, non-standard sizes, multiple paper selection options, and a personalized web portal for reordering.
• Offset and Digital Printing
• Wide Format Printing
• Binding Services
• Folding Services Folding options including half fold, letter fold, accordion fold, double parallel fold, gate fold, closed gate fold, French fold, and roll fold.
• Finishing Services
• Direct Mail Services
• Promotional Products

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of surveyed customers would recommend Copycats to others
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Copycats