What Carlson Print Group does

Carlson Print Group is a privately-held U.S. specialty printing and packaging company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, operating as a division of American Spirit Corporation. Founded circa 1985 (firmographic record) / 2000 (per company history), the company serves a nationwide client base spanning Main Street businesses to Fortune 100-500 brands across cosmetics, food and beverage, entertainment, pet care, hair care, and sporting goods. Its core offering centers on premium specialty print techniques — including Colour Foil (inline cold foil), Cast & Cure (inline holographic), Lenticular, Chrome FX, MotionCoat, and Soft Touch coatings — applied to folding cartons, corrugated packaging, point-of-purchase displays, commercial collateral, and customized product kits, with run quantities ranging from 1,000 to over 1,000,000 units.

Underlying technology is built around capital-intensive offset and digital enhancement equipment: a custom-configured Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 eight-color press with LED-UV double coater and inline cold foil/Cast & Cure modules (installed November 2023, described as unique in North America), a Koenig & Bauer Rapida 105 PRO six-color workhorse press (installed 2021), and a Scodix Ultra 6000 large-format digital enhancement press. Advanced in-line color control systems (ErgoTronic Color Control, QualiTronic Color Control) measure every sheet and control every tenth sheet, supporting G-7, GMI, and FSC certifications that are prerequisites for Fortune-brand supply chains. A second manufacturing facility operates in Howard Lake, MN.

The business model is project-based B2B services revenue, priced via quote rather than published rate cards. Go-to-market is sales-led, combining direct enterprise sales with inside sales for mid-market and repeat clients, supplemented by trade show participation (e.g., the Amplify expo at the Minneapolis Convention Center), in-house live equipment demonstrations, a content marketing blog, social channels, and tangible product demonstration kits. Customer engagement is consultative, supported by in-house CAD-CAM structural design, mockups, die cutting, kitting, fulfillment, and drop shipment services.

Name

Carlson Print Group

Legal name

Carlson Print Group

Website

https://carlsonprint.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Carlson Print Group is a privately-held Minnesota specialty printing and packaging company serving Fortune 100-500 brands and Main Street businesses with premium techniques (Colour Foil, Cast & Cure, Lenticular, Chrome FX) on Koenig & Bauer and Scodix presses, operating as a division of American Spirit Corporation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Printing Services

NAICS

Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111), Printing (32311), Printing and Related Support Activities (3231)

SIC

Commercial Printing (2750)

akta.pro primary industry

Finishing & Post-Press Services (Cutting, Folding, Collating, Laminating, Foil, Emboss) (MPAJALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Direct-to-Container & Digital Printing (Inkjet/Laser) (IMALAKAF)

Keywords

• Commercial printing services
• Specialty packaging printing
• Folding cartons manufacturing
• Cold foil printing
• Lenticular print finishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Eden Prairie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Printing Services: Carlson Print Group generates revenue through custom printing services for specialty print and packaging projects. Projects range from marketing collateral to high-end packaging with specialty techniques. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, with run quantities from 1,000 to 1,000,000+. Services include design consultation, CAD services, material selection, proofing, and fulfillment.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Carlson Print Group is a specialty premium print shop that produces high-end commercial print and packaging for consumer brands. Its core offering combines offset printing on Koenig & Bauer Rapida presses with proprietary in-line specialty techniques—Colour Foil (cold foil), Cast & Cure (holographic), Lenticular, and Chrome FX—plus digital enhancement via a Scodix Ultra 6000 press. The company also delivers full-service packaging (CAD design, die cutting, folding/gluing, kitting, fulfillment, drop shipment) and customized Product Kits for clients from Main Street businesses to Fortune 100–500 brands, with run quantities from 1,000 to 1,000,000+ units.

Product overview

Carlson Print Group operates as a specialty premium print shop offering a comprehensive portfolio of printing and packaging solutions. The core offering centers on Specialty Print techniques (including Colour Foil, Cast & Cure, Lenticular, and Chrome FX), complemented by full-service Packaging capabilities. Supporting services include Commercial Printing and customized Product Kits. The company serves diverse market segments including confectionary, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, food & beverage, entertainment, sporting goods, and home products. Key equipment investments include Koenig & Bauer Rapida presses (105 PRO and 106 eight-color LED-UV double coater) and Scodix Ultra 6000 digital enhancement press.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Specialty Print Premium specialty printing service that combines offset printing on Koenig & Bauer Rapida presses with innovative in-line techniques (cold foil, Cast & Cure, multiple coatings, die cutting, folding/gluing) across paper, synthetic, and plastic substrates. Sold to consumer brands and marketing agencies needing differentiated print collateral.
• Packaging Full-service packaging production including state-of-the-art CAD-CAM structural design, mockups, die cutting, laser die cutting, folding/gluing with glue detection and barcode scanning, kitting, fulfillment, and drop shipment. Sold to confectionery, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, food & beverage, entertainment, sporting goods, home products, and food service brands.
• Commercial Printing Four-color process commercial printing service backed by 20+ years of experience, G-7 certified color quality, FSC-certified materials, and GMI approval. Marketed as a preferred-vendor offering for Fortune 500 companies and Main Street businesses alike.
• Product Kits Customized kit development service covering concept, design, production, and launch with in-house CAD, mockup/sampling, full assembly, kitting, warehousing, inventory management, and in-house mailing facility. Sold to brands needing consolidated marketing and product kits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% capacity increase with Rapida 105 PRO press
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Koenig & BauercoreTechnology or Integration · 3 November 2023Koenig & Bauer is a leading press manufacturer. Carlson Print Group purchased custom-configured Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 and Rapida 105 PRO presses. Koenig & Bauer worked closely with Carlson's management, sales, and production teams to customize presses to Carlson's specific needs, creating a press unlike any other in North America.
• ScodixcoreTechnology or Integration · 9 August 2021Scodix is a leading provider of digital print enhancement presses. Carlson Print Group invested in the Scodix Ultra 6000 press for large format enhancements. The partnership enables tactile applications such as embossing, foil, metallic effects, glitter, and specialty finishes. Scodix experts participate in industry events and provide demonstrations.
• Case PapercoreOthersEstablished in 1943, Case Paper is one of the largest privately-held distributors and converters of paper and board for the printing and packaging industry. They supply Carlson Print Group with high-quality prime board grades including Metsä Board C1S Pro FBB Bright, Graphic Packaging International Everest SBS & Pearlkote SUS, Stallion C1S/C2S, and Sappi Proto SBS. Both companies share values around quality, sustainability, and stewardship.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cenveo: A North American commercial printing and packaging producer serving consumer products, financial services, and publishing markets. Comparable to Carlson as a commercial printer with packaging exposure and similar customer types.
• Fortis Solutions Group: A North American provider of labels and packaging solutions serving CPG, food and beverage, and specialty brand customers. Directly comparable to Carlson in target customer mix and specialty printing/finishing value proposition.
• Smyth Companies: A specialty printing and packaging producer serving consumer brands in beauty, spirits, food, and entertainment. Closely comparable to Carlson in target verticals, specialty finishing emphasis, and premium brand customer mix.
• Multi-Color Corporation: A leading global provider of label and packaging printing solutions serving major consumer brands across multiple end-markets. Directly comparable as a packaging printer competing for the same brand-owner packaging budgets as Carlson, with overlapping capabilities in specialty finishing and premium presentation.
• INX International Ink Co. A leading manufacturer of printing inks and coatings, with significant packaging printing services. Comparable to Carlson as a packaging-focused printing operation serving brand owners across food, beverage, and consumer products.

Broad incumbents

• Taylor Corporation: One of the largest privately-held printing and marketing services companies in the U.S., with broad commercial printing, packaging, and personalization capabilities. Comparable as a commercial and packaging printer serving enterprise customers, though with a much wider portfolio.
• CCL Industries: The world's largest specialty label and packaging producer, serving global CPG, healthcare, and premium consumer brands. Comparable to Carlson as a packaging printer with specialty finishing capabilities, though at far greater scale and geographic breadth.
• AptarGroup: A global supplier of dispensing systems, packaging components, and active material science solutions for beauty, food/beverage, and healthcare. Comparable to Carlson as a packaging solutions provider to premium consumer brands, though at much larger scale and with different core technology.
• Berlin Packaging: A hybrid packaging supplier and rigid container printer serving consumer goods customers. Comparable to Carlson in serving brand-owner packaging needs, though with a stronger focus on rigid containers and supplier distribution alongside printing.
• Quad/Graphics: A large publicly-traded marketing and print services provider serving retail, consumer products, and financial services. Comparable to Carlson as a commercial printer serving enterprise customers with marketing and packaging needs, though with a much broader and lower-mix profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carlson-print-group

Compliance4 records

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 Carlson Print Group