Former chemical-industry executive Renaud Megard purchased 42-year-old, New Bedford-based plastics and metal printing company Nameplates for Industry Corp. in October 2015.
The career switch, which he said “fit [his experience] well,” was driven by the diversity in the products manufactured and projects undertaken by the 48-person company and the uniqueness of the industry in today’s manufacturing landscape.
“It’s a very different type of printing,” said Megard, a native of Lyon, France, who has lived in the United States for 26 years. “We print on plastic and metals, it’s a niche business.”
Steve Moniz, director of the newly launched NFI design studio, emphasized getting “involved early in the process to keep [costs] within the company’s budget.”
NFI’s dedication to helping companies better navigate the printing process led to the launch of an in-house design studio. Nameplate design and graphic-printing application is treated as not just one part of a product’s physical appearance, but as an integral factor in a business’s never-ending marketing effort.
“The design studio was promoted for the sake of distinguishing ourselves from the competition,” said Moniz.
A recent example of NFI’s design and manufacturing capabilities can be seen at the New Bedford Buttonwood Park Zoo. Moniz said the company’s design team and manufacturers worked with the zoo’s administration on two projects. The first, a set of large placards and signs on which the names of donors are printed, includes animal graphics and can be seen inside the venue. The second project, explanatory signage about animals and their habitats, was produced in conjunction with the opening of the zoo’s newest exhibit, Rainforests, Rivers and Reefs – which houses everything from monkeys to fish and turtles.
Megard said the firm places a lot of importance on the ability to innovate and “provide solutions to the customer. Our growth is really coming through innovative designs.”
Another success for the company, which works in conjunction with its design studio, said Megard, is NFI’s integration of augmented reality into their designs.
Moniz said that unlike QR codes, boxes of black and white squares similar to a barcode, NFI prints “invisible” links, which, when scanned by a smartphone, connect the customer to a website, movie, PDF or a customer’s other online content.
However, in the post-recession world, NFI still faces challenges. Megard explained the biggest concern he has is with the “[high] quality” products entering the market from companies based in Asia, many of which he considers NFI’s direct competition.
Also, as an emigre to the United States, Megard said he views “rising health care costs” as a large obstacle to NFI’s success. In other countries, he said, that expense does not impact a company’s bottom line as much.
Megard has big plans for NFI’s next five years.
“As the industry continues to grow, we will continue to invest in new technology, grow our market share globally and look to continue growth through mergers and acquisitions,” he said.
OWNER: Renaud Megard, CEO and president
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Commercial printing
LOCATION: 213 Theodore Rice Blvd., New Bedford
EMPLOYEES: 48
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1975
ANNUAL SALES: WND
