History of The Printing Port, Inc.

Our History

Setting the Course
Through the leadership of the owner, Wayne Morris, The Printing Port has grown from an independent print brokerage firm to a highly successful commercial printing company with state-of-the-art equipment. Since establishing the business in 1986, Morris has participated in a great deal of change within the printing industry as well as on the Grand Strand. Now employing 23 people at two locations, his successful vision to establish his company as the source for printing for local businesses continues to evolve.
As with many small business owners, Morris is reluctant to take the credit for the company’s growth and credits the employees he has had over the years for helping him achieve success. “I have been fortunate in having dedicated, knowledgeable employees that have helped me establish strong ties with local businesses,” states Morris.
Wayne Morris is a homegrown Carolina boy, born in Asheboro, NC. He was raised in South Carolina and is an avid alumnus of Clemson University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management. He braved the cold weather of New Jersey and began his career in print management for Vanier Graphics, one of the largest independent business form manufacturers in North America. Here he learned the skills of daily management of a printing plant, overseeing scheduling, purchasing and customer service. Knowing he wanted his own company some day, Morris moved into sales to round out his education of printing. His success in only two years of sales convinced him he was ready to strike out on his own. Motivated by his desire to move back to his roots, Morris relocated to Myrtle Beach in 1986 and established The Printing Port.
It is common for a printing company to get its start with an independent broker, however many haven’t had Morris’ success. Due to his extensive knowledge and congenial personality, his client base grew to the point that it was time to open a plant and produce the jobs internally. In order to reach this goal, in 1988, Morris purchased his first printing press, a two-color Quickmaster, and opened his doors on Wesley Street in Myrtle Beach. Determined to make his business even more successful, Morris earned a Masters of Business Administration in 1989 from the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business at Campbell University in Buies, NC.

Smooth Sailing
As the business grew, additional equipment was added in the pressroom and bindery. The first four-color press was purchased in 1994. With this addition, the company was able to offer production of longer run, full color work. This allowed more options for existing customers and the ability to add new clients. The services in the bindery and finishing department increased to offer collating and stitching for booklets, sequential numbering for tickets and coupons, and folding equipment for brochures.
Of course, the number of employees increased over the years, and a core group of printing professionals formed the basis for the continued growth of the company. Betty Cook Todd, office manager and the first employee, has been with The Printing Port since 1989. Robert Rogers, production manager, joined the company in 1990 and has been instrumental in improving efficiency and quality. The sales force increased and has been an integral part of the success. Brian Coolbaugh, account representative, began selling for The Printing Port in 1996 and is now the senior salesperson for the company. Dorothy Clark, a 10-year employee of the prepress department, has seen many changes over the years with the advancement of electronic prepress, software programs, and direct-to-plate technology.
A major advancement for the company came in 1998 with the purchase of a five-unit Heidelberg press, the Speedmaster 72. The larger sheet size and speed of 8,000 impressions per hour moved The Printing Port to the next level. A unique feature of this press is the optional aqueous coater. This fast-drying coating is applied in-line, offering protection from scuffing and a glossy finish to the printed sheet. The press delivers the quality of printing that sophisticated business customers have come to expect. This is especially true for advertising agencies that have extremely high standards for the production of their creative concepts. “We have worked hard to establish ourselves as a quality printing company,” said Morris, “and we are pleased we have been acknowledged locally by readers of The Sun News as a finalist and a winner in the Best of the Beach contest. When we received our first award from our industry association, The Printing Industry of the Carolinas, I knew that we had reached a milestone.” The Printing Port has been the recipient of six PICA Awards over the past three years.
In 2003, The Printing Port relocated to its current location at 150 April Gray Lane in Myrtle Beach in the former Wings building off Outlet Blvd. The move provided more than 14,500 square feet to allow for the expansion that was so greatly needed. The renovation of the building provides an efficient workflow and accommodates future growth of the company.

On the Horizon
Building long-term relationships with its customers has allowed The Printing Port to become an integral part of the business plan of many local businesses. In order to strengthen those ties, the goal is to offer more than just printing. Feedback from customers led Morris to determine the next two pieces of equipment to purchase. Acquired in 2004, a Heidelberg die cutter makes The Printing Port the only commercial printer on the Grand Strand with the ability to print and die cut pocket folders, presentation folders, and custom die cut products. The Rena ink jet printer launched the company into the new arena of fulfillment and mailing services, managing client’s jobs from electronic files to the post office. Along with the printing and bindery services, specialty promotional products are also available.
Through an association with the Advertising Specialty Institute, The Printing Port is able to offer an almost unlimited array of promotional items that serve as companion pieces to customers printed material. As a distributor, The Printing Port has access to over 10,000 suppliers of advertising specialty products that range from aprons and pens to stress balls and zipper pulls. This is an industry that is experiencing huge growth and growing interest from the customer base.
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Our goal is to accommodate existing and future needs of our customers, offering the best in service and quality. As we continue to look toward the horizon, we look forward to helping you build your business.