By Jenny Callison
Enquirer contributor

Millard Samuels of Samuels Products sits among some prescription label rolls in the Rotopress printing area of the Blue Ash plant. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

When people turn 100, they are often asked what factors led to their longevity. Frequent answers include staying fit, thinking young, focusing on others, keeping busy and avoiding complacency.

Samuels Products Inc. takes a similar approach to life and, at the century mark, is a viable specialty printer. For most of its history, the company has served the pharmacy market, printing labels, receipts, patient counseling blurbs and prescription bags. It's been a successful niche.

"Hardly a day goes by that I don't get an offer from somebody who wants to buy the company," said Millard Samuels, president.

But Samuels isn't biting. He intends to keep his family business in the family and has assembled a team that works smart and thinks innovatively. He points with pride also to the longevity and loyalty of his personnel.

The president himself has been at the helm for 25 years and still is eager to come to work every day.

Samuels is the third family member to head up the enterprise. Joseph Samuels launched Samuels Printing Co. in 1903, operating a press in his basement before moving to a larger space downtown. Although he began as a general printer, the founder soon steered his company toward the pharmacy market, producing some of the original prescription labels for medication boxes.

When Joseph died in 1939, his brother Morris succeeded him, continuing to serve independent pharmacies with a variety of printed materials. He changed the company's name to better reflect its focus. And three years later, he made room for another family member: Joseph's son Millard. After serving in World War II and completing a degree at the University of Cincinnati, Millard had a head full of new ideas.

PARTNERS WITH PHARMACIES

Samuels Products maintains its own sales force but also uses independent agents and industry brokers to get its name and its products into the market. In addition to printed materials, the company is a reseller of vials, beakers and other prescription supplies. Most customers are in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Florida or California, but Samuels continues to expand geographically and now has customers in every state. Samuels Products' 65,000-square-foot plant is at 9851 Redhill Drive in Blue Ash. Information: 891-4456.

"My uncle Morris was pretty old fashioned, but he went along with me," Samuels said.

The company continued to grow, moving from downtown to Fairfax in 1960. When Morris Samuels died in 1978, Millard took over as president. Two years later, he bought property in Blue Ash and moved the business there. His son Tom has become vice president of Samuels Products.

In recent years, Samuels has seen both its market and its industry change dramatically. As large pharmacy chains have bought up smaller chains and independent stores, the company has expanded its geographic reach, adding customers in such locales as Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Canada

"We focus on being of service to the independent pharmacies," said Tim Kroger, Samuels' sales manager

Samuels has moved with the printing industry to computer technology, which has revolutionized the prepress process for its flexographic printing. Technology has allowed the company to run a more efficient operation with fewer people: Employees now number about 60, down from a high of 115 some years ago. For example, one person can now do the job that used to keep four graphic artists and a paste-up person busy.

"I just put in a new image scanner," Samuels said. "We're constantly buying new equipment. We can send a four-color proof to a customer in California - and it's back in five minutes."

Kroger said: "Computerization has changed not only our products, but the way we do our business. Our products have changed as a result of the way pharmacies use computers."

Although there's stiff competition in the pharmacy printing market now from companies that print forms, Samuels and Kroger said their commitment to customer service and quality keeps the company competitive.

"We've had many of our customers for many, many years," Samuels said.

E-mail jcallison@cinci.rr.com.