10/09/08

Show your support on T-shirts, signs and more

by Beckye Randall

Does your business or organization have something to say? Put it on a T-shirt!

Or a window decal, or a yard sign, or a vinyl banner, or the side of your vehicle. Whatever your medium of choice, AbleMark can make it happen for you.

Ablemark Corporation is a locally-owned screen printing and custom embroidery shop located at 1239 State Avenue in Marysville. The company serves customers from Snohomish County and throughout the northwest, across the state and around the nation.

“We really love working with small business owners,” said co-owner Carmen Brown. “Our emphasis on great customer service and quality products sets us apart from the competition, and our staff is the best around.”

Carmen and her husband Mark Brown started the specialty printing company in 1988, moving to their current location in 2005. Since the move, their staff has increased from a 2-person team to seven and they’ve converted a separate building at the back of the property into an efficient production area.

Dannie Mullene is the company’s customer service expert. Like all their employees, Mullene has a background in graphic design and recently graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle with a degree in digital design.

“Because she understands the whole process, Dannie works very well with our customers to make sure their order will be exactly right,” said Brown. “She can do a draft version of the design on the spot and help the customer make the most cost-effective choice of materials and colors.”

Experienced graphic designers Melissa Mitchell and Katrina Agustin refine the draft versions with technical skill and vital knowledge about the limitations and capabilities of the shop’s equipment and materials. Mitchell has a BFA from Central Washington University and Agustin earned an AA in graphic design from Everett Community College.

The designers, proficient in industry-standard graphic software as well as specialized screen printing technology, often work directly with their customers to build artwork that will reproduce well. Samples of their impressive design work is on display throughout the production shop and in the retail area.

Steve Gomolak and Sean Doane operate the screen printing presses and other equipment to turn out the diverse products offered by AbleMark. On a recent visit to the shop, thousands of canvas bags were waiting for imprints while Gomolak and Doane were preparing completed political signs for delivery.

AbleMark is a union shop, with its employees members of the Graphics Communications International Union (GCIU), so they are contracted by local political parties and other unions for production of signs and banners.

“We did a rush job for the Writers Guild strike,” said Brown, “hundreds of T-shirts for those on the picket lines.” To meet the rapid turnaround requirement, Carmen and Mark loaded the shirts into their vehicle and drove them down to L.A. personally.

They’ve also produced items for firefighters around the country, the IBEW and many other unions.

“We can do big mass orders, but we’re also happy to produce twelve T-shirts,” said Brown. “We really like to help local small businesses.”

This year the company expanded to include digitally printed vinyl products. Unlike cut vinyl, in which the design is manually transferred onto the base material, with digital printing the design is applied directly to the finished product, whether it’s a vinyl banner, a Corex corrugated sign, a cotton T-shirt or a bumper sticker.

“Digital printing allows us to create more complex logos and designs than with cut vinyl,” Brown explained. “And it’s more durable, especially for outdoor applications.”

The local company has a mission statement that’s all about service: To do more than you’re paid for willingly, cheerfully and consistently.

“We’re proud of our ability to satisfy our customers’ needs,” Brown said. “It’s the little things, like answering the phone in person every time it rings and greeting every customer with a smile, that sets us apart from national companies. We want to be sure that what our customers buy will work well for them.”

If you’d like to talk with Carmen or her staff about a screen printing or embroidery project, give AbleMark a call at (425) 334-4949. For more information about the company’s various products and services, visit www.ablemark.com.