TLF Graphics Inc., ranked 83rd in the Rochester Top 100, prints labels and decals for major durable-goods producers such as Harris RF Communications and Ultralife Batteries Inc. and is looking to continue to make aggressive expansions in 2006.

TLF says it has accomplished growth by "hitching" to clients who are also growing, a technique that has allowed firm partners Daniel Wagner, Bob McJury and Ronald LeBlanc to reach annual revenue of about $14 million, twice what the company was bringing in when they took the company over in 1998. Bob McJury talks about how the company has grown and why he likes working in the Rochester area:

How did you get involved with TLF Graphics?

I worked for a major forms company, Moore Forms, which had been sourcing business through TLF Graphics for a number of years. TLF grew to the point where they were looking for a sales manager and I was interested in putting my stake in the ground in upstate New York.

I became a manager in 1996 and after a year and a half, the previous owners wanted to talk about an exit strategy, so we bought the company...in 1998.

What does the company do?

We print labels, decals, graphics and signage banners. Harris RF, for instance, would do a serial number decal that goes on the back of their radio or overlay panel.

What are some of the ways you've expanded the company?

Broad product offering, broad customer base. No one customer controls more than 9 (percent) or 10 percent of our business. Additionally, in being selective about our local customer base by making sure we hitched to growing firms. Also, we're extending our reach. There are distributors, manufacturers or large national firms who don't do well what we do well.

We're constantly looking for new technology and new applications to further broaden that base. the newest technology is radio frequency identification, or RFID, labeling. It's used to track shipments in the distribution chain and it's also used for asset tracking.

How are you able to stave off the competition?

Our service: We're nimble, we're fast and we're flexible. And sometimes people I know beat the service thing to death, but we try to live by it around here and we measure it monthly.

What do you like about doing business in Rochester?

Geographically, our clients are easy to reach and so are our salespeople.

All three owners were born and raised in the area. We also like the things that the Rochester area has to offer, like an excellent education. Our banker is excellent for us. It's funny, people who grew up in western New York oftentimes have a hard time leaving here, and we don't anticipate moving our business.

It's easy to get around. We're located in Henrietta, so we have easy access to (Interstates) 390, 490 and 590 and I-90 is within five minutes. It's easy for our employees and our suppliers to interact with the company. We thought about moving out to Ontario County or Wayne County, but what a burden that would place on both our employees and suppliers, so we're staying here.

What are your goals for 2006?

Our expectations for 2006 are somewhere in the area of $16.5 million (in revenue). We've got some things in place that we may hit that number pretty readily; however, the growth is coming out of western New York. We expect to expand our employment by at least 10 people and we've just signed a significant contract that should ensure double-digit growth in 2006. We also just signed a deal for a #300,000 press. – we'll have significant equipment capital purchases.

What is the philosophy that drives the company?

We truly place a high value on our employees and our clients. If you were to ask an employee about what's good about TLF Graphics, they'd read you off the list: profit sharing, pizza days, gift cards for perfect attendance.

If there's one thing you could change about your industry, what would it be?

It's highly competitive. And maybe that newer technology would be easier to acquire. I was talking with my partners when we got this new press, and we were saying, 'If I had money, this is my wish list.'

And too many times, printing is lumped together as a commodity, and there's really a lot more to it than the price. I'd like to see printing as less of a commodity.

What do you enjoy the most about running the company?

I enjoy the people, I enjoy the thrill of a new client, and serving or bailing out an existing client is invigorating. Each day is invigorating because it's different, exciting and fast-paced. I'm not bored.