St. Louis, MO (June 1, 2024) – Mark/Trèce, Inc. today announced that it has been acquired by the DFC Manufacturing Group, LLC. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

DFC Manufacturing Group is the leading maker of dies with locations across the United States.

For over 60 years, Mark/Trèce, Inc. has been a leading-edge prepress company providing the flexographic printing industry with superior bundled solutions. With manufacturing and sales operations in six locations in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the U.S., Mark/Trèce will continue to service the diverse needs of the industry. In addition to platemaking, Mark/Trèce offers total concept development, including graphic design, print quality programs, cutting dies, and more. Mark/Trèce looks to the future with investments in color management, networking, screening calibration technologies, and digital platemaking.

“We are delighted to offer our customers a broader range of products and locations,” said Brian Kearins, National General Manager of the DFC Manufacturing Group. “Mark/Trèce’s leadership in the platemaking industry will significantly expand DFC’s product offerings to our customers, as we will be able to offer a single source for both dies and printing plates across the U.S. Together, Mark/Trèce and DFC can reach most cities across the country within less than a three-hour drive, which will allow us to reduce lead times and costs for our customers. We look forward to integrating Mark/Trèce into the DFC family and continuing to invest in their equipment and people to maintain their exceptional quality.”

“I am proud to partner with the DFC Manufacturing Group,” said Richard Godfrey, Co-founder and CEO of Mark/Trèce, Inc. “It is rare to find a business that is not only enduring but thriving with the involvement of the original founder after sixty-two years in business. Mark/Trèce has been more than a job for many of our employees. It has been a career based on loyalty and opportunity for many that felt like family. I truly believe we have entered into a very compatible relationship as we share similar core values and as we both operate under fair and diplomatic principals. We both understand the key to success is knowing when it is time to change. I have always said “change or perish” and I stand by that now. Sixty-two years ago when I started a fledgling Mark/Trèce, I saw it as a terrific challenge, however I felt I could make the market better and help our customers with a local platemaker there to serve them high quality products at a fair price. I want to thank all of the customers and employees Mark/Trèce has had and held over the last sixty-two years. I know this decision is favorable and will continue to guarantee success for all parties into the future. It has truly been an honor and a pleasure to own and operate Mark/Trèce for the past six plus decades. I want to say thank you to all our customers and employees who kept us in business all these years. The total quality management concept made evident that Mark/Trèce’s strongest asset and greatest resource are the employees. I take pride in all I have built and the opportunities it has allowed for in all of our lives. It has been a longstanding mission of Mark/Trèce to provide the highest quality products and customer service and we will continue to do so as we transition into the future.”

Lee Grantham and Ken Ricks will co-lead Mark/Trèce as Regional General Managers of the DFC Manufacturing Group. They will continue to manage their Mark/Trèce facilities, while integrating Mark/Trèce’s printing plates into product offerings at all of DFC’s locations.

ABOUT DFC MANUFACTURING GROUP LLC

DFC Manufacturing Group (www.dfcmfggroup.com) is the leading die maker with locations across the United States, including Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; St. Paul, MN; Brooklyn Park, MN; North Attleboro, MA; Elk Grove, IL; Batavia, IL; Greensboro, NC; Indian Trail, NC; Reading, PA; Knoxville, TN; Conyers, GA; Anaheim, CA; Ceres, CA; Fresno, CA; Salinas, CA; Elmhurst, IL; Greensboro, NC; and Stone Mountain, GA. We manufacture a wide range of customized steel rule dies and thermo-forming dies and provide custom cutting and converting services. Our customers include folding carton and corrugated packaging manufacturers, specialty packaging companies, commercial printers, advertising agencies, food packaging companies, medical device firms, direct mail houses, and many others.

ABOUT MARK/TRECE, INC.

Founded in 1962, Mark/Trèce, Inc., (www.marktrece.com), is a leading-edge prepress company providing printing plates for corrugated point-of-purchase displays, flexible packaging, and steel rule dies. Since its inception, Mark/Trèce has provided the flexographic printing industry with superior everyday solutions. In addition to platemaking, we offer total concept development, including graphic design, print quality advancement programs, cutting dies, and a variety of consultative services. The people of Mark/Trèce are at the core of our company’s success, and our customers experience the difference.