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Graphic Systems was featured in the Memphis newspaper,  The Commercial Appeal business section on April 13th, 2007.  Here is the article...

Graphic Systems Incorporated goes from type to technology

By Jonathan Devin, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Monday, April 13, 2009

Dennis Kopcial and Douglas Breeckner find running a contemporary printing business more like keeping up with the Jetsons than the Joneses.

The president and vice president, respectively, of Graphic Systems Inc. located off of Whitten Road near Bartlett, say an early working relationship with FedEx gave them a taste of how technology would shape printing.

"This is one of those industries that's come off of understanding computers, computer forms and supplies," said Breeckner. "One of the reasons we were so successful with printed forms is that we knew how to program computers."

GSI produces business forms, commercial printing, labels, digital printing and online catalogs, and consults for major corporations such as International Paper, Hilton Hotels, Willis Consulting and Harrah's Entertainment.

Kopcial organized GSI in 1978 and primarily served FedEx by printing air bills and other shipping materials. FedEx's global growth allowed GSI to develop its own niches along the way.

"We were fortunate with our relationship with FedEx, being able to be on the forefront of technology," Breeckner said. "We actually built their very first power-ship system. It was basically a handheld Epson computer that stored all its data on micro-cassettes, in a clam-shell case that we built in our warehouse, with a scale attached to it.

"Here we were printing air bills for them and designing the first system to eliminate the air bill."

FedEx outgrew GSI, but not before Kopcial and Breeckner had had a good taste of how technology would shape the printing industry.

When IP came to Memphis 18 years ago, Breeckner began developing printer database systems to produce personalized, on-demand employee benefits and training packets, which integrated information specific to each employee regarding salary or hourly rates, OSHA regulations and union contracts specific to different locations.

"It's one of those industries where you have to get a little anal, because if it isn't 100 percent right, it's 100 percent wrong," Kopcial said. "That's the fascination for me."

Aesthetics in printing have come a long way, too.