In the early 1900s, Santa Clara Valley experienced a wave of prosperity unseen in the area since the days of the California goldrush. Like that discovery, this one also focused on the ground. Early settlers realized that their lush, fertile valley experienced an abundance of rainfall and plenty of sunshine-the perfect formula for growing the most flavorful fruits in the world. Orchards spread, and an industry soon developed to grow, can, and dry the fruit. A close-knit community of business people also came together to provide these orchardists with the goods and services necessary to their success. Harry L. Shibley, founder of The Press, was one such person. In the early 1920s, Harry traded his Los Altos chicken ranch for a stationery store that included a small, hand-operated printing press. Answering the need for quality printing of business materials, Harry established himself in the community by 1925. And by 1930, he was the exclusive printer for the Food Machinery Corporation, a vital player in the valley's agricultural economy. The Press was the largest printer between San Francisco and Los Angeles during the '40s and '50s. Shortly after World War II, it was the first local business to purchase an offset printing press. Soon, The Press gained a reputation for willingness and ability. No job was too unusual or challenging. Over the years, The Press has designed and printed packaging for items as diverse as the Oral-B toothbrush and the Pet Rock. The last few decades have seen increasing change. What was once was known as The Valley of the Heart's Delight is now Silicon Valley. Office buildings and housing developments have replaced the orchards, and a new wave of prosperity has taken root. Not that long ago, IBM asked The Press to supply film and camera work for their new invention-the disk drive. And The Press was pleased to print for Apple Computer long before Lisa gave birth to the Mac. Like the valley itself, The Press has changed with the times. It has moved a far way from hot metal type, but is still a company with roots deep in the Santa Clara soil. Now owned by Harry Shibley's family, The Press operates with the friendly personal service characteristic of the valley's traditions. Hand-set type and hand-fed presses have given way to scanners and digital prepress, but the craft of fine printing lives on at The Press. We take great pride in coupling the best traditions of the printing craft with the latest technology available to create powerful printed pieces that clearly express your message. Many of our clients today look for new, more effective relationships with printers and other custom suppliers. At The Press, we nourish this new approach. We know our experience and expertise can work for you in many ways. Many clients ask us to coordinate all facets of complex print and mailing projects. Others ask us to develop print inventory systems, customer fulfillment services, or one-stop disk-to-print-to-mail programs. We're ready and willing to customize our servicees to meet your needs. At The Press, we use a modern approach to deliver the best tradition of quality and custom service.

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