BY JIM PLUNKETT
To illustrate, Vijuk points to an ambitious growth plan implemented in the mid 1990s that continues to gain momentum as the 20th century comes to a close. Vijuk predicts sales will reach $15 million for this year—an increase of more than 200% over sales for 1993—and states that company employment levels have more than doubled in the same period.
In 1954, at just seven years of age, Joe Vijuk (far left) began working alongside older brother, Bob, in his father's bindery. Vijuk's father, Michael (far right), works at the cutter; his mother, Branka, stands behind him.
Strong roots
Although Vijuk Equipment formally started in 1967, the firm's connection with the bindery industry stretches back to the 1930s, when Michael Vijuk, Joe's father, was a bookbinder. By 1939, he owned one of the largest bookbinding companies in Yugoslavia. Unfortunately, the Nazi invasion of the country, followed by the communist takeover after World War II, forced Michael Vijuk, his wife, Branka, and their three children (Bob, Stella and Joe) to flee the country. Eventually settling in Canada, Michael Vijuk opened Omega Bookbinding. His genius for solving bindery problems led him to form Vijuk Equipment, Inc., a consulting firm that served binderies across North America. In the course of his work, he invented the industry's first outsert machine, still an important mainstay of the pharmaceutical and small packaging industry. In 1954, at just seven years of age, Joe Vijuk began working in his father's bindery in Windsor, Ontario. Vijuk says it was during this period that he learned the basics of the bookbinding craft from his father. "Dad's shop was a full-service bindery, handling everything from basic folding, cutting and three–knife trimming to saddle stitching, casemaking, and Wire–O binding," says Vijuk, who adds that he once took apart his 11th grade French textbook and then rebound it.
The year 1974 marked a major milestone for Vijuk, when it began representing G&K Folders, a relationship that has established Vijuk as one of North America's premier sources for miniature and pharmaceutical folders. Soon after, the company began representing the Hydromat 3–Knife Trimmer and Victory® die cutters. In 1982, the Company moved its headquarters to the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, Illinois, its present address. By 1984, Joe Vijuk and his brother assumed more active roles in leading the company. "In the early '90s, we decided we would have to expand our sales force and technical service in order to sustain our company growth," says Joe Vijuk. "And, to attract good people, we needed a piece of equipment that was more commonly required by binderies to increase sales potential." With this assessment, Vijuk picked up a line of paper cutters and established a network of independent service technicians across the country, trained to service Vijuk equipment.
Building the ideal staff
Hiring good salespeople is easier said than done. Reflecting on his initial recruiting efforts,Vijuk admits it took awhile to realize that it takes more than just a good sales personality to sell such sophisticated equipment.
"Certainly, that's important," he says. But after analyzing what made his brother Bob, his nephew Mike Tomic (who began working with bindery machinery during his teenage years and now serves as a bindery consultant) and himself good salesmen, Vijuk concluded, "What we really needed were people more like ourselves—people who can effectively explain how our machinery can be best used in binderies... and people in touch with our customers' day–to–day needsÉ and people with strong bindery roots."
The realization prompted Vijuk to redirected his recruiting efforts to focus on candidates with hands-on bindery experience, a strategy that has produced impressive results. For example, Bob Reynolds, Eastern Bindery Consultant based in New Jersey, "worked over 20 years as a service manager for Kolbus, manufacturer of high-speed perfect binding equipment. And Neal Anderson, Southwestern Bindery Consultant working out of Texas, started out as a bindery operator before working in the service department of both Baum and Heidelberg.
"Customers view their extensive bindery background and knowledge as assets and appreciate local service from the person who sold them the machine," says Vijuk.
This also expands the capability to continue the Michael Vijuk tradition of solving bindery problems—a valuable sidelight.
As the Vijuk team has grown to include 17 full–time technicians, 11 bindery consultants and numerous independent sales and service people nationwide, so has the company's lineup of machinery.
One of the more recent additions is Fenimore's 920 Sidewinder, a dual-duty collator/stitcher—a perfect complement for the Eurotecnica perfect binders, say officials, which Vijuk picked up at DRUPA 95. The very affordable Eurotecnica line includes a four-clamp perfect binder as well as four different single-clamp models, one of which is the only machine of its class to offer heavy–duty scoring.
Following the IPEX 98 exposition in England, Vijuk began representing an economically priced Vijuk/Purlux 321–T Saddle Stitcher, which reportedly achieves speeds of up to 10,000 cycles per hour. Other recent additions include the Nagel paper drilling machine and the Victory® Gergek computerized paper cutter.
Also, to solidify its position in the miniature and pharmaceutical folding market, Vijuk became the exclusive North American representative for H&H Miniature Folders, which also can be teamed with the Vijuk outsert attachment.
"We now have offerings to cover just about every kind of miniature and pharmaceutical folding required," says Vijuk, who finds it exhilarating to once again be working with a full range of bindery equipment, recognizing the value of the "one–stop shopping" concept. "In many cases, "we've sold someone a piece of equipment, and they've called us back in to evaluate their needs for another type of machine. Answering a customer's equipment needs promotes strong working relationships and brings in referrals as well as repeat business."
Customers first
Although quality products, great service and easy access to spare parts are central to Vijuk Equipment's continued success, so is a deeply seated business philosophy that stresses honesty, integrity, fairness and a strong work ethic.
"We've built a very tight-knit group who takes a great deal of pride in who we are," says Vijuk, adding that "the Vijuk philosophy not only defines the kind of people who work here but also how we do business with customers and vendors."
Team work is emphasized. The "It's not my job" phrase is something you simply just won't hear around Vijuk Equipment.
Longtime Vijuk customer, Arlington Press of Brooklyn, N.Y., a leading supplier of inserts and labels for pharmaceutical producers, currently runs 30 Vijuk machines at multiple plant locations. Vice President of Sales and Marketing Stephen Cornacchia describes Vijuk as "a company that listens to feedback and takes strides to be innovative.
"Vijuk has been a definite factor in growing our business, and for our niche, its equipment is by far the best," he says. "Michael Vijuk came frequently to discuss our customers' new demands. We bought the first Vijuk MV-81 Ribbon Outsert attach-ment, and following it was the RTA outsert that answers industry needs.
The year 1974 marked a major milestone for Vijuk when it began representing G&K folders. Joe Vijuk (left.) stands with Michael Vijuk (center) and Siegbert Holzer from G&K in Germany, at a recent trade show.
"Through the years, whenever new product designs were presented, we turned to Vijuk. Bob or Joe or long-tenured technical department manager Bill Neubauer would assess the feasibility, and if possible, work with us to make it happen. We always get a high level of satisfaction with their service, spare parts delivery, and their willingness to give us quality training."
The focus on prompt quality service stems from a lesson Joe Vijuk first learned when he was a boy in his father's bindery.
"There was a $100,000 machine that was waiting for a part. The inability of the manufacturer to supply that simple $300 part had serious consequences for my dad's business," he says.
Aware of the effect of downtime, Vijuk's suppliers also have to comply with Vijuk's customer service principles. More than once, Joe has severed a relationship with a manufacturer because of its inadequate training or machine and parts availability.
"If a manufacturer or a distributor does not make spare parts their top priority, then I know that they really do not care about the customer. I learned that lesson almost 40 years ago."
In his new position, Vijuk sees great things for his father's company.
"We're now at our highest point and still climbing. Without question, changing industry trends and new technology will continue to impact the post–press industry. While we have every intention of keeping pace with changes, there is one thing that will always remain constant: our total commitment to ensuring quality machines and quality service—the cornerstone of Vijuk's business." PV
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Jim Plunkett is a freelance writer covering the industry.
Published in the September 1999 PRINTING VIEWS and SOUTHERN GRAPHICS and the October 1999 PRINT & GRAPHICS and PRINTING JOURNAL Posted on this site with the permission of Spencer/Cygnus, Timonium, MD.