Brown Printing

Company Overview

Brown Printing Company was founded in Waseca, Minnesota in 1949 and purchased by Gruner + Jahr AG of Hamburg, Germany in 1979. G+J is one of Europe’s largest media companies and printers. G+J is a subsidiary of Bertelsmann AG, a $23 billion international media company. With annual sales of approximately $400 million, Brown Printing Company is the fourth largest magazine printer in the U.S., printing over 670 titles and constantly ranks among the top 10 catalog printers. Brown has 2,600 employees and operates a total of three web offset facilities located in Waseca, MN, East Greenville, PA and Woodstock, IL. All facilities are less than one hour from major distribution centers – Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Chicago, respectively.

Primary Products or Services

The Waseca, MN facility has completed a $57 million expansion and the Woodstock, IL facility has been awarded $38.5 million to acquire 2 X 8 press technology and expand bindery capacity. This commitment will allow Brown to remain on the cutting edge and a leader in the printing industry. We are constantly looking for ways to build even greater speed, accuracy and efficiency into our entire production process, from start to finish. Technology seems to present new opportunities every day, and we’re committed to making the most of them for our customers.

Product and Service Benefits

Brown provides a wide variety of press products on its web offset presses, which range from 32 to 48-page capacity. Equipment and capabilities include: 2 x 6 and 2 X 8 Presses; Closed Loop Color and Ribbon Control Systems; End-of-Line Automation; high speed selective saddle stitching and perfect binding; inline inkjetting and polywrapping with demographics; fully selective inside/outside inkjetting and selective cover capabilities; tip-on and blow-in; offline folding and shrink wrapping; automated PreMedia; Integrated MIS; H-K/Irista Warehouse Management System; Alliance List Services and Brown Logistics Services.

Clients/Case Studies

Each customer, no matter what their print size, receives dedicated attention to their project. Our client list is broad and diverse. Our top ten customers have been with us for an average of 20 years. We do work for all the market leaders in consumer and business publishing, as well as single title publishers and once-a-year catalogers.

Key Company Executives

President and CEO,

Volker Petersen

2300 Brown Avenue

Waseca, MN 56093

Tel: (507) 835-2410



Senior VP of Sales and Marketing,

Larry Hawkey

1500 Broadway, Suite 505

New York, NY 10036

Tel: (212) 782-7800

Director of Marketing and Strategy,

Jill Tobin

1500 Broadway. Suite 505

New York, NY 10036

Tel: (212) 782-7800