On August 10, 2011 Raff Printing will be celebrating 60 years of service in the printing industry!
The doors opened for business on August 10, 1951 with the name Raff Printing deriving from the four founders; Reds & Alida Price, and Fred and Francis Aheimer. The Prices’ involvement in the company was short-lived. Two weeks after opening, Reds Price was offered a job in Ohio. He decided to take the job and offered his half of Raff to the Aheimers. So for $1200 ($600 cash and $600 borrowed), Fred and Fran began building their company, Raff Printing.
Raff’s birthplace was a 19’ x 25’ storeroom on 2228 Spring Street in Pittsburgh. This space housed the companies first equipment: one 12” x 18” handfed press, one cutter (manually powered), one type cabinet with a variety of type faces, and a marble stone to lock up the chase for the handfed press.
Off and running, Raff’s sales totaled $172.00 for their first month of business. For the year (1951) sales totaled $1172.75. Some of Raff’s first customers included Father Bertin of the Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers, who has continued to be a loyal customer for over 50 years.
In 1955 Fred and Fran’s son Fred C. Aheimer graduated from High School and began working for Raff full time. He spent his time learning the operation of equipment, helping with the accounting and making deliveries (all by trolley).
1959 marked a monumental year for Raff Printing as they made the purchase of their first offset press, stripping equipment and a plate burner. Raff’s growth continued, and physically they needed more space, so expand they did. Raff moved into the two additional floors in the three-story building.
In 1971 Fred J. Aheimer passed away, leaving the company to Francis and her son Fred. In 1980 Fred E. Aheimer, Fred C. Aheimer’s son, began working full time at Raff after graduating from Duquesne University. Fred E. also married that year and his wife Debra joined the company. Ron Yeckel began as a pressman in the early 80's and a few years later, he and Fred C.'s daughter Kym were married. By 1983 Raff employed 22 people and again needed space to grow.
A building at 70 Allen Avenue became the new home for Raff’s operation and business was on the rise. Raff had grown from occupying 2,200 square feet on Spring Street to 10,000 square feet at the new site. The additional area allowed Raff to install two new presses: a two color and a four color 26” offset press. Growth was incredible both in working space and in personnel.
In 1989 Raff again was in need of space. Expansion came with the purchase of the building next door giving Raff 18,000 square feet of which every inch was used. In 1992 Raff purchased a six color Heidelberg press. These were exciting times.
Sadly though, the excitement waned as disaster struck Raff Printing. A wet, heavy snowfall came, falling on the roof of the new building causing it to collapse. The collapse blew out the walls of the new building landing on the attached building causing further collapse. Tragically, three men lost their lives in this catastrophe. Raff Printing lay in a pile of rubble. The sorrow was felt by many, the owners as well as the employees and associates.
The jobs of all Raff employees were in jeopardy but determination to rebuild was overpowering. A new cite was found in the old Duquesne Brewery on Mary Street in the South Side. Rebuilding was swift. Within four weeks the small press department was back up and running thanks to the hard work of the employees. Another key in getting Raff back in operation was the aid of Raff’s suppliers and even some competitors. These companies provided trucks, warehouse space and most needed of all, manpower. Without their help Raff could not have achieved this unbelievable reconstruction.
Since its rebirth in 1992 Raff’s expansion has continued, currently employing approximately 100 people. The infiltration of technology is evident in each department throughout the plant from digital pre-press to small and large presses to bindery to shipping. Raff’s pre-press department is state-of-the-art utilizing the latest hardware and software including computer-to-plate technology. In 2005 Raff purchased another 6 color 40” Heidelberg press to continue growth into the millennium.
And as of January 1, 2011 with a reorganization of ownership, Raff is now a minority women's-owned business.
The last 60 years have been amazing! We at Raff look forward to the future with great anticipation!
