About Us

Extended History
More than 30 years ago, Tim Tully and his wife, Barkla, began their printing business in a warehouse in Bellaire, Texas with equipment acquired from a former map printing enterprise. One noteworthy piece of equipment that was part of their acquired inventory was a 1940s press designed to print maps on aircraft destroyers in WWII. As the story goes, a neighboring mechanic volunteered to rebuild the press from a large box of parts included in the equipment purchase. The result was later affectionately known as the “Purple Paper Eater”.

During its first nine years, SWPP printed one-color and two-color jobs. Tim would do the camera work and film stripping during the early morning, make his sales calls during business hours, and then run the press in the evening. Barkla, on the other hand, spent her days at a full-time job and then devoted her evenings to handling all accounting functions and other duties for their new business.

Historical Highlights

1982
Tim’s brother, Tod, joined the company in a sales capacity. He now manages a sales force sixteen people strong.

1984
A year of major growth for our small company, SWPP moved into a building formerly used as a dance studio and began expanding into a larger print buyer market. The company purchased a four-color GTO Heidelberg, officially marking its entrance into the semi-commercial printing business.

1986
The company continued its expansion with the purchase of a business forms company, but later sold this machinery to make room for new, updated equipment.

1989
The Tullys decided to reinvent their company. They traded in the old four-color GTO for a more sophisticated five-color Heidelberg MO, plus a two-color Heidelberg, beginning a major transition and launching the company into the commercial printing arena.

Continuing the tradition of being the best company for their clients, SWPP was the first to implement Hagen, a time-management database that manages everything from estimating to production workflow to general ledger functions.

1990 - 1996
The company steadily grew to become a full-size commercial printer, adding salespeople and keeping customers happy.

1997 - 1999
It was time for another change...another expansion of space and capability. Having outgrown existing space with a successful twelve person sales force backed by solid craftsmen, and considering the decision to enter the 40" market, it was time to move to a larger state-of-the-art facility...the current multi-building printing plant compound just off I-10 inside Beltway 8. The company installed a 40" six-color press, which was later replaced with a new unit in 1999.

2002
The company installed another 40" six-color plus inline coater, which made SWPP the only independent, family-owned, commercial printer with two of the best and newest 40" six-color Heidelberg presses in Houston.

2003
SWPP is the first printer in Texas to install an HP-Indigo 6-color digital press.

2004
The company is one of the first to install UV inline coating on its 6-color Heidelberg making it capable of applying spot UV inline and printing on plastic.

Today
SWPP prides itself on having assembled the best team of print industry professionals and craftsmen in the Gulf Coast region who provide a full range of printing capabilities backed by exceptional customer service.

Our state-of-the-art facility features three conference rooms for client meetings, as well as a newly-remodeled main customer waiting area. Our pressroom features a large well-lit press sheet viewing area for color-accurate press checks and is adjacent to our customer lounge that has all the comforts of home. 

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