1976

The beginnings of the company go back to 1976, when Miran Gracer, an entrepreneur from Celje, registered a company by the name of Grafično papirna galanterija Gracer Miran s.p. He started working in his home workshop, where he was later joined by five employees. The orders kept coming and the company’s activities grew from year to year. In the beginning, production was based on the creation of simple forms, monochromatic and dichromatic printing materials and similar graphic products.

1983

The working space was becoming too small, so in 1983 the printing business expanded into an extension of the family home. By then seven employees were working in the business and production area, which now measured 500m2. The equipment comprised single-colour Heidelberg, Rotaprint and Solna machines. The company mostly produced simple forms, flyers and posters.

1989

The legal possibility to turn its sole trader status into a limited liability company was an important landmark for Miran Gracer. Thus in 1989, Grafika Gracer d.o.o. was formed. All through the years, as a sole trader, as well as a limited liability company, we have strived for development, the constant acquisition of new knowledge and skills, and technological modernization. Every business year our gross turnover grew and consequently also our need for more employees. The number of employees rose to twelve, and our printing business now operated with two-colour machines.

1993

With the purchase of our first computers and equipment for imagesetting, the first conditions for the establishment of the prepress department were met. Grafika Gracer started producing magazines.

1996

While the production developed and expanded, our home workshop became too small, so in 1996 the company moved into the business premises at Lava 7b in Celje, where it is still located today. All production and business operations were moved to an area of 1,300m2. This was the largest expansion in the company’s history. Another two- and a four-colour offset machine were bought for the printing department, and the finishing and prepress department also acquired new equipment and progressed. The finishing department started using two Heidelberg cylinders, while the prepress department started performing imagesetting themselves and developed offset printing plates.

1998

In 1998, the five-colour offset machine by Heidelberg went into operation. The customer’s needs increased and this machine enabled higher competitiveness and a higher level of quality. The number of satisfied customers grew, but the company did not stay still. Every year it invested into modernization and development. Thus the finishing department was equipped with a new folding machine and a machine for the production of magazines, since at that time the company regularly produced five periodical magazines.

2005

The year 2005 was an important landmark for the prepress department, since it was equipped with the latest CTP (computer to plate) technology for the production of offset plates. Due to the demand for smaller print runs, the department also acquired a digital colour printing machine. The quality of our work was certainly confirmed with our acquisition of the ISO 9001 standard. This was also the year when we committed ourselves to only use FSC, PEFC, ECF, ISO14001, EMAS and Woodfree certificated paper and cardboard.

2008

In 2008, we made one of the largest investments into equipment in the history of the company. With the purchase of a four-colour, completely automated and computer-controlled offset printing machine by Manroland, we increased our print capacity by almost fifty per cent.

2012

Four years later, the first premium quality Manroland printing machine was joined by another one. Now the total performance of the offset machines was approximately 50,000 B2 sheets per hour. Because of customer demand, which is increasing, even though the print runs are decreasing, the prepress department purchased another new machine – the Canon digital printing machine. Environmental protection has always been important to us, so in 2012 we set up a solar power station on the roof of our building. We use the “green” power station for our own needs, and transmit the excess energy into the network.

2013

In 2013, the Grafika Gracer d.o.o. printing and publishing business processed approximately 600 tons of paper and cardboard into magazines (the company produces more than 40), books (the publishing business has published more than 100), catalogues, brochures and other publications, as well as flyers, posters, leaflets, folders, forms, various types of packaging and more. In that year the company purchased the neighboring building and expanded its business and production space to 2,600m².

2015

The dynamic family enterprise employs almost 30 people of various educational backgrounds, experience and fields. With their knowledge from the area of graphics, economics, bookbinding and computers, all our employees follow the concept: “Every new idea from our customers is a new challenge for us. Every day!”