RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, California — Mariak Corp. has entered the launch stage for its new digital printing business after 30 years as a supplier of window blinds and components to the fabricator and designer.

“We see digital printing as a bigger business than what we have developed in window blinds for the past 30 years,” says Leo Elinson, Mariak principal who is originally from Argentina. He named Mariak after his grandmother Maria Kremer.

The original company started in his garage making window blinds including verticals in plastic, fabric and metal, which grew into many products for the window industry, Leo explains. “We were always under the radar as a vendor but that is about to change,” he adds. Erin & Leo Elinson

His first experience with printing was for Starbucks, printing its logo on window blinds. The printing business took off from there, when designers started to request printed products for window, matching shades for hotel rooms and wallpaper in custom colors from one vendor. Digitally printed bedding, bed scarves, sheets, draperies, roller shades upholstery and a printed apparel business are ramping up for Mariak. As a result, digitally printed products for hotels and residential applications are being developed rapidly, Elinson says.

Erin Elinson, the 25 year old director of marketing as well as Leo’s daughter is managing the new print business with her father’s guidance. Mariak has invested over $1 million in five Mimaki printers and is beginning to print 15-20 grades of its own polyester basecoths as well as customers’ supplied PFP basecloths. Erin joined Mariak after going through the management-training program at Saks Fifth Avenue. “I realized the potential of the family business and decided to join forces with my dad.”

The 450-employee company with 250,000 square feet of manufacturing space near Compton, CA., has no minimum print order but it is looking for one piece minimum customers to build its business. Mariak says its can print up to 126 inch widths as well as narrow widths in unlimited colors that are computer matched to original artwork. “Our printers are the fastest on the market,” Leo says. 

“This gives us the ability to use high speed printing, as much as 600 square feet per hour for the larger jobs we get in the 10,000 yard range. Prints are accessible without any inventory,” Leo says. He has a licensing deal with several print archives including JVA Designs through Jay Dash and Florence Broadhurst, the designer. “Designers will be able to login, pick patterns and start working on the products they want with our website soon to be developed,” Erin says.

“Customers want to finish their hotel projects within two weeks. They can’t wait longer due to the nature of the business,” Leo says. “They don’t want to wait until it comes from China if they can do it in the USA on time and quickly.