We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandie Herrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandie, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Most people think that book printers only manufacture books for large publishing companies. That is simply untrue! Friesens prints custom books for a variety of clients: self-publishing authors, poets, independent publishers, museums, universities, tourism boards, corporations, periodical publishers, historical locations, photographers, artists, and so many more. We love to work directly with a myriad of customers as they craft their ideas in print.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I want the world to know about Friesens, because our story deserves to be told, just like the books we print every day. Friesens is a 117-year-old, entirely employee-owned, book manufacturer. We are located in the small town of Altona, Manitoba, Canada, just 7 miles from the North Dakota border. Our founder, D.W. Friesens, started this company with the simple vision of creating beautiful books. Today, Friesens is a world-renowned book printer with countless awards and over 600 employee owners. We are most well-known for our large, full color books with color-critical printing and all of the latest bells and whistles in finishing effects. Today, Friesens is even greater than that! We have grown to have the capabilities to produce books that are: hardcover, softcover, sewn, perfect bound, B/W, full color, offset, sheetfed, digital, flexibind, saddle stitched, and so much more. We manufacture catalogs, magazines, periodicals, slipcases and book boxes, as well. Friesens has been of powerhouse of printing since 1907, because we believe in relationships, integrity, honesty, and transparency. We attribute all of our growth and success to our loyal clients. As D.W. Friesens said, “We’ll be successful, if our customers are successful!”.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
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Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I definitely could not be living my dream of helping people bring their books to life without Friesens. I can never thank this employee-owned company enough for taking the chance to hire a little-known commercial print rep during the height of the pandemic. I dedicate this shoutout to my boss and US Sales Manager, Scott Sinnett. He had the bravery to take on a new employee, entirely remotely, and the patience to train me that way, as well. Scott saw potential in me and has been a huge part of my success in the book industry. I thank him greatly for the opportunity and his invaluable mentorship throughout the years. He deserves recognition for being a true leader and friend that has guided my career to it’s current heights. I would not be where I am today without him.

Website: https://www.friesens.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandiefriesens/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandie-herrell-01691a125/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandiefriesens/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@friesens2899

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@brandiefriesens

Image Credits
Brandie Herrell

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