At a time when the economy is causing businesses to look at scaling back, Aladdin Graphics on Apparel is adding new equipment and focused on expansion.
Founded in 1980, Aladdin specializes in apparel, but also prints business cards, signs and vehicle wraps.
Owner Troy Yahraes has worked to make the shop run more efficiently and has given customers more options.
  
|
"With the new equipment we have, we can print 1,000 shirts an hour," Yahraes said. "At the same time we have other equipment that lets us offer single-garment sales."
That is not to say that Aladdin hasn’t been effected by the slow down.
"We’ve lost business also due to some of the small businesses we did work for had to go out of business," Yahraes said. "But at the same time, on average, about five to 10 new businesses come in a week needing something done. But there are some days where we only do cards, or some days where we only do signs."
Despite the ups and downs, the 5,000 square-foot shop still makes out enough volume that Yahraes said UPS has to show up three times per day to ship all the orders out.
"We have a big online presence so that helps with orders," he said. "But we are also the home of the $2.99 printed T-shirt that has no screen fees. We ship 50 of those orders a week."
The answer of how Yahraes has been able sell shirts for $2.99 without the screen fee or set up fee lies in automation.
His $500,000 direct to garment machine is one of 20 in world right now and the only one in Arizona. It is a water-based printer that can print on any color garment and can print around 100 shirts an hour.
"I went to Isreal to get my hands on it and see what it does for myself," Yahraes said. "It is a great investment and does amazing work."
The other automated machine holds eight screens and can print 1,000 shirts per hour.
Because of automation, Aladdin has become the official screen print shop of Fourth Avenue and several events both here and around the country.
"We are doing the shirts for Hogtoberfest, Nam Jam, Tucson Thunder and the Fourth Avenue motorcycle show," he said. "Also we do all the apparel for the Fourth Avenue Fair. It’s interesting because we really have taken the situation out of the promoter’s hands on several occasions. Many times they lose money because they ordered too many shirts or can’t take credit card payments. We show up at the event with our remote credit card processing unit and we’ll print a certain number of shirts for it and if we need more we can print more."
With more and more printing comes more and more ink and in today’s world businesses are trying to come up with ways to be more environmentally friendly. Aladdin is no exception.
"We’ve switched from our harsh chemical cleaning solvents to a citrus/soy product to clean the screens," Yahraes said. "If you smell back here, it doesn’t smell like those chemicals that usually fill the air in a screen print shop. It’s a little more expensive to do business that way, but we feel we are doing our part to be a greener shop."
The entry to Aladdin Graphics on Apparel, 1802 W. Grant Road, Suite 101, says "Welcome to Custom."
"We are in such a custom business," Yahraes said. "We do work for the police department, local bands, and local churches. There isn’t one thing that works for such a broad demographic. This group will need this, while that group will need that. It’s always fun finding out what the customer’s needs are and working with them on how to best fill that need."
While he likes to keep things simple with his customers, Yahraes likes to keep a low- key atmosphere with his employees too.
"Our employees don’t even have time cards anymore," he said. "They’ve all been here a long time. We treat them like people and they stay with us."
On the side, Yahraes has another company he started back in 1989 called Evil Inc. that makes clothing, skateboards and custom drum sets, most of which sells locally.
Yahraes also plays the drums in the local band Dirtnap. He has his drum set along with all the amps for the band set up next to the printing equipment in the shop.
"We have the space so we may as well use it to practice here," he said.
Yahraes loves playing music and did it for a long time back in California, before he moved to Tucson.
"Now I am a husband and father of four. I am a Republican business owner. I own a home. And I still get to rock out like I did 20 years ago," Yahraes said. "It is great."
Contact reporter Joe Pangburn at jpangburn@azbiz.com or (520) 295-4259.
Aladdin Graphic on Apparel
1802 W. Grant Road, Suite 101
(520) 622-2070
www.TucsonTshirt.com
Specializes in printing on apparel. Offers direct to garment printing on as few as one garment. T-shirts, caps, polos, work wear, signs, vehicle graphics, business cards and logo design.
Comments
Andy Taylor wrote on Oct 26, 2008 8:40 AM: