Our History

Federal Direct traces its origin to 1926 when it traded as Federal Printing Company. Federal was originally located on Gold Street in New York City in the heart of the then burgeoning financial district. Federal's initial business was to provide printing and related services to some of the largest financial service firms in New York City. Federal's trademark then, as it is now, was to manufacture what the customer wanted. When ledger cards were ultimately replaced with multiple part carbon interleaved forms, Federal was a pioneer in the "new" technology. When continuous forms for impact printers came into vogue, we were a leading distributor. And many years later, when the migration to single ply printed rolls for laser printers became what the customer wanted - we delivered.

Along the way the company relocated several times within the financial district and then to Brooklyn, NY before it opened its first company owned printing plant in Hazleton, Pennsylvania in 1967. During the '70s, the original 30,000 sq. ft. facility became a 90,000 sq. ft. facility as a result of two plant expansions. In 1979 the company opened its second manufacturing plant in Torrington, Connecticut. Again the prototype was a 30,000 sq. ft. facility. Growth of the company's MICR business prompted the build-out of a 50,000 sq. ft. addition in 1987, and the company's entry into the direct mail business in 1990, necessitated adding yet another 55,000 sq. ft. addition to the Torrington plant. Today the company owns 247,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing/office space, including our headquarters/pre-production facility located in Clifton, New Jersey.

The company's history is long and storied. Many of the people who opened both the Hazleton and Torrington plants are still with us today. Our management team, although relatively young in age, is long in experience. The average time with the company of our management team is 17 years. Over that long a period, there aren't too many problems we haven't seen or solved. Requirements and techniques change constantly, but one focus remains the same - our success depends on introducing innovative solutions to address your needs. And recognition of that fact has led us to the capabilities and expertise about which you will read in the following pages.