The unexpected print path
Poland 9 Sep, 2021. Photos by Daria Szczygiel & Marceli Printery.
The print expert Marcin Dudziak from Warsaw, Poland had dreams of becoming a filmmaker. Life wanted something different and an unexpected turn led him to pursue paper printing instead. Today, several years later, Marcin is considered one of the best paper printers in Europe with his company Marceli Printery.
Marcin’s interest in printing was more of a coincidence than a distinct path. While studying cinematography in Paris he assisted his friend, Zoé de Las Cases, with some technical issues related to printing. Shortly after the incident Zoé contacted Marcin again, this time offering him a job within print and design – and that was the beginning of a complete new profession. Nine years later Marcin found himself back in Warsaw to shoot his first long film, that’s when he realized how much he had actually missed his home country. In the same period of time that his movie premiered Marcin decided to move back to Poland and leave Paris for good. While still paralleling his two interests he would soon choose to continue his journey on the path of press printing.
– Little by little my heart went more into printing and further away from filmmaking. When I moved back to Poland I bought my first letter press-machine and left filmmaking all together. Not once have I regretted the choice, says Marcin.
"The number of things that you can do with paper is crazy"
Building a solid company with paper as the foundation
When Marcin began to build his company Marceli Printery in Poland he realized that companies who specialize in niche-techniques usually specialize in one of them, with that in mind he was inspired to start a business that could offer expertise within several areas.
– In order to run complicated projects, you have to master the entire range as well as control of the process. We have and create everything in house, that’s the spirit of the company, says Marcin.
Today, Marcin’s company consists of twenty people. Marceli Printery does everything from limited edition box making, flexible packaging, printing on noble papers with pressure based techniques, special editions and art albums to graphic printing.
– I love the variety in working with paper. The number of things that you can do with paper is crazy. Once in a while, not often, but once in a while I find something that you can’t create with paper, and I’m like “Oh… So there is such a thing?” says Marcin.
High quality is key
Marcin and his team values quality and when they do work for a customer the process takes several steps and is filled with true passion along the way. What’s especially unique for Marceli Printery is that the entire client circle was built by word of mouth. It was just little over a year ago that the company decided to start up an Instagram account, but they still don’t have a web page. In the future Marcin hopes to expand his business further – at a steady pace.
– If you grow too fast you tend to lose control as well. In order to keep the very high level of quality you have to grow gradually and that is what I intend to do. I am not in a rush, I am actually very happy with where I am today, concludes Marcin.
