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Our History

More than 85 years ago during the Great Depression, Don Walsworth started his company in the centrally located railroad hub of Marceline, Mo. Now in its third generation of family ownership, Walsworth continues to be committed to serving its customers and employees with outstanding service and innovative ideas.

Over the past several years, the company has realized significant growth. As a result, Walsworth enjoys a leadership position in the printing industry. Walsworth credits its customers and people for its strong market positions.

According to Printing Impressions Magazine, Walsworth is: 

  • The No. 27 largest printer in the U.S. and Canada
  • The No. 3 book printer in the U.S. and Canada; and
  • The No. 3 magazine printer in the U.S. and Canada.

Walsworth Our History Marceline

Creating the Foundation

In 1937, Don Walsworth settled in Marceline to print playbills with a borrowed typewriter and a mimeograph machine. Soon the product line was expanded to include cookbooks and, following World War II, memorial books to honor those who had served their country.

In 1947, Walsworth began to produce scholastic yearbooks, and in 1970, the Commercial printing division was established to balance the cyclical yearbook production schedule, adding textbooks, catalogs, magazines and other specialty publications to the Walsworth line. Today, Walsworth is among the top-three yearbook printers and the only family-owned printer of yearbooks, as well one of the 35 largest printing companies in the U.S.

Walsworth is a family-owned, second and third generation run company that employs more than 1,200 people worldwide. Family is at the heart of our business, and that’s how we like it. In fact, you’ll find multiple generations of employees working in our plants, and more than 250 of our employees have been here more than 20 years.

Our financial strength and dedicated work force provide the stability and knowledge our clients need and the service they deserve. For more than 85 years, we’ve been exceeding expectations and providing unmatched expertise. Our 99% customer satisfaction rating proves how much customers value the peace of mind and confidence we offer. They know they can count on us for all their needs, even during the uncertainty of life during a pandemic.

Walsworth operates from administrative offices and book printing and binding facilities in Marceline, Missouri; a prepress facility in Brookfield, Missouri; a sales and marketing office in Overland Park, Kansas; and magazine and catalog printing facilities in Saint Joseph, Michigan; Ripon, Wisconsin; and Fulton, Missouri. Additionally, Walsworth owns the Donning Company Publishers, a specialty book publisher.

Walsworth remains the trusted name in printing because no one knows you like family.

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