Page 38 - BusinessWest June 9, 2021

Innovation & Startups
Moving Pictures
Hazen Paper Continues to Shine in World of Holographic Printing
Hazen Paper, a third-generation family business that’s approaching a century in operation in the Holyoke mill district, has never stood still, expanding its operation over the years into facets like foil laminating, specialty coating, and rotary embossing. But its emergence over the past 15 years as an internationally celebrated producer of holographic printed products may be its most profound shift. Its entry into this niche was a calculated risk, the company’s co-owner said, but one that gradually paid off in a striking way.
By Joseph Bednar
J
ohn Hazen figured there was some risk in purchasing his
first holographic printer back in 2005. But, as the third-gen-
eration co-owner of Hazen Paper Co. in Holyoke, he also
saw the potential.
“I always say I was like Jack and the beanstalk,” he told Busi- nessWest. “Dad sent me out with a bag of beans — ‘grow the busi- ness, son!’ — and I bought this crazy thing called a holoprinter.”
But he was determined to build Hazen’s footprint in the world of holographic printing, and plenty of other technology at the com- pany sprung from that first investment.
The results? Well, the numerous awards that pour in every year testify to the company’s success. Like a 2021 Product Excellence Award from the Assoc. of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL), for a holographic package for Pat McGrath Labs’ BlitzTrance lipstick.
John Hazen stands beside displays of just a fraction of the products created at his company using holographic technology.
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