| Founder, Bill Cann Sr., 1920s |
Way Back When
Before World War I, Bill Cann Sr. sold printing papers for Garrett
Buchanan in Philadelphia (now Unisource). After serving in the WWI, he
came to Wilmington in 1920 and started a printing business with his
brother, Cann Brothers & Kindig, Inc. with offices at 305 Torbert
Street, "The busiest little street in Wilmington" where WASHINGTON
crosses TWELFTH.
Although the business was successful, relations
with his brother were "stormy" and in 1932 Bill Sr. started his own
business, Cann Printing, at 1610 Delaware Avenue. |
Cann Printing, always looking ahead to new technology, was the first
printer between Baltimore and Philadelphia to install an offset press...
a Webendorfer, in 1936. Bill Sr. said at the time he did it "To make
business better whether business was good or not". The equipment led to
growth and expansion.
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Cann Printing Announces Merger
In 1948 Cann expands it's printing , publishing, lithographing and
binding business by adding licenses for Wire-o, Cerlox Plastic, Tauber
Tube Plastic - Tauber Ring, Wire Spiral and Plastic Spiral, Tallyho and
Mult-o Ring Loose Leaf System of Bindings, along with machinery and a
building at 29th and Tatnall Streets.
These assets,owned by his
brother, Winfield L. Cann, were merged into a new combined company named
Cann Binding & Ruling Company.
The idea was to provide
customers buying printing, publishing and binding services with a single
source for all their work under a single management, "thereby insuring
delivery dates, by controlling perfectly each phase of production". It
was a good idea.
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| President, Bill Cann Jr., 1972 |
Cann grew providing daily racing programs for Delaware Park in 1948
expanding service to include Penn National in Harrisburg and Brandywine
Raceway in Wilmington by 1972 and beyond programs to condition books and
promotional brochures. They also became known as financial printers
(annual reports, financial statements, prospectuses, etc) and produced
magazines, directories, and other periodical publications.
Today, Cann Printing is a totally modern, printing company
providing digital pre-press and the same friendly, knowledgeable service
to clients locally and around the country that they have for over 65
years.
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1932
William N. Cann, Inc. Founded
1936
Cann Printing brings first offset press to Delaware.
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Cann Printers is part of Wilmington, Delaware history. Click the
picture above to see what King Street looked like when horses were the
mode of transportation. |
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