From its humble beginnings in an Iowa garage to today’s modern industrial plant in Tucson, Miles Label Co., Inc. brings to mind one important word: family. When Russell Hubert Miles began running a printing operation out of his Des Moines garage in 1912, he started a family legacy that lives on a century later. By 1930, he and his son Paul Wilson Miles, were printing labels and creating such specialty items as policy labels and business forms for insurance companies.
To escape the harsh Iowa winters Paul Wilson Miles and Robert H. Miles moved the label printing company’s operations and six of its employees to Tucson in 1962. Paul W. Miles joined the firm in 1966. Miles Label Co. set up shop in a downtown building near the corner of Flores Street and Stone Avenue and stayed there until 1985, when it moved to its current site in the Continental Ranch Business Park. Coincidentally, the company has always been located near a soft drink plant. “Something sweet brings good luck to the business,” says P.J. Miles, the company’s Vice President, part owner, and Paul W.’s son.
Today, the 20 employees of Miles Label Co. use many types of papers, adhesives, and films in order to manufacture labels for products ranging from UL labels, medical products, produce, product and specialty multi-side and special die cuts.
Although most of its clients are based in Arizona, many others call on Miles Label Co.’s specialized expertise from across the United States including the automotive and aerospace industries. According to Paul, it is this label manufacturing company’s focus on labels that differentiates it within the diverse printing industry. “There are so many different aspects to printing,” he explains, “so we are focusing on becoming the best we can possibly be to satisfy our customers’ labeling needs.” Miles Label Co. designs products in digital format using Macintosh computers equipped with state-of-the-art software. Flexographic printing plates are made in house. Our present equipment includes four press’s, 8 color, 6 color, 4 color & 3 color, cold foil, two side printing, die cutting both sides and doming.
Looking back at its strong performance in the past, Miles Label Co. projects that its history of expansion will continue over the next several years. Based on the growing need for labels across a variety of business sectors, our label printing company plans to further diversify its offerings. “Walk through a grocery store and look at how many products have labels” P.J. says. “The need is growing daily.