As press manager at First Quality’s print and packaging plant in Anderson, South Carolina, Sean Thrasher is guided by the principle that he’s not just making packaging, he’s delivering a first impression.
“When you open something that’s well made and well packaged, you can tell, and it affects your opinion of what’s inside that package,” he said. “The packaging is the first thing people see and first impressions matter.”
When Sean tells his friends he works on a printing press, he usually has to clarify it’s not the antique letterpress they are imagining. He’s printing high-definition graphics onto flexible plastic films used for things like paper towel packaging and the shrink wrap that goes around beverages.
Opportunities to learn and teach
To be honest, Sean never envisioned himself running such a press. When he graduated college with a degree in graphic design, he assumed he would be designing logos and other commercial artwork for a living. He applied to work at First Quality with the hope of doing just that. Unfortunately, the graphic design department wasn’t hiring, but First Quality offered Sean a position as a junior press operator.
“I thought it would be a great way to gain experience,” said Sean. “And I was surprised to find that a lot of the knowledge I had for color theory and design really came in handy.”
Sean spent the next few years learning the ins and outs of working the press, earning a promotion along the way. Then he saw an opportunity to share what he had learned with others.
“I went to Human Resources and asked if we could start up a training program, and they were very receptive,” he said. “So, I spent about two years training people in the press hall. And it’s funny because I never thought I wanted to be a teacher, but I really enjoyed that experience.”
He was delighted when a managerial role became available in the “prepress” department—that’s where the graphic design work takes place. Yet as much as he enjoyed fully utilizing his design degree, it wasn’t long before the press beckoned him back. In September 2024, he stepped into his current role as press manager.
The road ahead
Even though design isn’t his day job, Sean keeps his creativity flowing as a ceramics artist and by carefully restoring his over 100-year-old home. His career has been a bit of a surprise, but he’s eager to see where it goes next.
“First Quality has expanded so much, and the team has grown,” he said. “Now I’m thinking five, ten years down the road. What does that look like? Where does that take us? It’s very exciting.”
