Business phone system for commercial printing companies

Commercial printing companies in the United States

County Business Patterns counted 15,140 commercial printing companies in the U.S. in 2023 (NAICS 323111, Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books)). They employed 280,276 people in mid-March and paid $17.1 billion in annual payroll. The average establishment has 18.5 employees. That is 4.5 establishments for every 100,000 residents.

California has the most (1,884), followed by Texas (1,101), Florida (1,018), and New York (988). Relative to population, Wisconsin leads with 7.0 per 100,000 residents, and West Virginia has the fewest at 2.7.

Why the phone matters for commercial printing companies

Print shops handle quotes, proofs and deadlines, and clients call often to check on jobs. Rush jobs depend on quick responses.

Calls commercial printing companies commonly handle:

• A business calls for a quote on brochures.
• A client calls to approve a proof.
• A client calls about a rush order.
• The printer calls a client about a file problem.
• A designer calls about paper stock.

Texting and after-hours calls

Printers text proof notifications and pickup notices.

Deadline calls can arrive late in the day.

How big commercial printing companies are

50.9% of U.S. commercial printing companies with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023. 69.9% had fewer than ten. Most phone decisions in this industry are made for small teams, where one shared number and sensible routing matter more than a desk phone per person.

Commercial printing companies by state

Establishment counts for the 51 states (and DC) where Census published a figure, with the rate per 100,000 residents.

Largest metro areas for commercial printing companies

Census published commercial printer counts for 518 metro and micropolitan areas. The 25 largest:

Phone system pricing for a 19-person commercial printer

The average U.S. commercial printer has 18.5 employees, so the comparison uses a 19-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 19 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $570.00 a month and 19 on Ooma Office Pro cost $474.05. On Callata the same 19 people cost $379.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.

The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $2,292. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.

How Callata works for commercial printing companies

Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.

Existing numbers can be ported at no charge, and team texting turns on after the one-time $49 carrier registration (10DLC) is approved.

Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.