Our Strategic Capabilities
We drive competitive advantage across Cimpress by selectively investing in a few strategic capabilities that drive the greatest company-wide value.
Long-Term Capital
Cimpress invests for the long term, providing stable capital to our businesses. We protect our business from the short-termism that is common with many venture capital, private equity and public shareholders. This enables our teams to focus on creating great customer value, strongly competitive capabilities and rewarding work environments. Entrepreneurial founders, leaders and team members who join the Cimpress team appreciate that this long-term perspective empowers them to build a legacy that makes a difference.
Technology Frameworks, Architecture and Shared Micro-services
While each business is free to develop its own technology to cater to specific customer needs, our businesses are often tackling similar technology challenges. So Cimpress is developing technology frameworks, architecture and a suite of shared micro-services to help our businesses effectively deliver customer value while improving returns on invested capital. Our shared technology is developed in deep consultation with our businesses, modular and optional (Cimpress businesses choose only the pieces they want).
“We invest in our mass customization platform to help our businesses help our customers.”
– Robert Keane
Our Mass Customization Platform (MCP)
We are building and deploying an increasing number of modular, multi-tenant micro-services and technologies as a mass customization platform shared by all our businesses – and accessible to many of our business’ suppliers. The MCP micro-services act as building blocks to help Cimpress businesses fulfill the needs of their customers and buy and sell to and from each other. Each building block performs unique functions, yet conforms to a strict set of interface standards to ensure they are compatible and interoperable. Each individual building block has different capabilities, and can be used or arranged in a variety of different ways. Cimpress businesses have the freedom to use these services in creating the best solutions for their customers.
What do MCP services actually do? While we don’t publicly list every software service in our platform, the following are a few examples. One set of micro-service makes it possible to leverage our logistics network – a wealth of solutions from globally negotiated shipping rates to automated carrier selection. Another group of micro-services support the design of custom embroidery or laser engraving. And yet another set allows Cimpress businesses to transact with each other for wholesale order fulfillment. MCP does a lot more than this already, and we are adding more capabilities every year.
You could call our vision for MCP a micro-service buffet for Cimpress businesses: they can leverage any pre-configured combination or assemble any custom combination they need, making it easier and faster to introduce new products or improve user experience, scalability, quality, delivery, speed and customer satisfaction.
Global Procurement
Given the scale of purchasing that happens across Cimpress’ businesses, there is significant value to coordinating our negotiations and purchasing to gain the benefit of scale. We negotiate and manage Cimpress-wide contracts for large-scale capital equipment, shipping services and major categories of raw materials (e.g. paper, plates, ink, etc.). If you are a supplier of these products, you can reach our global procurement team through our contact page.
Please note that our global procurement team works only on the major categories of purchasing described above. For many categories of procurement, and for all sub-contracting of production, potential suppliers need to contact and work with each one of the decentralized Cimpress businesses.
What’s happened recently?
Stories, updates and happenings from around our businesses.
Cimpress and Vista Earn ‘Most Flexible Workplace’
At the 2022 Running Remote conference in May, Cimpress and Vista won the award for Most Flexible Workplace, recognizing the remote-first culture we have been working hard to build, together. This recognition belongs to the more than 2,000 Cimpress and Vista team members who have helped guide our remote-first journey [...]
A Message of Solidarity for Ukraine from Robert Keane, Cimpress CEO and Founder
On February 26, 2022, Cimpress CEO and Founder Robert Keane issued the following public statement, which can also be viewed on Cimpress’ LinkedIn: “With our acquisition of VistaCreate and Depositphotos last October, Vista welcomed over 450 team members from Ukraine. In that short amount of time, I’ve met and gotten [...]
Accelerating with Remote-First
Vista has been officially named a “Best Remote-First Company to Work For” in Built In’s 2021 report. Here’s a look at how we’re defining the transition to remote working.