Niagara Falls Reporter

Located in Buffalo, N.Y., PrintLeader is a specialty digital printing and graphic services provider. The company specializes in providing grand format printing, as well as photographic and on-demand document printing. Its printing services include all surface printing, typesetting, file preparation, scanning and image editing. The company serves a various markets, such as casino, banking, airport and tradeshows. Print Leader was chosen for the 2009 Small Business of the Year Award; sponsored by the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation and Small Business Association.

Aakron Rule was incorporated in New York State in January of 1967. Our first products included school rulers, office rulers, and yardsticks. In 1968, we entered the Promotional Products Industry. Today Aakron Rule is the largest manufacturer of wooden rulers and yardsticks in the world. Our product line has grown to include over 130 different items. We have won several Supplier Star and Merit Awards from the Promotional Products Industry. Our main manufacturing facility, which employs over 140 people, is located in Akron, New York. In our lumberyard, we have over one million board feet of inventory on hand at all times. Aakron Rule manufactures wood products, injection molds many plastic items, and imprints on a wide range of promotional products. In Akron, we have our own machine shop where we build and design most of our own machinery. Automation is the key to our future. We also have approximately 100 employees at our Bakewell, Tennessee location. Between the two locations we have over 135 thousand square feet of manufacturing space.

The Benchmark Group, located in Amherst, N.Y., provides apartment lifestyles, retail locations and office space. It is an integrated real estate management, development and investment company that offers individual and institutional investors the opportunity to diversify stock and bond portfolios through investments in quality, private real estate holdings. Benchmark s portfolio is valued at over $1 billion, including more than 9,000 apartment units in over 12 states. The agency has more than 5 million-square-feet of retail space in over six states. Benchmark Group s staff consists of more than 300 legal, financial, accounting, development, construction and property management professionals. The group offers its services through several divisions, including construction, commercial development, real estate investments and retail and office. It also offers tenant services, including identifying sites in target markets, engineering, environmental, municipal approvals, site design and development, construction management and leasing.