This late 19th-century photo shows Fitch Group employees gathering for a company outing. Baseball (note the bats) clearly was going to be part of the day’s recreation.

“Times have changed dramatically since Fitch Group opened for business back in the 1800s. As one of New York’s longest-operating printers, we’ve been through the evolution of multiple technologies in the industry. Through it all, we’ve managed to not only survive, but also to thrive through four generations— due in large part to our ability to adapt to an ever-changing landscape, according to John Fitch III, President of Fitch Group.”

So begins an engaging post from the Fitch Group blog that goes on to sketch the company’s 127-year history and its track record as an early adopter of game-changing graphic technologies. Today Fitch Group, located at 229 West 28th Street in Manhattan, is a full-service commercial printer that continues to have strong ties to New York City’s financial services industry.

Those ties—along with the company’s very existence—were gravely threatened after the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. That day, Fitch Group’s corporate headquarters and production plant, located less than 75 yards from the South Tower, were completely destroyed. Within a year, however, the company had completely rebuilt its facilities to emerge from the disaster with its staff and client base intact.

Hats off to Fitch Group for its resilience and its honored place in the history of the printing industry in the New York metro area. And, on an even sweeter note, congratulations to the company for landing some of the promotional printing associated with the relaunch of Hostess Twinkies. Read about it here.