Stakes Manufacturing Receives $10MM in NMTC Allocation to Modernize Equipment and Continue Exemplary Hiring Practices

Stakes Manufacturing has received $10MM in New Markets Tax Credits to boost operational efficiency and maintain its competitive edge within the screen-printing industry. Their facility upgrades include the installation of high-tech, high-output equipment, which has become essential to producing high-quality digital designs and products. Stakes Manufacturing will also install a backup generator system to ensure operational continuity during power and internet outages, mitigating potential future revenue losses. Together, these improvements will strengthen Stakes’ operational resilience and sustain quality employment opportunities for the community while positioning the company to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.

Since 2012, Stakes Manufacturing, LLC has been renowned as one of the largest Print on Demand (POD) companies in the United States. Their mission is to deliver retail-quality apparel while ensuring their partners receive the highest level of white-glove service and customer satisfaction. Their offerings include individual order fulfillments, wholesale services, and individually cut sheets of transfers for partners who prefer to press designs themselves.

Stakes Manufacturing is dedicated to scalable production, meeting the evolving needs of its partners through equipment upgrades and tailored solutions. Their proprietary file-prep process allows products to be developed entirely in house, streamlining art handling, color management, production readiness, and hand feel optimization. Stakes Manufacturing’s disciplined and integrated approach allows them to introduce new capabilities faster, giving their customers unmatched premium retail print quality and long-lasting durability.

Stakes Manufacturing is headquartered in Eastlake, Ohio, which qualifies as a severely distressed area. 8% of Eastlake residents live in poverty, and 6.5% of the community is unemployed, which is 1.20x the national unemployment rate. Through these company improvements, Stakes intends to hire an additional 95 full-time employees, while retaining another 219. Employment opportunities span various roles, including R&D, manufacturing, administration, sales, and technology. New positions will pay a competitive average wage of $21.23 per hour, which is 104% above the living wage in Lake County, Ohio. Stakes also aims to increase their average salary to $25+ per hour through new bonus and performance incentive plans made possible with NMTC allocation. 100% of jobs are accessible and do not require a four-year degree. All employees also benefit from comprehensive health plans, retirement packages, and training programs for further career advancement.

Committed to giving back, Stakes Manufacturing donates over 40,000 units (valued at $500,000+) of clothing annually to local agencies. With their upcoming expansion and company improvements, they aim to increase their donations more than fourfold. Key partners in these efforts include donation pickups through Butterflies and Lillie’s, “Give Back a Box” through S&S, St. Ann Deliverance Tabernacle, Vietnam Veterans Association, Salvation Army, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cleveland.

Stakes Manufacturing is committed to enhancing its environmental sustainability through several key initiatives. First, the company has designed a solar project to generate clean, renewable energy for its facility, significantly reducing yearly energy costs. Additionally, Stakes prints using water-based, eco-friendly inks, minimizing the environmental footprint of their production processes. The company’s newly implemented water treatment and bulk fixation systems will also ensure the use of clean water and help minimize spoilage throughout the production process.

Stakes Manufacturing is dedicated to hiring individuals of all backgrounds and ability levels and collaborating with local agencies such as CEVAC and Deepwood to support their mission. Their approach includes providing opportunities for workers in prison programs, as well as individuals with disabilities. 10% of the company’s current workforce comprises employees with intellectual disabilities, many of whom rank among the top performers in the company.

In partnership with the local county school system, Stakes Manufacturing also provides 12 internships per semester for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and offers future full-time positions at the company.

The company’s hiring practices have earned industry-wide recognition. In 2022, Stakes was names National Employer of the Year by APSE, the U.S. trade organization for disability employment service providers. In 2024, co-founder Jed Seifert received the ASI Counselor Bess Cohn Humanitarian of the Year Award. This past year, Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS), the Cleveland Guardians, and The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) presented Stakes Manufacturing with the 2025 Ability Transcends Challenges Award for championing meaningful employment for people with disabilities. Co-founders Jed Seifert and Vince Bartozzi have also recently co-authored “INKclusivity: Company Benefits of Disability Inclusion & How-To Implementation Guide.”

With the help of New Markets Tax Credits, Stakes Manufacturing will continue their mission of offering quality products and exceptional customer service, while remaining dedicated to fostering a multi-faceted and high-quality working environment. Impact Marketplace is proud to assist in the modernization of the apparel and production industry and the transformation of manufacturing and industrial hiring practices across the country.