Our story begins 135 years ago, in the year 1891- the so-called Gilded Age of American industrial and cultural growth. National Seal Works, Inc. was born of a pivotal $400 investment made by Harry Reinhard that allowed him to acquire the company from an acquaintance named Lewis Rich. It may sound like a small amount, but that’s over $146,000 in today’s dollars. The Victorian Era was just coming to an end as the American Industrial Revolution reached its peak. Only 12 years after Edison developed the incandescent light bulb, technological advances had created a growing middle class. People were embracing consumerism as the economy boomed and the rise of entrepreneurship became an essential driver of economic growth. Opportunities abounded in various sectors, particularly as industrialization spurred the creation of new businesses and the expansion of existing ones.

National Seal Works quickly became an unwavering pillar of the community by catering to the diverse needs of businesses in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Most businesses primarily relied on rudimentary promotional methods like printed media and lower-quality bespoke products such as badges and ribbons. Recognizing the ever-evolving needs of businesses, Harry made sure to brace for changes. National Seal Works underwent a transformative journey, employing innovative techniques to craft products that empowered American companies in an increasingly competitive global market. Click here to take a look at a book titled “How to Make Rubber Stamps for Profit” printed in 1891.

As the world entered the age of the internet and exponentially quickly developing technologies, new methods of marketing and production began to surface. The fifth generation took the reins and hitched the company’s wagon to this new, tech-driven horse. Though the 2020s look a bit different from the 1890s, the spirit remains the same. Aaron Reinhard, the current CEO, and son of Rick Reinhard leads with equal parts passion, innovation, creativity, and an uncanny ability to harness his dreams. A visionary with more ideas in an afternoon than most entertain in a lifetime, Aaron has transformed National Marking Products into Laser Engraving Pros, the proud parent company of a suite of complimentary brands that are innovating on behalf of a new generation of clients and customers. We are still “the House of Good Impressions” even if those impressions are made by lasers instead of rubber stamps.

“Expanding from indelible ink to the even more indelible and infinitely more legible of our many and specialized industrial lasers was entirely about giving the customers what they wanted and needed,” Aaron said, of his shift to laser engraving and cutting. “We can do it faster, better, with literal laser-sure precision, and with a nearly endless and always expanding creative ability to make customer dreams a reality – no matter how big those dreams might be.” 

He means that quite literally. Laser Engraving Pros boasts a range of lasers for cutting and engraving that range from desktop arrays to systems that fill entire bays of the company’s facilities. Expansion to a nationwide footprint, says Aaron, has allowed faster and more efficient delivery of products to its customers. “We already served clients nationwide,” says Aaron. “Now, rather than making them come to us, we’ve moved in next door to better partner with them in making their projects rapid, real, right to spec.”

After 135 years and 5 generations, the company can no longer be described simply as a small family-owned printing company. Laser Engraving Pros stands as a leader of innovation in custom laser engraving nationwide. Now with three bases of operations in Los Angeles, Orlando, and Richmond, Laser Engraving Pros lets every customer of every size access the exact products they need in a timely manner anywhere in the US. Whether you need just one custom engraved water bottle as a gift for a coworker, or you have a rush order for thousands of custom engraved UL-approved labeling tags for the construction of a data center, Laser Engraving Pros is ready to help you make your mark.

The company has branched into many different realms over the years- including a department that engraves plastic and metal tags, another that specializes in engraved switchplates, a department that specializes in engraved tumblers, and even a department that focuses on specialty laser-cutting of metal items and parts. These departments are flanked by smaller, more niche services. Some of these niche offerings include wood engraving, glass engraving, knife engraving, and other specialty engraving services. There is also an entire department that specializes in creating industrial-quality stencils suitable for commercial and government use.