43 Years of Quality and Service – An Endangered Species
Leatherback’s story begins long before this prehistoric sea turtle became our namesake. In 1966, founders Chuck Morgan and Walt Irvine incorporated Overlake Press in to the State of Washington. In addition to their focus on general commercial printing, Overlake Press was the original printer for the Eastside Journal and Bellevue American newspapers.

Bill Cundy came to work for Overlake Press in 1968 with the challenge of building the commercial side of the business. In recognition of his successful efforts to revive this portion of their market, Bill earned a one-third share in the company.

In 1977, Longview Publishing purchased the two newspapers and two-thirds of Overlake Press. The company split the newspaper portion from the commercial printing operation in 1980 and Bill Cundy acquired the remaining two-thirds of Overlake Press.

Bill offered his children an opportunity to learn the trade and over the years, Bill and his team built Overlake Press’s reputation as a high-quality commercial printing company. That commitment to quality and team approach has remained a cornerstone of the company to this day.

In the late 1980’s, as the personal computer industry went mainstream, the resulting demand for software manuals prompted Overlake’s purchase of a single color 40-inch press. Subsequent years saw the addition of a 2-color 36-inch press and a larger, more productive Baum folder to support the growing demand for software documentation.

To keep pace with the unprecedented advancements in technology during the 1990’s Overlake Press added an electronic pre-press department and purchased a Komori 5-color 26” press and a 2-color 40” press.

In 1995 Bill Cundy took stock of his accomplishments and decided to retire. He sold Overlake Press to a Texas corporation whose primary business was the conversion of rolls of paper into tab-fed dot matrix printer stock. This endeavor failed and in 2000 Bill’s two sons, Grant & Eric Cundy and two other investors purchased the remaining assets of the company and changed the name to Leatherback Publishing Inc., a tribute to the prehistoric sea turtle’s ability to endure.

The new ownership team observed that multi-color, 40-inch presses were servicing a vast majority of the local market. To realize corporate growth objectives, it was imperative that they penetrate this market. In 2002 Leatherback acquired a Komori Lithrone 6-color 40-inch press with aqueous coater, extended feed and delivery, automated temperature and color management tools. Further investments were made in computer-to-plate technology, bindery and finishing. The addition of the MBO folder and the Mueller Martini stitcher allowed Leatherback to all but eliminate buyout expenses related to such services.

In 2005 the company invested in a Perfecta cutting system with a near line jogging table, automated waste removal and automated set up via JDF (Job Definition Format) data from the prepress department.

During these formidable growth years, the Cundy brothers instinctually migrated to different aspects of company management. Grant’s strengths were best suited to the day-to-day challenges of running the manufacturing team. Eric’s jovial personality and knowledge of the market made him a natural salesman. In 2006 the two brothers realized their dream of regaining sole ownership of what was once their father’s company.

Leatherback Printing takes pride in being a family-owned company with the flexibility and local leadership to assist our customers in a fast-paced and technologically changing market. In fact, in April of 2009 we purchased a HP Indigo 7000 digital press with an off-line UV coater. Now, along with high quality sheet-fed printing, our customers have the added benefit of on-demand and variable data printing without compromising quality or affordability.

It’s in our nature to endure; to look forward rather than back. Our decisions are based on what’s best for our customers. We look forward to hearing what’s best for you.

To learn more about our namesake, the Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), and the efforts being made to protect its ecosystem, we invite you to visit the following links:



Female leatherbacks lay clutches of approximately 100 eggs on sandy, tropical beaches. Females nest several times during a nesting season, typically at 8-12 day intervals. After 60-65 days, leatherback hatchlings with white striping along the ridges of their backs and on the margins of the flippers emerge from the nest.





Like all sea turtles, leatherback turtles start their lives as hatchlings bursting out from the sands of their nesting beaches. Right after they hatch, the baby turtles are already in danger of predation. Many are eaten by birds, crustaceans, other reptiles, and also people before they reach the water. Once they reach the ocean they are generally not seen again until maturity.




The turtle's common name comes from the leathery texture and appearance of its carapace. Aside from "leatherback" turtle, it has been called the "leathery turtle" in the past. The turtle was also once referred to as the "trunk" turtle, though the name is now in disuse.




Mature leatherbacks measure 4 to 6 feet in length (121-183 cm) and can weigh 550 to 1,545 pounds (250-700 kg).The largest leatherback ever recorded was almost 10 feet (305 cm) from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail and weighed in at 2,019 pounds (916 kg).