The owners of Phoenix Commercial Printers, who in recent months acquired rivals McGowen Printing Co. and Miller Printing Co., say they are still in expansion mode.

"We are always looking for an opportunity," said Jeff Hadden, who co-owns the city's largest print shop along with brother Joey.

Phoenix acquired McGowen, a company that was once the area's largest printer, from retiring owner Herman Jansen in September.

The deal was orchestrated primarily to allow Phoenix to expand into McGowen's 30,000-square-foot facility on 11th Street, which is larger than Phoenix's Fenwick Street building.

"We were growing, and we didn't want to leave and go out to Columbia County," said Joey Hadden, 39. "We want to stay downtown and support the city."

The Haddens followed up the deal by acquiring Miller in January from R.G. Miller Sr., who, like Mr. Jansen, was retiring from the business. Financial terms of both sales were not disclosed, but the investment is the largest since the brothers took over the family-owned business more than 15 years ago.

The Haddens estimate the two purchases have boosted Phoenix's customer accounts by 30 percent. The combined company handles an average of 100 print jobs a day, the owners said.

Employment was offered to all 30 employees at the acquired businesses, bringing Phoenix's total head count to 70.

"We didn't want somebody from outside (Augusta) buying them and taking those jobs out of Augusta," said Jeff Hadden, 43. "Somebody could have done that and serviced those accounts out of Columbia or Atlanta."

Phoenix has moved Miller Printing's operation from Reynolds Street into the former McGowen building. The facility operates under the Miller name as a division of Phoenix. The Haddens said they will likely replace the Miller name with Phoenix within two years.

The Haddens, who also co-own National Mail Service Inc. in Martinez, said they might eventually consolidate the entire operation inside the former McGowen building.