Arizona In-plants Face the Heat…And Shrug

By Bob Neubauer

While headlines around the country focus on the excessive heat in Phoenix – where temperatures have hit at least 110 degrees for 28 days in a row – the residents of Arizona’s capital are a hardy bunch – at least the in-plant managers are. Those contacted by IPI are brushing off the deadly heatwave as just part of life in the Southwest.

The summer heat is sticking around in Phoenix, Arizona. | Getty Images

“When you live in this environment, you get used to the heatwaves,” shrugs Aaron Chrisman, Print Services Lead at Salt River Project (SRP), a not-for-profit organization providing water and power to more than two million people in central Arizona.

“It is hot, no doubt, but we make it work and have a very well cooled print facility,” adds Martin James, manager of Deer Valley Unified School District Print Services.

Ever since June 13, when the high in Phoenix was a chilly 96, city in-plants have faced temperatures above 100 degrees. Has the brutal outdoor heat impacted their shop’s equipment? Nope, say both managers.

“We are at full production,” says James.

How about deliveries?

Martin James

“We try to deliver as early as possible, but it has no impact – other than it is hot,” says James. “We picked up two pallets at 2:00 pm yesterday, and it was 115 degrees.”

Just don’t fall down while making deliveries; asphalt sidewalks in direct sunlight can reportedly reach 180 degrees – more than hot enough to fry an egg.

Surely there has been an impact on employees, who have to drive to and from work in the blazing heat, and endure nighttime lows of 97 degrees. Has anyone called out … hot?

“Heck no!” exclaims James.

“Production staff is on-site every day,” says Chrisman. “We are indoors in an air-conditioned facility. We have a fantastic facilities staff that maintains the buildings and keeps things operational, including the AC, to assure the employees have a comfortable, safe working environment.” And since SLC manages the region’s energy, it’s no surprise the AC is pretty reliable in the in-plant.

“It’s just a hot July,” says James, dismissing the dire headlines. “We had a very ‘cool’ June and that was not reported. When Phoenix has a ‘cool’ June we get hit hard and long in July.”

So until things cool down to a predicted 99 on Sept. 16, according to AccuWeather, Phoenix in-plants will have to continue dealing with triple-digit temperatures. Chrisman relays the game plan – one every Phoenix resident knows too well:

“Drink lots of water, and really just try to stay indoors whenever possible,” he says. “It is part of life around here.”

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Bob Neubauer Author's page

Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 180 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.