Audio Player
(Listen to Editor Bob Neubauer read this article, with comments from Marshall Gray and Krista Moritz, at the link above)
Long before Marshall Gray started his job at the University of Florida (UF), he understood the cost-saving potential of in-plants. For 27 years he had worked at Western Kentucky University where he’d built its print services operation from the ground up, bringing major savings to the school.
So, when he was hired as assistant director of Business Services at UF in February of 2022, Gray knew right away the Gainesville-based school was spending a lot more than it needed to by outsourcing printing. He saw an opportunity to save significant sums of money by bringing print work in-house. There was just one problem: the in-plant’s color and monochrome copiers were not quite up to the task.
“I knew immediately that, No. 1, we’d need to get some better equipment in here in order for us to be able to compete,” Gray says.
Margaret Brito-McVey runs the Duplo DC-618 at University of Florida Print & Mail Services.
Over the past three years, Gray has done exactly that, slowly building up UF’s in-plant by upgrading equipment, hiring an experienced manager, adding services, rebranding, and promoting the shop. Today, the operation stands as a prime example of what an in-plant can accomplish with strong support and a clear vision.
He started by replacing the shop’s Canon color copier with a Ricoh 7110X in 2023.
“It gave us an opportunity to be able to start sharing with the departments what we were capable of doing,” Gray says.
The in-plant also worked with Ricoh Business Consulting Services, which helped Gray set up a focus group of customers and non-customers.
“We had some really good feedback,” Gray says. “That helped out tremendously.”
Skilled Print Manager Needed
After attending the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) conference and talking with successful in-plant managers there, he realized he needed an experienced print manager, so he hired Krista Moritz, who formerly ran Rollins College’s in-plant, in January of 2024. She started promoting the in-plant with mailings, signage, and by attending university events. She also steered the shop through the acquisition of a new Xerox Iridesse digital color press in October 2024.
“We wanted to make sure that if we were going to be able to market our services and bring departments back internally, that we had … the quality and the equipment that would allow us to do that,” says Gray.
With a fleet of more than 1,600 Xerox devices on campus, Xerox maintains a staff of technicians on-site, who respond promptly when the Iridesse needs service, Moritz says.
The Iridesse was installed shortly before the in-plant hosted an IPMA Road Show last fall that brought dozens of visitors through its door. The shop followed this with an open house that drew more than 100 people.
“There were several conversations with departments during the open house that pretty much said an on-campus facility is where they would prefer to do business,” says Gray. “We knew that we were on the right track.”
Building Up Wide-Format
With a better understanding of what the campus was looking for, the in-plant expanded its services. It stepped up wide-format printing, adding yard signs and retractable banners, which have both proven popular. In November the in-plant started selling promotional products, through a partnership with Swag Solutions.
“It has really taken traction,” Gray says. “This is a way for us to be able to provide a service for them but also enlighten them … about other services that we have.”
Moritz cites one customer that ordered a personalized tablecloth for an event, and when she suggested having the in-plant also print the brochures, the customer agreed. The shop is also insourcing print work from customers outside the university.
“My goal being here is to save the university money,” Moritz says. “It just costs at least double when you send it out.”
Rebranding to Increase Visibility
To further promote the in-plant’s printing capabilities, Gray changed its name from Mail and Document Services to Print & Mail Services.
“I think ‘print’ got lost in the name,” he explains. Not anymore.
“Our mail delivery people are wearing shirts that say ‘Print & Mail Services,’ says Moritz. “People see it all over campus. I think that helps.”
The more that word gets out, the more business the in-plant is getting, and the more savings it’s bringing to UF. And that, Gray says, is his main objective.
“We’re not here, as an external vendor would be, to make money,” he says. “Our goal and mission is to support the university, so we’re here for the campus community. I think that’s highly important.”
Building an In-plant: One Shop’s Journey to Expansion
Audio Player
(Listen to Editor Bob Neubauer read this article, with comments from Marshall Gray and Krista Moritz, at the link above)
Long before Marshall Gray started his job at the University of Florida (UF), he understood the cost-saving potential of in-plants. For 27 years he had worked at Western Kentucky University where he’d built its print services operation from the ground up, bringing major savings to the school.
So, when he was hired as assistant director of Business Services at UF in February of 2022, Gray knew right away the Gainesville-based school was spending a lot more than it needed to by outsourcing printing. He saw an opportunity to save significant sums of money by bringing print work in-house. There was just one problem: the in-plant’s color and monochrome copiers were not quite up to the task.
“I knew immediately that, No. 1, we’d need to get some better equipment in here in order for us to be able to compete,” Gray says.
Margaret Brito-McVey runs the Duplo DC-618 at University of Florida Print & Mail Services.
Over the past three years, Gray has done exactly that, slowly building up UF’s in-plant by upgrading equipment, hiring an experienced manager, adding services, rebranding, and promoting the shop. Today, the operation stands as a prime example of what an in-plant can accomplish with strong support and a clear vision.
He started by replacing the shop’s Canon color copier with a Ricoh 7110X in 2023.
“It gave us an opportunity to be able to start sharing with the departments what we were capable of doing,” Gray says.
The in-plant also worked with Ricoh Business Consulting Services, which helped Gray set up a focus group of customers and non-customers.
“We had some really good feedback,” Gray says. “That helped out tremendously.”
Skilled Print Manager Needed
After attending the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) conference and talking with successful in-plant managers there, he realized he needed an experienced print manager, so he hired Krista Moritz, who formerly ran Rollins College’s in-plant, in January of 2024. She started promoting the in-plant with mailings, signage, and by attending university events. She also steered the shop through the acquisition of a new Xerox Iridesse digital color press in October 2024.
“We wanted to make sure that if we were going to be able to market our services and bring departments back internally, that we had … the quality and the equipment that would allow us to do that,” says Gray.
With a fleet of more than 1,600 Xerox devices on campus, Xerox maintains a staff of technicians on-site, who respond promptly when the Iridesse needs service, Moritz says.
The Iridesse was installed shortly before the in-plant hosted an IPMA Road Show last fall that brought dozens of visitors through its door. The shop followed this with an open house that drew more than 100 people.
“There were several conversations with departments during the open house that pretty much said an on-campus facility is where they would prefer to do business,” says Gray. “We knew that we were on the right track.”
Building Up Wide-Format
With a better understanding of what the campus was looking for, the in-plant expanded its services. It stepped up wide-format printing, adding yard signs and retractable banners, which have both proven popular. In November the in-plant started selling promotional products, through a partnership with Swag Solutions.
“It has really taken traction,” Gray says. “This is a way for us to be able to provide a service for them but also enlighten them … about other services that we have.”
Moritz cites one customer that ordered a personalized tablecloth for an event, and when she suggested having the in-plant also print the brochures, the customer agreed. The shop is also insourcing print work from customers outside the university.
“My goal being here is to save the university money,” Moritz says. “It just costs at least double when you send it out.”
Rebranding to Increase Visibility
To further promote the in-plant’s printing capabilities, Gray changed its name from Mail and Document Services to Print & Mail Services.
“I think ‘print’ got lost in the name,” he explains. Not anymore.
“Our mail delivery people are wearing shirts that say ‘Print & Mail Services,’ says Moritz. “People see it all over campus. I think that helps.”
The more that word gets out, the more business the in-plant is getting, and the more savings it’s bringing to UF. And that, Gray says, is his main objective.
“We’re not here, as an external vendor would be, to make money,” he says. “Our goal and mission is to support the university, so we’re here for the campus community. I think that’s highly important.”
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.