Digital Press Meeting Expectations at BCBS

To find out how Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Xerox iGen3 digital press has been working out since it was installed a couple years ago, we went back and talked with Patrick O’Donnell, manager of Document Production Services.

Q: Has the new equipment been helpful in your shop?

A: The iGen3 has increased the production output of our five-color GTO by 300 percent. Prior to purchasing the iGen3, we were running jobs for 2,000 or fewer sheets on the GTO and sending out the longer runs to commercial shops. With the iGen3, we can now do the smaller runs on that machine and keep the larger runs that were being sent out on the GTO.

Q: So the new printer has met expectations?

A: The iGen3 has met all of our expectations, plus some. Prior to the iGen3, jobs that were sent outside or printed internally had to be stored in our warehouse. Now, our print quantity is based solely on the initial distribution quantity; if more copies are needed at a later date, we print them on the iGen3, so we no longer have to warehouse.

Q: Has everything been perfect?

A: We have had some problems with the color blue—and when you are Blue Cross, blue is a very important color. This problem was quickly resolved.