EMC Insurance Takes On Giant Projects With New Wide-format Printer

In early May, EMC Insurance Companies’ in-plant added a Canon iPF8000 with an Onyx RIP to its poster printing operation, making this the first wide-format printer utilized by the staff of nine. The company’s in-plant prints posters for several departments, including human resources, corporate communications, risk improvements and branch offices.

“This was a huge step forward,” says Margaret Kling, graphic and production supervisor. “In the past, Graphic Services would design, print and piece together everyday-type posters. Top-of-the-line posters would be sent to an outside vendor by the requesting department.”

But now, EMC’s in-plant is able to produce a variety of projects in-house with the iPF8000, including promotional items for United Way, Cub Scouts of America, Race for the Cure and others, as well as business financial charts.

“This year the theme for our upcoming United Way campaign is ‘Tune Into the Game Show Network for United Way.’ One event is a spin-off of Hollywood Squares featuring our company executives,” Kling says. “Imagine having a huge square of headshots of nine company execs on display, each photo 42x42˝. This is sure to be a real crowd pleaser.”

EMC decided on the Canon iPF8000, because it most closely fulfilled its needs.

“Solid coverage was a major factor in the decision. The iPF8000 uses 12 different print heads. Most of the photo-quality wide-formats now use only six,” Kling explains. “This makes a dramatic difference in the color, contrast and crispness of the final product. The iPF8000 also has more than 30,000 nozzles for spraying ink.”

At the same time, the in-plant purchased a GBC Titan 1244 laminator to protect prints for outdoor uses or when posters must be carried around to different offices.

To justify the cost of a wide-format printer, Kling and her team contacted assorted departments asking for estimates of the number and frequency of prints they expected to need in the coming year.

Providing wide-format printing will enable the in-plant to keep every piece of a job in-house, Kling says. She expects the in-plant will surpass her original estimate of printing 340 posters per year.

“I am very confident that the equipment will pay for itself in less than a year,” she says.