Expo Bound: Focusing on a Dimensional Cutter

By Bob Neubauer

Mark McCready

The PRINTING United Expo — September 10-12 in Las Vegas — is just around the corner, and attendees are eagerly preparing for days filled with learning, networking, and inspiration. We talked with Mark McCready, manager of Print, Mail and Distribution at Modern Woodmen of America, to learn about his Expo plans.

What made you want to attend this year's Expo?

The Expo is a great value for the registration cost. Any vendor you would ever want to connect with is there.

What ideas did you bring home from the Expo last year that helped your in-plant?

Most recently, we were able to see an inkjet envelope printer we had been researching in action, along with a coil/punch machine. We also learned more about mail inserting capabilities and HP’s advances into virtual reality-assisted remote service.

What products or services are you most looking forward to seeing this year?

This year we will be focusing on a dimensional cutter and paying attention to how each production inkjet vendor is advancing.

Why is attending the Expo better than going to a vendor’s demo center to see equipment?

The Expo offers different, competing vendors in the same service and product categories, so it’s easier to get side-by-side comparisons in a day or two. It’s less personalized than a demo center and often rushed, so more of a drive-by introduction that can help narrow down who you want to reach out to once you return to the office and are ready to start pursuing a deal.

Is networking with industry peers an important reason for attending the Expo?

If you have peers that are attending the Expo it can definitely be worthwhile to meet up and compare notes since the show floor is so large and fast paced. Breakout events sponsored by in-plant organizations such as IPMA and Printing United Alliance are a nice way to scale back to my familiar realm in the print world.

How do you hope attending will impact your business/career moving forward?

The hope is that seeing equipment we have under consideration in action will help justify the purchase decision and validate the vision to elevate our product offerings and/or services. As a manager, I feel that’s one of my core responsibilities.

Also, register here to attend the free In-plant Forum hosted by In-plant Impressions, Wednesday Sept. 10. 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

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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.