First Entries Arrive in In-Print 2025 Contest
The In-Print 2025 contest is underway and already entries are coming in. The first in-plant to enter was Vanderbilt University Printing Services, which submitted a brochure, a set of stickers, and an impressive wide-format installation project.
Mike Puckett (left), director of Printing Services, and Sean Carroll, senior director, Marketing and Auxiliary Operations at Vanderbilt University. | Credit: In-plant Impressions
“I like to show off what we’ve done over the past year,” says Director Mike Puckett, who adds that he’s not done entering the contest yet. He plans to submit yet another graphics installation project and possibly a few other pieces.
“I like to win,” he says.
Jointly sponsored by In-plant Impressions and the In-plant Printing & Mailing Association, the In-Print contest is the only printing contest exclusively for in-plants – and it’s open to all in-plants, whether IPMA members or not. The perk for members, though, is that they can enter three items at no charge. (In-plants that join IPMA in the next two months can also enter a fourth item for free.) After that, each entry is just $40 – far lower than the entry cost for other print contests. Puckett has no problem paying to enter additional items he’s especially proud of.
“If I can show off what I’ve been doing, then I’m good with paying a little bit extra,” he says. “I need to prove to people that we have a value on campus, and I’m the best value there is.”
He’s undaunted by the fact that his 10-employee in-plant is going up against much larger printing operations.
“There’s something about taking down the ‘big dog’ sometimes,” he laughs.
Last year, one of those smaller in-plants, Bucknell University, even won Best of Show in the digital categories, so size most definitely doesn’t matter in the In-Print contest.
Standing with the Xerox Iridesse in the Vanderbilt University in-plant’s production facility are (from left) Keith Stringfield, Debbie Kennedy, and Mike Puckett. | Credit: Vanderbilt University
This year’s competition features several new categories geared toward wide-format work. Seven categories are open only to in-plants with 10 or fewer employees, and there are categories for variable data pieces, cross-media projects, and combined offset/digital jobs. Categories have been restructured this year into three divisions: offset, digital, and speciality/wide-format. “Best of Division” winners will be selected out of all the Gold winners in each division, and from those top winners judges will pick a single Best of Show winner. That winner will be revealed at the awards dinner during IPMA’s conference in June.
Entries must be registered online by February 21, 2025, and received no later than February 28, so start collecting samples now. Go through your printed work and pick out examples that are perfect in every way — great registration, crisp folds and no hickeys. Puckett did this months ago as his entries were being printed.
“When I see something that I think would stand a chance on being noticed … I’ll go ahead and have some extras printed, and I save them till it’s time to submit,” he says.
He likes the brochure he submitted because “it’s got a very unique fold,” he says – a gatefold. “I just thought that was a great-looking piece.”
The wide-format installation he entered had six parts to it, from wall and floor graphics to A-frame signage.
He’s optimistic about his chances for winning a prize in In-Print 2025, and looks forward to adding plaques to the “wall of fame” he’s building in his shop to promote all its awards, and show customers that they have a high-quality, nationally recognized print operation on campus, ready to serve them.
All in-plants are encouraged to enter In-Print 2025. Get a look at the rules and categories, and also read some tips to help you pick the best possible entries, at IPI’s In-Print contest site: https://www.inplantimpressions.com/contest/
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.
