From the Editor: Coast to Coast

I JUST got back from a coast-to-coast excursion that took me from San Francisco to Boston.

I flew out to California in mid-April to attend the Association of College and University Printers (ACUP) conference. The event was packed with more than 130 in-plant attendees from 33 states and four other countries. It was wonderful to see so much interaction between managers from such geographically diverse places as New Zealand, Mississippi, Alaska, Scotland, Maine and Florida, to name a few. Attendees fell easily into conversation about their mutual challenges, sharing stories and laughs as if they had been friends for years.

ACUP was very well run, organized and hosted by six in-plants in the University of California system. The conference theme was “We’re Not Just Printers Anymore,” and sessions reflected that change in perspective. Xerox President Ursula Burns gave one of the keynote presentations. Other sessions featured digital color press owners talking about their experiences. I moderated a panel discussion in which managers offered ideas for integrating the in-plant with the campus and connecting more effectively with customers.

As exciting as ACUP was, I had to leave early to attend another event important to in-plants, the On Demand show, taking place in Boston for the first time this year. Though I missed the last blast of winter that assaulted the city on the event’s opening day (on account of being in sunny California—good planning, eh?) it nonetheless took its toll on attendance, according to those questioned. The crowds swelled a bit on the second day, flocking to see the latest digital printing systems, like Kodak’s new “entry-level” NexPress M700, the Océ Vario­Stream 9240 spot color marvel and the monochrome Xerox Nuvera 288, all “Best of Show” picks.

I ran into a couple of in-plants at the show, like the University of Vermont, which had a team there to check out digital color presses.

After all these trips, the “excitement” of travel has worn a bit thin on me. So I’m content to stay at home for a while—at least until next month’s IPMA conference in Oklahoma City.

One last thing: At least five managers have told me that someone named Mark Webster has called them, claiming he’s from IPG and asking for details on their operations. He does not work for us. It’s possible he’s snooping around for a facilities management firm. If he calls you, please ask for his phone number and send it to me—before hanging up on him.