From the Editor Vendors Trying to Understand In-plants Better

In-plants have a lot to say—and some vendors are very interested in listening. Like Kodak, for example.

I recently learned that the company's Graphic Communications Group assembled an in-plant advisory panel last month and brought eight managers to Rochester to listen to its strategy and offer feedback. When a major graphic arts company like Kodak takes an interest in the opinions of in-plants, it's certainly good news for the rest of us. It shows how important in-plants have become in the decisions of these firms.

The managers on Kodak's advisory panel—both Kodak users and nonusers—were shown demonstrations of products and heard from the heads of the GCG's different business units (KPG, NexPress, etc.). After each presentation in-plants were asked for their opinions and whether or not the technology was applicable to their businesses.

In addition, Kodak listened to the managers' concerns, asked about their in-plants' visions of the future and discussed ways Kodak can help them with the problems they face.

Paula Balik, Kodak's in-plant segment manager, says Kodak's goal is to create a partnership with in-plants and get ideas for modifying its offerings to better support them.

All this attention to the in-plant market is a reassuring sign. It shows that in-plants as a whole are strong, solid businesses that play a vital role in the future of large corporations like Eastman Kodak.

The idea for the advisory panel came from Barbara Pellow, chief marketing officer and vice president of Kodak's GCG, who seems to have a pretty solid understanding of in-plants and an appreciation for their value. I should point out that Kodak also assembled similar panels for other segments of its customer base, such as commercial printers, data centers and marketing executives. But including in-plants as one of its key market segments is a sure sign of the importance of the in-plant industry.

Of course, Kodak isn't the only major graphic arts supplier to ever consult with in-plants. When Xerox was creating what would become the Nuvera line of black-and-white copier/printers, it brought in a team of seven in-plant managers to offer frank opinions on features and needs. This advisory council told Xerox of previous problems with DocuTechs and pointed out the features most important to them. As a result, Xerox made a number of modifications.

Clearly the opinions of in-plants are playing an increasingly important part in shaping the future of the printing industry. Smart vendors like Kodak and Xerox recognize that in-plants are growing, thriving businesses, worthy of their attention—and their investment.