IPG Conference A Success

When managed under this philosophy, says Britton, a shop will naturally be lead into the digital arena. Emerging digital technology allows managers to eliminate steps in a document's life cycle and create a shop that is more easily expandable than an offset shop.

Taking that theme as his cue, Bob Raus, of Océ Printing Systems USA, took the podium to illustrate the savings a digital operation can offer. His message was simple: Using an offset press for short- to medium-run jobs produces excessive waste and cost. On shorter runs, in-plants should take advantage of the negligible makeready times and low skill requirements of digital printing, and the ability to print exactly as many pieces as demand calls for.