From the Editor: Tales From the Road

I just got back from a rather unique business trip. I went to Israel to cover HP's pre-drupa event and get a sneak preview of some of its cutting-edge technology. Not a bad deal, all things considered. It was a fantastic opportunity to see a part of the world I likely would never have gotten to visit.

The highlight, of course, was seeing Jerusalem (though HP would want me to say it was the new B2 format HP Indigo 10000; read all about that in my article). We explored the narrow passageways of the old city, contemplated the 2,000-plus-year-old Western Wall, went inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—it was all pretty incredible.

In addition to getting a taste of Israel and inspecting some exciting new HP technology, one thing I really liked about this trip was the opportunity to meet graphic arts journalists from all over the world—people who do what I do. There were more than 100 of them there from every corner of the world.

I hung out with Canadian editors, dined with journalists from Singapore and Brazil, chatted with an editor from Beijing on a bus ride, shared stories with Germans, Swedes and Australians and went running alongside the Mediterranean with a long-time acquaintance from Belgium. I can say, without question, that I was the only editor of a magazine focused exclusively on in-plants. My Belgian running mate, though, did tell me his magazine covers the in-plant market and even holds in-plant focus groups.

You would think, after my 12-hour flight home from Tel Aviv, I'd want to stay put for a while. But no, a week later I was back on a plane, flying to Kansas City to facilitate the judging of the In-Print 2012 contest. We had three new judges this year, and these fresh perspectives may have had some impact on the results.

I was pleased to see a lot of new names on the winners' list—at least 20 in-plants that I don't recall ever winning a prize in the past. This is phenomenal, and reflects improvements in quality and ingenuity in a wider base of in-plants, to levels on par with the large, well-equipped in-plants that have traditionally been big winners. (Watch for the list of winners online soon.)

As I write this (in the food court at O'Hare), my mind is already jumping ahead to next week, when I'll be on the road yet again, this time in Birmingham, Ala. Xerox invited me to its higher-ed customer advisory council meeting (watch a new video of the event), hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I look forward to touring UAB's in-plant and chatting with a dozen or more in-plant managers at the meeting.

And after that, no more trips...for three weeks. Then it's ACUP time. Thankfully the conference is just a short drive away this year, in Harrisburg, Pa. Hope to see some of you there.