Is Outsourcing a Silver Bullet?
Equipment Isn’t the Answer
Equipment vendors and self-styled “experts”—consultants and special interest groups—are constantly telling management that the in-plant must keep up with the latest-greatest technology to be competitive. But it’s not all about the equipment or technology. Up-to-date equipment is important, but other things contribute to a healthy printing facility. Profitable printing companies are not necessarily the ones with large, multi-color presses and sophisticated electronic prepress equipment. Judging from the number of advertisements I get offering to sell five- and six-color presses in great condition for bargain rates, a lot of commercial shops with big presses have closed. This tells me that equipment isn’t the only answer.
Ray Chambers, CGCM, MBA, has invested over 30 years managing and directing printing plants, copy centers, mail centers and award-winning document management facilities in higher education and government.
Most recently, Chambers served as vice president and chief information officer at Juniata College. Chambers is currently a doctoral candidate studying Higher Education Administration at the Pennsylvania State University (PSU). His research interests include outsourcing in higher education and its impact on support services in higher education and managing support services. He also consults (Chambers Management Group) with leaders in both the public and private sectors to help them understand and improve in-plant printing and document services operations.
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