So Many In-plant Surveys…What's Going On?

For years no one cared about in-plants — no one but In-plant Graphics, that is. Then the calendar changed to 2016.

This year there have been three concurrent in-plant research projects taking place:

• IPG conducted its biennial in-plant market survey, as we've been doing since the 1990s. The results have appeared in several recent issues of the magazine.
• The In-plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) brought in analyst Dr. Joe Webb to survey members and develop a report called “The State of the Industry: Challenges, Opportunities and Outlook,” which was sponsored by Canon U.S.A. Webb presented summary of the results at the recent IPMA conference.
• IDC and Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization (PRIMIR) surveyed the in-plant market, in partnership with NAPCO Media, for a report that's currently being written by consultant Howie Fenton.

That's a lot of surveying. And we shouldn't forget that InfoTrends has also periodically kept tabs on the in-plant industry in its surveys, which have included both commercial and in-plant printers. Data for the in-plant sector has been broken out and reported on.

Why all this sudden interest in in-plants? Let's be honest; vendors want to know more about you so they can sell you stuff. (OK, so they would say they're trying to "partner with you" and "understand your needs," but still, they wouldn't mind a few installations, right?)

Honestly, though, isn't this what you do with your customers? Survey them, talk with them, find out what they need so you can better serve them? The sponsors of these in-plant surveys are taking the time to learn what type of work you do so they can offer you something that could help you get ahead, increase your value and keep your customers happy.

In-plants should be pleased at all the attention being shown to them via these surveys. The sponsors of this research (well…except for IPG's research, which was sponsored only by IPG) are recognizing that in-plants are a strong market, worthy of their attention. When the industry gives more recognition to the power of in-plants, it makes all of you look better in the eyes of your organizations. Instead of thinking of your operation as a novelty, unique to your organization, your upper management will have to recognize that there's a whole in-plant industry out there full of thriving operations. The existence of all this research makes that clear.

So as you go about your daily business, make sure you're keeping tabs on this research and using it to tell your story to management. You're part of a thriving industry; make sure they know it. Check out some of IPG's new in-plant data here and here.