In-plant Partnership, New Color Printer for Missouri University
When some in-plants close down their offset operations, they permanently lose a big chunk of business. When Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly University of Missouri-Rolla) sold off its presses a couple years ago, the in-plant not only kept its school’s offset work in the in-plant arena, it put the proceeds into an equipment fund to ensure its own future growth.
Recently the 10-employee Printing and Mail Services department tapped that fund to purchase a new Xerox DocuColor 252—without even trading in its older Xerox 1632 or Xerox 3535. By purchasing instead of leasing, notes Manager Jesse Singleton, the shop got a better price and lower click rate.
“The quality on this 252 is just phenomenal,” he reports.
Though a Xerox customer, he gave Xerox no guarantees during the selection process. Singleton arranged to have Océ, Ikon and Xerox demonstrate their equipment in his shop on the same day so he could better compare them. The 252 produced the best quality, and this outweighed the performance benefits of the others.
“It has a gloss option. It really makes a difference,” he adds.
The 252 has allowed the in-plant to keep more work in-house, like short-run brochures, postcards and posters—basically, anything under 500 copies, Singleton says.
For longer-run offset jobs, the in-plant inked a deal with University of Missouri-Columbia Printing Services a few years back. Just 100 miles up the road, MU’s in-plant is one of the largest in the country, with numerous printing awards to its credit. Printing Services prints posters, view books, business cards, letterhead and much more for Missouri University of Science and Technology, to the tune of $500,000 a year. A courier makes daily runs to Columbia to pick up jobs.
“Nine times out of 10, Columbia’s cheaper, and 99 percent [of the time] the quality is better, much better. It’s more consistent,” lauds Singleton. “They know our style, and when something’s not right, they usually pick up on it immediately and save us thousands of dollars.”
MU has also supplied Missouri University of Science and Technology with its self-designed Web storefront for ordering business cards, letterhead and envelopes. Orders come right to Columbia, where they’re produced.
Singleton says his shop’s partnership with MU has helped strengthen his in-plant.
“Without that, I’m sure our shop would have gone away, because we just wouldn’t have offered enough,” he says.
Rick Wise, director of MU Printing Services, also praises the deal.
“It’s a tremendous benefit to us,” he says. “It’s just worked out beautifully.”
He advises all in-plants to keep an eye out for shops in their area that may be downsizing, and then suggest a similar arrangement.
“The more volume that you can produce, the more equipment you can buy,” Wise says. “If you can buy a six-color press, for instance, or a four-color, 40˝ press because of the extra business, it benefits your host organization too.”
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Photo: Manager Jesse Singleton (left) and his staff at Missouri University of Science and Technology Printing and Mail Services show off their new Xerox DocuColor 252. Next to him are (from the left) Colin Smith, graphic artist, Linda Lloyd, senior bindery person, and Robin Holtkamp, chief clerk.
- Companies:
- Xerox Corp.
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 180 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
