Successful In-plant Symposium Concludes in Harrisburg

Dozens of in-plant managers from across the country met in Harrisburg, Pa., this week for a two-day Government Symposium, organized by the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA). They discussed expansion into new technologies, like production inkjet, best practices for mailing operations and ways to improve team engagement, among other topics.

Curt Topper, Pennsylvania's Secretary of General Services, welcomed the group to Harrisburg.

Attendees came from in-plants in Oregon, Florida, Colorado, Virginia, Michigan and Tennessee, as well as many from Pennsylvania. A full day of presentations and roundtables on Monday, which included a vendor display area, was followed by a tour of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's print and mail operation, which recently installed an inkjet press.

Managers broke into smaller groups for in-depth roundtable discussions.

The event kicked off with a welcome from Curt Topper, Pennsylvania's Secretary of General Services, which includes the Bureau of Publications. He reflected that years ago, the state's in-plant was not as well organized and the presses were frequently not running.

"Clearly we couldn't continue the way we were," he said. "The right answer was to invest."

Managers hold roundtable discussions beneath the approving eyes of William Penn in the State Museum of Pennsylvania, where the symposium was held.

Seven years ago Marcie Carr was hired as director of the Bureau of Publications, and she has made numerous improvements, bringing presorting in-house, removing offset and adding inkjet printing, consolidating some of the state's other in-plants and marketing the in-plant's business to bring in new work.

"We can save taxpayers millions of dollars," Topper said.

To tell attendees more about the inkjet press, Carr and Graphic Service Center Manager David McCloskey joined IPG Editor Bob Neubauer for a discussion on the benefits of inkjet for in-plants. Neubauer unveiled some new data on inkjet installations at in-plants, then conducted a Q&A about how inkjet has improved Carr's operation. The new inkjet press, installed in November, replaced three cut-sheet toner devices and has allowed the in-plant to add inexpensive color to documents. (Learn more in IPG's upcoming article on the Bureau of Publications, which will highlight our October issue.)

Colorado State Printer Mike Lincoln shared some of his in-plant's best practices that have helped it win IPMA's Mail Center of the Year award four times.

Other sessions covered automation and Web-to-print and the importance of strategic integration of new services into the in-plant. Colorado State Printer Mike Lincoln shared some of his in-plant's best practices that have helped it win IPMA's Mail Center of the Year award four times. He talks with commercial printers to hear what they are doing, and uses these "outside the box" ideas in his government shop, where they are novel.

Staff, he noted, are always looking to believe in something bigger than they are, so help nurture that need and let them know what you believe in and why you think it's important. He shared his person goal:

"I want to be the best public sector transactional printer in the nation," he said.

The day also included two roundtable discussions in which in-plants from various regions shared their ideas, struggles and successes. One idea that came from these discussions: treat your coworkers as if they were your customers; help them so they can be successful in their jobs, which in turn helps you do yours better.

Marcia Carr leads a tour of the sign shop, which manager Ben McaAfee has reorganized to produce impressive results.

Yesterday, attendees got to tour the Bureau of Publishing and talk with staff in each area, including its impressive mail and presort area, and its busy sign shop, which manager Ben McaAfee has reorganized to improve the workflow and better utilize equipment like the laser engraver to provide new services. Revenue has nearly tripled as a result. The sign shop is currently producing vinyl wall graphics for all of the state-run liquor stores as part of a rebranding effort.

Also on the tour was the new roll-fed production inkjet press, which has allowed the in-plant to bring in new work and reduce costs for customers. Attendees of the symposium were upbeat about the opportunity to learn from their peers and many were eager to make it an annual event.

Attendees visit the vendor exhibits.

Curt Topper, secretary of administration for PA’s Dept. of General Services opens the @IPMAHQ symposium, praising the state’s In-plant for its efficiency pic.twitter.com/Tk3cWPsj7I

— In-plant Impressions (@IP_Impressions) September 17, 2018

Getting ready to start IPMA’s public sector symposium in Harrisburg, Pa. 50 in-plants are here from as far away as Oregon, Florida, Colorado and Michigan. @IPMAHQ pic.twitter.com/6Nigwb4rty

— In-plant Impressions (@IP_Impressions) September 17, 2018