In-plant Managers Invited to Russia

Three in-plant managers recently paid a visit to Russia to share information about their operations with a group of university book publishers there. They spoke at a three-day conference held by the Publishing and Press Association of Universities of Russia, in Pushkin, Russia.

Making the trip were:

• Larry Fox, director of Imprints at the University of California, San Diego;
• Bob Keats, director of Document and Mail Services at Colgate University, in Hamilton, N.Y.;
• Jeff Gworek, director of Printing and Publishing Services at Yale University, in New Haven, Conn.

The trip was coordinated by Ed Danielczyk, Xerox Worldwide Public Sector Industry Marketing Manager. He was asked to offer his perspective on how new technologies will alter the business models of Russian university book publishers. He invited the three managers, all members of the Xerox Higher Education Customer Advisory Council, to offer their real-world experiences.

“The purpose was to talk to them about book publishing and book printing services offered by campus in-plants in the U.S.,” explains Fox. “Each of us presented on our university’s in-plant.”

They spoke individually and as part of panels, taking questions from the audience. Fox says there were always translators relaying their words to attendees, and the four Americans wore headphones to hear English translations.

Danielczyk explains that traditional publishing and printing processes are still quite ingrained in Russia, with e-books just beginning to make an impact. Print-on-demand is gaining momentum there, with devices like the iGen4 and Espresso Book Machine starting to catch on. The Russian group was very interested in hearing how U.S. in-plants support the printing and publishing needs of their universities, he says, how they manage their operations like businesses, how many employees they have, etc.

After the conference, the group toured St. Petersburg Polytechnic University’s publishing facility and spoke with the rector there. Danielczyk also had the opportunity to teach a short class on digital printing there.

Fox says he came away from the experience with a broader understanding of the challenges university publishers in other countries face. And while going to Russia in December might seem like a terrible fate for a San Diegan, Fox says the weather there did not live up to its chilly reputation.

“It wasn’t too cold,” he says—maybe in the 20s. And there was not a flake of snow on the ground.