Digital Printing-Toner - Cut Sheet (Color)

IPG checked out some of the most innovative products at Graph Expo 2011. Here, Editor Bob Neubauer chats with Aanand Parthasarathi of Xerox about the new CiPress 500 waterless inkjet system.

Thirty higher-ed in-plant managers from across Canada met in Victoria, B.C., in May for the 44th annual College and University Print Management Association of Canada (CUPMAC) conference. Hosted by the University of Victoria Printing Services, the focus was "The Business of Print."

AN ANCIENT saying attributed to Chinese author, philosopher and general Sun Tzu offers great insight into the attitude the printing industry should take toward electronic readers, smart phones and iPads: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. In other words, it pays to know your enemy (and, if necessary, put him to work for you).

Two years ago, things were looking up for M.I.T. Copy Technology Centers, the in-plant at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge. After a long search, the 21-employee operation had finally made the decision to acquire a Xerox iGen3 and was preparing to enter the world of high-quality color printing.

Eighty percent of all companies lease equipment. Leasing can bring many benefits, including conserving cash flow and bringing an additional source of capital. Savvy lease negotiators know that lessors will negotiate financial terms and conditions, end-of-lease terms, late charges, prepayment definitions and more. Leasing has a language all of its own. We call it "Lease Speak." It is possible to decode the language, negotiate your way through the murky water and save money for your company.

Fox Valley Technical College held its first Open House and Technology Expo on May 24, in partnership with Ricoh Business Solutions. Nearly 100 attendees from 44 statewide organizations, including commercial printers and in-plant professionals, came to view the facility, get personal tours and attend sessions on digital printing, industry trends and workflow.

Thomas Lecy, supervisor of Printing Services at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne, has a plan for the student interns at his in-plant: he wants to train them well on all the aspects of the in-plant, including the new Ricoh Pro C901s his shop just acquired. That way when they graduate they will have marketable skills beyond their degree.

When the University of Memphis faculty and students asked for on-campus photo printing services, Tiger Graphic Services got the picture and bought a Kodak GS Compact kiosk.

As he sat on the edge of his seat at the IPMA awards banquet last month, watching the video that would reveal the non-offset Best of Show winner, Jimmy Friend tried to stay calm. But after seeing piece after excellent piece get eliminated until only the University of North Texas and Briggs & Stratton were still standing, his heart began to race.

When Printing and Mailing Services Director Glenn Strause heard about an in-plant using photo kiosks, he thought it was a great idea—just not the right idea for Lehigh.