In-plant Events

Early last month, In-Plant Graphics hosted its first educational conference and exposition, in conjunction with our company's successful BookTech conference, now in its seventh year. I traveled to New York for the event and moderated several panel discussions. I enjoyed the opportunity to sit and talk with so many in-plant managers, both from the New York area and from out of state. Two in-plant representatives even flew in from the University of California-Davis. One of them, Alan Bump, told me his in-plant has added several Heidelberg 9110s and some bindery gear in the past year. On the first day of the conference, I had

Attendees at SUPDMC enjoyed great weather and even better companionship. by Jean-Luc Devis About 40 attendees from 27 various educational institutions got together in sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., recently for the 27th annual Southeastern University Printing and Duplicating Managers Conference (SUPDMC). Colleagues from North Dakota and Minnesota escaped the snowfall in their respective states to enjoy 90-degree weather in southern Florida. This year's SUPDMC was organized and hosted by Bill Buckler, director of Printing and Graphic Arts at Broward Community College. Conferences are an excellent opportunity to meet with old and new colleagues, discuss common challenges and explore ways of

With cutbacks everywhere, government in-plants must operate more efficiently. Managers met recently to share their ideas. by Bob Neubauer Government in-plants are travelling a rough road these days. At the recent National State Publishing Association conference, words like "financially strapped" and "hiring freeze" spilled frequently from the mouths of attendees. Yet just as often, discussions centered on solutions to these difficulties, ways to bring in more revenue with new services, and ideas for doing more with fewer employees. This positive outlook and eagerness to overcome obstacles is one of the defining characteristics of the NSPA, and a key reason the association is still going

In-Plant Graphics hosted the second annual Top 50 roundtable in Chicago recently, bringing together managers from around the country for some intensive discussions. By MIKE LLEWELLYN For the second year in a row, In-Plant Graphics hosted a roundtable luncheon for the Top 50 in-plants. Managers from some of the largest in-plants in the country met in Chicago during Graph Expo to discuss the challenges they share, and to learn from each other's experiences. For some it was a reunion. For others there were a lot of new names and faces to remember. But for everyone it was a welcome break from the crowds

More than 75 college and university in-plant representatives met recently at Indiana University to discuss copyright issues, e-commerce, CTP and more. by Bob Neubauer College and university in-plant managers have learned one important lesson from their institutions: education is essential. This message is so ingrained that the college and university sector of the in-plant industry holds not one, not two, but three educational conferences each year. In the spring, the Association of College and University Printers meets. Then in the fall, the Southeastern University Printing and Duplicating Managers Conference (see story, page 61) and the Big Ten Printing and Copyright Conference take place. This

In-plant managers gathered recently near Oklahoma City to compare notes and improve their leadership skills. by Bob Neubauer For the second year in a row, the Central Oklahoma chapter of the International Publishing Management Association (IPMA) hosted a fall regional conference for managers interested in fine-tuning their management skills and broadening their industry knowledge. The two-day event drew 25 people to Norman, Okla., just south of Oklahoma City. The cold rain outside was more than offset by the warm camaraderie among attendees. Chapter President John Hurt, of Oklahoma Gas and Electric, gave a friendly welcome to the group before introducing the

Higher-than-expected turnout made Graph Expo 2002 an exciting four days for both vendors and attendees. By Mike Llewellyn &012;and Bob Neubauer Graph Expo was back in action last month in Chicago, and from the look of the 380,000-square-foot show floor, the printing industry may soon spring back, as well. Close to 38,000 people attended the show, including buyers representing over 9,600 companies. After last year's big-ticket event, Print '01, was brought to a halt by the September 11 terrorist attacks, it was reassuring to see crowded exhibit areas and overflowing equipment demos this year. David Poulos, director of communications for the event's organizer,

Don't get me wrong: I love getting out of the office, talking with in-plant managers and seeing the latest equipment at trade shows. But all that time away sure makes it tough to catch up once I return. In recent weeks I've been to three different events and met with more than 100 in-plant managers. We had some great discussions, and I got a number of excellent story ideas. It all started with the annual National State Publishing Association conference. I drove up to Connecticut to spend four days with the directors of some of the largest state government in-plants. (I was

In-plant managers from around the country headed south for the 43rd International Publishing Management Association conference. by Bob Neubauer Atlanta got even hotter recently when the the country's largest gathering of in-plant managers dropped into town. The International Publishing Management Association's annual conference drew scores of managers from around the country to Georgia's capital for four days of education and fraternization. Though attendance was down this year compared with 2001's Oregon conference, enthusiasm was as high as ever. The numerous social gatherings during the conference had a much more intimate feeling than usual, inspiring managers to forge new friendships. Because IPMA 2002 took

Hosted by LSU, ACUP 2002 was not only a great source of technical information and networking opportunities, it was a lot of Southern fun. by Bob Neubauer With Louisiana State University as its host, ACUP 2002 was destined to be a hot affair. And true to expectations, LSU cooked up a conference spiced with just the right mix of education and fun. Drawing an impressive 171 participants from 123 institutions down to bayou country, the Association of College and University Printers' 38th annual conference was a smashing success. The event was organized by Mike Loyd, LSU's director of Procurement Auxiliary Services, and IPG's