In-plant Events

Graph Expo marked the debut appearance of many of the technologies unveiled at Drupa. After seeing so many new technologies displayed at the massive Drupa trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany, trade journalists found few surprises at the recent Graph Expo show in Chicago. But it was for printers, not journalists, that McCormick Place opened its doors—and they were certainly impressed. "I thought the show was very complete, with more than enough new things to see and want," remarked Don Davis, associate director of LSU Graphic Services, in Baton Rouge, La. He went to the show to look at prepress and computer-to-plate (CTP) equipment and

Government in-plants face difficulties other in-plants seldom confront. Our story and survey results offer a look inside the most political segment of the industry. Think your in-plant has it rough? Try working at a government in-plant. Getting money for new equipment is difficult, you say? It's even harder when it's taxpayer money and your proposals have to go through several committees—often years before your purchase. Concerned your new boss might replace you? Government in-plant managers often wait on pins and needles for months when they get a new governor, hoping to be reappointed. Worried outsourcing firms will convince your CEO to shut you

In-plant managers from all over the country traveled to the Lonestar State to learn about leadership, technology and in-plant survival. by Bob Neubauer More than 500 in-plant managers gathered in San Antonio recently for the 41st International Publishing Management Association (IPMA) conference and exhibit. Attendance was up 20 percent this year, with supervisors from some of the largest in-plants, like Allstate, USAA and Wal-Mart, mingling with managers of medium and small shops. Aside from the numerous networking opportunities and educational sessions, attendees enjoyed evening strolls along the city's famed Riverwalk and several Texas-themed evening activities organized by IPMA. The conference was capped off with

College and university in-plant managers enjoyed another successful ACUP conference, this one at Wright State University. Find out what they learned. When Joy Heishman agreed to host this year's Association of College and University Printers (ACUP) conference at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, she set reasonable goals. Little did she know, the conference would take on a life of its own. "I just wanted to provide some good seminars and have a little fun," said the director of Wright State Printing Services. "I was concerned that we might have 'dead time' to be bored, and it just didn't happen." In fact, attendees were

Thousands of visitors flocked to Drupa 2000, the world's largest graphic arts trade show. IPG was among them. Find out what we learned about the direction the printing industry is heading. Everything worth seeing in the graphic arts world was at Drupa 2000. For two solid weeks, the world's printers crowded Düsseldorf, Germany's fairgrounds to visit some 1,669 exhibitors from 44 countries. In-Plant Graphics was there, finding out about the latest innovations and trends so we could share them with you. With 18 halls to visit, though, the task was a bit overwhelming. The most prevalent trend in the offset world was the move

Finishing equipment filled a few halls at Drupa, with computer integration more prevalent than ever. Computers have integrated themselves into the postpress world more than ever. Take Heidelberg's new Stitchmaster ST 400, shown at Drupa. Data generated at the impositioning stage of the prepress process can be loaded into the ST 400's press setting program. Also, feeding, stitching and cutting are all monitored to prevent jams. Then there's MBO's new touch screen Navigator Control system on its T 700 and T 800 buckle folders. It integrates the folder into the digital workflow, controls sheets from feeder to delivery and includes an integrated spare

Drupa 2000 was the best of the old, the best of the new and the best of what's yet to be for true integrated digital prepress. As far as prepress was concerned, Drupa 2000 affirmed the reliability of the old, elevated the promise of the new and positioned leading market players in new strategic patterns. All that, in just 14 days. Drupa 2000 registered a strong vote for the necessity of true digital prepress integration—as well as the health of proven technologies, from imagesetters to scanners. Drupa also marked the true affirmation of PDF as the globally accepted next standard—with more

The print world certainly has gone digital, and On Demand was the place to see the latest—from digital printing to Internet-based job management. If you haven't left your in-plant in a while, the recent On Demand Digital Printing & Publishing Strategy Conference and Exposition would have made your head spin. Judging by the abundance of digital technology packed into New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, it was clear that the printing industry's move into the digital world is accelerating rapidly. "The world is now moving at Internet time, so fast that the landscape is just a blur," noted Charles Pesko, managing

Printers showed up in force to see the latest in graphic arts technology and learn how E-Commerce might affect their futures. From all reports, Graph Expo 99 was a huge success. According to the Graphic Arts Show Co., which organized the event, 45,217 people took part—including numerous in-plant managers who stopped to chat with In-Plant Graphics' staff at our booth. All told, the show's 622 exhibitors occupied more than 430,000 net square feet of booth space. IPG spent three days walking the show floor at Chicago's McCormick Place, examining the new equipment and talking to the numerous E-Commerce vendors. Here's what

The 33rd annual Big Ten Printing Managers' Conference took place at Penn State recently, luring university in-plant managers from across the country. University in-plants are perhaps the most social of the in-plant industry segments, judging by the number of times their managers get together at conferences. In addition to the major Association of College and University Printers (ACUP) conference held each spring, two more sizeable gatherings take place in the fall: • The Southeastern University Printing and Duplicating Managers Conference (SUPDMC), which was hosted this year by Catherine Armitage at North Carolina State University. • The Big Ten Printing Managers' Conference, held at