Eastman Kodak Co.

The 50th In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association conference was a huge success, drawing more than 100 in-plant managers to Rochester, N.Y. One recurring theme in the sessions was that, in tough economic times, in-plants must be proactive about finding and creating business opportunities. Speakers gave them numerous ideas. Highlights of the conference included visits to the nearby facilities  of both Xerox and Kodak to see and sample the latest graphic arts technologies.

, for four days of conversation, education and more. A two-day vendor fair, coupled with visits to the nearby facilities  of both Xerox and Kodak, let managers see and sample the latest graphic arts technologies.

THE AMERICAN Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has served as an advocate, educational resource and standards bearer for U.S. doctors for more than half a century. Currently, the AAFP boasts a membership of 94,600 family physicians. Of course, the national association can't make house calls to each of its members. It has, however, made the right call by operating in-house Digital Printing and Mailing Services departments at its Leawood, Kan., head–quarters.

I WAS kind of shocked last month when I realized I have attended 15 consecutive In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association conferences. It seems like only yesterday that I was the new kid, lost in a sea of managers at the Stouffer Nashville Hotel; now I'm one of the only ones left who remember those crowded IPMA conferences of yore.

Think Patented, a growing marketing services provider in Dayton, Ohio, recently added the KODAK Dimensional Printing capability to its KODAK NEXPRESS S2500 Digital Production Color Press, and is experiencing a rapid rise in demand from its clients. The company is also using the KODAK NEXPRESS Glossing Unit to produce high-value, distinctive jobs that stand out in the marketplace. Both Dimensional Printing and the Glossing Unit are available as part of KODAK NEXPRESS Fifth Imaging Unit Solutions.

Despite economy-related cutbacks, more than 100 in-plant managers flocked to Rochester, N.Y., last week to attend the 50th In-plant Printing and Mailing Association conference. It featured not only educational sessions and a two-day vendor fair, but visits to the nearby facilities  of both Xerox and Kodak.

Roughly 50 trade journalists, consultants and analysts converged on Chicago's Sheraton Hotel & Towers Tuesday and Wednesday for PRINT 09 Media Days, a preshow glimpse of the technologies that will be on exhibit at PRINT 09. The Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), which manages the event, was among 14 exhibitors that provided presentations in advance of PRINT 09, which kicks off Sept. 11 at McCormick Place and runs through Sept. 16.

At PRINT 09 in September, under the theme of “It’s Time for You AND Kodak,” the company will help professionals in commercial print, data print, publishing, and packaging capitalize on opportunities to drive greater efficiency, productivity, and revenue. Service providers in all areas of printing and marketing can leverage Kodak’s comprehensive suite of solutions to identify and serve emerging applications including personalized printing, photo products, print on demand books, and many others.

Fenske Media Corporation has installed the first Kodak Versamark 700 Print Manager in the United States. Targeted to commercial printers and designed to integrate easily into existing workflows, the Versamark 700 Print Manager serves as a robust front end for the Kodak Versamark VL2000 Digital Printing System. In addition, future versions will support the entire line of VL-Series Printing Systems as well as Kodak’s upcoming Stream Press.

Sunday is the opening day of the 2009 In-plant Printing and Mailing Association conference, in Rochester, N.Y. This will be the year's largest gathering of in-plant managers. Despite the recession, organizers report very good registration levels.

Though Sunday afternoon will feature roundtable discussions on pricing and Print MIS, the event will really get started that evening at the welcome reception. On Monday, attendees will be bused to Xerox headquarters for the keynote presentation by Eric Armour, president of global business and strategic planning for Xerox. This will be followed by a tour of the facility and then four concurrent sessions.

Economic conditions may have bumped environmental concerns from the top of the printing industry's investment objectives, but more than 80 percent of printers surveyed by NAPL’s Printing Economic Research Center (PERC) are either pursuing or soon intend to pursue environmental sustainability measures. This is according to a recently published NAPL White Paper, "Environmental Sustainability: Structural Change or Just a Fad?"

Two-thirds of those surveyed indicated that the current business/financial climate was not causing them to change their environmental initiatives or position and another 17% said they were actually expanding sustainability initiatives.