Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A.

AT ONE time, the idea that an in-plant could take a document from start to finish on one machine was akin to science fiction. The advent of the multifunctional device (MFD), though, has enabled in-plants to provide more comprehensive service at greater cost savings. An MFD typically consolidates printing, faxing, scanning and copying into one device. Today’s MFDs offer even more features, such as finishing, variable data printing, scanning software that routes documents to various destinations, systems that track paper and toner usage, job status indicators, workflow features and customizing capabilities. Inline bindery features open more possibilities; perfect binding, saddle stitching, stacking,

HERE’S A nightmare that no manager wants to face: Being hired to run an in-plant only to have your boss decide to outsource the whole shebang six months later. After being hired in August 1996 as manager of Printing Services for BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) of South Carolina, John Fabian awoke to find his dream job turning scary. “They hired me because the former manager was retiring,” he says. “Work had been slow to get to the customer, and I had a digital background in addition to offset know

DESPITE THE rise of digital color printing, in-plants still have a pressing need for good black-and-white printers. These devices form the backbone of many an in-plant. In-plants can sink or swim depending on which printer they choose, though. To help you make the right choice, here are some tips from in-plant managers who have gone though the selection process. First Tip: Know what you’re getting “We did a lot of research,” says Bev Lucas, “and determined what features we needed, and determined which equipment would fulfill our requirements before we contacted vendors.” As manager of Printing Services at Bellevue Community College, in