In-plant Graphics March 2012
Behind the Fun and Games
Hasbro Inc.'s 44-employee in-plant boasts one of the most impressive game and puzzle printing operations south of Santa's Workshop. A web and sheetfed operation, the shop produces packaging, box and board labels, puzzle board, internal game components and various general printing in support of its parent company.
Developing Cross-Media and Marketing Services
Most in-plants need to get busy developing cross-media marketing services, or they run the risk of losing their relevance—and their franchise.
Five Ways to Break into Marketing Services
If you look over last year's issues of IPG you will find articles about how in-plants are evolving from solely providing print and mail services to offering more marketing services. In the December 2011 issue, however, Lisa Cross of InfoTrends questioned the reality of that observation when she wrote, "The graphic communications industry is in the middle of an evolution to expand services beyond print to include cross-media and marketing. Unfortunately, the in-plant market is largely absent from the move."
Following His Own Track
Life has a way of changing our plans. And when you have as many interests and talents as John D.L. Johnson, the possibilities are endless. As a teenager, Johnson—now manager of Palm Beach County's Graphics Division—studied architectural drafting at Northern Montgomery County Vocational-Technical School, in Lansdale, Pa.
From the Editor: Two Views of In-plants
The National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL) and Printing Industries of America (PIA) are discussing a merger. So why should this matter to in-plants? One of these associations is friendlier to us than the other.
Going Digital: Lessons Learned
Once their digital color presses are up and running, in-plants often discover a few things they wish they had known ahead of time. We asked four managers to tell us what they learned—and what they wish they had known ahead of time.
Harlequin Takes a Novel Approach
Harlequin set up an in-house digital paperback book printing line, staffed by seven people over two shifts, that enables the in-plant to print and finish more than 1,000 paperback books per hour. To print the books, Harlequin selected a high-volume Océ VarioStream continuous-feed printer, a toner-based solution that prints almost 10,000 books in an eight-hour shift.
Hot Products
Introduced at Graph Expo, the new four-color Meteor DP8700 multi-substrate digital press from MGI Digital Graphic Technology, supports up to a 13x40˝ sheet (13x47˝ with manual bypass) and prints up to 71 ppm (letter-size) with a maximum 3,600 dpi resolution.
IPMA: A Legacy of Growth
I have spent the last four-plus years as part of the leadership team for the IPMA, the last two as president. During this time IPMA has achieved remarkable growth and overall success. I am not here to take credit for this. Much of what has happened is the direct result of the hard work of my predecessors. To them I owe a large thank you. My job was much easier because of their efforts.
Using Technology to Help Build Enrollment
When the Admissions department at Rochester Institute of Technology—the biggest customer of RIT's Print and Postal Hub—turned to Director John Meyer for help with increasing enrollment, he gave the project his full attention. Admissions had set a goal to increase enrollment by 10 percent a year for the next 10 years.
