In-plant Graphics September 2010
A Printer All His Life
For Nick Monello, moveable type and letterpress printing are not just curiosities from the past; they were the tools of his boyhood. Now director of the Reproduction Unit for the New York City Department of Health, the –amiable, Brooklyn-born Monello has worked in print shops since he was a boy—which, considering he's now 71, gives him one of the longest tenures in the printing business.
Conference Question: Is Print Dead?
I was invited to participate in a panel at the State University of New York Council for University Advancement (SUNY–CUAD) conference. SUNYCUAD represents professionals employed in advancement areas at every New York State University campus.
From the Editor: Beware the Backstab
Even though the pages of In-plant Impressions are filled with articles about successful in-plants that save their organizations tons of money, this information doesn't seem to matter to some executives out there, who naively believe they will get a better deal from a facilities management company.
iGen4 in the Sky
Temple University Duplicating Services has installed what may be the highest Xerox iGen4 in the city of Philadelphia—and possibly the region. In February the 11-employee in-plant fired up its new digital color press on the 10th floor of Temple's Wachman Hall.
Insourcing Wipes Out Outsourcing Threats
Today, insourcing accounts for more than half of the revenue generated by the 14-person in-plant at Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge. "Becoming a profit center has greatly, if not completely, eliminated outsourcing threats," proclaims Dale Johnson, manager of Graphic and Mail Services.
Is Inkjet in Your Future?
One technology that may be finding a home on your shop floor is inkjet printing. If the hopes and dreams of equipment providers play out, full-color inkjet presses may soon coexist alongside offset and electrophotographic systems.
Managing Growing Volumes at Mary Kay Inc.
A sudden workload increase came when cosmetics company Mary Kay Inc. shifted the printing and folding of product inserts from outside printing suppliers to the company's in-plant facility in Carrollton, Texas. "It hit us like a ton of bricks" recalls Keith Hopson. "We didn't know it was coming until we were flooded with work."
The Environmental Impact of a Printing Plate
All major plate suppliers have made great strides in reducing the amount of chemistry and waste required to process offset lithographic printing plates. Tat said, a number of claims are being made, and there is a great deal of confusing information. This report is an attempt to bring some clarity to the issue.