For many in-plants, PRINTING United Expo isn't just about seeing the latest equipment, it's about laying the groundwork for future investments. That's certainly the case for Jason Gillam, director of business operations for Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas, who is gearing up for PRINTING United Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada with a major purchasing decision on the horizon.
Jason Gillam
Gillam's operation is preparing to replace its toner production devices in the summer of 2027, making this year's Expo a critical first step in evaluating the market ahead of an upcoming request for proposal (RFP).
"We will be replacing all our toner-based production devices with toner and inkjet in the summer of 2027, and we are preparing for an upcoming request for proposal," Gillam says.
With that project in mind, he's heading to Las Vegas to compare the latest production technologies from across the industry. At the top of his must-see list are cut-sheet inkjet presses, production toner presses, and solutions that can improve redundancy in large-format flatbed printing.
But for Gillam, one of the biggest advantages of PRINTING United Expo isn't any single piece of equipment — it's the opportunity to evaluate nearly every major manufacturer in one place.
"The ability to see multiple manufacturers’ equipment in one location allows us to more efficiently evaluate and plan at this stage of the procurement process," Gillam explains. "Demo centers are great when we get down to finalist solutions, but PRINTING United allows us to explore the entire market first."
That ability to compare competing technologies side by side is particularly valuable early in the buying process. Rather than committing time to individual vendor visits, Gillam can gather information, ask questions, and begin narrowing the field before moving into more detailed demonstrations later. It's a strategy that's paid off in previous years.
Looking back on past Expos, Gillam says seeing the latest generation of digital presses helped his team better understand what was available across manufacturers and how different solutions could meet their production needs.
"Understanding the current configurations and capabilities for digital printers and presses allows us to come up with a scenario for each of the manufacturers that could work for us and is equivalent with the others," he says.
Unplanned Discoveries
Sometimes, the biggest discoveries at the Expo aren't the ones attendees planned to make. Although digital printing remains Blue Valley's primary focus, Gillam says he always keeps an eye out for technologies that can improve efficiency throughout his operation.
In fact, one unexpected discovery at a previous Expo led directly to an investment in automation.
"In the past we found an automated shrink wrap solution that we were able to implement," he says.
This year, Gillam will once again be looking beyond presses for technologies that reduce labor-intensive processes.
"We will continue to look for ways to automate labor-intense processes like coiling or what new enhancements our existing partners are announcing — especially in Web-to-print or workflow automation improvements," he says.
Equally important are the conversations that happen throughout the show.
Gillam believes networking with fellow in-plant managers is one of the most valuable aspects of attending PRINTING United Expo.
"Every opportunity to connect with peers is valuable in my opinion," he says. "We like hearing what other in-plants are working on to address needs. All in-plants benefit from listening to stories told by their peers. Most stories can scale and the underlining reasons and benefits can spark new ideas that could matter to our operations."
As Blue Valley School District prepares for a significant equipment refresh in 2027, PRINTING United Expo offers Gillam the opportunity to evaluate technologies, discover workflow improvements, and learn from peers — all of which will help shape the future of the district's in-plant long before an RFP is issued.
Blue Valley Maps Its Next Equipment Move
For many in-plants, PRINTING United Expo isn't just about seeing the latest equipment, it's about laying the groundwork for future investments. That's certainly the case for Jason Gillam, director of business operations for Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas, who is gearing up for PRINTING United Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada with a major purchasing decision on the horizon.
Jason Gillam
Gillam's operation is preparing to replace its toner production devices in the summer of 2027, making this year's Expo a critical first step in evaluating the market ahead of an upcoming request for proposal (RFP).
"We will be replacing all our toner-based production devices with toner and inkjet in the summer of 2027, and we are preparing for an upcoming request for proposal," Gillam says.
With that project in mind, he's heading to Las Vegas to compare the latest production technologies from across the industry. At the top of his must-see list are cut-sheet inkjet presses, production toner presses, and solutions that can improve redundancy in large-format flatbed printing.
But for Gillam, one of the biggest advantages of PRINTING United Expo isn't any single piece of equipment — it's the opportunity to evaluate nearly every major manufacturer in one place.
"The ability to see multiple manufacturers’ equipment in one location allows us to more efficiently evaluate and plan at this stage of the procurement process," Gillam explains. "Demo centers are great when we get down to finalist solutions, but PRINTING United allows us to explore the entire market first."
That ability to compare competing technologies side by side is particularly valuable early in the buying process. Rather than committing time to individual vendor visits, Gillam can gather information, ask questions, and begin narrowing the field before moving into more detailed demonstrations later. It's a strategy that's paid off in previous years.
Looking back on past Expos, Gillam says seeing the latest generation of digital presses helped his team better understand what was available across manufacturers and how different solutions could meet their production needs.
"Understanding the current configurations and capabilities for digital printers and presses allows us to come up with a scenario for each of the manufacturers that could work for us and is equivalent with the others," he says.
Unplanned Discoveries
Sometimes, the biggest discoveries at the Expo aren't the ones attendees planned to make. Although digital printing remains Blue Valley's primary focus, Gillam says he always keeps an eye out for technologies that can improve efficiency throughout his operation.
In fact, one unexpected discovery at a previous Expo led directly to an investment in automation.
"In the past we found an automated shrink wrap solution that we were able to implement," he says.
This year, Gillam will once again be looking beyond presses for technologies that reduce labor-intensive processes.
"We will continue to look for ways to automate labor-intense processes like coiling or what new enhancements our existing partners are announcing — especially in Web-to-print or workflow automation improvements," he says.
Equally important are the conversations that happen throughout the show.
Gillam believes networking with fellow in-plant managers is one of the most valuable aspects of attending PRINTING United Expo.
"Every opportunity to connect with peers is valuable in my opinion," he says. "We like hearing what other in-plants are working on to address needs. All in-plants benefit from listening to stories told by their peers. Most stories can scale and the underlining reasons and benefits can spark new ideas that could matter to our operations."
As Blue Valley School District prepares for a significant equipment refresh in 2027, PRINTING United Expo offers Gillam the opportunity to evaluate technologies, discover workflow improvements, and learn from peers — all of which will help shape the future of the district's in-plant long before an RFP is issued.
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