Editor's Note A Busy Life
Life at IPG is sure busy these days. Between conferences, in-plant visits, coordinating the In-Print 2002 contest and editing the magazine, I've barely had time to notice that spring has arrived. (Was there even a winter this year?)
Just putting together this extra-large issue—almost two issues in one by page count—was quite a task. But we had a lot to say, particularly about digital printing.
A recent IPG survey revealed that nearly 68 percent of in-plants now have digital printing capabilities, with more expecting to add this technology soon. So we went to a few of these users to learn about their experiences—and got some surprising feedback. Their stories are covered in several articles this month.
This digital printing focus is well timed to coincide with the On Demand conference, taking place this month in New York. Always popular with in-plants, the event focuses on digital, on-demand technologies.
The fact that digital printing is on the rise at in-plants was apparent in another place, too: In-Print 2002. Last year we introduced a large non-offset section to lure digitally printed entries. Submissions in this section accounted for 10 percent of the total last year. This year that figure has almost doubled. As a result, 21 of the 103 prizes this year will go to items printed on digital printers and copiers.
After orchestrating the contest judging, helping the judges through what proved to be a very long day, and putting together this very large issue, you might think I'd have some time to rest. Wrong.
I headed out to Washington soon after, where I visited several in-plants. I even attended one of the meetings of the school district in-plant group mentioned in the article "Coming Together In Washington," elsewhere on this site. Actually, I helped arrange for this group to tour Boeing's massive Seattle in-plant with me.
Next, having just returned from Seattle, it's down to Cajun country for me, as I join university in-plant managers from around the country to attend the Association of College and University Printers conference, hosted by Louisiana State University. (www.lsu.edu/graphic_services/information.html)
But I don't get much rest after that. From there I'm off to New York to make my eighth appearance at the annual On Demand conference. I look forward to running into more in-plant managers there.
Then, on top of all this, my wife and I are buying and moving into our first house at the end of this month. Some day, when I'm a park ranger living in Montana, I'll look back on these busy days with affection. Until then, I'll just keep doing my best to help out the in-plants of the world, and hope that, in some small way, I'm doing a few of you some good.
- Places:
- New York
- Seattle
- WASHINGTON