In-plant Summit Falls Short

Recently, Printing Industries of America (PIA) invited eight in-plant managers to an "In-plant/PIA Summit" at its Pittsburgh headquarters to discuss opportunities for collaboration. But as IPG blogger Ray Chambers writes in his latest blog, it may have been an opportunity missed.

The in-plant industry, Chambers notes, needs an organization focused on promoting the value of in-plants, and addressing the perception that in-plants are, somehow, not “real” printers.

"If PIA were willing to take up that role, I’d be the first to join," he writes. "Alas, I don’t think that’s what PIA’s leadership had in mind when it invited us to the summit. I don’t think they saw PIA stepping into the vacuum and becoming an in-plant champion. Rather, I think they wanted to build membership."

The 800-pound gorilla in the room, notes Chambers, was the lobbying efforts by PIA and its affiliates to close public-sector in-plants, including those in public colleges and universities.

"Some of us questioned whether PIA would lobby for in-plant members as aggressively as it does against us," he says.

Read Chambers' full blog to learn more about what was discussed at this summit—as well as some important issues left untouched.