Texas In-plant Seeks Growth Inspiration at PRINTING United Expo

It’s easy for in-plants to feel overwhelmed by the rapid pace of technology advances. For Clara Garcia, Print Services supervisor at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, attending PRINTING United Expo will offer a valuable opportunity to make sense of those changes and make sure her shop continues meeting the needs of the college.

Clara Garcia

“Attending PRINTING United Expo helps our college stay relevant with the latest industry trends, technology, and equipment,” Garcia says. “As an in-plant print shop, our priority is to provide the best possible resources and services to support our students, faculty, and staff. The Expo allows us to explore new innovations, evaluate emerging technologies, and identify opportunities that can enhance our operations and better serve the college community.”

Founded in 1935, Del Mar College is a public community college serving more than 20,000 students a year. The college’s three-person in-plant runs two monochrome and two color Konica Minolta AccurioPress printers along with a 54” HP Latex 315 print-and-cut device.

This year, Garcia is coming to PRINTING United Expo with specific growth opportunities in mind. She wants to expand the in-plant’s wide-format capabilities and explore equipment that could help the shop offer more services to the college.

“I am most interested in exploring ways to expand our large-format printing services, particularly through flatbed printer technology,” she says. “These solutions could help us broaden the services we offer while meeting the growing needs of our college community. I am also continuously researching technologies that improve productivity, streamline workflows, and maintain the high-quality output our customers expect.”

Investigate Possibilities

PRINTING United Expo is the perfect place to investigate those possibilities. Produced annually by PRINTING United Alliance, the Expo is a global gathering of the printing community. In 2025, it drew more than 30,000 registered attendees from 104 countries and featured 838 exhibitors showcasing the latest advancements in printing technology, materials, and workflow solutions. The event spanned a million square feet of exhibit space and included hundreds of new product launches, including global debuts, along with more than 100 educational sessions and presentations.

Flatbed equipment on display at PRINTING United Expo.

That variety is one reason Garcia finds the Expo more valuable than visiting a single vendor’s demo center.

“Attending the Expo gives me the opportunity to see a wide variety of equipment, technologies, and solutions from multiple manufacturers in one place,” she points out. “It also exposes me to new ideas that I may not have otherwise considered. The ability to compare options side by side and discover emerging trends provides valuable insight that goes beyond what a single vendor demonstration can offer.”

Those unexpected discoveries can be one of the Expo’s greatest benefits. With so much equipment running on the show floor, attendees often encounter technologies they had not planned to investigate — but that spark new ideas for their shops.

“A flatbed printer was one of the technologies that unexpectedly grabbed my attention at a previous Expo,” Garcia says. “It wasn’t something I had originally planned to research, but after seeing its capabilities firsthand, I realized the potential it had for expanding our large-format services. The ability to print directly onto a variety of materials creates new opportunities for signage, promotional products, and specialty applications that could benefit our college community.”

An in-plant managers looks at a Xante flatbed printer during PRINTING United Expo.

Garcia has also found that ideas gathered at the Expo can continue paying off well after the show ends.

“One of the biggest benefits of attending previous Expos has been bringing back new ideas for expanding our services and improving workflow processes.”

Beyond the equipment and education, the Expo also gives in-plant managers the chance to connect with peers who understand the same pressures, challenges, and opportunities.

“Networking at the Expo is one of the most valuable benefits of attending,” Garcia observes. “It provides an opportunity to discuss common challenges and share ideas. Building those professional relationships also creates resources when future challenges arise, making the experience beneficial long after the Expo ends.”

PRINTING United Expo will take place Sept. 23-25, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Register and get more information here.