In-plant Events

It's been a very active Autumn for in-plants. After all the September in-plant gatherings, like the ones at PRINT 13 and then the SUPDMC conference, October brought even more meetings for managers.

In six locations across the country, in-plants have been gathering over the past month for one-day networking forums. Coordinated by the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association, the regional meetings were designed to bring in-plants together with others in their areas while spreading the word about the benefits IPMA can bring to them.

International Paper, a global paper and packaging company is set to be featured as a keynote speaker at the 2014 Inkjet Summit. The Inkjet Summit, being held April 7-9th in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, will attract print experts and industry leaders from across North America. The summit will provide business executives from various print providers…

Judging by the content of the sessions at last month's Southeastern University Printing and Digital Managers Conference (SUPDMC), the threat of outsourcing still weighs heavy on the minds of higher-ed in-plant managers. Throughout the three-day conference, held on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, speakers repeated the worrisome message that outsourcing companies are relentless and every in-plant should expect—and prepare—to be called into question.

In the Hall of Fame of great conferences (if there were such a thing) it would be tough to beat last month's In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) conference. The location, on the outskirts of San Francisco, was excellent; the weather was sunny and pleasant throughout; the lineup of speakers and topics was among the best ever, with a nearly overwhelming amount of useful, timely information presented; and the evening boat cruise on the San Francisco Bay provided that combination of stunning views and friendly fraternization often sought but rarely achieved.

For the first time in its 49-year history, the Association of College and University Printers (ACUP) ventured into Minnesota last month, bringing 80 higher-ed in-plant managers together for four days of networking and education.

The recent Inkjet Summit drew dozens of printers to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., to discuss how to make inkjet technology work for them. In a new video, three in-plant managers who were there, talk about what they learned during the groundbreaking event.

At the inaugural Inkjet Summit in April, Charlie Pesko, founder of InfoTrends, stressed that production inkjet technology was poised to transfigure the printing business. "I sincerely believe that inkjet is the next big game changer in the printing industry," he said.

The Association of College and University Printers will make its first venture into the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” next month when its 48th annual conference takes place in Minneapolis, May 19-23. Hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato and Gustavus Adolphus College, ACUP will feature a full agenda of educational sessions, as well as a vendor exhibit area and plenty of time to network with fellow higher-ed in-plant managers. The group will also tour the Print & Mail Operations of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Two keynote speakers will offer some interesting perspectives:

Just two months away, Graph Expo is shaping up to be an in-plant manager’s dream. The country’s largest graphic arts trade show is putting a lot of emphasis on the in-plant market this year, with sessions, users’ groups and networking opportunities focused exclusively on in-plants.