Manroland

Managers of southern universities got together for the 25th year, this time in Louisiana. Lagniappe is a word not easily translated into English. But to the 152 participants from 75 different institutions who were fortunate enough to attend the 25th annual Southeastern University Printing and Duplicating Manager's Conference (SUPDMC) in Baton Rouge, La., recently it's something they experienced first hand. Lagniappe (pronounced lan-yap) is a Cajun-French word meaning "something extra." And that's what every participant got from the workshops, speakers, vendors, food, festivities, entertainment and hospitality provided by LSU's Graphics Services Department, which hosted the event. One of the newest and hottest services to

Graph Expo marked the debut appearance of many of the technologies unveiled at Drupa. After seeing so many new technologies displayed at the massive Drupa trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany, trade journalists found few surprises at the recent Graph Expo show in Chicago. But it was for printers, not journalists, that McCormick Place opened its doors—and they were certainly impressed. "I thought the show was very complete, with more than enough new things to see and want," remarked Don Davis, associate director of LSU Graphic Services, in Baton Rouge, La. He went to the show to look at prepress and computer-to-plate (CTP) equipment and

Thousands of visitors flocked to Drupa 2000, the world's largest graphic arts trade show. IPG was among them. Find out what we learned about the direction the printing industry is heading. Everything worth seeing in the graphic arts world was at Drupa 2000. For two solid weeks, the world's printers crowded Düsseldorf, Germany's fairgrounds to visit some 1,669 exhibitors from 44 countries. In-Plant Graphics was there, finding out about the latest innovations and trends so we could share them with you. With 18 halls to visit, though, the task was a bit overwhelming. The most prevalent trend in the offset world was the move

No more film. Faster makeready. Better quality. Direct imaging presses seem to have everything a printer wants. Is this where the industry is going? SAFECO had a dilemma. Press runs at its in-plant were getting increasingly shorter, and these short-run jobs were keeping the six-color 20x28˝ Mitsubishi constantly busy—so busy that when long-run jobs arrived, they frequently had to be outsourced. "We knew we needed another press, and we needed a press that would facilitate the shorter-run jobs," recalls Larry Jablinske, manager of graphic and printing services for the Seattle-based insurance and financial services firm. Additionally, the new press would have to run five

Though most headlines are taken up by digital imaging equipment these days, offset vendors say they are still making a great impression. To print its heavy load of two-color, 11x17˝ work, Penn State Document Services traditionally used a 40˝ press. Director Michael Pierick, however, felt this was not the most cost-effective way to handle these jobs. To keep prices competitive, he knew he needed some new equipment. But despite the lure of digital devices, he decided to stick with offset equipment. "There was a clear benefit to us with respect to buying an offset device," says Pierick, who bought a two-color A.B.Dick 9995 last

Wal-Mart Printing & Mailing Distribution Center Bentonville, Ark. Annual sales: $22,052.310 Operating budget: $22,037,626 Sales minus costs: $10,858,458 Full-time employees: 325 Jobs printed per year: 12,000+ As the largest general merchandiser in the world, Wal-Mart Stores serves more than 100 million customers weekly at its 2,485 stores. In Fortune magazine's latest Fortune 500 list, the 37-year-old company overtook Exxon to become the third largest firm in the U.S. So it's only fitting that a company of this magnitude also has one of the country's top in-plants. Located about a mile from Wal-Mart's Bentonville, Ark., headquarters, Wal-Mart Printing & Mailing Distribution Center (PMDC) boasts 325 employees—or "associates," in the company's

Safety and efficiency are the key factors to consider when trying to find the best cutter for your in-plant. by CHRIS BAUER THE SAFETY of your in-plant employees must be a priority for you as a manger. Especially vulnerable to injury are operators of paper cutting equipment. So to ensure that no injuries occur in your shop, make sure you bring in equipment that is safe. "Safety has always been number one with Polar," stresses Rob Kuehl, product manager for Heidelberg's Polar Cutting Systems division. He notes that all new Polar customers and operators must go through a safety training program put on

Dwight Loeding has rebuilt Orlando Regional Healthcare System's in-plant into an efficient, service-oriented success. When most people go to Florida on vacation they come home with a tan. Dwight Loeding came home with a new job. In 1990 he and his wife were enjoying the Florida sunshine on vacation from their home in Michigan when they noticed an ad in the Orlando Sentinel. The Orlando Regional Healthcare System needed someone to overhaul its faltering in-plant. Armed with some high school printing experience and a business administration degree, Loeding decided to check it out. Clad in his vacation shorts, he interviewed for the position.

In the first of our in-plant manager profiles, we talk to Jim Puppe, supervisor of the prize-winning Minnkota Power Cooperative print shop. In Jim Puppe's mind, the beaches and sunshine of Los Angeles pale against the crisp country air of North Dakota. So after spending seven years perfecting his press skills in the City of Angels, Puppe and his wife packed up and headed back home. That was more than 20 years ago, and he hasn't looked back. Today Jim Puppe is print shop supervisor at Minnkota Power Cooperative, in Grand Forks, right on the Minnesota border. In recent years this small

Will toner-based printing make offset obsolete? No way, say the offset experts. Offset will transform into a more user-friendly, more digital process. With the final year of the 20th century now well underway, offset press venders are beginning to turn their thoughts toward the future—and it's not as far off as you might think. For some time, the industry has been beset with hushed voices forecasting the potential demise of offset due to intense competition from digital printing. Not so fast, offset venders insist. The next few years, they say, will bring about new generations of presses so technologically advanced, convenient and attractively