Muller Martini

A year after Drupa, what new surprises do graphic arts vendors have in store for in-plants? Here's an advanced look. In-plant managers eager to see the latest graphic arts technologies can't do much better than Print 05 & Converting 05. Held in Chicago once every four years, this is the printing industry's main event. Larger than last year's Graph Expo show, Print 05 will feature nearly 800 exhibits covering more than 725,000 square feet of floor space. To help in-plants prepare, many of the industry's key vendors offered a peak at the products they plan to display in Chicago. Offset Boasting

Printing equipment wasn't the only thing on display at the AIIM On Demand Conference and Exposition. There was plenty of bindery gear, as well. By Bob Neubauer For more than a decade now the On Demand trade show has been giving the world a look at the latest in digital printing. But an equally important part of the show has been the bindery equipment on display. Last month, IPG joined the 21,000 people who attended On Demand. As part of our mission, we sought out the latest bindery gear—a task made much more convenient by the show's relocation from New York to IPG's home

Finding and using perfect binding equipment can go a little easier with some advice from the experts. Perfect binding is a growing business for in-plants. Already 39.2 percent of in-plants have perfect binders. Many others are eying them. Before dropping any money on this equipment, though, it's important to analyze possible future business, not just current needs, so you're not stuck with an outdated machine. "Too often, people buy what they need at the moment and do not anticipate the potential for growth and new business," notes Steven Calov, Heidelberg's postpress product manager for stitching and perfect binding. He suggests asking yourself questions like these:

One of the largest in-plants in the country, the Gospel Publishing House is crucial to its parent organization's existence. By Erik Cagle The Gospel Publishing House is arguably one of the most important and influential printing facilities in the in-plant world. How can that be, you ask? What makes the Gospel Publishing House—the printing arm of the General Council of the Assemblies of God—the dean of in-plants? Sure, it ranked a respectable number 22 on the IPG Top 50. But certainly, there are bigger facilities than the 93-employee operation, based in Springfield, Mo., site of the General Council's worldwide headquarters. And though

Refurbished equipment enables tight-budgeted in-plants to enhance their services and grow business. By Gretchen A. Peck When North Broward Hospital District's graphic communications department decided to upgrade its press capabilities, Director Dick Raveson didn't focus on the sparkling new presses decorating the manufacturers' showrooms. His eye was drawn to the used equipment market, where he found a pair of MAN Roland presses just right for his Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in-plant. "There's no need for me to go out and spend $2.5 million if I don't need that kind of firepower," Raveson says. "Not that we wouldn't like a new press, but meeting the needs

Top 50 in-plants know the importance of having the right bindery and mailing tools. By Eric Martin Printing fabulous-looking work quickly and cheaply is all well and good, but having the finished product merely sit in your in-plant won't make customers too happy. The in-plants that make up this year's IPG Top 50 understand the importance of having the right bindery and mailing tools to get the job done and in the hands of customers as soon as possible. That's one reason Tim Steenhoek, head of Document Management for ING, in Des Moines, Iowa, integrates mailing and labeling with the basic printing

In-plant managers got a chance to see the technologies they've been reading about at the recent Graph Expo show. For the many in-plant managers in attendance, the recent Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2004 show in Chicago was a graphic arts fantasy land. "I felt like a kid in a candy store," observes Mike Renn, of Mellon Corporate Publishing, in Philadelphia. "I went to take a look at the latest direct-to-plate systems and software management packages and came away with numerous options." Attendance this year was pretty healthy, he adds: "I had to wedge myself between bodies to check out the latest gear." Other managers agreed. "I

Relocating is never easy, especially when you're one of the country's largest in-plants. But that's what University of California-Berkeley Printing Services is facing, after 65 years in its facility. By Cheryl A. Adams A stone's throw from downtown Berkeley, Printing Services at the University of California-Berkeley has sat conveniently across the street from campus since the 1930s. While the student protests of the '60s were making national headlines nearby, the in-plant was churning out growing volumes of print while slowly expanding its equipment arsenal. Today it is the largest university in-plant in the country, according to IPG's Top 50. After 130 years of operation,

Even though Drupa is just a month away, vendors still had plenty of new products to show at On Demand. By Bob Neubauer The biggest news at the recent AIIM On Demand Conference & Expo was certainly Eastman Kodak's announcement that it would purchase Heidelberg's digital printing business. That announcement, unleashed the morning of the show, slowly filtered through the crowd of 33,753 at New York's Javits Convention Center, engendering lots of speculation. The upshot: Kodak will buy Heidelberg's 50 percent interest in the pair's NexPress Solutions joint venture, as well as the equity of Heidelberg Digital, which makes the Digimaster black-and-white printer. This

Perfect binding, saddle stitching and mechanical binding each have their places. Find out which ones are best for your in-plant. By Vincent De Franco As in-plants bring increasingly more work in-house, they're finding themselves in direct competition with commercial printers. Therefore it's crucial they have up-to-date equipment that enables them to compete. This is especially true of bindery equipment, since the binding and stitching on a booklet is often the first thing a customer notices. When shopping for bindery equipment there are three major categories from which to choose: perfect binding, saddle stitching and mechanical binding (double loop, etc.). The most common bindery process