Digital Printing in Government

A few weeks after the NGPA conference wrapped up in Seattle, the Digital Printing in Government Forum convened on the other side of the country.

January 2009

multipage

ABOUT 100 document professionals participated in the recent Digital Printing in Government Forum. Organized by INTERQUEST, a market and technology research and consulting firm, the third annual forum took place in Washington, D.C., on November 5. 

During the “Leading Vendors Strategies Panel,” which kicked off the event, Elaine Wilde, vice president of sales for Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, spoke about some leading-edge public sector in-plants that have been using Kodak’s technology: 

• The University of California-Riverside surpassed enrollment rates by 26 percent by producing a customized admission packet for 19,000 students using its NexPress. 

• The University of Mississippi used Kodak’s new Dimensional technology (which creates special tactile effects) to produce invitations for one of the presidential debates. 

• The State of Washington’s Department of Printing has embraced the Integrated Suite of Kodak Solutions (i.e. Prinergy, computer-to-plate and NexPress) to show its customers how new technology—particularly variable data—can help them better reach their audiences.

INTERQUEST analysts presented preliminary findings from a new Digital Printing in Government study. David Davis, director at INTERQUEST, said that 60 percent of the federal in-plant managers interviewed for this year’s study have seen print volumes decline in the past two years due to the impact of electronic media, while 33 percent have seen no impact. He reported that only 9 percent of respondents expect their monochrome digital printing to increase over the next three years, while the majority sees their volume staying flat. 

Three Government In-plants

The morning portion of the seminar concluded with case studies from government users. Gregory Cooper, print shop manager for the City of Baltimore, explained that his department took over data center printing from IT two years ago. His shop uses conventional printing equipment along with a fleet of Xerox black-and-white, highlight- and full-color systems. Digital printing work includes bills, phone directories and curriculum guides. HP and Epson large-format equipment is used to print banners and color posters. 

“Scanning is where I am starting to make a lot of money,” noted Cooper. “We are also producing variable data jobs for the police and fire departments, and they are now seeing a higher response rate from some of their personalized recruitment campaigns.” 

Audrey Marrocco, commonwealth print administrator at Pennsylvania’s Department of General Services, said that four years ago a study was conducted to look into outsourcing her department, the Bureau of Publications. Instead, it was upgraded.