Delivering a New Level of Value

As the in-house print industry continues to evolve and share approximately 18% of the print shipment market,¹ the value offered by in-plants continues to unfold. This article discusses the ways in which in-plants and their organizations can benefit from improved service, productivity and cost savings.

Keeping Jobs In-House

In-plants are constantly competing against the threat of outsourcing and the incorrect notion that they exist merely as cost centers. And as we know, when we are hasty to dismiss in-plants, we fail to see that in-plants offer an annual cost savings to a company, charging 35% less on average than outsourced jobs.²

While in-plants continue to provide value to their respective organizations, most personnel don’t readily see these benefits. Yes, they see the work done by their in-plant, but have little understanding that this work is often delivered at a fraction of the cost of outside providers by a staff that shares the same goals as the personnel they serve. The value proposition for in-plants is shifting. What once was an organization typically located in the basement, often out of site, is now morphing into its own entity with a critical seat at the business expansion table.

But In-plant’s Don’t Drive Business Expansion

Once upon a time, an in-plant’s role was defined primarily by its ability to deliver services for its internal constituents at the lowest possible cost. While this role has not diminished, many in-plants are taking on much more strategic roles for their organizations, engaging directly with the marketing department to effectively drive campaigns that lead to new business generation, in addition to offering their services to customers outside of their own organizations, thereby generating revenue and profit.

For those who have college-age children this is highly evident. Hardly a day goes by without a new direct mail or omnichannel campaign showing up in the mailbox or via the multitude of social outlets used by this target audience. Where do these activities emanate? You guessed it: the in-plant.

Not Your Father’s In-plant

The example above is just one of many that tells us the in-plant is rapidly changing. Yes, the days of ink- and toner-stained fingers haven’t disappeared, but a new wave of skills is now fast emerging. Social, mobile, web, database management, analytics and omni­channel are the new buzzwords of the in-plant. And the in-plant manager’s new best friend? That’s right, the chief marketing officer (CMO).

In the past, the union between the CMO and in-plant was akin to Oscar and Felix of the Odd Couple. Today it’s Fred and Barney (or for you youngsters reading this, SpongeBob and Patrick). The transformation taking place in the industry is stunning and nothing short of exciting. Those in-plants who have either made this transition or have begun the journey are gaining recognition as important cogs in driving corporate innovation. They are critical to a company’s ability to retain customers and attract new ones. They are delivering a level of value to their organizations never previously expected and changing the way they are viewed.

What’s Next?

The changes taking place in corporate in-plants across the nation are inspiring. However, for all the transitions that have taken place, there are many other in-plants that haven’t yet determined the formula for success, created the internal alliances necessary to begin the transition or convinced their organizations that they can become a center of value creation.

How can in-plants start? A good first step is to build a plan that demonstrates the investments necessary along with the anticipated return. Many industry resources exist to help you get started through industry trade associations, technology providers and in-plants that have already made the transition.

The corporate in-plant story is in the midst of being re-written. The new story may not see the in-plant move out of its traditional basement dwelling, but it is certain to end with the in-plant having a valuable, prominent seat at the corporate table.

1 InfoTrends U.S. Printing, Publishing and Packaging Market Size and Outlook: 2012-2017 (2014)

2 In-plant Graphics, Wide-Format Printing in the In-plant Market (2014)