Georgia

In response to the strong demand for its digital plates throughout the Americas, Kodak has completed the previously announced expansion of its digital plate production facility in Columbus, Georgia. Adding 26,000 square feet to the existing facility, Kodak is using this third production line to meet the digital plate supply needs of print service providers in a wide variety of markets, and to further its commitment to advancing digital plate production processes and technologies.

MGI USA, the multi-substrate (paper and plastic) digital press and finishing solutions manufacturer, announced that they have added six new dealers to their U.S. network within recent months: The Oldham Group, Graphco, Paper Handling Solutions, Guaranteed Service & Supplies, Inc. (GSS Graphics), Print & Finishing Solutions and Ken Williams Graphic Consulting, Inc.

In-plant managers from around the country headed south for the 43rd International Publishing Management Association conference. by Bob Neubauer Atlanta got even hotter recently when the the country's largest gathering of in-plant managers dropped into town. The International Publishing Management Association's annual conference drew scores of managers from around the country to Georgia's capital for four days of education and fraternization. Though attendance was down this year compared with 2001's Oregon conference, enthusiasm was as high as ever. The numerous social gatherings during the conference had a much more intimate feeling than usual, inspiring managers to forge new friendships. Because IPMA 2002 took

Rob Lilley spent seven years learning graphic arts in the army. He uses his military experience to manage New Jersey Transit's in-plant. Rob Lilley discovered his love of graphic arts in a very unlikely place—the United States Army. Now, as manager of print graphics at New Jersey Transit, he uses his military skills to run an efficient—and growing—in-plant. Under Lilley's management, the in-plant grew from 5,000 to 25,000 square feet, and went from producing 16 million pieces a year up to 44 million pieces, mostly schedules, forms and stationery. Lilley, 51, was born in San Antonio Texas. His father was an engineer whose

Mike Chapman, print manager for Habitat for Humanity International, has moved his in-plant into a new facility that's three times as large. LOOKING FOR work straight out of high school, Mike Chapman consulted a friend whose father was a manager for a local Atlanta print shop. He took an entry-level position there, and immediately knew that he had made the right decision. "Once I got printing in my blood I knew I wanted to be a printer," recalls Chapman, now print manager for Habitat for Humanity International. But in between his first job and his current one, he did a bit of traveling.

Jim Thorne, of The Colonial BancGroup, has doubled the size of his in-plant, brought in new equipment and shown his company he can save it money. Fresh out of the Navy and looking to take an architectural drafting course at Patterson State Technical College, Jim Thorne was disappointed to learn that the class was full. So he took a graphic arts class instead. From taking that class, Thorne says, printing "got in my blood." Thorne worked in various print shops in the Montgomery, Ala., area during the day and took classes at night, earning a degree in graphic arts. He was then hired to

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