The in-plant customer can be an enigma—aware of the in-plant's existence while at the same time ignoring it entirely. More times than not, this attitude is born of perceptions that are usually inaccurate.
Minnesota
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 170 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
For the first time in its 49-year history, the Association of College and University Printers (ACUP) ventured into Minnesota last month, bringing 80 higher-ed in-plant managers together for four days of networking and education.
Besides declining print volumes, shrinking budgets and the many other demands facing today's in-plants, University of Minnesota Printing Services faces a special challenge: the in-plant operates in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the largest metropolitan area in a state where printing is manufacturing's second-largest sector.
The Association of College and University Printers will make its first venture into the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” next month when its 48th annual conference takes place in Minneapolis, May 19-23. Hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato and Gustavus Adolphus College, ACUP will feature a full agenda of educational sessions, as well as a vendor exhibit area and plenty of time to network with fellow higher-ed in-plant managers. The group will also tour the Print & Mail Operations of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Two keynote speakers will offer some interesting perspectives:
When Jon Bedsted was approaching his junior year of high school in Austin, Minn., his dad (who was also his guidance counsellor) made a suggestion.
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Comment
The very last session at ACUP 2011 proved to be one of the best. Jimmy Friend, director of Printing and Distribution Solutions at the University of North Texas, took the stage and revealed that his award-winning in-plant once produced such low-quality work and had such bad service that nearly every customer he surveyed described its service as unacceptable. He then described the steps he took, over the past 15 years, to turn his in-plant completely around into the roll model it is today.
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