The Datamax Thinking Blog

In-plants are facing heightened competition for filling press capacity, keeping work in-house, and adapting to a changing landscape. There’s little room for leaning on “the way we’ve always done it.”

There’s this old joke about plants and generational groups. “What did the young plant say to the old plant? OK, bloomer.” Jokes aside, there’s relevance to that pun here... plant or in-plant. As the COVID era wanes and parent organizations get back to full speed, and as print/buyer demands continue to evolve, there’s no denying the fact that, for in-plant printers, the times are changing.

Under the right circumstances, with a relevant solution, and with the right partner, you can set your own turnaround times, control volume to meet current demand, and potentially save on costs along the way.

Your mission is what really matters.

Membership retention, fundraising, volunteerism, and ongoing outreach: These are all elements of delivering on your vision for your congregation and the community at large. The materials produced to help support that mission – flyers, banners, graphics, etc. – go a long way in communicating the heart and soul of it.

Successful planning and implementation often lies in the inherent capabilities of your production print partner — making long-term value and demonstrated expertise part of your decision making process. 

Ever started a home improvement project that should have been left to the pros?

Whether it was a leaky faucet that led to a monsoon of other issues, or a home renovation gone awry, we’ve been there. We know. With the idea of cutting a few costs, we find out quickly that DIY can quickly lead to “doing it all wrong.”

With the right preparation, the right equipment, and the right technology partner, your Return on Impression can be as exhilarating as an 85-foot plunge.

Cliff diving in an undoubtedly extreme – yet exhilarating - sport for the athletes mentally and physically strong enough to take the free-fall plunge. 

During the 3-second fall from 85 feet, competition divers experience forces of 2 to 3 Gs when they hit the water. That's nine times stronger than the forces Olympic high divers feel diving from 33-foot (10-meter) high platforms.

The freedom and adrenaline rush that these divers feel is prefaced by immense preparation, years of practice, and taking into account necessary precautions at all times.

Those who embrace change in the way they conduct business every day, across an evolving digital landscape - from automating tasks to taking a firm stance on data and network security – will produce measurable business value and soar ahead of the flock. 

Former General Electric CEO Jack Welch once said, “change before you have to.”

Innovative leaders understand well the idea of change as the rule rather than the exception. In mid-flight, they do not hesitate to travel beyond the flock of the industry companions around them, even if it means flying solo.

Technology plays an intimate role in the potential innovation of businesses, particularly in seeking a competitive edge and a notable advantage in productivity. Those who embrace change in the way they conduct business every day, across an evolving digital landscape - from automating tasks to taking a firm stance on data and network security – will produce measurable business value and soar ahead of the flock. Assuming, of course, they do so strategically and with a partner that understands and thoughtfully considers their core business objectives.

The questions for in-house print operators becomes clear: How can I keep my jobs running consistently, maximize my productive potential, and spend as much time as I can away from auxiliary tasks that don’t immediately relate to production?

Much like athletes are becoming bigger, faster, stronger every year with the advent of technology (more aerodynamic bikes, lighter shoes, high-performance swimsuits), print operators today feel the same performance pressure (shorter runs, increasing demands, more submission channels) as technology continues to "press" forward.

Whether you’re producing fast-turnaround, lower-length jobs or massive, one-time runs, more organizations are discovering the distinct advantage of going "All-In on In-House" production. 

In finding an effective process for getting your own high quality printed materials out the door, it’s hard to bet against the house. Particularly, your own.

While the 4Cs in education help empower students to be think-tanks of tomorrow, the 4Cs of business technology should and can liberate your on-campus technology team to apply these classroom initiatives.

As educators further pursue the ideal 21st century learning environment, one won’t dig far without uncovering the 4Cs.

The 4Cs – critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication - have been adopted and implemented into the curriculum of school districts and professional development programs for years. Established by the National Education Association and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, these four components are a guide post for choosing specific tools, software and curriculum for the modern day, technologically advanced environment of today’s youth.

Your business technology partner should play a key role in helping bring those 4Cs to light. 

When you need perfect color, Canon imagePRESS digital color presses are G7 certified.

As a marketer, executing a campaign is like walking a tightrope – you can lean a little to one side for balance, but at some point, you have to lean the other way to stay on the rope. And, like the color consistency across a campaign that might include digital and offset print, sometimes printed from completely different geographic areas, there is little room for error if you have a brand to protect.

Canon's imagePRESS devices can help you protect your brand. Certified as compliant with G7, imagePRESS digital color presses will ensure continuity of color in your printed materials.

“What is G7 and how can it benefit my business,” you ask? Keep on reading.

If you've ever asked yourself why your prints don't match your screen color, then you need to understand color calibration.

If there’s one thing that drives creative-types crazy it’s when their prints don’t match what they see on their screen—especially when they are on a deadline! So why does this happen?

Before we dive in to some solutions, it’s important to understand how color works, specifically in the digital sense.