The Challenge:
The in-plant operation for this educational institution had been printing and binding education materials such as textbooks for many years. While the in-plant had successfully operated on a break-even basis, the new manager was convinced that it could do more – much more.
Objectives
- Evaluate current operations and equipment
- Develop recommendations for improvement
- Consider capturing new four-color marketing programs from sister companies
Analysis:
The manager of the in-plant operations was convinced he needed a change in equipment, and xpedx was called in to evaluate his vision for the future, which included investing in new printing equipment and adding production space. His goal was to develop and transform the operation and create more savings for the parent organization. After a thorough analysis of current operations, xpedx identified the types of printing machinery required and then did a cost analysis of available options in order to recommend specific machines from specific vendors. With help from xpedx, the manager convinced senior leadership that the capital investment would be recovered in 18 to 24 months.
Key Improvement:
The new equipment was not only more efficient and cost-effective, it also allowed the operation to capture more of the binding work, including coil binding, which had previously been outsourced. With new high-speed color equipment and an enlarged production area, the in-plant was able to win many projects its sister divisions had been unable to capture. The cost savings for the parent organization are on track to save the company millions annually.
Lesson Learned:
Don't settle for "good enough," always look for ways to improve your operations.