A couple months ago, Printing Industries of America opened nominations for the 2016 Managing for Improvement Award. The award is bestowed on a manager in the printing industry who has demonstrated the ability to create real and lasting improvement for his or her company. The continuous improvement of processes and products—as well as innovative breakthroughs—is a business imperative. By improving quality, productivity, safety, and customer satisfaction, companies reap the rewards of prosperity and a safe workplace. But, what does managing for improvement look like in a real-world setting? For this answer, we’re taking a closer look at the 2015 recipient, Cary “Parrot” Ripsch, value stream manager at The Ovid Bell Press, Inc. Over a career of 45 years, Cary honed his management skills in such positions as finishing supervisor, customer/service/quality manager, process manager, and plant manager before assuming responsibility as Ovid Bell’s value stream manager. Along the way he became a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. According to CEO John Bell, Cary’s direction maneuvered the company to a path of improved morale, safety, efficiency, and repair costs through pre-maintenance, quality, and profitability. “We have created a path to a bright future and a future that can be sustained in our difficult and challenging times,” said Bell. To reach this new level of improvement, Cary relied on a foundation of employee engagement and acceptance of the continuous improvement philosophy. The implementation of 5S throughout the plant organized production into an efficient flow using all visible tools at their disposal. Then, results were reviewed with a focus on improvement from baseline performance and establishment of future goals that drive business plans and objectives. Management then analyzed variations in performance in a Six Sigma methodology to ensure obstacles were removed and improvements sustained. Numbers certainly do not lie—Ovid Bell Press saw exciting results to their bottom line due to Cary’s commitment to Lean practices. You can find statistical improvements for the company over a 12-month period from Oct. 1 2011 through Sept. 30, 2012 below.   1.     Production Efficiency Press makeready time Decreased by 16% Press run time   Increased by 16% Press makeready waste Reduced by 19% Press run waste                Reduced by 28% Bindery throughput        Increased by 18% 2.     Delivery Efficiency On time delivery completion rate Increased from 92% to 96% 3.     Quality Efficacy External customer complaints Decreased by 31% Internal customer complaints Decreased by 40% 4.     Profit Gross profit margin year over year           Increased by 8.1% 5.     Safety Year Recordable Injury Frequency                Workers Compensation Claims                2011 6.36 $116,505 2012 5.72 $7,803 2013 1.91 $3,471 Many people at Ovid Bell Press, Inc., credit Cary’s work as a big part of the improvements made over the...

A couple months ago, Printing Industries of America opened nominations for the 2016 Managing for Improvement Award. The award is bestowed on a manager in the printing industry who has demonstrated the ability to create real and lasting improvement for his or her company. The continuous improvement of processes and products—as well as innovative breakthroughs—is a business imperative. By improving quality, productivity, safety, and customer satisfaction, companies reap the rewards of prosperity and a safe workplace. But, what does managing for improvement look like in a real-world setting? For this answer, we’re taking a closer look at the 2015 recipient, Cary “Parrot” Ripsch, value stream manager at The Ovid Bell Press, Inc. Over a career of 45 years, Cary honed his management skills in such positions as finishing supervisor, customer/service/quality manager, process manager, and plant manager before assuming responsibility as Ovid Bell’s value stream manager. Along the way he became a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. According to CEO John Bell, Cary’s direction maneuvered the company to a path of improved morale, safety, efficiency, and repair costs through pre-maintenance, quality, and profitability. “We have created a path to a bright future and a future that can be sustained in our difficult and challenging times,” said Bell. To reach this new level of improvement, Cary relied on a foundation of employee engagement and acceptance of the continuous improvement philosophy. The implementation of 5S throughout the plant organized production into an efficient flow using all visible tools at their disposal. Then, results were reviewed with a focus on improvement from baseline performance and establishment of future goals that drive business plans and objectives. Management then analyzed variations in performance in a Six Sigma methodology to ensure obstacles were removed and improvements sustained. Numbers certainly do not lie—Ovid Bell Press saw exciting results to their bottom line due to Cary’s commitment to Lean practices. You can find statistical improvements for the company over a 12-month period from Oct. 1 2011 through Sept. 30, 2012 below.   1.     Production Efficiency Press makeready time Decreased by 16% Press run time   Increased by 16% Press makeready waste Reduced by 19% Press run waste                Reduced by 28% Bindery throughput        Increased by 18% 2.     Delivery Efficiency On time delivery completion rate Increased from 92% to 96% 3.     Quality Efficacy External customer complaints Decreased by 31% Internal customer complaints Decreased by 40% 4.     Profit Gross profit margin year over year           Increased by 8.1% 5.     Safety Year Recordable Injury Frequency                Workers Compensation Claims                2011 6.36 $116,505 2012 5.72 $7,803 2013 1.91 $3,471 Many people at Ovid Bell Press, Inc., credit Cary’s work as a big part of the improvements made over the...

In the Student Spotlight Series, we chronicle the effect of PGSF scholarships on the lives of everyday graphic communication students. This edition features Danielle Wood, a third-year graphic communication student at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.   Danielle Wood is an aspiring graphic communications student who is excited about the world of print. However, finding funds to continue her education came as an unwelcome roadblock in her plans. Like many students, she only pays for school with funds she earned herself and through various government grants and loans. “I was stressed beyond words trying to figure out how to pay for it,” said Danielle. “I was so worried about how I was going to come up with that money every year.” Luckily, some of the weight lifted off Danielle shoulders when she learned she had won a scholarship through PGSF. “I can still remember the day when I got the reward letter in the mail, and how I was so excited that I cried,” she said. “Being able to stress a little less about money really allows me to focus more on my studies and the career path I want to take.” Danielle sends her thanks to all those who’ve helped take the financial strain off her back and allowed her to concentrate on her education. “Thank you again. I am eternally grateful for all you do for me and all the other college students in situations similar to mine!” Because of generous donors, PGSF has awarded in excess of $410,000 in scholarship funds to students like Danielle all over the country. In honor of PGSF 60th anniversary, we encourage you to make a $60 donation to our fund. If you’d like to make a difference in the life of someone like Danielle, visit...

In the Student Spotlight Series, we chronicle the effect of PGSF scholarships on the lives of everyday graphic communication students. This edition features Danielle Wood, a third-year graphic communication student at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.   Danielle Wood is an aspiring graphic communications student who is excited about the world of print. However, finding funds to continue her education came as an unwelcome roadblock in her plans. Like many students, she only pays for school with funds she earned herself and through various government grants and loans. “I was stressed beyond words trying to figure out how to pay for it,” said Danielle. “I was so worried about how I was going to come up with that money every year.” Luckily, some of the weight lifted off Danielle shoulders when she learned she had won a scholarship through PGSF. “I can still remember the day when I got the reward letter in the mail, and how I was so excited that I cried,” she said. “Being able to stress a little less about money really allows me to focus more on my studies and the career path I want to take.” Danielle sends her thanks to all those who’ve helped take the financial strain off her back and allowed her to concentrate on her education. “Thank you again. I am eternally grateful for all you do for me and all the other college students in situations similar to mine!” Because of generous donors, PGSF has awarded in excess of $410,000 in scholarship funds to students like Danielle all over the country. In honor of PGSF 60th anniversary, we encourage you to make a $60 donation to our fund. If you’d like to make a difference in the life of someone like Danielle, visit...

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, the folks here at Printing Industries of America would like to take the time to thank printers all over the world for all of their hard work. From prepress to binding, printers make the lives of marketing professionals and company executives happy and easy. But the life of a printer isn’t as easy as it looks. Printing a brochure for a conference or a label for the newest product is a lot more intricate than it seems. So, before you start thinking you could “do it better for less,” let’s stop and look at our top 10 reasons to thank a printer. Remember when you emailed a last-minute file at 4:00 p.m. on a Friday evening and asked for it to be delivered on Sunday? Remember when they got it done? Thank a printer. Remember when you hand delivered a high-profile job to the facility just to ensure that “everything goes smoothly?” Remember when they exceeded your expectations? Thank a printer. Remember when you insisted on a two-hour meeting during the holiday season to review machines, methods, colors, paper, coatings, folding, binding, and mailing? Remember when the printers participated and walked you through every step? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted to change the brightness of your blue and you couldn’t understand why your yellow didn’t pop? Remember when they sat with you in a press check and explained color management? Thank a printer. Remember when your file specified a red from CMYK but you asked for Pantone colors because “all reds are the same?” Remember when your red turned out the way you hoped anyway? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted your 500-piece table promotion folded in the shape of a swan? Remember when the swans was the prettiest you ever saw? Thank a printer. Remember when you sent your 5,000+ mailing list to the mail house with information from the 70s? Remember when all your direct mail pieces where delivered to the correct addresses? Thank a printer. Remember when you rushed a typo-filled document to the print house because “you didn’t have the time to proofread?” Remember when your piece came out error-free? Thank a printer. Remember when your boss insisted they see a printed proof or bindery dummy before you paid for the final job? Remember when the proof was everything you’d hoped for? Thank a printer. And finally—remember when you literally “stopped the press” for a change during the last day of printing? Remember when they worked with you and helped you get the end product you desired? Thank a printer. Always, always, always, thank your...

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, the folks here at Printing Industries of America would like to take the time to thank printers all over the world for all of their hard work. From prepress to binding, printers make the lives of marketing professionals and company executives happy and easy. But the life of a printer isn’t as easy as it looks. Printing a brochure for a conference or a label for the newest product is a lot more intricate than it seems. So, before you start thinking you could “do it better for less,” let’s stop and look at our top 10 reasons to thank a printer. Remember when you emailed a last-minute file at 4:00 p.m. on a Friday evening and asked for it to be delivered on Sunday? Remember when they got it done? Thank a printer. Remember when you hand delivered a high-profile job to the facility just to ensure that “everything goes smoothly?” Remember when they exceeded your expectations? Thank a printer. Remember when you insisted on a two-hour meeting during the holiday season to review machines, methods, colors, paper, coatings, folding, binding, and mailing? Remember when the printers participated and walked you through every step? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted to change the brightness of your blue and you couldn’t understand why your yellow didn’t pop? Remember when they sat with you in a press check and explained color management? Thank a printer. Remember when your file specified a red from CMYK but you asked for Pantone colors because “all reds are the same?” Remember when your red turned out the way you hoped anyway? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted your 500-piece table promotion folded in the shape of a swan? Remember when the swans was the prettiest you ever saw? Thank a printer. Remember when you sent your 5,000+ mailing list to the mail house with information from the 70s? Remember when all your direct mail pieces where delivered to the correct addresses? Thank a printer. Remember when you rushed a typo-filled document to the print house because “you didn’t have the time to proofread?” Remember when your piece came out error-free? Thank a printer. Remember when your boss insisted they see a printed proof or bindery dummy before you paid for the final job? Remember when the proof was everything you’d hoped for? Thank a printer. And finally—remember when you literally “stopped the press” for a change during the last day of printing? Remember when they worked with you and helped you get the end product you desired? Thank a printer. Always, always, always, thank your...