Don't Make Light of the UV Learning Curve
Over the years I have run across a number of printers that thought they had everything figured out until their new machine actually went into production. How often does the “AS SEEN ON TV” ad actually come true? Yes, that result was seen somewhere, but sometimes the smoke and mirrors screened the complexity.
There are times when the “DON’T TRY THIS STUNT AT HOME” theory comes into play. Unfortunately, many do not realize what is actually involved when the smoke clears and the lights are turned on. This scenario below, sorry to say, is more common than you could imagine.
The excitement starts when the riggers pull up in the parking lot, the manufacturer’s technicians are onsite with their tool boxes and then the dock doors open. As they start to unload your new printing press and bring it into the building, the camera flashes are going off. The time lapse video camera mounted in the corner above the area where the machine will be installed, continues to run. Knowing how great all of this will look to your customers when your new website launches.
The next few weeks seem to go on forever. The machine is being erected and there are so many outside contractors in the building, they are running into each other. Everyone with constant questions regarding their part of the installation. Your sales group chasing you down to find out when their customer’s job is going to be on the new press and, best of all, the owner asking “When can we start making money with this huge investment?”
You feel confident that you have done all of your homework. You have all of your supplies on hand from various vendors. You hand picked your best crew in the house to run this new machine. You’ve gathered all of the info and attended all of the seminars you could on UV printing. And you believe that when the lights come on, everyone will hit the ground running.
- Categories:
- Offset Printing - UV/LED Curing
Darren has worked in the printing industry for 30 years and spent more than 12 years at two of the nation's leading high-end commercial printers: Bradley Printing in Des Plaines, IL, and Williamson Printing Corp. in Dallas, TX. During that time, he operated conventional and UV 40˝ sheetfed presses and also successfully managed a $15-million pressroom equipment transition. Darren also was Lead Press Instructor for Heidelberg, where he directed specialty equipment startups and was involved in all aspects of the printing process by teaching both instructor and pressroom employees.
In addition, he served as a troubleshooter for various printing companies in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. As operations manager for a start-up specialty folding carton company, he played a key role in achieving more than $6 million in sales within two years. Currently Darren is president of D.G. Print Solutions, a consulting firm that supports printing companies of all sizes. He specializes in growth development planning, pressroom color management and pressroom training through specialty print applications.
