Expo 411: Leveraging Industry Insights to Shape the Future

The PRINTING United Expo — October 18-20 in Atlanta — is quickly approaching, and attendees are gearing up for a week of learning, networking, and inspiration. As a lead-up to the Expo, we are sharing a series of Q&A interviews featuring attendees from a variety of backgrounds sharing why they are attending the PRINTING United Expo, what they hope to learn, and what excites them about the upcoming event.

Ann Marie Lentz, COO, Serigraph

Serigraph
Ann Marie Lentz, Chief Operating Officer of the Specialty Print Division
West Bend, WI
serigraph.com

Serigraph is a family-owned, print and fulfillment business located in southeastern WI. The company has been in the point-of-purchase business for just under 75 years, serving mainly two verticals — quick service restaurant and retail. Serigraph specializes in large, national campaigns and promotions, shipping direct to 20,000+ locations or franchises each month. Our Its print technologies range from large offset to flatbed and roll-to-roll digital, and dye sublimation. After printing and finishing, the product flows through kit packing and fulfillment zone where team members execute on getting the right products to the right location on-time. The company is built for scalability, both with equipment redundancy and a flexible labor force, and pride themselves on working with the nation’s biggest brands.

WFI: What made you decide to attend this year's Expo?
Lentz: There were a few digital press manufacturers that caught my attention at the Wide-Format Summit in July. I’d like to see some of their presses run and gain a better understanding of their quality and speed.

WFI: For returning attendees, what brings you back?
Lentz: It has been many, many years since I’ve attended the Expo. The last time, I was looking at things from a Project Chemist’s perspective. As COO, I look at this event as an opportunity to augment and adjust our strategic path forward and challenge us to move more aggressively. Being surrounded by industry experts is inspiring.

WFI: What products, brands, or services are you most looking forward to seeing?
Lentz: I plan on visiting the Wide-Format Sponsors booths to see what’s new. I also want to check out conventional offset compared to high-speed, sheet fed digital. We have an interest in automating more of our processes, so I’ve got my eye on ‘all things automation.’ Being a printer that offers multiple print technologies, we want to be sure we are staying current and are aware of any advances in tech and new processes.

WFI: How do you plan and make the most of your time at the Expo?
Lentz: I plan to map out my ‘must see’ booths in advance so I can be sure to hit my top priorities. I’ve also begun reaching out to my contacts, at these booths as well as personal contacts in the print industry, to set up time to catch up. It will be a busy few days!

WFI: How do you hope attending will impact your business/career moving forward?
Lentz: This show gives me the opportunity to scan out a bit and look beyond the four walls of Serigraph. It is a great way to inform our long-term planning, identify potential areas of improvement or innovation, and continue to network with exceptional people in the industry. Having this broader picture helps me to be a better decision maker and a more effective leader.

To read more Q&As with PRINTING United Expo attendees visit Get the Expo 411. To register to attend, please visit PrintingUnited.com.