Infusion of Wide-Format Gear Sets Shippensburg In-plant on a Course for Success

For Printing & Duplicating Services at Shippensburg University, a new onslaught of wide-format equipment was a matter of the right person, in the right place.

Joe Amsler, supervisor of production, print and mail, at the central Pennsylvania university, recalls meeting with school officials in the summertime to discuss ways the in-plant could improve, when a new vice president took an interest. Since then, it’s been anchors away for the in-plant with the addition of an HP Latex 365 printer, an HP latex 64 plus cutter, a 64” GFP laminator, a Keen Cut evolution 3 cutter, a grommet press, and an upholstery sewing machine from NC Carpet Binding & Equipment.

“There’s a whole world out there once you get outside of a latex printer,” says Amsler. “Now we can print [material] that goes outside.”

And that’s exactly where the two-person in-plant intends to start. With more than 100 light pole banners in need of replacing on campus, Amsler feels those alone will justify the new wide-format purchases. In addition to banners, the in-plant has produced yard signs for university advertising and financial aid deadlines; stickers for admissions packets; banners for homecoming; sports materials to hang on fences; and more.

However, while the new opportunities are exciting, they come with a learning curve. “The sky is the limit of what we can do now,” Amsler says. “But you also have to pick your niche because you can’t afford to buy the material – at least up front – to do 5 million different things.”

In addition to learning new equipment and mastering new substrates, Amsler notes that communicating the in-plant’s latest capabilities to university staff is another challenge that will last well into the new year.

“We’re still in the process of this – we’re doing a slow roll out,” he notes. “But right now, the [jobs] they normally would have sent out for, is all coming here, and then we’ll put the announcement out.”

As for what’s on the horizon, Amsler believes the new capabilities will help showcase the in-plant’s value to the university, which lies about an hour southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. For campus events – such as open houses and ceremonies – the shop will be able to dress those up and offer a more professional look. The in-plant also intends to produce vehicle decals and stripes for the campus police cruisers. And, perhaps one day, Amsler hopes to break into vehicle wraps.

“This is what we need to be doing,” Amsler concludes. “Actually, for what this costs, everybody should be doing this.”

For this university in-plant, the potential was there, it just needed to be realized. And with the right support from the university, the shop can set sail.