Complete Story
02/19/2020
CI Conference to Include Tour of Hopkins Printing
When you think of an exceptional print facility, what comes to mind?
Instantly, you might think of a neat and clean shop with a place for everything and everything in its place. You may envision measurement data and job aids helping staff to do their jobs more efficiently. Other elements might not be as easy to spot. These could include smart inventory practices, a streamlined workflow, and quick makereadies.
However, some of the most important aspects that make up an outstanding print facility would be imperceptible. For instance, a positive, collaborative culture where employees are trained and empowered to problem solve and generate ideas for improvement.
Each year the Printing Industries of America’s Continuous Improvement Conference serves as an important resource for printing companies looking to cut costs, reduce waste, and improve overall performance. Join us April 5–8 in Downtown Columbus, Ohio for an outstanding line-up of leading authorities in operational excellence. You’ll hear real stories of how printing companies use approaches to increase productivity and reduce spoilage.
With 24 keynote and breakout sessions, seven networking and social events, three preconference workshops, and two plant tours, there is content for everyone, whether advanced or just exploring putting a systematic improvement strategy in place. Enclosed is a copy of the conference brochure to help you see for yourself that the 2020 Continuous Improvement Conference is the place for learning how to build a foundation of excellence.
In addition, plant tours of companies that are implementing continuous improvement have long been part of the Continuous Improvement Conference. This year, Association member Hopkins Printing will be hosting a tour of their facility.
Serving Central Ohio since 1975, Hopkins Printing has grown from a small operation into an industry leader. Its 108,000 sq. ft. single facility includes sheetfed offset, digital, and wide format printing; binding; mailing; and fulfillment services for its many retail, banking, insurance, and manufacturing clients. Hopkins has been engaged in continuous improvement since the late 1990’s and sees Lean as a journey with still a long way to go. The 104-person company credits Lean thinking for being able to grow in revenue due to improved processes and cross-training. The company added 33,000 sq. ft. to their building in 2019. Attendees will see Hopkins’ use of 5S, visual management, key metrics, and idea generation system. Of special interest is the company’s collaborative effort in approach to projects and all of their managers will be available to share their knowledge and experience with tour participants. Hopkins is employee owned and has been repeatedly named as Best of the Best in PIA’s Best Workplace of the Americas award program.
At the 2020 Continuous Improvement Conference, you can expect to:
- Learn how to plan for the future and protect your company's survival
- Hear real stories of how companies use advanced approaches to cut costs and increase productivity
- Be inspired from nationally-known authorities in operational excellence
- Grow your management skills in cultural transformation and leading through change
