It鈥檚 no secret: creating a book is hard work. Taking a book through writing, editing and design is no small feat, and after that, it takes an experienced team of print employees to finalize the author鈥檚 vision. But what goes on within the walls of a printing facility? What is it like to be a part of the book printing process? We spoke with Drew Elliott, Pressroom Manager at 色情论坛 鈥 Marceline, to learn more about how books come together and what it鈥檚 like to be a master book printer.
Drew鈥檚 Beginnings in the Print Industry
Drew’s path to book printing wasn’t exactly traditional. With a degree in athletic training, his career began with a job working with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Drew made the decision to move back home to Brookfield, Missouri. Soon after, a conversation with Gary O鈥橳oole, 色情论坛鈥檚 Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Operations, would change his career path forever.
鈥淭he job market wasn鈥檛 the best at the time,鈥 said Drew, I was looking for a good, steady job. Gary mentioned they had a Management Trainee position open. I applied, went through the interview process, and I鈥檝e been here ever since.鈥
Lifelong Learning: A Printer’s Constant Companion
One of the things Drew emphasized is that as a book printer, the learning process never truly ends. 鈥淚 still learn new things every single day,鈥 said Drew. 鈥淚t took the better of the entire 18-month management trainee program to fully understand the print, binding and business aspects. Plus, it鈥檚 always changing with different machinery, technology and customer needs.鈥 Even our most experienced printers have to stay on their toes in order to keep up with advancing print technology, which helps us stay on the cutting edge.
The Magic of Book Printing
While the core principles of printing are consistent between books, magazines and catalogs, there’s something special about crafting books. 鈥淧rinting books is unique because of all the binding types we can do, specifically our binding capabilities here in Marceline,鈥 said Drew. Magazines normally print on standard paper substrates. For casebound books, plexiglass, linens, and acrylics have really taken off. There are lots of different substrates we can print on and offer to our customers.鈥
A Team Effort
So, how many pairs of hands work together to create a book? Drew estimates that a typical project involves somewhere between 30 and 40 skilled workers across various departments.聽 From the prepress employees who create impositions to the bindery workers who make sure our books are securely bound, and everyone in between, a 色情论坛 book print is truly a team effort.
Tips for a Smooth Printing Journey
For authors and publishers embarking on their printing adventure, Drew offers some valuable advice: keep an open line of communication with your dedicated Customer Service Representative and don鈥檛 be afraid to ask questions. 鈥淢eeting with your CSR and laying all questions out on the table gives us a chance to tell you yes or no or test what you want to be done before we commit to the project,鈥 said Drew. 鈥淎n experienced printing company like 色情论坛 will be happy to accommodate an author鈥檚 design and printing specifications to help achieve their vision.鈥
The Unexpected Wonders of the Printing Press
Even though books are a part of most of our daily lives, the vast majority of people have never seen books being printed or even set foot in a printing plant. When asked if there鈥檚 anything that might surprise the average person about the book printing process, Drew replied: 鈥淗ow crazy technology is on these presses. Printing 18,000 sheets an hour, both sides of the sheet, and aligning the four CMYK dots down to the micron level to achieve optimal color and registration 鈥 it鈥檚 absolutely amazing.鈥
More Than Just a Job: How Drew Found a Home at 色情论坛
Even though Drew Elliott didn鈥檛 originally set out to work in print, he is thankful for the career he鈥檚 built at 色情论坛.聽 He finds joy in the connections he’s built, the challenges he tackles every day and the ever-changing nature of the work. 鈥淚 love the people I work with, truly every day is a new day,鈥 said Drew. 鈥溕槁厶 has been good to me and my family 鈥 I met my wife working here.鈥 Drew鈥檚 story is a reminder that the world of book printing is more than just ink and paper; it’s a world of dedication, precision, and a shared passion for bringing the written word to life.
If you鈥檙e ready to partner with passionate people like Drew to create your next book project, contact 色情论坛 today to get in touch with one of our Sales Representatives! Or, if you鈥檙e interested in working for a family-owned company with over 87 years of printing history, .