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Greg Cholmondeley
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Maximum Automation for Your Print Shops

The difference between getting work in and getting it out

Jul 14, 2022 12:22:28 PM

 

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Automation is a key factor in saving time, money, and resources of your business, but 80% of print service providers (PSPs) still use manual labor for over half their jobs. That’s a massive chunk of the workforce’s day—and their paycheck. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, average printing industry hourly wages increased at a 5.4% compound annual growth rate from 2019 to 2022. And these numbers are the base salary figures—not the fully-loaded budgeted hourly rate that includes vacation, holidays, and benefits.

 

This makes handling print jobs through automation even more necessary. Employees will be able to handle jobs that set them apart from each other and showcase individual talents/strengths rather than a conveyor belt of mundane, repeated tasks.

 

Software Ownership by General Print Services Providers

 

Only about half of PSPs have digital workflow management solutions—which is understandable. The idea of creating automated workflows for a wide array of work (and embracing such a big change in general) is harrowing. But can PSPs achieve automation benefits without being overwhelmed with creating a myriad of workflows?

 

Tilia Labs has applied leading-edge artificial intelligence (AI) programming to help alleviate these stressors when it comes to automation. The AI software helps PSPs optimize production by better managing the influx of smaller jobs while maximizing print efficiency. The range of planning and intelligent imposition solutions from Tilia Labs enables PSPs to get the most out of their equipment, substrates, and labor costs. And it’s not a one-size-fits-all option, either; you can decide which plan is best for your individual print shop needs (cost, waste, scheduling, etc.).

 

Keypoint Intelligence Opinion

Change is uneasy sometimes, but change in this manner is necessary and beneficial to all involved. Manual labor is a large weight on costs, time, and the individuality of the workforce. Why pay people to do something an AI (like the one Tilia Labs created) can easily accomplish in less time? Your employee is then free to work on something that shows their value as a person instead of just a cog in the machine. Your print shop then handles jobs in efficient, time- and cost-effective ways, and your workforce is based on talents and strengths instead of training and hiring specifically skilled workers for the tasks. Everyone wins!

 

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