In-plant Business Conditions

During COVID-19
 In-plant Business Conditions
During COVID-19

INTRODUCTION
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the in-plant industry. In-house printing facilities were temporarily
shut down, revenue dropped considerably, workers were laid off, and numerous in-plants have had
employees test positive for COVID-19.

Throughout the past year, though, the resilience of in-plants has been admirable. They have taken
advantage of opportunities created by the pandemic, added new services, adapted production
processes to incorporate social distancing, and continued to serve their parent organizations — often
in ways they had not done previously.

New research by In-plant Impressions shows the impact of the pandemic on the in-plant industry,
one year in. The study evaluated revenue trends, safety procedures, infection rates, and downtime
shop improvement activities. It examined customer demand trends by individual print applications
and ancillary services to find out what areas are generating growth. The survey also asked in-plant
managers how they are interacting with customers during a time of social distancing and their feelings
about attending industry events later in the year.

Overall, the research shows sales declined 7.9% between 2019 and 2020. Layoffs and furloughs
decreased the in-plant workforce by 10.6%. And while there is some optimism from managers that
better times are coming — 52% expect business conditions in their in-plant to improve over the
next three months — this is tempered by the reality that sales are trending downward for 55% of
respondents, while 58% say the amount of work their shops are receiving is also continuing to drop.

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 METHODOLOGY
To learn how in-plants are coping with COVID-19, In-plant Impressions conducted an online survey of
its extensive reader audience in February 2021. The survey captured 123 qualified responses. Here is a
breakdown of the market segments and the number of survey responses from each:

Respondents by Market Segment

MARKET SEGMENT PERCENT RESPONDENTS

College/University 44% 54

School District 20% 24

Government/Military 16% 20

Health Care 6% 7

Insurance 3% 4

Nonprofit Association 3% 4

Manufacturing 2% 3

Financial Services/Banking 2% 2

Telecom/Utilities 1% 1

Transportation/Communications 1% 1

Other* 3% 4
* Aerospace, Agriculture, Retail, Amusement Park

Figure 1
Q = Which industry does your in-plant serve?
N=123

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 COVID IMPACTS SALES, Sales Down
CUTS STAFF SIZE
COVID-19 has had a drastic impact on in-house printing.
Companies and organizations tightened their budgets, 13%
and customers scrapped print projects. Conferences and
events were canceled, and so too were the marketing
materials that supported them. Internal customers, many
13%
now working from home, have replaced printed materials
with digital documents. As a result, nearly three-quarters
of respondents say their in-plant’s sales have decreased
since mid-March 2020 (Figure 2). Survey respondents 74%
report that average annual revenue from 2019 to 2020
dropped 7.9% (Figure 3).

Notably, 13% of survey respondents actually increased

their revenue in 2020 versus 2019. They note a variety
of reasons, including an uptick in company product
sales (recreational machinery) during the pandemic;
n Increased n Stayed n Decreased
a university rebranding; the need for K-12 curriculum the Same
materials; strategic enrollment management (SEM)
projects; printing related to the Paycheck Protection Figure 2
Q. What has happened to your in-plant’s total sales
Program; unemployment benefit mailings; and a surge in (all sources) since mid March 2020?
demand for signage and window graphics. n=123

Layoffs, furloughs, and fewer temp and student workers

have also had an impact on in-house printing operations.
Survey respondents report that staff levels dropped
nearly 11% (Figure 4).

AVERAGE REVENUE: AVERAGE NUMBER

OF EMPLOYEES:
2019: $2,664,978 2019: 12.8
2020: $2,455,087 2020: 11.4
Percent Change: -7.9% Percent Change: -10.9%
Figure 3 Figure 4

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 OPERATIONAL CHANGES
More than half of respondents report that sales and the amount of work produced is decreasing. At
the same time, 52% of in-plants report hours worked by employees have mostly held steady, and for
15%, they have increased (Figure 5).

Though nearly 70% say their staff size is not changing, 29% report they are still anticipating their
employee count to decrease. Despite the drop in business, however, very few in-plants (10%) are
raising their prices to make up for it.

Business Trends

Sales 24% 21% 55%

Production/Amount of Work 31% 11% 58%

Hours Worked for

Production Employees 15% 52% 33%

74%
Size of Staff 2% 69% 29%

Prices for Products/Services 10% 86% 4%

n Increasing n Not Changing n Decreasing

Figure 5
Q. How are the following currently trending at your in-plant?
n=121

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 OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK
Despite drooping sales and work volume, more than half of respondents expect business conditions
to improve for their in-plants over the next three months (Figure 6). A mere 4% feel conditions will
get worse.

How Will Business Conditions Change?

4% 9%

n Improve
n Stay the same
52% n Decline
35% n Not sure

Figure 6
Q. Compared to current conditions, how do you expect business
conditions in your in-plant to change over the next three months?
n=119

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 RECONFIGURING OPERATIONS Did You Shut Down?
DUE TO COVID
1%
The early days of the lockdown were scary for
everyone. Many in-plants were not considered
“essential” and were compelled to shut down. Overall,
38% fell into this category (Figure 7). Some stayed
closed for more than a month. Though almost all 17%
eventually reopened, they did so with many changes
in place.
7%
Numerous managers (Figure 9) and staff now
work remotely; some are split into teams that work
13% 62%
different hours; and some in-plants are now run
entirely by skeleton crews (Figure 8). In addition to the
omnipresent masks and endless sanitizing of hands
and surfaces, other changes noted by respondents
include:

n Staff handles other duties in the building when n No

it’s closed to the public. n Yes, for less than two weeks

n Staff only works two or three days per week.
n Rotate staff as needed in student mail area.
n Hands-free pick-up and delivery.
n Began scanning/digitizing mail.
n Reduced hours for in-person customer service.
n Yes, for one month or less
n Yes, for more than a month
n Yes, and we are still not open
Figure 7
Q. Did your in-plant cease operations at any point
during the pandemic?
n=121

n COVID testing required.

n Temporary employment contracts not renewed.

n Fewer student employees.

n Use video conferencing for meetings with

outside sales/vendors.

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 New In-plant Procedures
Some in-plant employees
work from home 55%
Restricted access to the in-plant 50%
No longer hold in-person
crew meetings 45%
Split staff into teams that
work alternate days 31%
Manager and/or skeleton crew
runs all production 26%
Laid off or furloughed
employees 18%
Moved employees to
different locations 11%
Added shifts to socially
distance staff 7%
Eliminated shifts 4%
No/few changes 21%

Figure 8
Q. Which of the following actions is your in-plant taking
in response to the pandemic?
n=121

Managing From Afar

7%

14% n Onsite every day at

office location
n Onsite most days but
occasionally remote
n Remote most days, but
20% 59% sometimes go to office location
n Remote full time

Figure 9
Q. Which of the following best describes your current
working location, as manager/director?
n=122

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 COVID-19 INFECTIONS REPORTED
Though COVID-19 has sickened a number of in-plant managers and their staffs, forcing them to
quarantine and impacting production, it could have been much worse. Overall, 13% of managers have
tested positive (Figure 10) and 36% of respondents have had employees contract COVID-19 (Figure
11). Almost 30% had several employees out on quarantine at the same time, and 5% of in-plants had to
shut down temporarily due to COVID exposure (Figure 12).

Manager Tested Positive? Staff Tested Positive?

2% 3%

13% 9%

25% 61%

87%

n No n Yes n No n Yes, more than

5 people
n Yes, 1-2 people
Figure 10 n Prefer not to
Q. Have you tested positive for COVID-19? n Yes, 3-5 people answer
n=122
Figure 11
Q. Have any in-plant staff members tested positive for
COVID-19? 
n=122

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 The Quarantine Effect

Several employees have had to

quarantine at the same time. 28%

I have had to quarantine due to

exposure. 21%

The in-plant had to shut down

temporarily due to COVID exposure. 5%

In-plant employees have passed away

after contracting COVID-19. 1%

None of the above 58%

Figure 12
Q. Has COVID-19 directly impacted your operation in
any of these ways?
n=122

SAFETY STRATEGIES
Thankfully, the effects of COVID-19 on in-plants were mostly contained. Respondents pursued safety
strategies beyond mask wearing, sanitizing, and social distancing to protect staff. Here is a sampling of
actions taken to stop the virus from spreading:

n “Those who can are working remotely. About 90% of the workers in our building have been
working from home. Few people on campus.”

n “We work in an area of campus that has very low traffic, and we limit exposure to each other by
staying in our four corners of the printshop.”

n “Shop is open two days a week with one person in the shop. Supervisor only goes into office
when needed.”

n “The print facility is broken into 12 cells with a maximum of one person in each cell. Separate
entrances for different areas. Catered lunch daily.”

n “We divided the production space into two distinct areas: one for prepress, the other for
production/finishing. A visible demarcation point can’t be crossed without formal approval.”

n “Separate break areas for each team.”

n “Each employee has taken a specific role. Employees used to do multiple functions, but since
COVID, we have kept employees separated and working solely on one machine to limit contact.”

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 n “We limit shared operation of equipment and wipe down touch points in between uses.”

n “We changed who works when and spread the workday over more hours.”

n “Split shifts within each team to minimize staff on the floor, while maximizing production.”

n “We staggered some employees’ hours to minimize exposure to crowded mass transit.”

n “Everyone is committed to following protocols — no strays or rebels.”

n “Employees are adhering to safe practices when not at work and only associating with
trusted people.”

n Disinfectant fogging daily.

n “Any threat of exposure and we empty the building and fumigate. We updated our air filtering,
added UV devices to HVAC, and added in-room industrial HEPA filters.”

n Mandatory COVID-19 testing one to two times per week.

n “All employees of the college are screened before being admitted for work onsite.”

n “We use Web check-in, which requires staff to answer COVID-related questions.”

n “We have a health app that tracks our daily work environment and if we have any risk.”

n Plexiglass barriers installed at main counter and at employee workstations.

n Meetings with other departments are held via Zoom.

n “Doors to the shop are kept locked. Customers must call or email for an appointment to enter
the shop.”

n “A limited number of people are permitted in the building at one time (25%), with signage
stating the max capacity for each area.”

n “Deliveries are done to the door but no in-person contact or touching; we just set it down,
knock and leave.”

n “Not delivering jobs; customers pick up on loading dock, contact free.”

SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS THAT ARE THRIVING

Business decreased for most in-plants during the pandemic, but some services and applications did
well and may represent business opportunities for others. In particular, printing on rigid substrates,
contour cutting, and graphics installation have brought increased business to those who provide
these services (Figure 13). Those that handle mail and package processing/delivery have also seen an
increased demand for these services.

Looking at individual printed applications, floor graphics are through the roof, with 64% of those that
print them reporting a “significant” growth in business (Figure 15). Demand for wall/window graphics
and signs/banners has also increased, to no one’s surprise.

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 As for non-wide-format applications, far fewer have seen increased demand over the past year. Direct
mail, envelopes, and greeting cards have shown the most overall growth. Farther down on the list,
about 10% of respondents report significant or moderate increases in demand for marketing materials,
course packs/curriculum materials, manuals, and bills/statements (Figure 14).

The most significant decreases in demand have been for brochures, course packs/curriculum
materials, newsletters, and catalogs/directories.

In the charts below, all percentages represent only on those in-plants that provide each service or
product.

Services Provided
Contour Cutting 49% 9% 14% 14% 14%
n=35

Printing on Rigid Substrates 32% 35% 8% 17% 8%

n=40

Package Processing/Delivery 23% 20% 17% 20% 20%

n=60

Wide-Format Inkjet Printing

22% 23% 21% 22% 12%
n=106

Installation of Graphics
18% 28% 10% 28% 16%
n=39

Mail Processing/Delivery 17% 20% 23% 21% 19%

n=75

Mail Scanning/Digital Delivery 11% 24% 18% 18% 29%

n=45

Promotional Product Sales

9% 14% 20% 34% 23%
n=44

Digital Printing 6% 12% 30% 44% 8%

n=115

Print Procurement 4% 12% 20% 34% 30%

n=74

Offset Printing 7% 29% 46% 18%

n=55

n Increased Significantly n Decreased Significantly

n Increased Slightly n No change
n Decreased Slightly

Figure 13
Q. If you offer the following services, how has
demand changed during the pandemic.
n=119

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 Demand for Printed Applications

Envelopes
14% 19% 27% 20% 20%
n=108

Direct Mail Pieces

13% 23% 22% 26% 16%
n=100

Course Packs/Curriculum
6% 4% 28% 52% 10%
n=94

Marketing Materials
5% 6% 26% 49% 14%
n=106

Manuals
4% 5% 29% 42% 20%
n=106

Greeting Cards
3% 18% 14% 26% 39%
n=77
2%
Brochures
3% 24% 59% 12%
n=116
2%
Newsletters
3% 23% 50% 22%
n=103
1%
Business Cards
3% 27% 45% 24%
n=112
1%
Catalogs/Directories
3% 17% 50% 29%
n=84

Bills/Statements
9% 21% 15% 55%
n=58

Business Forms 6% 27% 44% 23%

n=104

n Increased Significantly n Decreased Significantly

n Increased Slightly n No change
n Decreased Slightly

Figure 14
Q. If you produce the following applications normally,
how has demand changed during the pandemic?
n=119

13
 Graphics/Signage Demand
3%
Floor Graphics 64% 22% 4% 7%
n=73

Wall/Window Graphics
n=79
35% 19% 13% 18% 15%

Banners/Signs
n=108
25% 26% 17% 23% 9%

Posters/Flyers
n=117
11% 13% 33% 32% 11%

Vehicle Wraps
n=17 12% 29% 59%

n Increased Significantly n Decreased Significantly

n Increased Slightly n No change
n Decreased Slightly
Figure 15
Q. If you produce the following applications normally,
how has demand changed during the pandemic?
n=119

When asked which products/services have proven to be the strongest revenue generators during the
pandemic, most respondents listed floor graphics and signage products. Here are some other items
in-plants say have been strong revenue generators over the past year:

n C
 OVID-19 information packets and vaccine n Offset printing (new stationery needed for
consent forms university rebranding)

n PPE n Jobs for HR and other departments that

they can’t do while working from home
n COVID guards
(e.g., kits and envelopes)
n A-frames
n Production printing and mailing of materials
n T
 ransactional work, compliance mortgage normally done on office printers
documents
n Design-only services (e.g., logo and Website
n W
 orkbooks, course worksheets, remote graphics)
learning packets
n Digital animation, digital ad creation
n Material for virtual conferences
n Video production
n Annual reports
n Promotional products
n D
 irect marketing/recruitment/fundraising
n Specialized mailings of gift boxes
materials
associated with virtual events
n Prayer cards, greeting cards
n Scanning and digitization of mail
n Survey mailings
n Fulfillment
n Informational flyers
n Lamination
n Forms and envelopes

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 On the other hand, certain traditional services have dropped off so much that some in-plants have
stopped offering them. Examples include walk-up services where customers would operate copiers
or laminators, delivery to individual departments, in-person support of students at a customer service
window, and selling postage stamps. Other products and services that some in-plants say they
eliminated during the pandemic:

n Offset printing n Posters for scientific and research

presentations
n Quick print type services
n Marketing materials for campus events
n Business cards
n Product and services brochures
n Brochures, flyers, invitations, certificates
n Outside nonprofit projects
n Internal newsletters
n Wedding Invitations
n Tradeshow materials

INSOURCING
Insourcing work from customers outside the parent organization has helped in-plants stay busy during
the pandemic. Though 37% say they are not permitted to insource, of those that do, 24% note their
insourcing volume has increased during pandemic (Figure 16). One respondent says that insourced
work now exceeds internal customer work some days. Another notes the in-plant has picked up
new outside clients (other universities) that will provide a good increase of work over the long term.
Several say they are exploring the idea of insourcing.

Insourcing During COVID

1% 1%
4%
n Considering insourcing
n Started insourcing
during pandemic
n Insourcing volume stable
34% during pandemic
36% n Insourcing volume increased
during pandemic
n Insourcing volume decreased
during pandemic
n Stopped insourcing.
24% Too much internal work

Figure 16
Q. Insourcing work from customers outside the parent organization
has helped in-plants stay busy during the pandemic.
Which is true at your in-plant?
n=76

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 TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE
Especially during the early days of the pandemic, work slowed so much at some in-plants that
managers looked for other ways to keep their employees engaged. Staff training was one option.
In-plants turned to online sources such as LinkedIn Learning, tapped their vendors for equipment and
software training, and even had their own employees cross-train one another.

The downtime also offered a perfect opportunity to finally get to projects that had been on the back
burner, such as equipment maintenance and software updates. Managers took advantage of the work
slowdown to benchmark, do strategic planning, take inventory, clean up files, and undertake many
other projects they rarely have time for. Here are some types of training in-plants focused on and the
improvement projects they carried out.

TYPES OF TRAINING UNDERTAKEN

n Design and page layout n MIS system

n Variable data n Order management, project management,

prioritizing work
n Color management, G7 training
n Cybersecurity
n Training on Fiery and wide-format RIPs
n Customer service
n N
 ew digital press production operation
software n Marketing

n C
 ross training on production/mail n Team building, personal development
equipment
n Diversity, unconscious bias training
n New inkjet printer training
n Mail list processing, addressing
n Wide-format workflow
n Zoom and Teams meeting skills
n Book binding
n COVID-19 policies, procedures, and safety
n N
 on-printing services (digital ebooks,
animations, virtual events, websites).

BACK BURNER PROJECTS

n Cleaning, painting, major maintenance n Database projects, e.g., photo library

n O
 rganized production area to help shop n Fine-tuning order management system and
workflow fulfillment processes

n R
 earranged work spaces to allow for more n Archival scanning to file for customers
room/accommodate new equipment
n Updated computers, software
n Cleaned out old files
n Online ordering system updates, creating
n E-mail and digital file cleanup templates, promotion

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 n T
 ransitioned mailing department into Print n Mapped workflow and SOPs
MIS system from a separate tracking/billing
n Revamped pricing and costs
process
n Researched equipment
n Established benchmarking/metrics program
n Renewed copier fleet
n Organizational realignments
n Improved implementation and integration
n Took physical inventory
of new digital print devices
n Created a strategic plan/marketing plan
n Upgraded material-handling equipment
n D
 ocumented procedures for staff who
n Video production
assist on as-needed basis from other areas

REMOTE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Not being able to visit customers or invite them into the in-plant has been frustrating for managers,
who already have few options for internal marketing. To keep in touch with customers, in-plants
employed a variety of methods.

Customer Contact During COVID

Personal emails 73%

Phone calls 66%

Video calls (e.g., Zoom, Teams) 36%

Mass emails 29%

Printed promotional materials 20%

Social media posts 20%
Surveys 7%
Offering online training 5%
Visiting their offices 5%
Making/Sharing videos 3%
Company virtual trade show 1%
Nothing 4%

Figure 17
Q. How are you staying in touch with customers during the COVID-19 crisis?
n=116

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 READY TO TRAVEL?
For in-plant managers accustomed to networking with peers at conferences and trade shows, 2020
was excruciating. They lost the opportunity to consult with fellow managers about mutual problems
and share ideas with each other. The idea of going a second year without any face-to-face networking
is daunting.

Yet in many cases, the decision not to allow travel in 2021 has already been made by in-plants’ parent
organizations. Nearly half say their companies and institutions are unlikely to loosen their travel bans
this year (Figure 18). About 14% feel their current travel ban will be reassessed before the end of 2021,
and 6% say they are already allowed to travel. Still, more than a quarter of respondents say traveling is
a luxury they don’t typically get, even in normal times. These numbers, though, reflect the thinking in
February 2021. As COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to climb, it stands to reason that organizations
will reexamine their travel policies by the summer. For 30% of managers, though, even an increase in
vaccinations won’t make them feel comfortable enough to travel this year (Figure 19). But in the long
run, more than 80% say they look forward to eventually getting back to in-person events.

As for the virtual conferences most of us attended over the past year, 66% of respondents feel they
did a good job of updating the industry on trends (though 14% did not). These virtual events should
continue even after the pandemic ends, say 65% of respondents (Figure 19).

Travel Scenarios for 2021

n Organization-wide travel ban in

place; will likely last throughout
26% 2021.
n Organization-wide travel ban
in place; will likely loosen in Q3
49% and Q4.
n Travel is allowed.
5% n Travel funds redirected for 2021
and unavailable.
6% n In-plant staff does not typically
get to travel.
14%
24%

Figure 18
Q. Which of the following best describes your organization’s policy
regarding business travel in 2021?
n=119

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 Live and Virtual Events

As vaccinations increase, I expect to

attend industry events in Q3 and Q4. 7% 19% 34% 20% 20%

Even as vaccinations increase, I won’t

feel comfortable traveling in 2021. 6% 24% 34% 24% 12%

In-person events are important to

our organization; we look forward to 50% 31% 14% 4% 1%
getting back to them.

Virtual events did a good job

keeping us updated on trends 16% 50% 20% 12% 2%
during the pandemic.

While not a replacement for live

events, virtual conferences are 27% 38% 24% 10% 1%
valuable and should continue.

We did not attend any virtual 15% 9% 20% 21% 35%

conferences during the pandemic.

n Strongly Agree n Disagree Somewhat

n Agree Somewhat n Strongly Disagree
n Neutral

Figure 19
Q. What is your level of agreement with the following statements?
n=117

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 Safe Meeting Guidelines

Venue following all CDC guidelines. 22% 43% 25% 10%

Venue deemed fit for hosting by

state/local government. 16% 43% 28% 13%

Space designed to optimize

social distancing. 15% 41% 34% 10%

Venue providing masks, gloves,

sanitizing wipes. 12% 40% 27% 21%

Number of attendees limited. 12% 30% 42% 16%

Event designed using best practices

from Johns Hopkins Center 11% 41% 31% 17%
for Health Security.

n A deciding factor n Somewhat important

n Very important n Not important

Figure 20
Q. If you were to attend a trade show/event in Q3 or Q4,
how important would the following be to you?
n=117

CONCLUSION
The COVID-19 pandemic has left few in-plants unscathed. Nearly three-quarters say their in-plant’s
sales have decreased since mid-March 2020, and almost 40% of them had to shut their doors at some
point — 17% for more than a month.

The virus has dramatically altered in-plant procedures, moving many employees into remote working
arrangements, splitting staffs into separate teams that rarely cross paths, eliminating in-person
production meetings, and reducing staff numbers.

But in-plants have adapted admirably to these difficulties. Many have pivoted to provide new services.
Floor, wall, and window graphics have brought a flood of business, while direct mail, envelopes, and
greeting cards have shown growth as well. The amount of work being insourced during the pandemic
increased for nearly a quarter of in-plants. Overall, 52% expect business conditions in their operation
to improve over the next three months, and sales are already trending upward for 24% of respondents.

Though in-plants may emerge from the pandemic as leaner, less centralized operations with a stronger
focus on wide-format graphics, they have proven their dedication to their parent organizations during
this unsettling time by remaining on-site and ready to serve internal customers in new ways.

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WHO WE ARE

In-plant Impressions is the only graphic arts magazine

written specifically for the in-plant printing industry.
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this one throughout the year to better understand the in-
plant market.

Visit InPlantImpressions.com

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