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document.write('It\'s good to see how much of the plant equipment is in use. If you notice that only one of multiple presses has a crew working it, and you see little or no bindery activity - these things tell you the company\'s work is down for some reason. If their business is that slow, you should doublecheck other factors that may affect your work directly - are they running enough crews to finish your work on time? Does their paper credit situation affect the paper you\'ll be using? Do they have COD relations with freight companies, and will your deliveries be affected?');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Karen');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('Mars Advertising Inc.');
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document.write('You should tour every printer you plan to pay for jobs you source to them. You should also take business partners with you, especially those who are requesting printing, so they can see first hand why it takes the time it does to print and deliver a job. Also, it will help them understand costs and the importance of acuuratly checking proofs. It does take time and logistics and some salesmanship to get them to go but it is always worth the effort. "The more you bleed in training, the less you bleed in Combat", (Richard Marcinko, Secrets of the Rogue Warrior)');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Jeff');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('State Farm Insurance Companies');
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document.write('Great points, as always, Margie. I do have concern with one of your statements: "If you wouldn\'t know a Heidelberg from a Xerox iGen3™ and don\'t care to learn, you need not tour a plant."');
document.write('Wow! If you truly don\'t know a Heidelberg from a Xerox iGen, then I\'d say you NEED to tour a plant. If you "don\'t care to learn", I\'d suggest you find a new career. I don\'t understand how anyone, large spending budget or small, could effectively do their job if they don\'t know the basics and differences in a sheet-fed press over a digital press. A knowledge and understanding of technologies and equipment capabilities should be mandatory for anyone who purchases print.');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Debbie');
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document.write('Paradowski Creative');
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document.write('I like to tour suppliers facilities whenever it is geographically feasible. In addition to the benefits Margie listed it is a great opportunity to learn-not only the specific capabilities of the plant you are touring but to enhance your general print knowledge as well.  I ask a lot of questions!  I have worked in printing for 20 years but there is always something more to learn. ');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Nancy');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('Associated Bank');
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document.write('You absolutely need to conduct a plant visit. Not only are you on a fact finding mission for your company, but you are also physically demonstrating the importance you and your company place on the finished product.  By meeting the craftspeople who will create your work, you show your respect for their skills and talents. Develop a relationship with them and they will work much harder for you. Actions speak louder than words.');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Keven');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('Progressive');
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document.write('Wow, great comments everyone - I value your two cents and hope buyers/designers everywhere take note.');
document.write('Debbie, my point about a person not knowing one press from another? Your point is well taken. But there are plenty of customers - some casual, some too far removed from the print production process - who are truly not interested in learning about press capabilities. You and I might not like it or agree with it, but they\'re out there. I fear that as more and more untrained people move into the role of sourcing print for their firms, they\'ll be less likely to care about the manufacturing aspect. We have to keep the importance/value of print alive. :)');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Margie');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('PBI');
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document.write('This tip loops back to another MD tip about the characteristics of a good print buyer – one of which is, curiosity. ');
document.write('A good print buyer, someone who sees it as their vocation and not just a job, wants to know how things work, what the jargon means, who-does-what in the plant, what the machines look like, what the sequencing of mfg is. What the wrapped-rolls of web paper you purchased look like, what the roll-labels say. What your CSR looks like, and who the pressroom super is, etc..  What the plant smells like and sounds like. And more!');
document.write('There’s no way to get this information without physically being in a plant. A printing plant, a bindery, a paper mill (ideally, with a pulp mill connected), a corrugated company, finishing company (die cutting, foil stamping, embossing), a CD plant. ');
document.write('I don’t get out as much as I used to, as much as I like to, but putting in your time at these places – whether by working at them or visiting them – is essential in your education as a print buyer.');
document.write('Greg');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Greg');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('Harvard Business Publishing');
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document.write('It\'s very relevant to tour a printing facility.  You want to verify the equipment promoted on the eq list, that is is in good working condition and being used (not under a dusty tarp).  This is also an opportunity to determine the "health" of the business.  Is it clean, is "safety first", do the employees seem engaged?  Meet the management, not just your rep.  Let them pitch you on solutions and other services they may have to offer. ');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Sue');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('Amgen, Inc');
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document.write('Ditto what Keven from Progressive said. And to add to it:  I think it\'s important for the craftspeople to see there is a real person - who cares - behind a print job - that it\'s not just a sales rep they may end up disappointing if something doesn\'t print well.');
document.write('I ALWAYS shake a pressman\'s hand - no matter how dirty - it\'s their honest dirt that is getting my job done!');
document.write('Lastly, don\'t forget to email or tell your rep to pass along, kudos to his team when things go well (hand-written notes are always welcome, too.)');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Gloria');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('Aetna CCG');
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document.write('Gloria, particularly love your suggestions about shaking a pressman\'s hand and then following up your visit with a handwritten note.');
document.write('Fantastic advice - thanks so much.');
document.write('MD');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Margie');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('pbi');
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document.write('If you\'re interested in a printer\'s "green" performance, then a plant tour is a must. Look with your eyes. Look with your nose, too. Orderliness and cleanliness (or lack thereof), and the presesence of annoying amounts of VOCs may be indicative of whether they walk their green talk. Check for chemical-free processeors and direct-to-plate equipment. Ask what they do with used fountain solutions and empty ink containers. Ask what percentage of printing waste they recycle, and what percentage of non-printing waste they keep out of landfills. If they really have a good green story, they will be happy you poked your nose under the tent.');
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document.write('<p STYLE="margin-top: 5px"><SPAN STYLE="color: #2D4B71">Submitted by: </SPAN>');
document.write('Peter');
document.write(',');
document.write('  ');
document.write('PrintLeadership');
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