I love plant tours because they are the best way to know products and the people behind them. After I told Martin Yale about our interest in the Postmark Full-Color Inkjet Product line, they invited me to the plant where they design and manufacture the inkjet product line. I jumped at the chance, especially after noticing it was less than a day's drive from our office in Fenton, MO (St. Louis area).
The Postmark RapidColor inkjets fill a void left by the Kirk-Rudy FireJet 4c Color Printer. The FireJet is an awesome full-color inkjet for high-volume work, but some customers need a reliable machine for lower production needs. That's where the RapidColor inkjets fit nicely.
What impresses me about the Postmark inkjets is the people and the plant behind the product line. Martin Yale (the manufacturer) has an impressive facility that must be 100,000 or more square feet. Inside, they have CNC machines making parts, 3D printing machines for prototyping, giant-sized metal stamping and bending machinery, black oxidizing, powder-coating, and even a department where they make their own rollers.
The biggest advantage of in-house manufacturing is control over the end product. Martin Yale's in-house engineers can see their designs come to life much quicker, thereby giving them instant feedback and time to make changes, whereas other suppliers wait weeks or even months if they want to try something else.
I was excited about the Postmark RapidColor inkjet line before the plant tour. I'm even more excited afterward.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know if you have any questions or want to arrange to see the plant for yourself.