12:54 p.m., Oct. 14, 2009----The University of Delaware's Graphic Communication Center has announced a name change, to University Printing, and a new Web site.

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In addition, the newly renamed University Printing will hold an open house on Thursday, Oct. 22.

The name change reflects increasing capabilities on the part of University Printing, which has invested in leading-edge printing equipment that will provide great efficiencies for the center and greater technical capabilities for the campus community.

Rodney Brown, manager of University Printing, noted that the name of the unit was Central Duplicating in 1981 with a change to Graphic Communications Center four years later.

“I really didn't see how either of them gave anyone any idea of what we did. When I speak with people on campus and say that I am the manager of the Graphic Communications Center, I get that look of what do you do, and I always answer, we are the in-plant printing facility for the University,” Brown said.

Over the last four months, University Printing has had several improvements, Brown said.

In June, University Printing won five awards from (IPMA) In-Plant Print Management Association. “Honored many times for the quality of our offset printing, we have now enhanced its digital print quality with a state-of-the-art digital press,” Brown said. “We are one of the first in-plants to install the new Xerox iGen4 digital color press. This machine will allow us to do more variable data jobs and the quality is so good that it is hard to tell whether the job was run offset or digitally.”

Even as University Printing adjusts to life with the latest digital press, it is busy with several other major projects, Brown said.

It recently received Forest Stewardship Council chain-of-custody certification, which provides a link between responsible production and consumption, enabling the consumer to make environmentally responsible purchasing decisions. “The University is thinking green, and we want to show support of UD's goals,” Brown said, adding, “Along with that we have also changed our plate making process and gone with a processless plate, meaning no more chemicals to process a plate, just water.”

In addition to the digital press, University Printing installed a new Standard Horizon 20-station collator, providing faster turnaround times on larger booklets. “And with the changes to bulk and first class mailings that have taken place with the U.S. Postal Service, we have installed a Videojet ink jet addressing system to meet these new mail regulations,” Brown said.

“On top of all this -- or perhaps because of it -- we are making one of the biggest changes of all by changing our name from Graphic Communications Center to University Printing, which we feel will highlight the in-plant's true strength -- printing,” Brown said.

University Printing was featured in the September issue of In-Plant Graphics magazine, which includes a video and photographs on its Web site.