If you’ve ever received labels from Electronic Imaging Materials, Inc. (EIM), there’s a pretty good chance Jacob Ward, Digital Print Operator, had a hand in their production. For the past four years, Jacob has run EIM’s inkjet printers.
Inside the Print Process
Jacob is responsible for operating an mprint mlabel and Xeikon Panther 2200 printer—or, more simply, an mlabel and Xeikon. The mlabel is EIM’s do-it-all machine: it prints, it cuts, it perfs, it butt cuts, and laminates. “Pretty much anything we can do, the mprint mlabel can do, except backslitting,” says Jacob. Unlike mlabel, the Xeikon only prints, nothing else. After printing on the Xeikon, the labels are sent to the Sohn AR-7 Rotary Die Cutters, or, if it’s a flat color, to the Mark Andy 830s.
When operating the mlabel, Jacob receives a file from prepress, then gets the necessary material and tools, prints, and cuts it—whatever the particular job calls for—before moving the near-finished product to rework, where it’s spun down to smaller cores, shipped, and eventually lands in the hands of our customers.
Jacob handles a large portion of label production, but it’s truly a team effort, with everyone playing an important role.
A Day in the Life of a Digital Print Operator
Because Jacob operates two different machines, he has to juggle two different schedules. When Jacob arrives at the shop floor, the first thing he does is check his schedule to determine which press needs to run first. Depending on which machine initially runs, Jacob has a checklist of tasks to work through—namely, turning on the machine, cleaning everything, ensuring everything is running properly, and doing a test print to ensure quality, reduce waste, and minimize the chances of rework.
Facing Challenges
Coordinating two printing schedules is challenging. Those challenges are further compounded when production is busy or there’s an issue with a press. Keeping two printing processes on schedule is a delicate balance. According to Jacob, “If one of the presses goes down for maintenance or has an issue with a complex job, it can really bog down the workflow.”
For example, the mlabel and Xeikon are the only presses that can cover one another, so if one goes down, the two schedules become one. That’s exactly what happened earlier this year, when the mlabel needed a discontinued part that we had to have custom-machined in Germany.
Jacob says, “At first, it was really disruptive because we couldn’t use the press for anything, but we quickly worked out how to cut on it, which saved us a lot of time and kept us from falling behind our production schedule.”
With the mlabel repaired and normal printing operations restored, the experience is a great example of the production team pulling together, facing a challenge head-on, and delivering for our customers.
Proud Achievements
“A big recent achievement has been training two of our AR-7 operators how to run the Xeikon. It’s only been a few months and they’re already capable of running the press without supervision,” says Jacob.
Building depth on the production floor is essential for efficient operations. Since Jacob is responsible for operating two machines but can only be in one place at a time, they can pitch in when both presses’ schedules are loaded. And, because the Xeikon feeds directly into the AR-7s, the operators can hop onto the Xeikon and keep the AR-7s supplied—once again, spotlighting the production team’s ability to come together, collaborate, and improve their internal process to streamline customer orders and develop professionally.
Best Part of EIM
“I love the people! I’m also impressed with EIM’s reach.” Jacob continues, “For a small company, tucked away on a hill in Keene, NH, we make labels for some pretty big, well-known customers. And we ship to over 100 countries.”
Outside of Work
When not on the production floor, Jacob enjoys playing games. He usually plays Magic: The Gathering—a collectible trading card game—a few times over the weekend either at the local game store or a friend’s house. He also plays Dungeons and Dragons with his girlfriend and her friend, acting as the Dungeon Master.
While Magic and D&D might be at the top of Jacob’s list, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. His collection is pushing up against his available storage space, along with the entire catalog of games available through his video game subscription service.
Looking for an under-the-radar great game? Jacob recommends Clank! According to Jacob, “It’s a deck builder where you adventure into a dungeon and try not to make too much noise. The more noise you make, the more likely the dragon wakes up and eats you.”
Lightning Round
Q: Cats or dogs?
A: Cats every time
Q: Dunkin’ or Starbucks?
A: Dunkin’
Q: Email or phone call?
A: Phone call
Q: Podcast or playlist?
A: Podcast
Q: Morning or afternoon meetings?
A: Morning
Q: Favorite workplace snack?
A: Garuka bars
Q: Deck or dice game?
A: Both. I can’t pick
Q: Casual or competitive game player?
A: I like that spot right in between, but probably competitive
Q: Favorite PlayStation Plus game?
A: Journey to the Savage Planet
Electronic Imaging Materials, Inc.
Employees like Jacob are essential to EIM’s success. Their expertise, commitment, and team-first attitude are what make it such a great place to work and a trusted partner to do business with. Interested in learning about our other Label Experts? Meet the team!
