Muller Martini’s annual gathering of mailroom and packaging center production specialists marks its 25th anniversary

Over 60 industry professionals recently gathered at Muller Martini’s Allentown, Pennsylvania, facility for the 25th annual MMA Users Group Conference. Not only did the two-day working conference provide an opportunity for mailroom managers, operators and other newspaper production professionals to interact with their colleagues, but they also benefited from hands-on equipment training (which included feeders, pockets and grippers) from Muller Martini’s technical team at the manufacturing facility.

In addition, guest speakers provided valued insight into the state of the industry. Chris Humel, Strategic Newspaper Solutions and Retail Advertising at Quad Graphics, the largest retail insert printer in North America, shared how today’s advertisers are staying relevant through print. And, with distribution capabilities becoming more targeted, newspapers and their binderies will continue to dominate this market.

Other highlights of this year’s event included:

• Breakout sessions which included new equipment upgrades for the SLS and AlphaLiner inserting systems, as well as an introduction to the FlexLiner whose flexibility, speed and accuracy make it an ideal solution for high-volume insert marketing packages.
• A review of the latest version of SAM Production Planning and Control System and SAM Tracks, Muller Martini’s centralized production planning system that links circulation, advertising, packaging and distribution. Attendees shared best practices and how these SAM products help them more efficiently manage the complexities facing today’s mailrooms. 
• A first-ever Casino Night at the nearby Sands Casino which offered attendees additional opportunity for networking and idea exchange.

This year’s conference theme, “Change, Challenge, and Opportunity,” resonated with all attendees as they sought solutions that can help them better manage mailroom demands. Julius Neto, Production and Transportation Director at the Hartford Courant, as well as President of the MMA Users Group Board of Directors, observed, “Conducting the conference at Muller Martini’s production facility enables us to speak directly with the equipment experts in order to gain efficiencies, whether it be through feeder rebuilding, machine set-up or SAM planning. Collectively, all of these areas are significant within the production environment, particularly as we get busier and our customers demand more from our capabilities.”

He added, “What makes the Users Group gathering so exceptional is it provides a highly concentrated and supportive environment for mailroom and packaging professionals to talk to one another about the challenges they’re facing. So not only do we give help, but we ask for help as well. That’s arguably the Users Group’s most valuable takeaway.”