“We’ve been using Nancy Plowman Associates as our testing arm for ink, fountain solution and papers for well over fifteen years. In printing, we deal with many variables at once [ink, papers, fountain solutions, blankets, presses…]. In many cases, NPA lets us know what’s going to happen on press before it does. Simply stated, they have been a critical and determined resource that has consistently been able get to the heart of ‘print system’ problems. They not only save us from wasting precious on-press time, but gobs of money. They are consummate professionals, and ‘the’ heavy hitter that every printer needs to succeed.”
— Charlie Foell, Pressroom Manager, Lane Press
“We’ve worked with Nancy Plowman Associates for several years. The printing industry is all about variables [ink, paper, solutions, presses…] and NPA is a reliable resource that always seems to have a handle on how change affects our business. We have used them as both problem solvers and educators, and we’ve always benefited from their proactive approach. If there’s an issue, they’ll do whatever it takes to identify the problem, research the root cause, and then report it back to us. NPA is a perfect company to bring problems to, as they have proven time and time again that they know their stuff. They are crucial to our success.”
— Brian Hall, Vice President of Operations, W.E. Andrews, an RR Donnelley Company
“We use Nancy Plowman Associates mostly for preventative evaluation of our ink, but occasionally for paper and other substrates. We require our printing inks to test out to a specific tolerance. Using NPA, we are able to identify issues with our supplies before they become production tragedies. I personally have worked with them for over five years and I’m not aware of any other lab that does as good as job as NPA. Nancy has the background and really understands our business. We’ve come to trust what works and we have no desire to stray from success. They do a good job.”
— Gary Briney, Vice President and Director of Quality, The Hennegan Company
“The solution we’re implementing with the help of NPA enables us to better service our growing base of global customers with state-of-the-art, easy to use, printing and graphic art solutions. Today’s global market demands this level of responsiveness and ease of use.”
— Vincent Piro, Director of Operations at Piro Printing
“NPA provided an experienced functional and technical resources that knew our product thoroughly. They were very focused on completing the project within the budget and timeframes committed, and this was accomplished even after providing additional training and statistical modeling assistance not included in the original proposal. NPA has demonstrated a sincere, ongoing commitment to the success of our implementation by providing complimentary post-implementation support as needed.”
— Brian Driscoll, Manager, Recycle Printing
“Having worked with Nancy Plowman since their inception in ’86, I’ve learned to treasure their input as essential to the success of Acme Printing. NPA is more than just a great resource, they are our production partners. They work with us in ensuring that not only can we salvage a problem job, but that we address the problem long-term. Whether it’s chemical ghosting, bad paper and ink, or moisture and dryness issues, there is no question that having an outside third-party, capable of analyzing our printing operation, is invaluable. They are the printing industry’s equivalent of the ER at Mass General Hospital. They have seen it all and they bring their experiences to the table every time.”
— Bob Canzano Sr, Senior Vice President of Sales, Acme Printing
“I first met Nancy Plowman in the late 70’s when I was a pressroom manager and she was still at SD Warren. Through the years, Nancy has consistently impressed me with her knowledge and understanding of the industry, but it’s always been her honesty and integrity that has left the greatest impression. In my opinion, her firm [Nancy Plowman Associates or NPA] is the only independent lab in the graphic arts industry. In other words, they are not swayed by allegiances to a vendor or supplier. NPA tells it like it is.
Appleton Coated is one of top three manufacturers of high-quality coated paper in the US and we use NPA to test our papers and provide independent evaluations. We also use her to investigate client issues. With NPA, we can objectively address a client’s concerns because NPA offers independent mediation that is respected and appreciated industry-wide. No one does what NPA does.”
— Dean Kelley, Midwest Technical Service Manager, Appleton Coated