Margy is famous!

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:7hSjb.157329$%h1.154594@sccrnsc02:

Wow! That's a good deal!

Thanks. We're holding the prices until all the suites are done -- at
least two years away...

OK, then I have some time!


What's the circ at your local paper? I might have to start pitching
their mailroom people! This way I can justify a trip out...

The Press-Citizen has something close to 30,000. There are actually
three "local" papers -- the Press-Citizen (Gannett owned), the Gazette
(out of Cedar Rapids, family-owned), and the Daily Iowan (owned by the
University). Combined they probably have a circ of close to 70,000 --
in a city of 65,000!

This is a newspaper town, for sure. It helps that everyone (and I mean
EVERYONE) has a college degree. (One of my desk clerks speaks 14
languages...)


Wow! That's amazing! Looks like I'll DEFINITELY have to drop by!


What do you pitch to the mailroom folks? I worked in Circulation and
Distribution for 22 years -- maybe I can steer you in the right
direction?

I saw you mention in a previous post that you had a DC or something in a
"previous life"...

If you've heard of a product called NEWSCOM, that's our "bread and
butter"... It's an Inserter control system for SLS's, 72's and 99's.
Besides NEWSCOM, we also do Stacker control upgrades and Inkjet systems
for labelling on bottomwraps and on TMCs. We're also going to be
producing a Bundle Distribution System next year...

Basically, we do software and controls from the Pressroom Wall to the
Loading Bay Window...

I probably shouldn't get too heavy into the pitch in the newsgroup. If
you want more details, or you can help me out at all, EMail me at my name
at miracomcomputer.com... (Hopefully that's obscure enough to avoid the
spam robots! )

Thanks!!

Judah

If you've heard of a product called NEWSCOM, that's our "bread and
butter"... It's an Inserter control system for SLS's, 72's and 99's.
Besides NEWSCOM, we also do Stacker control upgrades and Inkjet systems
for labelling on bottomwraps and on TMCs. We're also going to be
producing a Bundle Distribution System next year...

Basically, we do software and controls from the Pressroom Wall to the
Loading Bay Window...

Ow, ow, ow! Stop it -- you're hurting my head!

I haven't heard those words in close to 18 months -- nor have I used any
"newspaper brain cells". (Perhaps they've regenerated, after being damaged
for 22 years?

So YOU'RE the guy we used to curse in the middle of the night, eh? God, I
can't tell you how many times I had a D.C. full of contract drivers, waiting
for the papers that were late because of some "mailroom glitch"...

There's nothing like trying to placate a couple of dozen ****ed off guys,
who are NOT being paid extra to wait for their newspapers. When the Cedar
Rapids Gazette (our primary customer) went "live" with their new mailroom
(and press) systems a couple of years ago, this scene was played out every
night, for months...

We used to sit around sticking pins in little "Judah" dolls -- did you
experience any unexplained pains during this time? :-)

Anyway, do you do any work with Lee Enterprise? They own something close to
30 (maybe more, now?) papers throughout the Midwest. I worked for (and
with) them for 12 years, too...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:QRakb.169068$%h1.160953@sccrnsc02:

Ow, ow, ow! Stop it -- you're hurting my head!

"Just when I thought I was out, they PULL me back in!"

I haven't heard those words in close to 18 months -- nor have I used
any "newspaper brain cells". (Perhaps they've regenerated, after
being damaged for 22 years?

So YOU'RE the guy we used to curse in the middle of the night, eh?
God, I can't tell you how many times I had a D.C. full of contract
drivers, waiting for the papers that were late because of some
"mailroom glitch"...

There's nothing like trying to placate a couple of dozen ****ed off
guys, who are NOT being paid extra to wait for their newspapers. When
the Cedar Rapids Gazette (our primary customer) went "live" with their
new mailroom (and press) systems a couple of years ago, this scene was
played out every night, for months...

We used to sit around sticking pins in little "Judah" dolls -- did you
experience any unexplained pains during this time? :-)

Nah... Our stuff works! Besides, many of the papers where we do
installations don't have DCs. They go out the window with route-based
bundle breaks to "ma and pa" carriers who won't stick around if their stuff
is late. They gotta get back home to get their kids off to school, or get
toe their day job!

I think the worst holdup I can remember we had was in Colorado. The
inserter was running so nicely, the operator kept bumping up the speed...
Finally, she got the thing up to about 22k/hr (faster than I have ever seen
an inserter run in production!) All of a sudden, "BANG!" - it happened. A
few of the single-sheet inserts were blowing past the pockets from the wind
generated by the jackets at 22k... Instead of falling inside the pockets,
they were blowing all over and in between. Eventually, a few of them got
wrapped around the main drive sprocket, and knocked the collator chain off
the sprocket. That in turn broke a series of pockets and brought the whole
machine to a screeching halt.

It took over an hour to get things back together... Actually, most of the
time was spent trying to get the collator chain to move at all.

Sure enough, we got blamed!

Anyway, do you do any work with Lee Enterprise? They own something
close to 30 (maybe more, now?) papers throughout the Midwest. I worked
for (and with) them for 12 years, too...

I know the name and the logo, but I haven't met anyone over there. I was
going to use the "East Coast" excuse (both Miracom and NEWSTEC, our key
distributor, are based in the NorthEast), but looking at their website it
seems they have a couple papers out my way now, too - upstate NY and PA...
According to E&P they are up to 38...

Hmmm... I will have to get on that...


Thanks!

Judah

Ow, ow, ow! Stop it -- you're hurting my head!

"Just when I thought I was out, they PULL me back in!"

No way. If I ever go back to newspapers, it will be back into the marketing
side, period. No more dealing with drunk contract haulers at 2 AM, thank
you!

I much preferred my years in marketing, where I never had to actually *do*
any work. All I had to do was come up with ideas that *others* had to
implement. (And if the concepts failed in the field, it was OBVIOUSLY the
fault of the soldiers on the ground who were incapable of properly
implementing the plan -- right?)

Too bad running my newspaper distribution company was so danged profitable.
It just about ruined my health -- but newspapers were willing to pay
whatever it took to remove *that* particular headache from their hands...

Nah... Our stuff works! Besides, many of the papers where we do
installations don't have DCs. They go out the window with route-based
bundle breaks to "ma and pa" carriers who won't stick around if their
stuff
is late. They gotta get back home to get their kids off to school, or get
to their day job!

Must be using employee-run distribution/circulation operations at those
newspapers. Newspapers that utilize contract distributors (like my old
company) don't give a **** whether the papers go out on time or not -- it
isn't *their* problem to deal with the ****ed-off drivers. It's a whole
different attitude at newspapers with employee district managers running the
carriers! (I've worked in both systems...)

I think the worst holdup I can remember we had was in Colorado. The
inserter was running so nicely, the operator kept bumping up the speed...
Finally, she got the thing up to about 22k/hr (faster than I have ever
seen
an inserter run in production!) All of a sudden, "BANG!" - it happened. A
few of the single-sheet inserts were blowing past the pockets from the
wind
generated by the jackets at 22k... Instead of falling inside the pockets,
they were blowing all over and in between. Eventually, a few of them got
wrapped around the main drive sprocket, and knocked the collator chain off
the sprocket. That in turn broke a series of pockets and brought the whole
machine to a screeching halt.

Ouch. Been there, done that.

The worst hold ups I've seen were when the Cedar Rapids Gazette brought
their new mailroom and press equipment on-line. Although their primary
problems were press-related (they actually ended up bringing suit against
Goss, it was so bad -- a losing battle, since Goss was bankrupt by that
time...), it always seemed that an inserter or conveyor would go down
whenever the press was "up".

We actually had to deliver newspapers at NOON one Sunday -- the papers were
NINE hours late, coming off the press. Many of my drivers had to go to
their regular jobs, and the ONLY thing that saved us was the fact that it
happened on a Sunday -- otherwise we would have lost them all.

My stomach churns just thinking about that day. And there were sooo many
like that, over the years...

I know the name and the logo, but I haven't met anyone over there. I was
going to use the "East Coast" excuse (both Miracom and NEWSTEC, our key
distributor, are based in the NorthEast), but looking at their website it
seems they have a couple papers out my way now, too - upstate NY and PA...
According to E&P they are up to 38...

I finally just let my Editor & Publisher subscription lapse, after some 15+
years as a subscriber. Now that we've survived 14 months with the inn --
thus far, successfully -- I'm hopeful that I can let the rest of my
newspaper skills atrophy...

Wow -- they've got 38 products now? Impressive.

If you do hit Lee up, be prepared -- they're so tight, they make Gannett
look like drunken sailors... :-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:q6Hkb.822403$YN5.841029@sccrnsc01:

Ow, ow, ow! Stop it -- you're hurting my head!

"Just when I thought I was out, they PULL me back in!"

No way. If I ever go back to newspapers, it will be back into the
marketing side, period. No more dealing with drunk contract haulers at
2 AM, thank you!

I much preferred my years in marketing, where I never had to actually
*do* any work. All I had to do was come up with ideas that *others*
had to implement. (And if the concepts failed in the field, it was
OBVIOUSLY the fault of the soldiers on the ground who were incapable of
properly implementing the plan -- right?)

Hey - I LIKE that! I think I'll have to try that sometime myself!

snip
Nah... Our stuff works! Besides, many of the papers where we do
installations don't have DCs. They go out the window with route-based
bundle breaks to "ma and pa" carriers who won't stick around if their
stuff is late. They gotta get back home to get their kids off to
school, or get to their day job!

Must be using employee-run distribution/circulation operations at those
newspapers. Newspapers that utilize contract distributors (like my old
company) don't give a **** whether the papers go out on time or not --
it isn't *their* problem to deal with the ****ed-off drivers. It's a
whole different attitude at newspapers with employee district managers
running the carriers! (I've worked in both systems...)

Hmm.. I don't know. I don't think I've ever been in a mailroom that didn't
give a **** if they were late. At least not on a daily. It's true they
don't give a **** if the drivers are late... But they want to meet their
own targets, because in many cases they are rated on it.

That said, I've seen mailrooms make decisions to allow them to meet their
targets, even if they have adverse affects on drivers - like sequence
changes to improve inserter productivity. So you end up with a pile of
bundles in everybody's way, waiting for a driver who isn't in yet, and a
driver who's been standing there 15 minutes waiting another 15 minutes for
his bundles because they have a different sized Sears flyer... That kinda
**** happens ALL the time.

Ouch. Been there, done that.

The worst hold ups I've seen were when the Cedar Rapids Gazette brought
their new mailroom and press equipment on-line. Although their primary
problems were press-related (they actually ended up bringing suit
against Goss, it was so bad -- a losing battle, since Goss was bankrupt
by that time...), it always seemed that an inserter or conveyor would
go down whenever the press was "up".

IIRC 17 papers sued Goss. I was doing work for the NY Daily News who were
one of the plaintiffs. That was a mess. Amazingly enough, now Goss is
talking about buying Heidelberg!

We actually had to deliver newspapers at NOON one Sunday -- the papers
were NINE hours late, coming off the press. Many of my drivers had to
go to their regular jobs, and the ONLY thing that saved us was the fact
that it happened on a Sunday -- otherwise we would have lost them all.

My stomach churns just thinking about that day. And there were sooo
many like that, over the years...

Geez! That's bad news! NOON!! Holy cow... I can't even imagine that...

I finally just let my Editor & Publisher subscription lapse, after some
15+ years as a subscriber. Now that we've survived 14 months with the
inn -- thus far, successfully -- I'm hopeful that I can let the rest of
my newspaper skills atrophy...

Hey - you still have to distribute the paper to all your guests!


Wow -- they've got 38 products now? Impressive.

If you do hit Lee up, be prepared -- they're so tight, they make
Gannett look like drunken sailors... :-)

Well, we have a Gannett paper already (actually they're the one in
Colorado). And to be honest, They were for the most part a pleasure to deal
with. Then again, I am heavily sheltered by my key distributor in deals
like that. But even they seemed to be pretty happy with things over there.
Besides, we got to eat at this INCREDIBLE steak house. Actually, it was
more of a sports bar, but the meat there was absolutely out of this world!

Must be using employee-run distribution/circulation operations at those
newspapers. Newspapers that utilize contract distributors (like my old
company) don't give a **** whether the papers go out on time or not --
it isn't *their* problem to deal with the ****ed-off drivers. It's a
whole different attitude at newspapers with employee district managers
running the carriers! (I've worked in both systems...)

Hmm.. I don't know. I don't think I've ever been in a mailroom that didn't
give a **** if they were late.

Well, okay -- they SAY they care. But here's the difference:

Scenario #1: Independent Distributors. You see the owners of these
companies quarterly -- maybe. Papers are late? You deal with phone calls.

Scenario #2: Employee District Managers: You see these guys every day. They
report to you. You know their families. Papers late? You deal with them
and their wives, every hour, of every day.

Who you gonna care more about? What's going to make you make the hard
decisions necessary to fix the problems?

That said, employee district managers don't give half a damn about their
jobs, compared to an independent distributor -- since they get paid whether
the papers go out or not. Distributors live and die on sales, so
newspapers that care about their circulation generally use distributors
where they can.

That said, I've seen mailrooms make decisions to allow them to meet their
targets, even if they have adverse affects on drivers - like sequence
changes to improve inserter productivity.

God, yes. Internal flow ALWAYS came ahead of common sense in the real
world. A great example of this was when the Gazette's new mailroom plan was
being implemented, and someone in a Circulation Dept. meeting asked how they
were going to send carrier supplies (rubber bands, rain bags, etc.) out on
the newspaper bundles.

There was a long pause, and everyone stared blankly at each other. Finally
one of the mailroom design engineers volunteered "that it would no longer be
possible to cap bundles with supplies" -- because there was no room in the
conveyor system for a person to actually *do* that! This guy was
astounded at the sudden hostility in the room when it became obvious that
some moron had sold out the "real world" in favor of some theoretical flow
chart.

This situation eventually forced the contract drivers -- not the sharpest
sticks in the bunch to begin with -- to try to distribute carrier supplies
on their trucks. Needless to say, on rainy days there were a LOT more wet
papers delivered, simply because carriers couldn't get plastic bags -- and
it ALL went back to that stupid mailroom designer... (Of course, the
newspaper would never admit that...)

The newspaper industry is so old, and so backward in so many ways, that
there are literally dozens of examples of this kind of stupidity, as they
try to take half-steps into the 21st century.

IIRC 17 papers sued Goss. I was doing work for the NY Daily News who were
one of the plaintiffs. That was a mess. Amazingly enough, now Goss is
talking about buying Heidelberg!

No frickin' way! How does a bankrupt organization do *that*?

Hey - you still have to distribute the paper to all your guests!

Well, most mornings Mary takes care of that! :-) As much as I hate 'em,
I'll always love newspapers. After two decades, they're in my blood, and
the morning just isn't right without a cup of coffee and the paper...

I've found that (unlike much of the general population) most pilots agree
with me on that point.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"