LiU-tryck – printing more than just handbooks

Linköping University (LiU) is, of course, a place for research and education. But LiU’s work also involves printing. Our printing staff at LiU-tryck are intimately familiar with the university’s work – their customers are their colleagues.

Customer reception.Customer reception. Marcus Lundberg, Lisa Floxner and Lis Nilsson. Lisa and Lis are responsible for customers and their orders. Photo credit Anna NilsenIf the door is open, you’re welcome to come in. The head of LiU-tryck, Anita Axby, has been excitedly preparing to tell us all about this little work unit that can be found at one end of A Building, Campus Valla. After all, it’s not every day that those working with internal news come and visit to research an article.

“So exciting to see you! Welcome!”, she says, and starts presenting the work that’s done at LiU-tryck.

“Our mission is to be the go-to printing service for faculties, departments and the University Services. However, I think quite a lot of people at LiU still don’t know about us. We want that to change, of course.”

Customers who are also colleagues

Customers come to LiU-tryck mainly from within the university, even if there are a few external ones. Examples of external customers include teaching staff with their own companies, or companies who want to print educational material. But LiU-tryck takes on so little external work that it can’t be said to compete with private printers.A woman with one of the many scientific posters that LiU Tryck has produced.Maggan Fransson with one of the many scientific posters that LiU-tryck has produced. This one is from the Biogas Research Centre. Photo credit Anna Nilsen

Instead, its main customers are LiU-based: teaching staff, researchers and students. For example, students often get their degree projects printed, but might also request things like posters or even, as in one case, a specially designed board game.

“Our customers are also our colleagues. This proximity – both physically in this building and organisationally – is a big strength. We know exactly what our customers need”, says Anita, going on to talk about another common customer: PhD students.

“We print about 200 PhD dissertations every year. PhD students are often a little nervous when they arrive, but that doesn’t usually last long. We know what they’re going through, and can help with a schedule and cover design.

“Here’s the guillotine”

The list of products that LiU-tryck produces is long, and includes things like large-scale printing business cards and envelopes, brochures, handbooks, scientific postures and diplomas with the LiU seal in relief. LiU-tryck also produces window film and stickers – such as the kind you see everywhere nowadays encouraging you to keep your distance.Seal print. A woman blows away the left-over gold paper.Seal print. Sabina Hörling blows away the left-over gold paper. Photo credit Anna Nilsen

The printing unit can also rent out or lend sandwich boards or so-called “beach flags”, and can even pass jobs on to external companies if needed. Another important product is banners – small, large and supersize.

“The length is determined by the size of the roll, up to a maximum of 50 metres. For the New Students’ Day, we made a banner that was 16 metres long. I like working with big formats – it really makes such an impression”, says technician Maggan Fransson when we’re shown round the printing unit.

Her colleague, digital printer Anders Lindeborg, is working on a PhD dissertation from the Department of Mathematics, with an order of 77 copies. The process involves several steps every one of which is equally important: design, printing, cutting and, finally, gluing into a book.

“Here is the guillotine. Mind your fingers!” Anders jokes, adding quickly that you have to use both hands on the cutting machine in order to avoid accidents.

Intimately familiar with LiU – a strength

One of LiU-tryck’s strangest orders came from the IT Division at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have to screen off our workspaces, quickly. Can you help us?” was the request. “Of course, we’ll give it a go!” was the answer.

LiU-tryck came up with the solution of developing dividers that could be inserted into a simple stand and thereby act as a dividing wall between two workspaces. Anita shows a picture of the simple, but functional, solution.

“This is one of our strengths, I think – the fact that we’re flexible. We’re intimately familiar with LiU, we can deliver fast and professional help, and we can help in many different ways. I don’t think anybody else can do that as well as we do.”

What LiU-tryck struggles with, however, is finances. The printing unit had financial difficulties even before the pandemic, and when it hit they lost almost a third of their revenue – nearly SEK 3 million. SEK 1 million has now been recovered, and LiU-tryck plans to break even in one year’s time, 2023.

“With the plan that we have, I believe we can do that. Or rather, I know that we can do it”, says Anita Axby.

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Tryckeriet i bild

Woman showing a print example from the large-format printer.
Maggan Fransson with a print example from the large-format printer. Anna Nilsen

Large format

Maggan Fransson with a print example from the large-format printer.

A cover being laminated in a laminating machine.
A cover being laminated in a laminating machine. Anna Nilsen

Tougher covers

A cover being laminated in a laminating machine.

Friendly chat among co-workers.
Lisa Floxner and Marcus Lundberg, who are working on the cover of a scientific publication. Anna Nilsen

Enjoying their work

Lisa Floxner and Marcus Lundberg, who are working on the cover of a scientific publication.

Young woman printing photos on mugs.
Sabina Hörling prints photos on mugs. Anna Nilsen

Precision work 1

Sabina Hörling prints photos on mugs.Sabina Hörling trycker foton på muggar.

Tomas Hägg.
Tomas Hägg is one of two graphical designers at the unit. Anna Nilsen

Graphical design

Tomas Hägg is one of two graphical designers at the unit.

Marcus Lundberg.
Graphical designer Marcus Lundberg at his workspace. Anna Nilsen

Graphical design

Graphical designer Marcus Lundberg at his workspace.

Anita Axby shows a proof printed on gold paper.
Anita Axby shows a proof printed on gold paper. In the background is a digital press, where both sides are printed and bound into finished publications. Anna Nilsen

Golden print

Anita Axby shows a proof printed on gold paper. In the background is a digital press, where both sides are printed and bound into finished publications.

Calibration of colours for a printing job in the works.
Calibration of colours for a printing job in the works. Anna Nilsen

Careful calibration

Calibration of colours for a printing job in the works.

A man checks that gluing has been done straight.
Anders Lideborg checks that gluing has been done straight. Anna Nilsen

Precision work 2

Anders Lideborg checks that gluing has been done straight.

Customer reception.
Customer reception. Marcus Lundberg, Lisa Floxner and Lis Nilsson. Lisa and Lis are responsible for customers and their orders. Anna Nilsen

Customer reception

Marcus Lundberg, Lisa Floxner and Lis Nilsson. Lisa and Lis are responsible for customers and their orders.

Seal print. A woman blows away the left-over gold paper.
Seal print. Sabina Hörling blows away the left-over gold paper. Anna Nilsen

Seal print

Sabina Hörling blows away the left-over gold paper.

A woman with one of the many scientific posters that LiU Tryck has produced.
Maggan Fransson with one of the many scientific posters that LiU Tryck has produced. This one is from the Biogas Research Centre. Anna Nilsen

Scientific posters

Maggan Fransson with one of the many scientific posters that LiU Tryck has produced. This one is from the Biogas Research Centre.