Penn Lithographics--Partnering and Progressing

"It's no longer about each person," Howington says. "Penn, as a whole, wins the gold, or nobody does."

The program calls for and rewards "bottom-up" communication—which has provided managers with invaluable suggestions—and client awareness on the part of all employees.

To encourage this team commitment, Penn employs Director of Training Thomas J. Barry, who says his position is probably not a common one at most printers. "The fact that I'm here proves Penn's commitment to the program and to improvement," he says. "I focus on our ability to create added value for our clients, on improving the way we do things, in process, instead of only inspecting after the fact."