Mass Customization Done Right! · Kristen Parks · Director of Program Management · RPI Print

RPI Print is built around digital print manufacturing at scale — producing everything from photo books, cards, calendars, yearbooks, and personalized products to a growing range of publishing applications.

In this film, Morten B. Reitoft talks to Kristen Parks, Director, Program Management at RPI Print, about how the company combines HP and Canon digital printing technology with an extensive finishing setup from Horizon, Müller Martini, Kolbus, Duplo, Bolgrama, and others.

The objective is simple: automate as much as possible, maintain quality, and create a production platform that can scale dramatically during seasonal demand peaks.

And peak really means peak. During the busiest periods, RPI Print operates 24/7, while the challenge throughout the rest of the year is to balance seasonal work with customers and applications that can keep the factories busy year-round.

Kristen Parks has been with RPI Print for 17 years and has developed a strong passion for the operational side of the business. New technology, new processes, new product opportunities — and, not least, the people behind the production — continue to make the industry interesting and constantly changing.

We also talk about people. Automation and investment in more productive equipment can reduce the dependency on labor, but experienced operators remain extremely important. Keeping skilled employees throughout the year makes it considerably easier to scale when volumes increase, supplemented by temporary staff and even administrative employees helping production during the busiest periods.

New investments are evaluated based not only on capacity, but also on what customers are asking for. Embellishment, greater product variety, shorter publishing runs, and new finishing options are all part of the discussion as RPI continues to explore where print-on-demand is headed.

With facilities in Washington State, the Atlanta area, and Rochester, New York, RPI Print has built a highly scalable production platform — ready to handle both everyday production and the extreme volumes that come with seasonal peaks.

Enjoy the walkthrough and conversation with Kristen Parks from RPI Print.

En Hayco Van Gaal starts a new professional life with RPI Print

Hayco Van Gaal starts a new professional life with RPI Print

In this conversation, Morten from INKISH speaks with Hayco, who has just concluded a remarkable 26-year journey at Canon EMEA. After more than two decades helping shape Canon’s commercial print direction, he begins an exciting new chapter at RPI on Monday. Hayco reflects on the emotional challenge of leaving Canon — a company that has been central to his identity for over half his life — and the colleagues who became close partners throughout his career. He introduces RPI, a global leader with more than 500 employees and production sites in Seattle, Rochester, Atlanta, and Eindhoven. The company specializes in: High-end white-label production of personalized photo products, including photobooks for major brands Self-publishing platforms like Blurb and MagCloud supporting creators who want to design, sell, and distribute books and magazines He explains that while creating one photobook is easy, producing thousands every day — with consistent routing, quality, traceability, and fast delivery — is highly complex. Only a small number of companies worldwide can do this at scale. Hayco was especially impressed by RPI’s investment in workflow, automation, IT, and APIs, designed to make customer integration efficient and straightforward. In his new role as head of European sales, Hayco will support existing global customers, explore new opportunities, and drive diversification. Because photobooks are highly seasonal, he sees big potential in using RPI’s production capacity for other applications outside peak periods. As ordering moves increasingly online, printers must act more like IT companies — and strong PSP/OEM partnerships become essential. Morton notes that RPI’s focus on personalization, waste reduction, and sustainability positions the business well for the future — a point Hayco fully agrees with. He also shares that RPI works with multiple OEMs, including Canon and HP, and highlights sustainability as a key focus area. Hayco feels a strong cultural and personal fit with RPI and looks forward to staying close to the industry. He confirms he will attend the NON-EVENT in January.

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Oct 29 , 2025
RPI Print
3325 S 116th St
98168
Washington
USA
Tel. : 206 905 5999
Email : info@rpiprint.com

Tue August 18th

En

Mass Customization Done Right! · Kristen Par...

RPI Print is built around digital print manufacturing at scale — producing everything from photo books, cards, calendars, yearbooks, and personalized products to a growing range of publishing applications. In this film, Morten B. Reitoft talks to Kristen Parks, Director, Program Management at RPI Print, about how the company combines HP and Canon digital printing technology with an extensive finishing setup from Horizon, Müller Martini, Kolbus, Duplo, Bolgrama, and others. The objective is simple: automate as much as possible, maintain quality, and create a production platform that can scale dramatically during seasonal demand peaks. And peak really means peak. During the busiest periods, RPI Print operates 24/7, while the challenge throughout the rest of the year is to balance seasonal work with customers and applications that can keep the factories busy year-round. Kristen Parks has been with RPI Print for 17 years and has developed a strong passion for the operational side of the business. New technology, new processes, new product opportunities — and, not least, the people behind the production — continue to make the industry interesting and constantly changing. We also talk about people. Automation and investment in more productive equipment can reduce the dependency on labor, but experienced operators remain extremely important. Keeping skilled employees throughout the year makes it considerably easier to scale when volumes increase, supplemented by temporary staff and even administrative employees helping production during the busiest periods. New investments are evaluated based not only on capacity, but also on what customers are asking for. Embellishment, greater product variety, shorter publishing runs, and new finishing options are all part of the discussion as RPI continues to explore where print-on-demand is headed. With facilities in Washington State, the Atlanta area, and Rochester, New York, RPI Print has built a highly scalable production platform — ready to handle both everyday production and the extreme volumes that come with seasonal peaks. Enjoy the walkthrough and conversation with Kristen Parks from RPI Print.