When people talk about building a “modern print environment,” it can sound like a one size fits all solution. In reality, every industry uses print a little differently.
Schools manage huge swings in demand throughout the year. Healthcare organizations depend on fast and secure access to patient records. Manufacturers need rugged, reliable devices that won’t slow down production. Commercial printers rely on color accuracy and high‑volume output. Even law firms have their own unique requirements for document security and workflow efficiency.
Because every organization has different goals, compliance needs, and day‑to‑day pressures, the right print environment should fit the way your teams actually work.
At Gordon Flesch Company (GFC), we’ve helped organizations across education, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, and high‑profile partners like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Green Bay Packers modernize their technology and streamline operations.
In this article, we’ll look at how a modern print environment varies by industry so you can evaluate whether your infrastructure, security and workflows align with your operational needs and today’s best practices.
Print Environment by Industry
Schools and universities rely on print more than many people realize. From classroom materials to admissions packets and campus communications, print supports nearly every workflow. A modern print environment in education needs to balance high demand, tight budgets and strict security requirements.
One of the biggest opportunities for improvement is centralized print management, which gives IT teams visibility into how devices are used and where costs can be reduced. Marquette University is a strong example. By leveraging uniFLOW for secure printing, analytics and usage tracking, they replaced outdated devices with modern technology and improved security, collaboration and uptime. Their ongoing optimization cut the overall fleet size by more than a dozen machines and is supported by a dedicated on‑campus GFC technician to keep everything running smoothly.
GFC CASE STUDY: Marquette University
K‑12 districts also face unique pressures, particularly when IT staff is small but device needs are widespread. The Licking Heights Local School District modernized its fleet with managed print software that brought aging devices under control and cut supply costs. In one instance, print logs enabled staff to identify the source of a printed bomb threat within minutes, demonstrating how a modern print strategy can even support emergency response.
GFC CASE STUDY: Licking Heights School District
Across education, modern print environments help campuses reduce waste, improve security and give staff and students a more reliable user experience. Whether managing hundreds of devices across a university campus or supporting administrators and teachers in multiple school buildings, the right technology reduces downtime and frees internal IT teams to focus on higher‑value work.
In healthcare, printing isn’t just an administrative function. It’s woven into patient care, compliance, billing and clinical workflows. A modern print environment must support security, reliability and efficiency without slowing down fast‑moving teams or compromising protected health information.
For large healthcare systems, one of the biggest challenges is device sprawl. UW Health, which serves more than 600,000 patients across six hospitals and 80 outpatient sites, had accumulated hundreds of printers purchased on an as‑needed basis, creating a complex environment that was difficult to manage and secure.
GFC helped UW Health modernize with a managed print strategy that eliminated unnecessary devices, while providing centralized management and standardized workflows. A key part of this transformation was implementing PaperCut secure printing, which holds print jobs in a queue until the user logs in at the device. This prevents abandoned documents and ensures sensitive patient information, legal documents and personnel files are only released to authorized staff.
GFC also supported UW Health’s clinical workflows by integrating print processes with their electronic health records (EHR) system. Custom connectors were developed so print tasks aligned seamlessly with established EHR workflows, reducing friction for clinical staff and improving documentation accuracy.
The results demonstrate what a modern print environment looks like in healthcare:
UW Health’s experience shows how modernizing print can support both clinical and operational goals, helping healthcare teams stay focused on delivering excellent patient care while reducing risk and controlling costs.
GFC CASE STUDY: UW Health
Law firms depend on fast, accurate and highly secure document workflows. A modern print environment helps legal teams manage casefiles, briefs, contracts and client communications without compromising confidentiality. Features like secure print release, permission-based access and detailed audit trails help keep sensitive documents protected. These tools also support client matter tracking. They also make it easy to bill back and recover costs.
Workflow automation tools also reduce manual steps when preparing filings or assembling case packets, helping attorneys and support staff move faster. Standardizing devices across offices simplifies training and minimizes downtime so teams can stay focused on clients, not printers.
In manufacturing, print workflows support everything from labeling and logistics to quality checks and production documentation. Down time or inefficiency in any of these areas can slow an entire line. That’s why a modern print environment should be part of every manufacturer’s continuous improvement plan. Standardizing devices, improving visibility and reducing manual tasks helps teams move faster and operate with fewer errors.
G&J Pepsi, the nation’s largest independent Pepsi bottler, is a strong example. Their modernization effort improved efficiency across production and distribution by streamlining their fleet and gaining better control of print-related processes.
For manufacturers, the path forward is clear: managed print delivers the reliability, predictability and operational insight needed to keep production moving and support long-term improvement.
GFC CASE STUDY: G&J Pepsi
Production print environments run at a different pace than traditional office print fleets. High‑volume shops depend on consistent color, tight turnaround times and equipment that can handle long print runs. A modern production print environment supports these demands with automated quality controls, high‑uptime devices and workflows built for speed and accuracy.
Acme Graphics, a specialty printer serving multiple niche markets, is a clear example. Before partnering with GFC, they struggled with equipment downtime, supply issues and delayed delivery schedules. GFC responded with a comprehensive production print plan that streamlined workflows, increased capacity and improved reliability. Canon production devices, paired with automated sensing units, helped ensure better color calibration and consistent front‑to‑back registration while printing.
The results were transformative. Acme Graphics saw their machine uptime leap from 84% to 97% and overall productivity rise due to smoother workflows and faster service response times.
For commercial print firms, a modern print environment is more than equipment—it’s a competitive advantage.
GFC CASE STUDY: ACME Graphics
A modern print environment isn’t defined by hardware alone. It’s shaped by visibility, security, uptime, integration and the ability to adapt. As we’ve seen through real‑world examples—organizations that modernize gain better control of costs, reduce waste and improve day‑to‑day productivity.
When your print environment is built intentionally—and managed proactively—it becomes a strategic asset rather than a recurring problem to solve.
Is your print environment truly supporting your growth, security needs, and operational goals? Contact the experts at Gordon Flesch Company to discuss!
