2 The plant’s processes eventually were brought under control. What were the main benefits of this? ‘Before the crisis the quality department was just for looks, we certainly weren’t used much for problem solving, the most we did was inspection. Data from the quality department was brought to the production meeting and they would all look at it, but no one was looking behind it.’

(Quality Manager, Preston Plant)

The Preston plant of Rendall Graphics was located in Preston, Vancouver, across the continent from their headquarters in Massachusetts. The plant had been bought from the Georgetown Corporation by Rendall in March 2000. Precision-coated papers for inkjet printers accounted for the majority of the plant’s output, especially paper for specialist uses. The plant used coating machines that allowed precise coatings to be applied.

After coating, the conversion department cut the coated rolls to the final size and packed the sheets in small cartons.