The NL-S Art Teacher, Ms. Weber, let me take four of her students on a plant tour of Printmasters in Willmar. The kids got a chance to see how the printing process works, how image is transferred onto a variety of materials and just what the folks who work there do, exactly. We had a lot of fun, and they got to ask all sorts of questions about the various things Printmasters can produce.

I know I’m weird, but I have always loved a factory tour of any kind. I have seen all kinds of print production plants, cardboard box manufacturers, livestock processing plants, a metal forge, residential home builders, plastics extruders and clothing imprinters. Plus, all those factories I’ve toured in China. I just love seeing how stuff is made and how factory efficiencies are managed. It is all a fascinating design problem to me. Now I may be weird, but I think I am not the only one. I think I’ll take another batch of kids to another plant or factory sometime soon. After all, they make a great ‘cover.’

Thanks so much to Gary Laughlin and his team for your time that afternoon! We learned so much.