Anchorage Printing Machines: Meeting the Needs of Industries from Oil to Tourism

When it comes to Alaska’s economy, many people place a heavy focus on 3 main industries: oil and gas, tourism, and construction. These 3 industries are the pillars for much of our great state’s financial strength. However, far too few people pause to consider the “back-office” infrastructure that helps to prop up every single one of those sectors. Printers, copiers, and other office machines are fundamental to operations across all of these industries and many more. Despite advances in technology, printers and copiers remain critical to daily operations; when they fail, workflows stall, regulatory deadlines are missed, and costs increase. Keep reading to learn more about how office printers in Anchorage, AK, and other document-based systems are essential to major Alaskan business sectors.

Oil & Gas: Regulatory Compliance, Field Engineering, and Reporting

The oil and gas sector in Alaska is heavily regulated, and it’s in these regulations that office printers truly show their importance. Operators in this industry need to maintain extensive records, including documents related to environmental impact assessments, permit applications, compliance reports, safety documentation, geological surveys, drilling logs, inspection reports, and any correspondence with state and federal agencies.

Many of these documents need to be printed for audits, for field operations, or for submission to specific agencies. The documents also often need to follow strict formatting requirements. This is true for everything from maps and charts to large engineering drawings. High-speed printing and wide-format print options are essential to this industry for regulatory compliance.

Additionally, oil infrastructure is complex, involving everything from pipelines and wellheads to processing facilities, access roads, storage terminals, and utilities. Design and engineering firms produce detailed blueprints, maps, and schematics in very large formats, and businesses within this industry rely on printers with the ability to handle wide rolls and rapid printing to get schematics delivered on time. If a printer doesn’t work, then architectural and structural drawings don’t make it to the jobsite, and the jobsite simply can’t function.

Companies in the oil industry collect data continuously through sensor logs, production metrics, and environmental monitors, among other things. Periodic reports need to integrate this data, and then be presented for compliance purposes. That usually involves printing, binding, and physically archiving the records. High-speed printers—particularly those with built-in binding capabilities—make this faster and easier, cutting down on manual tasks for office personnel.

Tourism & Hospitality: Marketing, Guest Services, and Permits

Tourism is another major economic engine in Anchorage, including cruises, adventure tours, lodges, flightseeing, national parks, visitor centers, and more. Just as with other industries, printing and copying machines are essential for businesses in the tourism sector.

To promote their businesses, tourism operators often produce brochures, maps, flyers, posters, banners, and other signage. Some of these types of advertising require wide-format printing, while others simply need a high-quality color printer that can produce crisp, clear images. For a lot of companies, these materials need to be refreshed every season, so rapid production and low printing costs per page are essential.

Tour operators in Alaska also rely on printers to create itineraries, tickets, maps, safety instructions, waivers, and other important documents for arriving clients. Some of these documents must also be mailed in advance, so printers need to be able to handle printing on envelopes as well as standard paper.

Companies that run tours in certain areas also have to deal with permits for access to national parks and wildlife areas, along with commercial use authorization forms, liability reports, and insurance documentation. These usually require printed submissions, multiple copies, and certified mailing to be valid. Having a robust printer helps ensure all these documents are completed on time so tours can run without a hitch.

Construction & Engineering

Alaska’s infrastructure development also relies heavily on the same kinds of large-format, high-quality printing needed in the oil and gas industry. This industry utilizes architects, engineers, and contractors, and so also requires things like structural drawings, electrical layouts, plumbing diagrams, civil engineering plans, and more. Wide-format printers that are able to handle heavy-duty use, multiple roll feeds, and other kinds of more durable materials are essential for this industry to run. A simple printer failure can prevent a permit from being submitted or a site layout from being corrected, and work on the jobsite can be delayed as a result.

On multi-year projects (something that’s common with roads, bridges, airports, utilities, etc.), contractors are required to submit progress reports, maintain “as-built” drawings (which often have to be updated on a regular basis), and physically archive documents. These reports usually include things like maps, cross-sections, and photographs, all of which need high-quality printing to produce clear, easily recognizable images.

Of course, you can’t talk about construction projects without talking about the bidding process. Contractors bid on public works projects, and bid documents usually must include detailed project descriptions as well as large-scale drawings, along with a slew of other documents pertaining to the bid—all of which must be printed and submitted. Rapid, high-volume printing is essential during peak proposal season, when bids need to be submitted under tight deadlines.

Find an Office Printer for Your Industry

At Arctic Office Products, we understand that every industry’s printing needs are different. Beyond the difference in print volume needs and choosing inkjet or laser printers, we recognize the need for specialized printing in many industries, including large-format and image-heavy printing. Whatever industry you may be in, Arctic Office Products can help you find the printer that you need to meet your business’s needs.

Give us a call today, or stop by our showroom to see what printers we currently have in stock. If we don’t already have what you need, we can help you order an office printer in Anchorage, AK, that can allow your business to meet deadlines, stay compliant, and maintain productivity on a daily basis. Contact Arctic Office Products today, and speak to one of our experienced team members about your printing needs.