The Next Generation is the fresh breeze within the promotional products industry. We give a voice to the young generation in the promotional field. A year ago, we initiated this movement with PromZ, and after a podcast season and several articles in this trade journal, we went on an educational trip to the Toppoint factory in Poland! With 12 young people who had never met before, we boarded the train to Zielona Góra on June 25.
This trip was all about learning about the production process and networking.” The journey began in Hengelo, where Toppoint’s headquarters are located. Here, we received a crash course about the company: what they do, where they started, and of course, their strengths and expertise. We then received a tour of the showroom, which is essentially the final step in the production process, piquing the curiosity of the attendees. Early the next morning, we boarded the train and traveled through Germany towards the factory, where we would explore the production process from start to finish.
Upon entering the factory, something quickly stood out to me: everyone working here is eager to grow and optimize processes. Everyone works incredibly hard. The factory operates 24/7, with approximately 380 employees divided into 3 shifts. Why? Orders placed today are delivered in three days. There is enormous pressure on delivery times and product precision.
Every centimeter of the factory is utilized to its fullest, from steaming machines for printing mouse pads, long mechanical arms for screen printing bags, to precision work for laser engraving bottle openers. The Next Generation group was divided and given an extensive tour of the factory, with explanations of various printing techniques and their advantages and disadvantages. We looked towards the future and the impact of digitization. Everything needs to be faster, better, and cheaper nowadays. Completely understandable, but where exactly is the limit?
As a finale, we got to create our own products. The group photo taken the evening before was printed on various products to better understand what is involved. The true Next Gen’er now starts the day with a coffee
mug featuring the group photo.
After an educational day with many impressions, we headed towards the city of Zielona Góra and ended the
evening together. We reflected on an educational week where much fun was had, and even some friendships
were formed.
