In this episode, Dylan sits down with Michael Fader, General Manager at Pacific Sportswear in Tacoma, Washington. Michael shares his path in the screen printing industry, starting in high school graphics classes and garage shops in Ohio before taking on leadership at a high-volume West Coast production facility.
This conversation breaks down practical operational strategies for print shop leaders. Dylan and Michael discuss capacity planning, scheduling structures, evaluating digital hybrid equipment, and solving everyday press room challenges.
MANAGING SHOP CAPACITY AND SUSTAINABLE EXPANSION
Scaling a screen printing operation requires aligning press capacity with realistic sales pipelines. Bringing in automatic equipment increases potential output, but long-term profitability depends on balancing direct client orders with contract jobs. Taking on contract work helps keep equipment running during slow cycles, but shop owners must calculate job margins carefully to avoid printing purely to maintain machine volume.
When market volume fluctuates, clear communication across leadership and production staff keeps the shop aligned. Providing open updates on order flow and weekly targets allows managers to adjust labor schedules without causing uncertainty on the production floor.
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IMPLEMENTING A FOUR-DAY WORKWEEK SCHEDULE
Moving to a four-day, ten-hour work schedule offers clear benefits for production teams. Running active production Monday through Thursday maximizes press uptime during operational hours while giving staff a consistent three-day weekend. This schedule change reduces daily attendance issues on active print days.
For shop managers, keeping Fridays free from standard production runs opens dedicated time for facility maintenance, ink testing, and proofing. Using non-production days to test complex artwork setups, audit darkroom processes, and run customer press checks prevents costly interruptions during main manufacturing schedules.
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EVALUATING DIGITAL HYBRID TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL SQUEEGEES
Integrating hybrid units like a digital squeegee alongside automatic presses expands shop capabilities for complex artwork. Digital hybrid units excel at high color count designs, photorealistic graphics, and fine detail jobs that would otherwise require multi-screen simulated process setups and extensive screen prep.
Hybrid equipment works best as a supplemental tool rather than a complete replacement for traditional screen printing. Solid spot colors, specialty ink finishes, and heavy fabric coverage still rely on standard plastisol or water-based screen printing workflows. Matching artwork demands to the correct equipment protects job profit margins and maintains overall shop throughput.
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PRESS ROOM TROUBLESHOOTING AND INK SELECTION
Solving technical hurdles on press comes down to understanding ink behavior and fabric interaction. When printing transparent or challenging ink shades like royal blue or purple on dark cotton or polyester garments, applying a gray poly blocker underbase secures accurate color representation without building up a heavy, rubbery print layer.
Recovering misprints on press requires a systematic troubleshooting process. Using spot cleaning tools, adjusting squeegee parameters, and refining micro-registration setups helps operators save garments and maintain job profitability. Sharing operational ideas and opening shop doors for peer visits strengthens the broader print community.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Four-day workweeks improve scheduling. Transitioning to a 4/10 schedule consolidates setup tasks and reduces daily staff absenteeism.
- Non-production days enable testing. Using open Fridays for maintenance, artwork proofs, and press checks prevents floor disruptions.
- Digital hybrid tech supplements screen printing. Applying digital squeegees for complex photorealistic graphics saves screen setup time.
- Gray blocker bases preserve true color. Using gray poly blocker underbases maintains blue and purple ink accuracy on dark fabrics.
- Transparent communication aligns staff. Keeping open dialogue about facility capacity builds trust between management and operators.