Lightning Source Global Newsletter

Woody Einecker
Lightning Source Manager of Quality, Waste Reduction, and Training (QWRT)

As the Manager of Quality, Waste Reduction and Training at Lightning Source, Woody Einecker works in tandem with the Lightning Source executive team to set the vision, standards and protocols for the print operations group. Woody and his team of specialists develop the processes, procedures and tools that allow Lightning Source to deliver superior quality books consistently, and do so efficiently.

At the heart of providing consistent quality to Lightning Source customers is the series of quality control (QC) checks every Lightning Source manufactured book receives at every step in the book manufacturing process. The idea is, if each department is passing along to its internal customer a quality product that has met all QC standards, by the time the book components are assembled and delivered to a customer, we’re assured of the quality our customers not only expect, but deserve.

Moving these QC checks from being subjective to being more scientifically assessed in an objective way presents its challenges. The biggest inroads, to date, in objective quality measurements is a process used in the printing of black and white book blocks called the densitometer readings process. In this process, a measuring tool called a reflection spectrodensitometer reads the density of the printed type and uploads those numbers into a spreadsheet, allowing our B&W (black and white) Print Specialists to pinpoint exactly where density adjustments need to be made. Our printers are “in spec” when numbers read by the densitometer fall within the acceptable range. Keeping our printers in a specific range minimizes any perceptible left-to-right density variations and one of print defects more noticeable to even those with an untrained eye.

Woody spends the majority of his time working with the Lightning Source operations management group and book production associates, fine tuning all aspects of the manufacturing process. This coming July, Woody will mark his four year anniversary with Lightning Source.

“I’m doing what I absolutely love doing. It’s what I know best and that makes it fun even after all the years involved in the print production process. People may find this hard to believe, but I wake up every morning looking forward to going to work and doing my job. Being able to share with others my knowledge of quality is still a big kick for me.”

Woody grew up in Chicago, Illinois and currently resides in Smyrna, TN, a suburb of Nashville. Woody and his wife of 25 years Karen, have two teenage children, Tyler who is 19 and Kelsey who is 18. A very big part of the Einecker family are the furry kind, and include canine kids Lucy (Yorkie), Colt (Yellow Lab), Manny (Chocolate Lab) and Peyton (A Labassador…a cross between a Lab and a Basset Hound).

When Woody is not at work he is always looking to add to his collection of HO slot car sets that total over 200 feet of track and 25 cars. An avid outdoorsman, Woody enjoys a good golf game when time allows and getting out on the lake for a little bass fishing. He spends a lot of time watching sports on TV (primarily football and golf), but it doesn’t get any better for him than to be sitting in the stands with 107,000 other Tennessee Volunteer fans watching the University of Tennessee play football against an SEC rival. Coworkers at Lightning Source are convinced Woody bleeds orange.