After 30 years at Hallmark Cards Inc.’s Lawrence production plant, the workplace foundations haven’t changed all that much for Debby Fornelli.

The place still has the same commitment to quality, comprehensive benefits packages and family atmosphere that have become synonymous with the Gold Crown name.

But Fornelli, who in 1972 counted cards individually and today runs an automated card-folding machine, acknowledges that the plant’s technology has shifted into a much higher gear.

“There’s a lot more automation,” she said, as her machine whirred through 42,453 cards an hour last week. “We used to count ’em all by hand, in packages of 12. Now things are a little faster, but we still have all the quality checks.

“It’s all kind of hard to believe.”

As greeting-card customers prepare to exchange 163 million cards this Valentine’s Day, the folks in Hallmark’s most diversified production plant are busy pushing the envelope of the card industry.

New equipment installations, continued safety upgrades and ongoing efforts to boost services for employees are intended to help keep the Kansas City, Mo.-based company on top of the greeting-card world. Hallmark made 3 billion cards last year, enough for 53 percent of the industry’s total output and generating 56 percent of its revenue.

“Our outlook is strong,” said Mark Garrett, who joined Hallmark upon graduation from Kansas University in 1990 and has been plant manager in Lawrence for nearly two years. “But we continually have pressure to identify ways to make sure that we’re producing the very best product all the time, the first time, just to ensure that we’re remaining competitive.”

The 650,000-square-foot Hallmark plant is the largest private employer in Lawrence, with 855 workers on three shifts. Together, employees produce an average of 10 million greeting cards a week, plus a variety of invitations and thank-you cards.

The cards range from the Warm Wishes line, which retail for 99 cents, to the most ornate and detailed greetings in Hallmark’s inventory.

Late last year, for example, the plant filled the largest order ever called in by the White House  900,000 official White House Christmas cards, to be mailed to supporters, friends and associates of President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. The plant also produced 20,000 cards for Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne.

“There’s a certain amount of pride and workmanship that goes into every Hallmark card,” Garrett said. “Employees feel good about it.”

Even as the plant’s work force has declined from about 900 a year ago  a hiring freeze has been in place since April  productivity has remained stable, in part because of improvements in technology.

Many of the plant’s machines, including Fornelli’s card folder, are designed and manufactured by Hallmark’s in-house team of corporate professionals.

“You can’t just go out and buy greeting-card equipment,” Garrett said.

And it’s not all about cards. As Hallmark’s sole producer of stickers, gift ribbons and bows  it made 1.1 million bows in 2001  the Lawrence plant keeps up to date on its production equipment and procedures.

A new machine arrived late last year to spool rolls of gift-wrap ribbon, to boost speed and enhance brand recognition. Hallmark’s labels used to be on a spool’s plastic wrapping, often thrown in the trash once the ribbon was opened.

Not anymore. The new machine allows labels to be affixed to the side of each spool, reminding customers about the Gold Crown when each gift is wrapped.

But perhaps more important to Veronica Winsor, who runs the new dual ribbon machine, is the spongy cushion floor mat that came with it.

“I’m on my feet constantly,” she said with a smile. “This is helping me out a lot.”

Safety and ergonomics are key points of emphasis for Hallmark, Garrett said. The plant had 47 accidents last year, down from 114 in 1997.

Employee benefits also remain a focus at the plant, where the average worker has been on the job for nearly two decades.

While Hallmark’s profit-sharing plan is legendary in the trade, even smaller items constantly are improved. Last year the plant expanded its internal card store, which offers Hallmark products at 50 percent off the retail price.

Open during shift changes and during the lunch hour, employees peruse shelves just like those in a shopping mall.

Of course, many employees in the plant already have seen the cards  such as those for Valentine’s Day, which were cut, folded and shipped in September and October.

“We always want our employees to have the ability to send the very best,” Garrett said. “And that’s a Hallmark card.”