When it’s got to be Good
Ask 10 different people to define commercial printing and you’ll get 10 different answers. One thing, however, is a given—whether it’s a glossy, high-color poster on a rich substrate, a black-and-white owner’s manual on uncoated stock or a business card with a PMS logo, the job must be done perfectly and delivered on time.
Considering various prepress services, including design (in some cases), the actual printing, finishing options and fulfillment services, there are plenty of opportunities for manufacturers and distributors to demonstrate their talents and skills, proving their value to customers. One-stop-shop trends are making it more and more likely that distributors will be asked at some point to provide more unique, innovative types of printing. With a full understanding of the application, as many samples from the customer as possible and the right manufacturing partner, commercial printing can significantly boost profits while satisfying the creative spirit.
Here, three distinctly different commercial printers—specializing in structural packaging designs, large-format products and traditional products, respectively—discuss demand, suggest applications and offer tips for success.
Structurally Sound
Approximately three years ago, York, Pennsylvania-based Triangle Printing did some serious thinking outside the box—literally. The upshot is an in-house engineering department specializing in structural designs. Mike Dohm, vice president of sales, explained that the high-end commercial printing company, well-known for its die-cutting work, added some special equipment, including cutting plotters, converters, a new press specifically designed to handle thicker paperboards, high-speed diecutters and high-speed gluers, to produce products such as folding cartons, POP items, promotional packaging and 3-D printing.
“We are doing a lot of origami with paperboard,” he joked. “We have a packaging engineer who can figure out how to produce a project from the structural side, working with our machine operators to design around automation, before any thought is given to placing graphics.”
Obviously, the company’s distributor customers now encompass a broader-based group of sales professionals, including packaging brokers. “Even traditional forms guys are picking up on it and seeing the value [of what this can mean for them and their customers]. There is a learning curve, but once they get it and understand, it is very powerful,” observed Dohm.
He went on to say that handling structural design issues for packaging enables distributors to get involved early in a project—before control-loving graphic designers do—which can be most advantageous. “It parallels what used to happen back in the day with business forms,” continued Dohm. “Distributors would design [effective] forms, and not only was it a very rewarding experience for them, but customers would think they were the greatest and providing a terrific value-added service. Subsequently, they got the orders and future reprints. This is the same kind of thing.”
One project required a bookmark stand as part of a promotion for a book launch. “We designed the stand, and printed the bookmarks, along with some other collateral pieces,” said Dohm. “When you are involved with the engineering side of a job, the related collateral work tends to go along with it, if [the distributor] is competitive [in offering] a one-stop-shop [approach].”
Other recent successes include printed box-within-a-box protective self-mailers for beer steins, and packaging for a pharmaceutical roll out featuring magnets and other “crazy, little” value-added details. “It was a real functional nightmare, but we figured it out,” recalled Dohm.
Triangle Printing is seeing growing demand for integrated marketing pieces, such as “portfolios with lots of bells and whistles, like slots for pens, integrated cards on front and back and special expansion features.” In addition, consumer product packaging requests and applications within the education market are on the rise.
Due to a partnership with a board company supplying a specially coated paperboard featuring a secondary coating, Triangle Printing can produce packaging prototypes that look like the printed pieces, yet are very affordable. “This [capability] has helped us win jobs even when our price was [higher],” Dohm reported.
He pointed out that forest sustainability initiatives throughout corporate America are currently driving strong trends in packaging design. “It is forcing suppliers to be ecologically responsible. It has taken us almost a year, but we are about to become FSC (forestry stewardship council) certified,” added Dohm.
The Big Picture
Headquartered in Spring Grove, Ill., Paragon Visual Solutions is a manufacturer of large- and grand-format digital color printing. The company’s 10 foot-wide digital printer prints on a wide variety of substrates, giving customers the flexibility to create unique, eye-catching products. Sales representative Dennis Kohl said frequently requested items include banners, backdrops for trade show applications, durable outdoor advertising pieces, custom wallpaper, graphics used by real estate businesses and car dealerships and promotional pieces for athletic organizations and the entertainment industry.
“Something like trade show graphics will be seasonal, and not something you can depend on [as a steady source of orders], but distributors have to let clients know they can provide it, or those clients will look elsewhere should the need arise,” advised Kohl. “As long as [distributors] are handling marketing collateral that will be used at the show, why not display materials?”
He acknowledged that wide format is very popular and the needs are definitely growing. Distributors new to wide-format printing sales may want to get a brief orientation from a qualified supplier before working with a customer. “For instance, you want to avoid having a seam run down the middle of a face—we can do up to 101⁄2 feet wide before having a seam. And, resolution is critical in wide format,” emphasized Kohl.
He pointed out that Paragon Visual Solutions uses a 14 ounce vinyl for super-durable outdoor applications, as well as inks that will last two to three years without fading. While some may be tempted to go with a thinner substrate for a more attractive quote, Kohl warned it is a big mistake to sacrifice quality to get a job. “Even if the customer is thinking the piece won’t be up for long, it can still be damaged in the interim. The customer may even decide [he or she] really likes it and wants to keep it up longer,” he said. “You also have to take weight factors into consideration when deciding how to correctly support a large piece like an outdoor banner. [Distributors] may not know they need reinforcements around the outside to avoid damage from the wind or environment.”
While vinyl substrates require heat-sealed hems, fabrics must be sewn, and artwork must be prepared correctly so when it is blown up to the required size, it will still be visually pleasing and project the quality the end-user expects.
In seeking out opportunities for wide-format printing, Kohl suggested targeting clients with a good turnover of events and programs, and who launch new products on a regular basis. “Focus on clients who can keep you busy, like car dealerships and the entertainment [industry], where every day there is something new,” he said.
Hot Commodity
Lewis Color, Stateboro, Ga., specializes in medium runs of commercial printing jobs including brochures, catalogs, posters, calendars, rackcards, postcards, catalog sheets and custom pocket folders. Tommy Lewis, president, acknowledged that a lot of the commercial print products have become commodities, but there is no denying the demand.
“We also do short to medium runs of magazines and catalogs,” he added. “Items like catalog sheets and standard brochures are strictly price driven, and we are going to be seeing even more of this. But, true custom commercial printing gives you a little more latitude to charge [a] higher [amount].”
Although commodity items limit profit margins, they are terrific sources of frequent and repeating jobs. To ensure customer satisfaction—and future orders—the company’s website (www.lewiscolor.com) offers helpful guidelines for setting up graphic files for print to enhance quality and speed turnaround. For instance, avoid font problems with graphic files by converting all type matter in the graphic to either outlines, paths or curves depending on the software. Also, scan images at a high enough resolution to accurately reproduce the image, and if images are supplied in any color mode other than CMYK, be sure to note the supplied color mode.
“Many [distributors] have defined their niche, whether it’s healthcare or the automotive industry, or they may just cater to small businesses,” Lewis observed. “To be profitable, you’ve got to have a niche, and I think [most distributors] know where to look [within their accounts] to find these opportunities.”
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