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Fishtec chose the self-cover option for its autumn mailing, while Cotton Traders selected a thicker, glossier grade for the four outer pages of its August catalogue.
some mailing houses require the area to be personalised to be left unsealed. Finishing is often dependent on creative
objectives or durability required so your designer is probably the best person to understand your requirements and suggest finishing options. Spot UV varnish (selectively applying a varnish and drying it with UV light) is often used to really bring out individual cover design items—or indeed add to the impact of the entire front cover. Gloss or matt laminates can be used to add a coating to the covers to improve durability and extend lifespan.
Packing Packing is always worth considering from
the start as you may well have particular distribution requirements such as sending out to multiple locations or need the print packing for warehouse distribution. Options include packing in bundles, shrink-wrapping and packing in boxes, with larger quantities packed for delivery on pallets. Packing and delivery— from the printer to you as well as from you to your customer—will also have a bearing on the specification of paper used; lighter papers will reduce postage costs.
Timing and delivery It’s important to be clear on when you need
your project completing as this is a key determinant for any printer giving you an
estimate. Printers look at how full their presses are to decide on how to price any given job, so you need to let them know when you need your project to print. Also, if you’re flexible on the date and can fit in with where a printer has spare, unfilled capacity, you can make savings. Once you have committed to placing your
project with a printer, it will book out the press space and time needed to print your job. Printers rely on you providing your artwork when you say you will before the job is due to begin. So if you have problems hitting that date, it’s important to let your printer know as soon as you can. That way, it can try and move jobs around on the press. If you let your printer know too late, you may pay a penalty—in terms of cost or delivery time—as the press and staff are ready and waiting to complete your job. Good, clear and timely communication here is essential.
Pricing and presses To get the best price for your project, it’s
important your project is placed on a printing press that’s the best fit with your particular job. Paper weight, special finishing, quantity of run, all play a role for the print buyer in deciding
which type of printer to place the project with. If there is a rule of thumb, projects using lighter paper on long runs will be printed web offset litho, whereas smaller quantities on heavier paper will be run sheet-fed litho. Smaller runs still may be run digitally, but there is plenty of room for overlap between the processes so it might be worth running your specification by an independent print consultant to make sure you buy from the right sort of print supplier to find savings, simplify the whole process and minimise potential problems. So there you have it. The end result will hopefully be exactly the job you want with the minimum of fuss and the satisfaction you didn’t overspend. Getting there is the result of a good, clear understanding of what you want and when you want it; working with the right printing partner; and regular clear communications between you and your printer.
Good luck!
Richard Biltcliffe is projects director at print management consultancy Webmart.
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