Small run Digital Print

[SZ design]

Morning, I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. (I hope someone else will be able to relate to this feeling) I run a design studio, only myself and one other person who deals with marketing etc, around 18 months ago I started to move into print as well (my main services are websites for small businesses).

1. If I need a small run of flyers by the time delivery / proofing etc has happened there is no profit.
2. Sometimes quality is a issue
3. Delivery times means our delivery time is nearly 10 days in many cases (too long)
4. Mistakes happen - sometimes at our cost!

So I am going to purchase a small digital printer that can cope with anything upto 500 bus cards, small run flyers, dl leaflets etc. Then use stationery direct for any job where there is a decent budget or the run is of decent size and or any design time is involved for myself.

What I am looking for is for someone to give me some advice on which printer to go for and any places it maybe worth contacting? I need it to offer quality and be able to run a decent size stock through it.

Thanks for any help!

Simon
http://www.simonzinndsesignstudio.co.uk

[Boss Hog]

Seriously do you want the hassle and expense of running your own digital press? There are tons of printers out there with digital capabilities, a few on here. 10 days for a digital run is crazy, you need to shop around.

1. If I need a small run of flyers by the time delivery / proofing etc has happened there is no profit.
Put your prices up, or negotiate better rates.

2. Sometimes quality is a issue
It can be with digital print, ensure you know what a digital press is capable of doing well.

3. Delivery times means our delivery time is nearly 10 days in many cases (too long)
Agreed, for digital print that is poor, find someone else.

4. Mistakes happen - sometimes at our cost!
That's business, ensure procedures are in place to stop them happening.

Hope that helps...

[printbar]

Yeah, have to agree with Boss on the cost of running the digi press. I don't know how many business cards you'd have to run off a week in order to get your per order costs below what you'll get from a good supplier, but given that most printers I know do one ganged up run a week I'm guessing you need to be producing a LOT.

1. If I need a small run of flyers by the time delivery / proofing etc has happened there is no profit.

Agree with Boss again. Would also add that it's maybe worth trying to emphasise the bigger profit jobs (hello booklets!)

[Minuteman Press]

Agree with responses above.

Building on #4 - you need a robust proofing process with sign-off (physical / email / fax etc as applicable).

[smartsignsandprint]

Got to agree with tha above really, also don't think that buying a digital machine is going to be the be all and end all of it. It isn't the type of thing you can just plug in and go and get the right results, you need to know what your doing with it, once you've printed the cards or flyers do you have a guillotine to cut them. Do you have enough work to go through it to justify what could be a high lease cost, then there is the click cost, if you don't lease it and buy a second hand piece of kit can it produce the work you need, have you looked at maintenance cost's.

Sorry to sound negative but It's a big step to take and it could be solved by simply finding a better supplier and putting better safeguards in place

Mark

[printer people]

Got to agree with tha above really, also don't think that buying a digital machine is going to be the be all and end all of it. It isn't the type of thing you can just plug in and go and get the right results, you need to know what your doing with it, once you've printed the cards or flyers do you have a guillotine to cut them. Do you have enough work to go through it to justify what could be a high lease cost, then there is the click cost, if you don't lease it and buy a second hand piece of kit can it produce the work you need, have you looked at maintenance cost's.

Sorry to sound negative but It's a big step to take and it could be solved by simply finding a better supplier and putting better safeguards in place

Mark

We supply many designers in the York area - 500 busy cards to client within 2 hours today - £40

Find someone who is not a franchise and understands digital as opposed to litho. An HP indigo runs at a much more expensive rate to a KM bizhub - but you get thicker stocks and better ink/toner adhesion.

some people will pay for top quality - some wont. Bob the builder are happy with the bizhub a top design studio wont be.

[SZ design]

Evening All.

Just a update on this thread (all be it a long time ago!!) I have taken everything on board and have found a couple of extremely stable suppliers that are offering me superb products at reasonable prices.

Still a interesting subject and something that will always give the graphic designer sleepless nights!!

If anyone does need any direction though i would recommend these guys

Scubaprint
Printing of Business Cards, Letterheads, Flyers - Stationery Direct

[Graeme]

hello,

First timer here.

I live in England and my local printer is very good, I just send the file as an attachment and bingo. i must add that I am only an amateur compared to you guys but I guess if i needed to charge a managrmrnt fee it woild br realistic.

Best wishes
Graeme

[taklamakan]

Another alternative that prevents you from buying a digital printer is renting. One company who does that is Océ. They will let you a top quality digital printer, you dont need to worry about the inks but paper. You pay monthly for rental. But be carefull with the rates/charges, as you must negotiate really good contract with them to be able to make profit out of what you are selling.

[c8d]

I have research about this renting idea! but i couldn't find any companies do renting for small digital printer!
Does anyone know about it?