How did you establish a relationship with your printers...

There is no relationships with printers, especially in the North East,too much hassle, they are all numbnuts. I don't have any dealings with any of them anymore as they will let you down.
We use a print management company who used to be my Production Director at my last agency. He is the person you need, and his prices are just as cheap as direct. Contact Steve Bowen Renegade Print Management , tell him Berry sent you.
 
I like the bluntness :) They can't all be numbnuts. I'm sure there are a handful of decent ones(?)

In what ways did they let you down? Timing?

Do you pay an upfront cost to a Print Management Company or do they take a cut?
 
You deal with a Rep, his job is immediate sales. ching ching.
Production and printers are like British Rail workers or any production line person they work at their pace and do what is put in front of them, nothing more nothing less. They knock off when the clock strikes 4.00 - unless they are on overtime. I have yet in 40 years known a printer who hasn't said ' 'sorry, the job will be delivered on Monday.' If you don't understand print, setting up jobs for specific printers and the processes - expect mistakes ( that you will pay for )
There are good printers in the North East, who print good work, but the client management and relationship is zero, that's why we use a print manager to handle that side of the work.

My guy is a middle man, he get the prices i want and chooses the right printer for the job, all that is now his responsibility. He will make a % on the job, but that % takes the hassle out of us dealing with printers. Price wise, because of his buying power he commands cheaper prices than if i went direct, because he deals with these guys every day. I have used him exclusively for over 4 years now and have not had one print problem or missed deadline. As he knows print he also checks the artwork and proofs etc. Printers don't do that they just print and if a file or jpeg has a path or anything on it by mistake they will print it. Mistakes in artwork can be crippling.
 
Yeah I recently had that very same problem. They weren't sending me a proof and they kept printing the file really dark so it took three efforts to get what I needed.

That is really valuable advice Berry and indeed appreciated! You're very much a local boy... we shop at the same blasted Morrisson's.

I've emailed Mr Bowen.
 
Berry said:
There is no relationships with printers, especially in the North East,too much hassle, they are all numbnuts. I don't have any dealings with any of them anymore as they will let you down.
We use a print management company who used to be my Production Director at my last agency. He is the person you need, and his prices are just as cheap as direct. Contact Steve Bowen Renegade Print Management , tell him Berry sent you.

I wouldn't say they are all numbnuts in the North East. They are some good ones out there. And on the flipside they are some idiots that i wouldn't trust to turn on a light properly.


Highly recommend Renegade Steve - legend. Knows his stuff. Quick. Reliable and well, good.
 
I think you speak as you find. I'm with a great printers in Wales called WPG. Everything I do goes through the Sales Director, Andy Bebb, but I find him really helpful.

He does everything he can for me and they are all good up there. That said I've gone through a fair amount of s**t to find them. As I say, you speak as you find.
 
I've worked at a couple of printers before starting my own venture (due to launch in the new year) and I agree about the problems graphic designers face when using a printer. Usually there are two types of customers that go direct to a printer, the chap who knows nothing about print and wants everything designed and delivered at a certain time and the chap who's a graphic designer and supplies his own files to avoid any extra charges.

Within these two types of orders are an infinite number of cock-ups just waiting to happen... incorrect file size, incorrect design brief which is most likely to delay the job etc etc.

So the advice from me would be to agree on everything before going to print, right from the design brief stage or the file supply stage. Most printers will turn a blind eye to the elements that may affect the outcome of your job so it's best to double check everything before you hand over your cash... I shouldn't be saying this as a printer but from my own experience as a sales person and a graphic designer at a number of printers it's something that everyone should be aware of.

Our online venture is simple, you supply the graphic files as per our specifications (plenty of downloads will be available, as well as knowledge on print production) and we guarantee the product in terms of quality, delivery and timing.
 
Interesting thread being a designer and working for a printers!

I have to agree that from experience - some printers really don't give a sh*t about how your work comes out and the communication is very limited. I'm happy to say that where I'm working we try and be as open and honest as possible. I definitely second what Andy says about checking everything is ready before it goes to print. Our Repro department are constantly finding problems with artwork on a daily basis. But I guess the difference between client focused printers and money driven printers is flagging up these problems asap and rectifying if them if they've already been printed (although the idea is to catch them early!).

I personally prefer working with design agencies because they care about how their product is printed and all the small details. It's a pleasure and rarity that a client shares enthusiasm for print finishes and quality.

I can't comment on the North East but we have a good network in the South West (although we obviously have our fair share of numb nuts!)

Chris
 
Chris Lord said:
Interesting thread being a designer and working for a printers!

Our Repro department are constantly finding problems with artwork on a daily basis.

I personally prefer working with design agencies because they care about how their product is printed and all the small details. It's a pleasure and rarity that a client shares enthusiasm for print finishes and quality.

Chris

Chris I'm a freelance graphic designer/photographer who loves the qualities and details of print and also as it happens looking for the printer. I work and live in London. I'm relatively new to printing so are you saying that the company you work for are good at going through all the requirements needed unlike the others?
 
Well welcome!

I am slightly biased and will say yes, where I work we do care about providing decent quality. Don't get me wrong, there are other printers that love what they do and care about the jobs they print. Unfortunately they're just hard to find.

If you'd like to talk about any projects you've got coming up or just about print/ design in general - give us an email or pm.

Regards,

Chris
 
In the past three weeks I seem to have nurtured exactly the kind of relationship with a printer I was after. The first job arrives today so if it is brilliant, as I am hoping... I'll give you all the heads up.
 
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