Whether you operate online or have a brick and mortar shop, the business of printing has become increasingly competitive. From battling against big box stores to large online retailers, independent printers must be more agile than ever to compete in the marketplace. The good news is that developments in digital printing have given smaller printing companies a chance to achieve a competitive advantage, offering clients fast turnaround times and excellent service – with everything done in-house. Production print technology is truly breathing new life into the small print shop.
How Have Changes in the Printing Industry Affected Independent Print Houses?
In the last decade, big transformations in the printing industry have affected independent shops. These changes surround the increasing roles of chain printers, big box stores like Office Depot and Staples, and online print service providers like VistaPrint. Perhaps even more significantly, many businesses are taking their marketing campaigns online; instead of sending postcards, they are emailing newsletters, writing blogs, and spending money on social media advertising campaigns. These changes have caused business to decrease in some shops, but in others, new technologies have enabled them to stay in business – and prosper.
How Can Independent Print Houses Survive in the Face of Increased Competition?
The bottom line is that companies are still spending money on printed materials, for marketing and other purposes. The challenge is merely getting that business, and for many smart printers, the solution is offering flexibility, high-quality products, and personalized service that the big guys (or the virtual guys) just can’t provide. Using the digital technology that production printers and their accessories offer to complete everything in-house can also bring down costs and make pricing more attractive.
The revolution in production print technology has been a boon for many smaller printing houses, allowing them to win clients with first-rate, custom work. Printing booklets and brochures in-house is a niche many independent companies are finding works well for them.
How Commonwealth Digital Can Help Your Production Print Business
As a proud supplier of Konica-Minolta products, Commonwealth Digital offers a range of production printers and accessories. We are more than impressed with the impact the Konica-Minolta SD-513 finisher is having on the printing business. This is one of those production print accessories that is a game-changer for independent commercial printers, allowing for high-quality, high-speed binding and trimming – all in one shop.
The SD-513 features saddle-stitch binding, ideal for programs, calendars, booklets, newsletters, pamphlets, and even smaller magazines and catalogs. Saddle-stitched publications are bound with staples; the technique gets its name because the sheets are placed on a piece of equipment that looks a little like a saddle during the process. The SD-513 allows for either a two or four position binding with specially-designed, high-quality staples.
Another impressive feature of the SD-513 is three-sided trimming after binding. Three-sided trimming allows the pages of the booklet to stack up in perfect alignment, an essential feature when creating professional publications.
In-House Print Production with Commonwealth
For many commercial printers, the binding and trimming elements of the process are still outsourced. But thanks to Konica-Minolta’s incredible technology, commercial printers of all sizes can create beautiful, professional projects completely in-house, saving clients time and money. In the printing business, it’s a tremendous asset to be able to handle your customer from start to finish. Never having to leave your shop to complete catalogs or magazines not only helps your bottom line, but it enhances your customer service. We look forward to helping our print house clients survive and thrive!