Each dish features a new nugget to chew on and fuel your digital cravings. While transitioning your conventional print business to digital can be advantageous, this month's edition identifies areas to consider when making strategic decisions to move to digital printing.
Before moving into digital, it's important to look at your business portfolio and assess which projects could transition to this type of printing. Digital printing is a cost-effective way to print smaller quantities and variable data, so identify projects that require short runs and personalization. It can also be profitable for reprint projects, as these tend to be smaller orders and shorter runs compared to the original piece. Upon final analysis, ensure you have a sound sales and marketing plan in place before making the transition to digital in order to make this a profitable department in your print shop.
There are multiple types of digital printing available in the market - color toner, liquid electrophotographic (Indigo), and inkjet. Within each digital segment, there are many Original Equipment Manufacturers with a variety of press options as well, so it's important to test multiple digital options to help with the decision making process. By working with different OEMs to produce digital samples currently printed conventionally, you can show your existing customer base the potential in digital printing, as well as ensure your selection is acceptable to the customer.
Keep in mind that within each type of digital printing, different presses use different inksets and different papers. And specifying papers for digital can be intimidating. Therefore, it's beneficial to include your mill supplier and paper merchant in the buying journey to help educate and answer questions related to digital presses and specifying the best specially-formulated digital paper for your digital print department.
Join us at Dscoop booth #109 in Orlando, FL March 24-27 where we will preview the all-new Accent Opaque swatchbook. Can't make it? Join the wait-list! Share your information with us and we will ship your copy directly to your door. Join the wait-list here.
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If you have a topic you are hungry to learn more about, please email us at DYK@sylvamo.com!