Connections
Build Print Finishing Profits in 2011
Are you sending your digital printed materials out to be finished? Are you looking for ways to speed your turn time and increase your profits on post print projects? These are a couple of the questions you should be asking if you want to increase your profits in 2011.
OK, you have the digital press and can do short or large run printing profitably. What is your process for that job when it leaves the press? Do you send it out of house for folding, drilling, corner rounding, laminating and binding? I suggest that you work on bringing those services in house to build more profit into your jobs.
Increase your bindery profits in 2011
For the past few years I have seen a change in the size of jobs being printed and the expectations of the customer to have it yesterday. With digital presses, jobs are now being printed on a small project basis with shorter lead times. This means, now more than ever, it is more economical to purchase finishing equipment and increase your profits.
Start by evaluating what part of post print finishing do you send out the most. Is it scoring, folding or binding? Usually the print runs are smaller than in the past and there are many manufacturers of short run finishing equipment to meet those demands. You no longer need to invest in large pieces of finishing machines that cost in the thousands and have large footprints. These machines are now available in modular platforms with prices that are more in line with most shops budgets. This will allow your post print finishing equipment to grow with your demand without breaking the bank.
For example, if you send out for short run scoring / perforating jobs then you may want to look into a manual scoring / perforating machine like the Handi-Scor. With the HS-100 Handi-scor, now you can do short run scoring and perforating jobs in house without interrupting the press, with quick and easy setup.
If you send out for short run binding then think about keeping those profits by bringing in house a manual punch binding machine like the Akiles Coil-Mac or Wire-Mac. Both machines are easy to use, have easy setup and are priced to fit most budgets. Or, if you bind using different types of punch binding on a daily basis, consider a punch machine with removable die heads like the Akiles FlexiPunch. This machine allows the operator to change from coil binding to wire binding simply by releasing two levers and removing the die, then inserting the die of choice and locking the two levers back in place all in about 1-2 minutes. The only other additional piece of equipment needed for coil binding is a coil inserter and crimping pliers and for wire binding supplies, a wire closer.
Lloyd’s gets GSA Advantage Contract!
- Lloyd’s gets GSA Advantage Contract!
Lloyd’s of Indiana is awarded certificate of contract with GSA Advantage.
Submission of Offers: Paper or Electronic
As an alternative to the paper submission of offers, GSA has developed eOffer, a web based application that allows a vendor to prepare and submit a Schedule offer electronically. eOffer is designed to create an interactive, secure environment that simplifies the contracting process from submission of offers to contract awards. eOffer uses the latest digital authentication technology to ensure the integrity of data and to electronically sign the offer. Digital certificates are required to use eOffer.
The eOffer website contains a variety of information regarding the eOffer application, including available training, information regarding digital certificates, and identification of those Schedules under which eOffers are currently being accepted.
Three Battles Every Print Shop Owner Must Win
We’re seeing some dramatic changes in the printing industry, which makes it harder for us to keep everything afloat. We’re in a recession, the Internet is reducing the need for print, and green printing and sustainability is becoming the big buzz word, which is changing how we do our jobs.
Mitch Evans of Mitch Evans Consulting recently wrote about the three battles print shop owners need to win in order to succeed. I paid particular attention to this article, because these are the three battles I see my print shop customers fighting every day — at least, the ones who are aware it’s an issue. The ones who haven’t figured out which battles to fight, well, they’re not going to be around much longer.
Evans identifies the three as battles of Communication, Resources, and Cash.
The Battle of Communication
Communicating with employees can be tough. We’re constantly trying to walk that fine line between giving them the right amount of information or giving them stuff that we prefer to keep private. A lot of business owners struggle with whether to fill people in about finances, or keep it completely private. The problem is that owners don’t always think to tell their people what’s going on, especially when the news is bad. If you want to keep employees satisfied, and help them embrace whatever comes their way, communicate with them.
The Battle of Resources
How do you deliver your promises with fewer people, less time, and less money? Your customers are still depending on you to deliver. Their expectations — and yours — have not dwindled. Your expected productivity is still the same. But you have to do more with less. So how are you doing it? It may take overtime, changing your processes, adopting new technology, and letting go of old habits.
The Battle of Cash
This is the battle that affects, and is affected by, the other two. As Mitch Evans says, “each employee has an impact on whether your printing company is losing or winning the battle for cash.” But the challenge is that you need to communicate this battle to all of your employees, and then “manage the appropriate change in attitude and behavior.”
Cash flow is helped or hurt by your sales staff finding the right kind of customer and pricing the work correctly, the production staff completing it efficiently and without, and the accounts receivable department handling billing correctly.
As Evans says, those printers who win these battles will be well positioned when the economy turns around again. While the time to start fighting those battles is when the economy is doing well, there is (hopefully) still time to fight these battles the right way.