This period will be remembered by many entrepreneurs for a very long time, for a variety of reasons. Many had to rethink their core business, others found their way into online business, which allowed them to reach a wider and more international audience. This trend was also noticeable in the graphic arts sector.
In addition, something else quickly became apparent, namely an even stronger acceleration towards signage and large format products. This phenomenon was not limited to digital printers. For some time offset printers have also been looking to broaden their applications and saw opportunities in the market for large format and signage applications. This enables them to offer new opportunities to their existing customers and open up new markets and customers.
Growth market, both for printers and their customers
Logically, the signage and large format business is and will remain an interesting market. Not only are margins generally attractive, but - despite the current crisis - the sign market remains steady. The rapid technical development of production equipment such as printers and converting equipment offers more and more new possibilities. Although there are many different forms of printing, each with its marketing advantages, large format printing can be the most effective form when produced with appropriate equipment and used correctly. Some of the benefits of large format printing for the end user include:
Visual impact: large images can be seen from a distance and have a greater impact on the audience. High quality printed images are also more attractive than other options
Cost effective: while magazine and newspaper ads are expensive and not always efficient, large format printing has a high return on investment and does not require large orders
Versatility: There are few limits when it comes to sizes and materials to print on.
Durability: Large format printing has a longer "shelf life" than other marketing communications. No more faded posters or discarded flyers or brochures.
Attractive: Digital printing technology has come a long way. Bright colours and clear images make for eye-catching images that grab attention
The challenges of signage and large-format printing
So signage and large format printing has no drawbacks? On the contrary, because often the accompanying and supporting administration goes wrong. What is often overlooked is that signage and large format applications have to be calculated quite differently and the administrative handling is also different from offset and digital printing. Because although it is also about "print" here, the parameters are completely different.
Offset printers or digital printers looking to expand their market would do well to take a close look at their administrative workflow. Especially before they get carried away with a new piece of hardware. Because although this is also about "print", sign and large format has a very specific administration and set of parameters. And that's in addition to organisational implications that had better be considered. Consider the following:
Sign and large format often involves expensive materials. A printer should carefully consider what hard and/or flexible materials they intend to handle and choose the appropriate equipment accordingly
There is hardly such a thing as standard formats. In terms of materials, yes, but not in terms of applications. The variations are endless.
Print runs are often very limited and very varied. The 'print run: 1' is no exception
Finishing is often an underexposed aspect and frequently the bottleneck. This is regularly a labour-intensive job with many different (small) devices, all of which represent a cost and labour input. Subcontracting is therefore the order of the day
Another very important aspect in the large format industry is delivery, installation and logistics. After all, the work does not stop at the workshop or the print shop. The customer wants fast delivery and correct installation, often in multiple locations
Choose the right management software
It is therefore understandable that an offset printer would be reluctant to take on this 'out-of-industry' venture or market expansion. Fortunately, there is the reliable 'chassis' of MultiPress. The MIS/ERP system not only understands the differences between the individual graphic market segments but also knows how to address them. So the offset printer can conveniently start expanding the market from his own MultiPress installation.
Pre-calculation and costing of large-scale orders, for example, is not easy and is therefore often not carried out in sufficient detail. Are all labour hours associated with an order calculated? Are the actual costs for materials and colours taken into account? This can vary greatly. In addition, the finishing, subcontracting, delivery and installation of a job is often a tricky point.
The MultiPress 'Large Format' module ensures that all specific requirements for the smooth handling of signage and large format printing are fully met:
Correct calculation of costs through transparent calculation of machine speed and material price, such as ink and #m² material. As the module takes into account the classification of the material to be processed and per machine, this results in a more accurate production time, making planning even more correct.
With a simple link to the finishing department, all variables are simply carried through the system. Without a doubt, this is an enormous time-saver for production and costing! There is also additional automation when calculating the individual parts if the customer wants a format that is larger than the material format. Think of façade cladding, for example....
Creating complete campaigns with predefined parameters is child's play. Corresponding orders, including quotation and invoicing, are thus started with just a few mouse clicks. For this purpose, the finishing processes and material consumption are directly linked to the printed material. The result is a standard library in which print run and format are the variables.
MultiPress incorporates the broadest range of printing and finishing technologies for the graphic arts industry and is the only one of its kind on the market.
For printers who want a powerful, integrated workflow, MultiPress easily integrates with solutions from the major players in this market: Materials (Vink, Antalis, Igepa, NautaSign, ...), e-business (Pressero, Woocommerce, Magento, Prindustry, ...), prepress and marketing, print management and more. ...), prepress and finishing (Agfa, Enfocus, Tilia, Caldera, HP, Roland, Mimaki, Canon, SwissQPrint, Esko, ...), logistics and shipping (Unifaun, Transsmart, Bubmbal, ...), and finance (Exact, ScanSys, ...).
With the award-winning MultiPress installation app, you coordinate the fitters at the customer's site and stay in touch with them. In real time, user-friendly and without unnecessary administrative effort. So you retain full control over every job, right through to the final result delivered.
And of course, it all fits perfectly on the existing MultiPress chassis. This makes the administrative expansion of your existing core business - offset or digital - to sign and large format printing a pleasant journey, not an obstacle course.
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