BREAKING NEWS: In a shocking story, UK newspaper the Independent is predicting that the Internet will bring about the end of printing. The author with his amazing foresight was quoted as saying, “In Silicon Valley, the printing business is down 40 percent in the past 24 months…record numbers of printers are failing, being sold, or merging…print is dead. Well, it kind of is, anyway.” In this unprecedented turn of events, this Brit noticed that radio, movies and television were unable to uproot printing, but with his amazing powers of deduction sees that the internet will be different.

With England being a geographic neighbor to Silicon Valley (NOT!), the author was able to grasp the pulse of the printing industry, through the high tech center of the universe. He predicts that Valleyites will replace business cards, stationary and brochures with PDAs and email signatures. From the newspaper’s London address, he notices that the record high cost of printing materials are causing people in Silicon Valley to be pushed to publish materials in other ways. He even elaborates that banks are reluctant to make loans on printing presses, all because of the Internet.

Breaking news?  Not so fast.  The article referenced above was written in November, 1999!

Believe it or not,  this story is real and there are others like it.  In hindsight it is easy to say this article is wrong, but the fact remains that this type of thought has been happening for over a decade, only to be proven wrong time and again.

Contrary to predictions of doom and gloom, printing has continued to grow and evolve with the Internet. In 1999 the Internet had 100 million users and has skyrocketed to 1.8 billion users today. The printing industry and direct marketers around the world have watched the explosion of technology, and we’ve adjusted right along with it.

Business cards, stationary and brochures continue to be essential for everyday business; and sorry to say but the PDA has long been laid to rest. Marketers are becoming more targeted and strategic with their dollars and are making use of variable data, short print runs and the many other new doors that have been opened through technological advances and digital printing. Print is, today more than ever, an integrated partner - not opponent - of web and social media. We have continued to buy new high tech equipment, even moving into a brand new larger facility. And as far as Silicon Valley – we receive printed direct mail pieces from Google and Yahoo! regularly.

This reporter may have not been able to predict the end of the printing industry, but we will. It’s not going anywhere. And that prediction is based in fact and history, not hype and hysteria. Yes we had a little fun with this story, but after 24 years of operation, we have heard all of the predictions and proved them wrong. I think it’s safe to say printing will be with us for a long time.

Remember the song “Video Killed the Radio Star?” I know it has been awhile and it’s probably now stuck in your head, but think about the meaning behind the song. Before TV, radio was the dominate medium throughout the country. Families would huddle around the radio to hear their favorite shows. However, as TV gained more popularity, the programming on TV and radio changed, but even though TV grew, radio never ceased to exist, it just adjusted.

The same can be said for the printing industry today. With every new piece of technology comes the notion that it will bring about the demise of the printing industry. Printing has been around longer than any other medium with printed pieces being traced back to ancient China. Print has even sustained through the dawning of the Internet and is still the preferred method of communication for a number of applications, including direct mail, brochures and books.

One of the most recent digital innovations considered a threat to the printing industry is the Kindle. The Kindle, a $250 electronic document reader from Amazon which allows users to buy and download books, has the potential to change the landscape of book reading. Yet, the printing industry is not reporting overall loses, but steady gains.

When it comes to marketing, a different strategy is being embraced – a strategy where printing has not been eliminated, but rather taken a turn towards greater targeting, more personalization, and smaller, more consistent runs for greater flexibility. Marketers are smarter about how they’re spending their budgets and printing today allows them to use their dollars more wisely, and for greater return on investment.  Print is alive and well as an effective marketing tool, only the approach has surely changed.

Fluctuations in medium distribution will continue as new innovations come forward. Even as we talk about the Kindle’s potential threat to the print industry, there are whispers of its demise due to the iPad. The print industry is not going anywhere. I think it is safe to say that video did not kill the radio star and the Kindle will not end printing.

Every year, millions of people from all around the globe recognize Earth Day as a day of environmental awareness. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the day, motivating people to evaluate their daily practices and the impact they have on the environment. Today, it is easier to go green than ever before. Small changes in your everyday life, like bringing a water bottle to work instead of a disposable bottle, can make a significant impact on your carbon foot print.

The printing industry is not normally recognized as a leader in conservation, but there are practices that we use everyday at Kopytek that drastically cut down on waste and often lead to extra savings for the customer. Since 1986, we have been a leader in digital printing and have always stressed the advantages that it can offer. Digital printing cuts down on waste by allowing for cost-effective short print runs. In the past with offset printing, the only cost-effective way of printing was to order a large print run, even if there was only a small quantity needed. In many cases, this meant that a stock of the printed pieces were often never used, because they became outdated waiting to be distributed.

Beyond allowing for shorter print runs, digital printing presses also allow for variable data or as we sometimes describe it, “mass customization.” With variable data we are able to customize every printed piece to its recipient’s preferences, like their favorite vacation destination or clothing label.  By doing so the printed pieces are more targeted and have a much higher response rate than a static piece, this means that you can print smaller quantities that are highly targeted, and get a better response rate.

At Kopytek we also keep all of the services you need in-house. Keeping services like our mailing department in-house cuts down on the gas and time often associated with moving mail from one facility to the next. In fact when we were constructing our new facility we kept work flow at the forefront of the design. This allowed for maximum efficiency, minimal waste and faster turns around times. We even store paper near the printing press where it will be used to cut down on the energy associated with maintaining a large storehouse.

While we do offer many of the green options like voc free ink, soy-based ink or special types of paper, we provide everyday common sense solutions to be eco-friendly. We can help you make decisions with the design of your piece so it can be sized to reduce paper waste. If you have any further questions about printing and how simple changes can make your project more eco-friendly, we are happy to assist.

During the 1400’s Gutenberg developed a printing press that lead the way for future innovation. At the time his printing press was the benchmark for speed and quality in printing. Today, if you were to print on one of Gutenberg’s printing presses, it would take 5,833 hours just to print the Sunday Edition of The New York Times. Luckily for everyone, printing technology has drastically improved. Now, there are different types of printing presses which are capable of printing thousands of impressions per hour, running black ink or full-color.

When customers approach us, they rarely know the difference between the types of printing presses. And that’s ok- it’s our job to learn their project and produce the job with the printer that is most appropriate for the project. To do this, we consider the project’s volume, quality, paper, color, turn around time, and need for variation in the design.

An offset press is the most commonly used. Offset presses work by moving ink from a metal plate to a rubber cylinder and then to the paper. That sounds simple… because it is! Offset presses produce high quality printed pieces in large volumes. Offset presses are also capable of printing on a broad range of sizes of substraits, but without any variation in the design. Typically, a larger run will make the most cost effective use of an offset printer.

Digital presses use digital computer techniques and do not employ the use of a conventional printing plate. Digital printers have shorter set up times and can produce the same image constantly or can employ variable data to customize each printed piece in the run. Digital presses are also helpful for printing small print runs cost effectively, but paper options may be limited.

At Kopytek we can help you make the best decision possible based on your project’s needs. Making simple decisions on the front end, like choosing which type of press to use, can help avoid later challenges as you work through the print process. Because we have invested in the latest print technology we have both offset and digital presses available to you, all under one roof, and all with great delivery at budget friendly prices.

Can you imagine being paid a dollar a day? That was the reality of life during The Great Depression. Times were very bleak and to cope people had to become more resourceful. During that time though, there was a major break through in printing technology. A new printer called the Platen printing press helped improve efficiency in the printing industry, at a time when every penny counted.

Much like the 1930’s, money has become more important today than ever, a dollar saved is still a dollar earned.  And much like the 1930’s, a printing method to make printing more efficient and affordable is still needed. That method is called variable data. Variable data refers to a technique used by printers to utilize the advantages of digital printing presses to produce printed pieces in mass customization as opposed to mass production.  

Like we have explained in the past blogs, variable data allows for customers to print pieces that are targeted to a specific audience. For example let’s say you bought a pair of shoes last year from your local shoe store. This year the store has a new model of the shoe you bought. So, the shoe store is able to print a customized printed piece that says they have the new model in stock in your size. Customizing the printed piece heightens its effectiveness.

Variable data has shown a great return on investment with response rates reported from 5 to 30 percent, which is significantly higher than the average .5 to 1 percent response of a static piece.  Like our shoe store example, messages should be relevant and personalized to the recipient. Make sure that your message isn’t lost in the design; steering away from too much copy and confusing designs. A reader’s eyes shouldn’t need to search the page and messages should be apparent.

Also important to note, managing your database of contacts is the best way to gain effectiveness. Properly maintaining a database of your customers’ activities will not just allow for a targeted printed piece, but the possibility to track trends in your business.  And in the case of a poorly maintained database, the printed piece is doomed before it hits the mailbox. 
 

To provide a service like variable data, Kopytek has invested in the newest printing technology to provide the best work possible, at prices everyone can afford. Even during a time of financial uncertainty, variable data makes it possible to better target your message.  
 

If you have any questions about variable data or how it can work best for you, we have people ready to answer your questions and get you on the way to printing effective targeted pieces.

The USPS today advanced its plan to trim service to a 5-day schedule, read on:
 

http://tinyurl.com/ylo48dk

Kopytek fully supports this plan. In order for the USPS to remain viable, it must remain competitive, and one of the easiest ways to trim costs is to trim the Saturday delivery.  We remain confident in the USPS, and we are pleased they are committed to do what is necessary to compete for years to come.

Believe it or not, the art of folding paper is rooted in deep mathematical traditions. For many years there has been a debate on whether a piece of paper could be folded in half more than seven times…try it, you might not make it that far! Many experts concluded that making the eighth fold was impossible, until a high school student from  California figured an equation that allowed her to fold a piece of paper 12 times! Now don’t ask how she did it, because it takes a regular Einstein to figure it out.

At Kopytek we have our own equation and our sums are measured in the brochures, folders, postcards and other folded products that we offer to our customers. Adding design elements like folds to a printed piece can improve the overall look, giving you the advantage when trying to reach your target market.  The addition of folds makes a printed piece more appealing and less likely to be discarded before being read. But how do we make all of those folds, surely there isn’t an assembly line of people in white gloves folding paper. To save time and paper cuts, printing companies like Kopytek use folding machines. Our folding machines are capable of folding up to one million printed pieces in a 24 hour period.

Having the ability to print and fold printed pieces so quickly may seem unbelievable, but it is actually from a method refined over time. We have always been committed to investing in the latest in printing and finishing equipment.  In 2008, we designed our new facility with work flow and equipment needs in mind, adding two state-of-the-art folding units to an already extensive collection of high-speed digital and offset printing equipment. By adding new technologies, we are able to house all of our extensive services under one roof, increasing the company’s capability and allowing us to offer faster turn around times, lower costs and more personalized service.

If you have any questions about how a folded printed piece can help you, call or email us at 314-432-2700 or sales@kopytek.com.

Before the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, there was the United States Postal Service (USPS). Sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. The USPS was founded in 1775, one year before the US succeeded from Great Britain. The postal service at the time was much different than it is today; mail was not delivered directly to your front door and the majority of the country was without the service. Now fast forward 235 years and the USPS has built a reputation for delivering the mail every day of the week except Sunday; rain, snow or shine…you know the line! That reputation and reliability has led the USPS to be the second-largest civilian employer in the U.S. with the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world. 

Recently the USPS has become the subject of hot debate, putting some of their future services in doubt. The most recent proposal to cut costs, calls for the USPS to eliminate Saturday service in an attempt to avoid an estimated $238 billion deficit it would incur over the next decade. Groups directly affected, such as the postal unions, are opposing the slashes in service, while direct marketers are agreeing with the changes.

It might seem strange that direct marketers would agree with a proposed cut back, especially when their business hinges on the mail service.  The truth is direct marketers and their printers have been preparing for changes in mail service for some time.  The common view is that cutbacks to the mail service are acceptable as long as they protect the mail service as a whole. Cutbacks, like removing Saturday mail service, may be the only option the USPS to be viable, without raising rates.

In the past year alone mail volume dropped 26 billion pieces, from 203 billion to 177 billion in 2009. The volume of mail will rebound slightly as we move out of a recession, but will never reach the level it once had. Today direct marketers use strategies like variable data to reach targeted recipients. Variable data is a technique done by printers that utilizes the advantages of a digital printer to produce in mass customization as opposed to mass production.   

To give an example, let’s discuss a coupon sent out for a hotel with variable data for mass customization. Let’s say last summer you stayed at national hotel chain in Florida that was right on the beach. Since you stayed there, the hotel chain has your address and knows where you visited. When the hotel chain goes to print coupons they can customize your coupon from their database to be specifically for the same hotel you stayed in. Every coupon the hotel prints can be customized. That could mean 10,000 coupons all printed at once, all targeted specifically to their recipients. 

Even with the proposed cut backs in mail service, innovations like variable data make direct mail practical. By targeting every recipient directly it is possible to make the most of every dollar spent. The USPS and direct mail are never going away, that is why printers such as Kopytek have everything under one roof. Whether it be printing with variable data or using our mailing house to deliver printed pieces fast and easy, we can help!

Ever wonder how the ink on a postcard goes all the way to the edge? It seems like a trick only the great Houdini could have mastered! The fact is printers don’t use any magic words or a wand; instead they use a method known as a bleed. Unfortunately a printer is unable to print all the way to the edge of a piece of paper. So this is where a bleed comes in handy. A bleed, literally refers to a design bleeding or extending beyond the border. To achieve the illusion, a printer uses a larger piece of paper than needed and trims off the extra area (bleed) eliminating any type of lines or white space.

When specifying your job to the printer, always make sure to let them know if you need a bleed. As a general rule, remember to add a bleed if the image you designed goes all the way up to the edge of the page, otherwise there will a small white border around the design. But note there can be additional costs associated with a bleed. Bleeds require the printer to use larger paper and cut it down to size, so in some cases they may have to use a larger printer - which could increase the cost of your print job.

To help demonstrate, let’s discuss printing a postcard, and how it would be measured with and without a bleed. You want a 6”x 4” postcard with an image of a sunny beach. The first option has the photo with a 1/4” white border all the way around the edge. The second option covers the entire card, edge to edge. The first option is not a bleed, therefore the document size should be set up at 6”x 4”, and the image size would actually be 5.5”x 3.5”. The second option, however, is a bleed, therefore the document size and the image should be 6.25”x 4.25”, thus providing a 1/8” bleed area on the document. Be sure to insert crop marks to specify the 6”x 4” actual size for proper cutting or cropping of your image.

Remember, speak with your printer about a bleed before sending them artwork! Getting it right on the front end can not only save time, but save money as well. The amount of bleed varies depending on the type of piece being printed and the size. Miscommunications during the printing process can lead to a large discrepancy between your estimated bid and the final bill.

Asking questions and proper design lead to high quality and crisp printed pieces. We know the importance that bleeds have on any printed piece and would love to answer your questions.

One of the earliest accounts of printing dates back to the days when the emperor of China ordered prints of the six main classics of Confucianism. Since then, a lot has changed! Printing has steadily evolved as technology has improved and demand has changed. Today it doesn’t take an emperor’s budget to order custom printing pieces. Getting the printing you want - when you want it, in the quantities you need - is affordable for anyone.

Think of the “olden” days of printing. (Ok, so maybe it was just a few years ago, but things change quickly in this industry!)  You ended up having to produce huge quantities of your printed materials because it was more cost effective to do it that way, right?  Maybe you really only needed 5000 brochures for a trade show, but you printed 20,000 because of the price break.  Your marketing dollars were tied up in that inventory, you had to store it someplace, and the content was probably out-of-date before you got through them all.  Sound familiar?

Today, all that has changed, and the short print run is within everyone’s reach.  Modern digital technology has made it possible to produce small quantities of pieces at a price that is affordable.  Printers who have anticipated this shift and put the appropriate equipment in place are well poised to offer customers short print runs that can be customized for a specific event, targeted to a key audience, or focused on a timely marketing message.  Think of the many opportunities your marketing can take advantage of through cost-effective, short print runs.

Kopytek anticipated the many benefits shorter print runs can add to your marketing campaigns, and has always been committed to investing in the latest printing and finishing equipment.  In 2008, we even designed our facility with equipment needs and efficient workflow in mind.  This has allowed us to produce short print runs - in the same facility we produce larger more complex jobs - in a cost effective and timely manner. With faster turnaround times, lowered costs, and the flexibility to personalize documents, short print runs are a popular option.
We’re here to help with your needs for short print runs.  Please contact us at sales@kopytek.com or 314-432-2700.