Think before you print .
Spending time working with aqueous-based printing machines recently raised the thorny old question of what end users really want. Many customers ask their display producers for outdoor durable applications which will last for up to three years before they need to be replaced, whilst others want something which only the high-end UV-curable machine can produce to the right specification. But what about the countless jobs that are intended for short-term promotion and, thus, only needed to be output for a limited life span?
Here’s an analogy. Today we buy our cars because we know that their engines are good for going round the clock and, even then, are hardly run-in. We choose these models because they offer reliable longevity; yet most of us realise that, after a specified period of time, we’ll replace them because we want a new one. They still have plenty of life left in them, do what’s expected of them and are nowhere near the end of their anticipated lifecycle.
So, in many ways, that’s how we treat print. And end customers ask about longevity and fading and the overall maximum durability that can be expected from many applications. But many of today’s wide-format digital print runs are destined to be in place for only a limited period of time. If there’s a special promotion or advertising for a specific event, the period of use for that particular job might only be a few weeks – sometimes less. Such is our conditioning on the maximum life of a material and ink that we automatically switch into optimised mode and quote for an order which well exceeds its realistic lifespan.
This long-life attitude has helped bring about the end of popularity for aqueous-based print in many short-life jobs. There are demands for posters and point-of-sale materials which are only going to be in place for a few days but display producers are getting locked into the durability issue and are quoting orders for production on premium materials with inks that have a durability of three years, even when it’s not needed.
There are elements of this market that have a disposable ethos. From a display producer’s and bureaux viewpoint, the margin might be attractive to produce an order with a long life span. But aren’t many of these people shooting themselves in the foot? A customer who wants some posters, or a retailer who wants a quick and cheap way of shifting excess stock, has no need to go down the endless road to longevity. What these people need is a fast, inexpensive run of output which can turned round quickly and disposed of, preferably using green methods, once the job has served its purpose.
So what’s wrong with producing these applications on a low-end aqueous-based printer that uses inexpensive material yet balances its quality equally with higher end equipment? In a nutshell, it’s a good way to go. And the savvy bureau, display producer or print service provider will see this as a great opportunity to get repeat business because the original order was turned round for a minimal amount of money, quickly and efficiently. Quality is good, colours are matched accurately, and the application will last the necessary numbers of days, weeks or, even, months before it’s past its sell-by date. Because the customer pays less and knows his order is time-limited, he’ll come back for more of the same, and that keeps the printers working.
One of the joys of wide-format digital printing is the fact that it can be disposable and that it doesn’t have to last forever. Longevity is great for applications that need to be used in taxing environments where a tough finish and good lifespan are essential. But there are thousands of applications where the message of the display is designed to be short-lived before it’s superseded . so think before you print and don’t produce jobs that outlive their expectations. Follow the dateline and use technology that complements it. This can reduce margins, overheads and keep the wheels of your industry sector turning.
