newbie here - want to print my paper...

[hcexplore]

hey there - total newb here.

I currently publish a 32-44 pg tabloid newspaper (approx 12"x12")...and I have 3 - 5 flats of color.
you can see it here: www.hillcountryexplore.com

I would like to look into purchasing a printer to print this. Also, there are several similar newspapers in the area that I could print.

my current printer tells me they are currently using a coldset webpress. Is this the best printer for this type of publication?
or are there other options?

finally, where does one find something like this for sale?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Cory Smith]

Re: newbie here - want to print my paper...

you don't want a printer, you want a press.

What you are trying to do is not just a matter of buying and plugging in a piece of equipment.

there are several steps in the process that all require skilled people and specialized equipment (most of it expensive)

I'm not sure what your budget is, but you could easily drop several million into a simple setup, then you need the employees to run the equipment.

 

[jwilson@tracypress]

Re: newbie here - want to print my paper...

Cory hit the nail on the head.

Very expensive to buy a press line that your talking about.

We have a 12 unit Goss Community web press with two 4 high towers. We're able to print 16 of 48 tab pages in 4 color. the cost just under a million. Doesn't include the image setter (CtF or CtP), inserting, labeling, bundling, and everything in between your looking at another million to set the print plant up. If you stitch and trim your magazine you'll need a stitch and trimmer as well add another 200/K.

We do a very good job and one of the reason we get the best we can out of a Goss Community press is we spent a lot of dollars keeping the press in good clean operating condition.

If you're looking for an up grade in printing look to the state chapter of publishers. They will be able to give you names and phone numbers of printer (both cold set and UV) in your area. With pdf and ftp sites you don't need a printer in TX. We once printed a Rodeo publication, labeled and delivered to the SCF and FedEx the office copies back to OK.

I'm in Tracy Ca just east of San Francisco.

Good employees are hard to come by and we're not cheap. We also expect to be paid for a 40 hr week.

How many papers do you print once a month and what's the pressrun. How many publisher will change print plants once you get your press up and running a year from now that's about how long it will take you to get every thing you 'll need.

Are you happy with the reproduction of you paper now.

Another avenue you can look at is split your run into two or three runs so you can get more color pages. Once inserted you can't tell the difference. We split several run into several sections to save on start up spoilage on a large page count short run.

So if you do have 2.5 million dollars to spend, put it to work in a savings account at 3/4 of 1% and you'll make more off if it than you will getting a production plant off the ground.

John