Re: New to the industry: Offset vs Digital
Mel...
The main advantage to having both digital and offset is the ability to meet more of your client's needs under one roof. Typical offset only shops have to outsource jobs (or lose the revenue stream entirely) such as variable information projects, bulk mailings, weekly media guides, in-line numbering on invoices, tickets or fund raising programs, perfect bound manuals with dynamic content requirements and any short run brochures or fliers. Typical digital only shops can't compete with the cost savings afforded to long run brochures, nor can they effectively produce letterhead or envelopes.
Additionally, with the capacity for long and short runs under one roof, printers have the capability to deliver a smaller quantity of any given project (500 or so) sometimes in the same day, while the long-run version of the exact same piece makes its way through pre-press and onto the four color presses. This means the FAST turn around of a digital job, combined with best pricing afforded by offset.
Those who embrace the positives of both digital and offset printing while understanding the needs of their clients are likely to find themselves becoming more of a one stop shop for all their clients needs.
Edited by: Kymberli on Mar 31, 2008 3:38 PM
Edited by: Kymberli on Mar 31, 2008 3:38 PM