Paper storage?

[jdr999]

Hi all,

I'm looking for ideas on the best paper storage practices. We're an all digital shop and generally do short/medium runs of about 100-5000 pieces. We stock many different papers and am struggling with the best way to store them. Temperature changes, humidity, and curling issues are definitely problems I'd like to address. We stock from 8.5x11 to 13x19 sheets as well as about two dozen wide format rolls.

We work in a retail location and there is no back-room or dedicated storage facility. Space is an issue as we have one large wall dedicated to paper storage.

We constantly pull from most all of our papers so they need to be neat, organized, and easily accessible -- as well as protected.

Looking for ideas -- pictures greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Joe

 

[arossetti]

Step 1 is always stabilize your environment but I understand if that is cost prohibitive, just know anything you do is only a bandaid.

You should be ok with anything stored in ream wrappers but as soon as you open them I would stick the loose sheets into ziplock like bags: https://www.uline.com/BL_205/Minigrip-Reclosable-Bags?keywords=plastic resealable bag

This is what Xerox recommends and provides with the iGen.

 

[namelessentity]

I know some Kinko's locations had paper racks that were on a track so you could put all your unused shelves flush. It's kinda like this : http://www.tigermedical.com/Product...c=adwords_tm&gclid=CPPhucblq9MCFY6KfgodyQMBIA

Do you have a shrink wrapper? We generally shrink wrap our overstock if it's loose.

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

We shrink wrap all sheets that we are not using for an extended period. Should be a lot cheaper than those baggies in my opinion.

 

[arossetti]

We shrink wrap all sheets that we are not using for an extended period. Should be a lot cheaper than those baggies in my opinion.

You buy the bags once and reuse them, shrinkwrap took too much time for us when you are trying to jockey a bunch of jobs and paper around.

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

Are you trying to imply that I don't print a lot? I run 5 shrink wrappers non-stop just shrink-wrapping the leftovers from my 15 iGens. And that's just in one plant.

 

[arossetti]

Are you trying to imply that I don't print a lot? I run 5 shrink wrappers non-stop just shrink-wrapping the leftovers from my 15 iGens. And that's just in one plant.

Can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.

 

[dabob]

Are you trying to imply that I don't print a lot? I run 5 shrink wrappers non-stop just shrink-wrapping the leftovers from my 15 iGens. And that's just in one plant.

No, I don't think he's implying anything other than most plants do not have 5 shrink wrappers running non-stop . . . I know that while we have 2 shrink wrappers they are only turned on when we have a production run . . . methinks he is a much smaller shop than yours and to shrink wrap one or two packages a day would not be very cost effective . . . . just my 2 cents . . . .

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

Can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.

Only a half truth, as I have two additional shrinkers that run part time, and an extra guy we have come in during the summer when we get busy.

 

[arossetti]

Only a half truth, as I have two additional shrinkers that run part time, and an extra guy we have come in during the summer when we get busy.

I'm still not sure if you are taking me for a ride but lets pretend you are not. How is running 5 shrink wrappers a more economical solution than reusable bags? For $500 you would have 5,000 bags or for $500 you would have a days worth or labor and materials on a shrink wrapper.

I think you are pulling my leg however, I'm not jaw dropping over the amount of work but of the amount of labor you would be associating with the task of preserving loose sheets.

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

I was totally taking you for a ride. I like the idea of the bags, but the shrink wrapping is something that we already have $$$ invested into and I don't see any reason to switch to save a few pennies. We are a smaller operation than you think, haha.

 

[arossetti]

I was totally taking you for a ride. I like the idea of the bags, but the shrink wrapping is something that we already have $$$ invested into and I don't see any reason to switch to save a few pennies. We are a smaller operation than you think, haha.

Got yeah, and to clarify on my point - when we use to shrink wrap open reams my operators would just stack loose sheets next to the shrink wrapper for when they had time. Apparently they never had time so they just sat there. Soon walking to the finishing side to drop off the loose sheets took too much time so then the stacks of loose paper started forming on top of the printers.

We started to implement a lean manufacturing team to help tighten up our operation during the recession, one of the things that came from doing a spaghetti map was that it was a lot of waste for someone to walk to the shrink wrapper, and shrink wrap when they were in the middle of a print related task. This is why we ended up moving to the bags, it was a good fit for our operation.