Ink Isn't Just Ink . . .

Bob Plant, marketing manager, Superior Printing Inks: There's a dangerous trend to view ink as a commodity because people fail to see the service and support features that the product and vendor offer. When these aren't factored into the equation, there can be serious problems; people make less-than-informed decisions about their ink purchases, which can result in decreased efficiencies and increased operational costs. For example, take a process ink. If the decision maker is knowledgeable about the product—such as the ink's ability to come to color faster and how this helps reduce paper waste and makeready time—then he can ultimately make a buying decision that could significantly increase throughput.