Printing Mt. Everest

All printing processes have their own quirks that top printers don’t just mange, they embrace. Wide-format is no different, with unique challenges that must be addressed to be successful in the space.

It should come as no surprise that the first challenge most shops will face when adding wide-format equipment is where do you put it? The biggest challenge they will face is, “space, space, and space. These machines can use plenty of it especially if you get a 5 x 10-foot flatbed printer,” says Stacey Mahmoud, Director of Marketing / Sales Coordinator, CET Color (Booth 119).

The space the equipment will take up isn’t the only concern, however. Making sure you have the right equipment is critical, since not all wide-format presses are alike. “Staying on top of print equipment capabilities and materials that can be used to create print applications,” is a challenge, notes Mike Madura, VP Product Development and Management, Mohawk (Booth 1026). “There are so many great equipment options, and so many types of substrates available, it is challenging to decide the best path forward for your business now and in the future. Fortunately, SGIA is a great venue to learn about the options available.”

“Purchasing the right printer which will scale as their business grows, and ensuring the necessary peripherals are in place to operate the new printer,” are major considerations, agrees Lou Stricklin, Director of Product Marketing, Industrial Business Unit, Oki Data Americas (Booth 2233). “Print shops using wide-format printers need to find a printer manufacturer that will support them as they evolve their business. For someone looking to get into wide-format printing, choosing the printer that will scale with their business is pivotal. Key questions to consider are: What key market segments are you going after? Will you be printing for pay? What are your priorities for the printer — are you looking for a broad-based printer that can handle multiple applications? Or, is print quality of the utmost importance? Are you willing to sacrifice quality for speed?”

Stricklin continues, “One of the most common mistakes when buying a wide-format printer is neglecting to plan for the appropriate and necessary peripherals, such as a laminator, a good RIP and a cutter that works with the printer. Never underestimate the power of these seemingly small details. Evaluating every aspect of your workflow to identify production bottlenecks is an essential part of adding or building a wide-format printing segment in your business.”

Finally, once you have the space cleared, the equipment installed and the markets and applications chosen, the ongoing challenge you will face is to get the pricing right. “One of the biggest challenges in wide-format printing is to be able to price the products accurately,” says Alex Ravari, VP of Sales and Marketing, Printmatics (Booth 1807). “In a highly competitive market, estimating a job with too high of a margin can cause you lose the job to competition. If, on the other hand, you price it too low, you may easily and unknowingly lose money, time and resources. A well-informed pricing must be characterized by details such as material cost, ink and consumables, labor involved, equipment run-time, business overhead and finally average and acceptable margins. To then fulfill the job, you must have tools that manage a proper scheduling and monitoring of your jobs to ensure maximum efficiency and highest quality, while keeping your cost-accounting in check.”

Today’s technologies mean the actual printing of the materials will be the easiest part of every decision and job you run. It’s making the business decisions before and after you install the equipment that will pose the greatest challenges — and that is where events like SGIA Expo are invaluable. Take time at the show to look at more than just the latest machines; ask about the network of peripherals and support that go with the presses themselves and you’ll be one step ahead on your path to success in this space.