Want to Maximize the Effectiveness of Your Products in Print? Know These Differences:

We live in an exciting time for business. We’ve never had so many different types of commercial printing techniques available to us. It’s enabled us to take our advertising efforts to the next level. It’s also made the process of choosing the right method more confusing.

In this post, we’re cutting through the confusion. We’ll discuss the different types of commercial printing available to you to help you make an informed choice.

Offset Lithography

Offset lithography is one of the more traditional printing methods. It’s also a cost-effective way to handle large print runs. We create a printing plate with the image on it. We ink up the plate and print the image.

The primary advantage here is that you can print on anything you like:

  • Boxes
  • Cardstock
  • Paper
  • Plastic

Digital

Digital printing is a more modern technique. It makes it easy to publish short runs. You can, if you want, print out one design one week and another the next. The turnaround time is quick, and you can opt for full-colour prints.

The options are virtually endless. Forget plain paper products – what about creating a corporate fabric using your logo and designs. According to Forbes, digital printing is making the age of customizable fabrics a reality.

The advantage is that setup costs are lower, making small print runs a lot more affordable. The quality does depend on the printing machine used. Look for a company that offers continuous roll printing to increase your options.

What would you like to print? You choose – it’s so easy to customize that you can print anything from the company manual to a series of flyers for your latest sale.

Large Format

Let’s face it, in marketing, size is important. Large format printing offers a way to make a significant impact. It might be a banner to hang outside your store or a print for a billboard. Today’s advanced technology makes it easier to use large format printing.

Flexography

Flexography is what you need if you’re printing on an uneven surface. The process uses a printing plate as well, but the ink used dries more quickly. The inks used are similar to letterpress inks – thick and buttery.

If you want to print on metals, plastic, and almost any uneven surface, this is an excellent option.

LED UV

If you want the best possible quality, nothing beats LED UV printing. It delivers excellent results because there’s no need to seal the ink. Using UV to cure the ink makes the process faster and eliminates bleeding.

It’s also better for the environment because the ink is dried using light rather than heat. It is slightly more expensive for obvious reasons, but if you’re creating a high-end prospectus, the quality is well worth it.

Final Notes

That rounds up our brief introduction to the different types of commercial printing. If you’re still not sure what method will be best for your business, why not give us a call? We’re happy to advise you on the best way forward.