Web Offset Printing (Just Roll with It, Baby!)

Digital printing may be all the rage - but don't think for one moment it's the only way to go when you need printing done. Just because it doesn't get much press doesn't mean that web printing is insignificant.

For jobs of very long print runs, web offset printing is where it's at. (If you are new to print buying, know that sheetfed presses print on paper that comes in sheets; web presses use huge rolls (or webs) of paper.)

At an upcoming Boston Print Buyers dinner program (March 18th), we are going to hear all about what's new in web offset from Jeff Hopp, Ripon Printers' Marketing Manager, and David Jacobs, president of Richard Jacobs & Company.

I asked our speakers seven questions to learn more about web printing.

1. How many types of web offset technology are there, and what are the major differences?

   The two main types are heatset and coldset, with the main difference being that the former uses ovens and chill rolls to instantly dry the ink, making the presses suitable for coated papers. Coldset presses lack ovens and can print uncoated and matte papers only, but generally offer savings over their heatset counterparts for those projects.

   Both types of presses come in a wide variety of sizes and color configurations with a variety of in-line finishing options.

2. In a nutshell, what has changed with web printing in the past five years or so?

   Technology has shortened makereadys, reduced manning requirements and improved quality, allowing web offset presses to print smaller quantities than ever before while elevating the quality to near sheetfed levels.

3. One of the most common questions I hear is, "How do you know when a job should run web?" How would you answer that? Are there rules of thumb you can share?

   As technologies of all press types change, there is more crossover than ever, so it’s difficult to give a precise breakpoint. A good example is that we can beat our own sheetfed prices for 16-32 page catalogs at quantities as low as 1,000. So our best advice is to inquire if you have any doubts, especially with multi-page formats.

4. Are there critical issues for designers to be aware of when they're designing a web job?

   You'll need to adjust to standard web trim sizes, which are slightly different than sheetfed, and you'll want to check on the line screens the printer is able to run. These will vary from heatset to coldset, but also somewhat by the age of the presses and the type of work the printer is accustomed to running. And you always want to check with your printer for specific issues like under color removal and expected dot gain.

5. True or false: there are very few options when it comes to paper for a web job.

   False. Most papers are available in rolls, but some papers may require longer lead times, especially special finishes such as linen. As a result, there is probably more of a tendency for customers to use a printer's house sheets, but you can certainly obtain almost any paper you want for web offset presses.

6. Is press proofing a web job different from a sheetfed job?

   No, the process is essentially the same.

7. We all know that production times have been shrinking like a Hollywood starlet's dress size. Digital jobs (and some offset ones) print in a matter of days - or less. How is this push for instant printing affecting web press production schedules?

   Web schedules are compressing like everything else, and there has been a strong movement to improve makeready time, which is the necessary evil of all offset printing processes. Beyond that, cycle-time reduction has always been a strength of web offset with its higher running speeds as well as a myriad of in-line finishing options that can dramatically reduce or completely eliminate binding time.

Thanks to Jeff Hopp (www.riponprinters.com) and David Jacobs (www.rjco.com) for today's interview about web offset printing. If you are a print customer who can come to Boston next week for this dinner program, register at www.bostonprintbuyers.com/events/. I'm positive you'll learn a lot more about what's new with web printing.

Comments? Talk to me at mdana@bostonprintbuyers.com.

©2008 Margie Dana. All rights reserved. You're free to forward this email to friends and colleagues: please do! However, no part of this column may be reprinted without permission from the author.

March 18th BPB Dinner Program

Web Surfing for Print Buying Professionals
(Or How to Know When Web Offset Printing Suits Your Printing Needs)

Co-sponsored by Ripon Printers and Richard Jacobs & Company

Tuesday, March 18th, 6 - 8:30 pm
Millennium Bostonian Hotel, Boston, MA

Everyone who purchases printing is concerned about speed and costs today, but many buyers overlook web offset because of old assumptions.

Join Jeff Hopp of Ripon Printers and David Jacobs of Richard Jacobs & Company for a can't-miss presentation covering the state of current web offset technology and where it fits in your print buying equation.

You will learn:

• Technology advancements transforming web offset today

• Advantages and disadvantages of web versus sheetfed

• How to match the web technology to the project

• How to figure out which quantities should go web vs. sheet

• Tips on paper, line screens and other critical quality factors

• Cycle-time advantages of in-line finishing

• Much more!

Only print customers and those who influence the purchase of print may attend this sponsored program. The cost is just $25 for BPB members; $50 for all others. It's $10 more at the door.

Register today!

New Guest Article

Harry Poulton of The Print House in Malden, MA, wrote an essay on customer service - and it was too good not to share with you. The essay is on our web site under the Resources tab. Go to www.bostonprintbuyers.com/articles/ to access it.

Print Buyer Conference Update

We are now accepting reservations for exhibit space at our 2008 conference in Boston (September 10th - 12th at The Sheraton Boston Hotel). The new conference site (a fabulously glam hotel smack in Boston's Back Bay) will accommodate 50 to 60 exhibitors. Like that old song says, "please come to Boston" in the fall: our best season ever. Go to www.printbuyersconference.com/exhibitors for all details about exhibiting and sponsorship options.

Buyer Poll For March

Vist our home page at www.bostonprintbuyers.com to cast your vote: What percentage of your advertising budget is earmarked for print?

Print Tips Archives!

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