Printing Companies

4imprint Group Plc ACCESS PLUS PLC Affiche Europeenne Sa American Banknote Corporation American Educational Products, Inc Banta Corporation BCT INTERNATIONAL, INC. Bowne & Co., Inc. Build King Holdings Limited Cenveo, Inc. Champion Industries, Inc. Clinton Cards Plc Consolidated Graphics Inc CSS Industries Inc. Cunningham Graphics International, Inc. Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited Datamark Systems Group Inc. DUPLEX PRODUCTS INC. EAC Industries, Inc. Edipresse S.a Editorial Lord Cochrane SA Elswick Plc Ferguson International Holdings Plc

Fulmar Plc Gazeta Mercantil S/a Goodhead Group Plc Graphic Industries, Inc. Intellecta AB IPI, Inc. iPrint Technologies, Inc. John H. Harland Company Kosaido Company, Ltd. KRUEGER (W.A.) CO. Laser Master International, Inc. Maclean Hunter Limited Master Graphics, Inc. Media Arts Group Inc. Merrill Corporation Mickelberry Communications, Inc. Miura Printing Corporation Multi-Color Corporation Orell Fussli Holdings AG Outlook Group Corp. Palm Desert Art, Inc. Photo Engravers & Electrotypers Ltd Pixelnet Ag

Plm Group Ltd Pmp Limited Porter Chadburn Plc Promotora DE Informaciones S.a. (prisa) Quebecor Inc. RR Donnelley & Sons Co Ruwaplast Schawk, Inc. Security & General Media Plc Seki Co., Ltd. Shanghai Jielong Industry Corporation Limited St. Ives Plc Stralfors AB Takeda Printing Co., Ltd. Tinsley Robor Plc Toppan Printing CO Ltd Topps Co Inc. Transcontinental Incorporated U. Link, Inc. Wadepack Limited Watmoughs (holdings) Plc Workflow Management Inc. Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980)

Guide to Printing Companies

Find the best printing company for the type of printing you need
By Jeanni Brosius

Printing companies exist for any type of printing service you might need, from companies that specialize in small items such as labels and envelopes to those printer companies that concentrate on larger items such as clothing, posters and signs.

If you need a large quantity printed, you could save money by bypassing your local print shop and doing business with a commercial printing company that specializes in your specific printing project. On the other hand, don't discount your local print shop for small printing projects.

Consider these three things when preparing to do business with a printing company:

1. A digital printing company can save you money on set-up fees and small-run printing.
2. Select a printing company that specializes in your needs. Your business card printer may not have the proper equipment or expertise to print your book.
3. Get price quotes from two or three commercial printers before choosing.
   

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Where to find a printing company Most cities have printing companies that take care of the printing needs of local businesses. However, if you need something beyond a brochure or business cards, such as a book or catalog, you might need to look nationwide for a good deal on commercial printing.

I recommend:  The Print Guide breaks down printing companies by type. This is a good place to find commercial printing companies that specialize in specific areas of printing. John Kremer offers a selection of reputable book printers at Book Market.

Toss your project in the ring for bids If you use a local printing company for most of your printing needs, it may take on a larger project and outsource it to another printer just to keep your business. You should put your larger project out for bid to several companies so you can get the best deal possible.

I recommend:  Printing Industry Exchange and Bid for Printing offer free quotes from multiple printing companies specializing in printing services that run the gamut from Post-It-type notes to billboards.

Use a digital printing company for the greatest of ease You can send files electronically to a digital printing company. Other advantages of working with digital printers include the ability to make changes easier and to have shorter print runs. Costs are usually less than with a traditional commercial printing company because set-up fees are lower.

I recommend:  Miami Systems Corporation offers a full line of digital commercial printing services for small or large jobs. Also try VistaPrint for business cards or marketing materials. And don't forget the national office supply and service chains: FedEx Kinko's, Office Depot and Staples all offer online on-demand printing, too.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Ask for samples from print companies before accepting a bid. An ultra-low bid could mean sub-standard quality of printing.
• Get references from other clients before accepting bids from print companies.