Tag Archives: los angeles printer

First Class Mail or Standard Mail – How to Choose

First Class Mail

The choice of First Class Mail or Standard Mail has many factors that should be considered.  So lets begin with a summary of the different mailing service options, costs and delivery times for mail delivery.  First-class mail is used for a variety of time sensitive mail pieces in small quantities of 500 pieces or less.  Additionally, there are four basic types of First Class Mail.  These types of mail are letters, postcards, large envelopes, and small packages. Along with size and thickness limitations, first class mail must weigh 13 ounces or less. Pieces over 13 ounces can be mailed as Priority Mail.  Priority mail choices include large flat envelopes, padded envelopes or “flat rate” boxes.

As the name implies, USPS first class mail is processed First, before standard mail. Locally addressed first class mail will typically be delivered in 1 to 3 business days. Nationally, first-class mail can take up to 4 business days. Additional free services included with first class mail postage are mail forwarding and return service options.

Presorted First-Class Mail

Once your mailings exceed 500 mail pieces, you can choose to presort your mail to obtain a better postage rate. Presorted mail is a method of grouping mail by area and saturation of zip codes.  If you do this work it results in costing the USPS about 20% less money to process and deliver. These savings are passed onto you in the form of a lower postage rate. Delivery time is exactly the same as retail first-class mail.

However, to receive the lower presorted postage rate there’s a good amount of additional work that must be done.  First, the addresses must be updated with a “move update” method. The most common update method is NCOA (National Change of Address) along with being CASS certified.  Once both of these process have been completed, you will need to group the mail by zip code and saturation.  The last step is to place the mail into the appropriate USPS container (trays, buckets or sacks) with container labels and prepare the correct USPS form for your mail.

Marketing Mail (Standard Mail)

For my discussion in this article, I’m going to limit my comments to letter size and flat size Marketing Mail.  This type of mail usually consists of flyers, circulars, postcard advertising, newsletters, bulletins, small light catalogs, or other printed pieces that are identical in content to a certain degree.

Marketing mail must be less than 3.5 ounces for letters and 16 ounces for flats. Minimums for Marketing Mail are 200 pieces or 50 pounds of mail.  If these minimums are not met you will not qualify for the postage discounts.

Marketing Mail, formerly known as “standard mail” or “bulk mail”, is processed by the USPS after the first class mail is “worked”. Other drawbacks of Marketing Mail are that forwarding service and returns if undeliverable are not included for free.  But, if forwarding or return mail is needed, using a special endorsement on the mail piece and agreeing to pay the corresponding fee allow for you to use these options.

Marketing Mail is the least expensive postage mode, being close 40 percent less than the price of first class mail. Letter size marketing mail postage rates apply to pieces up to 3.5 ounces. The cost for letter size mail heavier than 3.5 ounces has to be calculated by adding a per piece price to a per pound price for the entire job.  “Flats” are allowed to be up to 4 ounces before have the per pound surcharge added to their cost.

Marketing Mail Delivery Time

The delivery time for Marketing Mail will typically be less than 5 business days locally, but nationally it could take up to 14 business days or more. As with Presorted First class you’ll have to do all the additional work to receive the lower postage rate. Again, this work includes the addresses getting updated with NCOA, CASS certified, put into presort order and placed into the correct type of USPS container.

Nonprofit Mail

Nonprofit Mail postage is lower than regular prices (up to 70 percent less than first-class mail), but not everyone can qualify. Processing is no different for Nonprofit Mail than Marketing Mail. In order to use these rates, organizations must first file for authorization with the Postal Service and obtain certification as eligible. Get a copy of Form 3624, Application to Mail at Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail Prices. This form is also available from your postmaster or your business mail entry unit.

Presort Service Experts

As you can see, there is considerable amount of work required to obtain presorted postal rates for First Class Mail or Standard Mail.  SLB Printing has all the software needed for the NCOA, CASS certification, sorting and form preparation that goes into a presort mail job.  It’s been our experience that unless the presort mail job is 1,000 pieces or more, there is no cost savings after adding in our processing fees.  But there are instances where time is of the essence.  This is where our service becomes invaluable as long as the minimum quantities set by the Post Office are achieved. 

Finally, our software adds another layer of service that provides you with the lowest possible postage rates.  Our software will process either first class or marketing mail presort jobs and get them qualified for “USPS automation prices”.  To qualify for automation prices, your letters and cards must conform to very specific criteria that SLB Printing is an expert at.

Let SLB Printing, Inc. take care of ALL your presort & EDDM mailing needs!

Reinventing Ourselves – Once Again!

As I write this, we are 5 months into the Covid-19 pandemic.  What a strange and challenging environment I am now dealing with. So once again, we are reinventing ourselves.  My heart goes out to all the people who have lost loved ones.  SLB Printing has not been spared the tragedy of loss.  One of our employees lost several family members while another had to take time off to care for a loved one who was stricken with this virus.  Several of my own close friends have also lost family members.  I have also seen close person friends battle this and win. 

Being a vital resource to so many different types of businesses, I feel very fortunate that we have been able to keep our doors open and our staff employed and with full-time schedules again.  Printing is considered an essential business by the Local, State and Federal Governments.  SLB Printing is also a mail fulfilment house.  This further solidifies the need and legitimate right to remain open for business.  I am thankful for this!

New Business ~ Lost Business ~ New Products

It is still hard to swallow just how much revenue my business has lost. The effect I’ve seen on sales of what used to be our main stay products for the entertainment and event industry is drastic to be blunt.  However, if there is a silver lining to all of this, it’s in the new product offerings that we are producing.  Things that people never heard of before like floor graphics and social distancing signage have helped to offset the loss of other items like laminated event badges and movie posters.

Adapting to the New Normal is part of Reinventing Ourselves

I’ve said this before, but it’s more true now then ever in my past.  It’s the ability of SLB Printing and it’s staff to adapt and have forward vision that has helped us keep our doors open when so many other printing companies are now gone.  Everyone one of my employees has maintained an amazingly positive attitude.  Believing that things will improve, we are finally beginning to see that now. 

SLB Printing is fortunate to be able to say that we have added several significant new accounts that came to us from wildly diverse industries.  To be able to fulfill so many different new types of jobs is not only fun but rewarding as well.  In addition to that, the best part of this reinvention is that it’s all being done with our existing equipment! Of course, the new types of jobs come with new challenges too.  But this is part of what keeps our work interesting.   It’s also part of the ‘reinventing ourselves again’ topic that I felt the need to share in this blog.  

 

How did SLB Printing Increase Web Traffic by 97% in 12 months? Secrets Revealed!

How does a static printing site with no “web to print” fancy shenanigans almost double its visitor count in 12 months?  This is not a new business that just showed up on line.  We’re talking about a business that’s been around for 35 years now.   It should be no secret but at the same time, it’s no easy task. Customer service, word of mouth, the right mix of products and a few nice reviews all contribute to the growing popularity of our site.  By all respects, 12 months ago, traffic to the SLB Printing web site was comparable to, if not already above, our direct competitors.  Then we got down to the business of sprinkling on the secret sauce.

SLB Printing Customer Service

Hands down, our customer service staff has no equal.  Yelp! doesn’t even believe a third of the reviews we get and filters them away from public view.  The reviews all basically say the same thing “awesome customer service experience”.  But why?  I’ll tell you why.  FIRST, WE ANSWER THE PHONE WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE VOICE AND NOT AN AUTOMATED ATTENDANT OR A RECEPTIONIST!  You have no idea how much of a difference that makes to people when they need answers and not instructions on what button to push or requests for who they like to speak to.  When you have a deadline approaching and your brochures from the other on-line printing guys didn’t show up, you need to talk to a voice, not a machine, not a receptionist.  Second, we want you to experience a higher level of service than what you would normally expect. So we take more time to learn about your project and figure out ways to produce it faster, better and cheaper.  This has helped create a desire from existing clients to explore our site to find even more products they can have SLB Printing produce.  Then there’s the word of mouth factor when a totally satisfied customer tells their friends to visit our site for their needs too.

SLB Printing Provides High Quality Printing

From postcards to lookbooks, posters to retractable banners, hang tags to event badges, when the job is picked up, it’s right.  No surprises.  Our procedures for reviewing client files, proofing and quality control all contribute to a job well done.  We know how to Get It Done when you need printing services in Los Angeles.  It’s not like we expect the dinner conversation to include questions like “oh, who did that fabulous movie poster in the lobby for you” or “where do you get that awesome real estate postcard printed?”  But it happens!  Then it’s straight to the Google search bar to enter SLB Printing in Los Angeles to find out more about us. 

There on Google and Yelp, people read the reviews that validate what they’ve been hearing about us.  Let’s face the facts, we don’t spend a lot on internet advertising so we don’t always show up at the top of search results.  But if you need a printing company in Los Angeles to make your catalog, you’ll find us there along with a bunch of stellar reviews.  Now that’s all that really matters.

Google and Yelp! Reviews

I can’t stress this enough, if you provide top notch customer service with quality printing delivered on time, you will be appreciated.  Google and Yelp are proof positive of this.  SLB Printing attracts clients from all over that need printing provided to them from a Los Angeles based printer.  Without ever having prior contact with us, new clients use both of these review sites to find the difference SLB Printing makes.  If you have a business, you already know it’s not easy to accumulate good, 5 Star, reviews.  We are truly thankful to everyone that takes their time to share with the world what SLB Printing has done for them.

SLB Printing’s Secret Sauce

It’s hard work and determination.  I’m sure you’ve heard this before.  We are enthusiastic about our jobs and our clients success.  This makes people talk about us in the most positive ways. Finding ways to sprinkle this onto our web presence has increased our web traffic exponentially and has made SLB Printing ubiquitous in organic web search results.

When an event planner walks into the store to pick up their job and tells us “I’m sure every event planner in town must know about you guys” it just validates our company mission. When the first time film maker begins to cry when they see their 27”x40” one-sheet printed for the first time, we can’t help but to smile and cry a little happy tear too.  And when we get the call to print up 400 job fair packages overnight with over 200 pages in them and get the “I knew you wouldn’t let us down” from the Fortune 100 client, it’s all proof that what we do is appreciated and shared on line. 

The secret sauce is SLB Printing does the combination of things that other printers struggle with or simply can’t combine.  Customer service, quality products and on time delivery.  When you put that combination together and get people talking about you, it’s more powerful than ad dollars, it’s ORGANIC success secret sauce!

Best Printing Services in Los Angeles

SLB Printing -best printing services in Los Angeles

The Battle Of Digital Vs. Offset Printing

What’s the Difference Between Digital and Offset Printing?

There are a lot of things that need printing: brochures, catalogs, flyers, business cards—the list goes on. But did you ever think about what your best option might be, going digital or offset printing? There are a lot of differences, so when you find yourself in need of some printing, you may want to consider these factors before choosing a vendor to get the job done.

Traditional Offset Printing

Offset presses require the design image to be first burned onto aluminum plates. After mounting the plate onto the press and adjusting for proper alignment, the image is transferred to a rubber sheet (blanket). The rubber blanket will then transfer the images to the paper through the application of different layers of ink. This is where the term “Offset” printing is derived from.  The image to be printed on the plate obtains ink from the ink rollers while the blank area attracts a sheet of water, keeping it clean and ink free. This process requires a lot of time and preparation and is usually recommended for large volume printing jobs.

offset printer

PROS

  • Color Accuracy

Offset printing allows for a choice to use the Pantone Matching System (PMS), which expands the color choices for your project. You can specify the shade of ink you want so you’ll be more satisfied with the outcome. (I should also add that finding a press room that will run spot colors is becoming increasingly difficult due to production and labor costs.) Gradients also tend to reproduce well and without banding or blotches. The other more popular method used in offset printing is the CMYK process model.

  • Higher Image Quality

Based on the current offering for digital presses, the old thinking that output of offset printing presses tend to have higher quality is no longer a valid argument.  However, the gamut (range of color) that an offset press can reproduce is still wider than most digital presses. The ability to reproduce a gradient is also better on the offset press. A quick proof from a digital press will allow you to make the decision as to the need to go offset for a short run or not.

  • Wider Range of Paper Types

Printing on various types of paper and material is easy through offset printing, no matter what color of paper you use. However, with offset printing, you can’t print on black paper since there are no white opaque ink options like we have with our digital press. With offset printing, you can also use a variety of papers with varying thickness and textures.

  • Cost Effective In Bulk

When printing in bulk, offset printing tends to be more budget friendly than digital printing. You may even be able to include your short run jobs in with a printer’s gang runs to save even more money on the small 250 or 500 run quantity jobs. 

CONS

  • Costly (Machinery)

What makes the printing press costly is the various equipment needed to set up the machine and the number of operators needed to operate. Maintenance is also another thing to worry about. Overruns are sometimes charged to the customer and printing jobs may cost up to twice that of digital printing especially when you print in low quantities on a custom run.

  • Revisions Are Costly And Difficult

When making revisions, stopping the presses is no easy task. After the revision, the production may be stalled, moving the date further out and pushing the costs even higher.  This makes the proofing process that much more critical.

  • Press printing can take longer than Digital

Aside from the exhausting set up time needed, the printing time and preparation of the materials make traditional offset printing a definite test of patience and purses.

Digital Printing

Experience with color printers at home or at the office will give you the basic knowledge needed to understand the process of digital printing. The main difference between the two is the elimination of large machinery and time-consuming processes needed to start printing. With digital printing, all you need is your computer, printer, and paper and you’re good to go.

Digital Press used by SLB Printing in Los Angeles for Same Day Printing needs

PROS

  • Less Expensive

Print only what you need.  A run of 50 or 100 brochures for a presentation or meeting is quick and easy. This can help cut the cost of your overall project.  Digital printing is printed directly onto paper unlike traditional printing, which needs  a lot of equipment and set up to operate.

  • Speedier Printouts

The elimination of numerous equipment and set up steps makes digital printing a good alternative for time-stricken individuals. Most printing services guarantee fast service, ranging from 5 minutes to just a few days.

  • Revisions Are Easier

Since you can digitally edit your file, you can just stop the printing after the 1st proof is produced or print another batch without delaying your project for another week or accumulating a lot of costs. You can also customize each file and print them in batches like in variable data catalogs or postcards with a customized advertising message.

CONS

  • Lose Color Accuracy And Range

Digital printing typically uses the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) inks and are printed as tiny dots on the paper. Unlike offset printing which can use the Pantone colors, digital printers have a limited color range.  This means they may not accurately reproduce extensive sets of colors. Different printer settings may also affect the outcome of printing. Gradients may pose a problem as well.

  • Limited Paper Choice

Digital printers have limited choices on paper types and textures. Some printers don’t have the capacity to print larger sizes of papers or print on thick materials or textured stocks.

  • Limited Finishing Choices

Metallic inks are having limited succes for digital printers. Some services like foil stamping and embossing are rarely offered by digital printing houses.

For each project, there is a perfect printing method. It’s not about which is better than the other but rather which better suits the requirements for your project. SLB Printing can help you determine what method you should use and offer a wide variety of services for your printing needs. If you are looking for a reliable printing service in Los Angeles, look no further!

Non-Profit Printing and the Charities We Support

Community involvement has always been a priority at SLB Printing.  That’s why we do things like provide, at reduced or no cost, printing services for several charities and non-profit organizations that have touched our hearts.  The list is by no means extensive, but we aren’t the largest printing company around either.  We do what we can and hope to lead by example for the betterment of our community and the world we live in.  Our staff enjoys getting involved and feels the satisfaction too.

For charities and non-profit organizations, print materials can be the lifeblood needed to reach donors, raise funds and generate awareness for their organization.  All printing companies have come to know this.  But it’s up to the moral and charitable desire of the owner to decide if making a difference by providing something, anything, for free or at reduced costs to non-profits can be a meaningful endeavor.  

SLB Printing has chosen to offer a variety of print solutions to nonprofits, ranging from appeal mailings to color brochures, posters and pop-up tents that are great for many different kinds of indoor or outdoor events.  There is a different type of fun and rewarding feeling that comes from knowing that SLB Printing is helping to make a difference when we are able to provide non-profit printing for friends at reduced or no cost.  This is the choice that we have made.

Some of the Non-Profit Organizations SLB Printing Supports

If you feel so inclined, please visit any of the non-profit sites below to get involved or to make a donation yourself knowing that they are all SLB Printing approved!

Concern Foundation: www.concernfoundation.org  Help find a cure for cancer.

Temple Knesset Israel: https://www.templeki.org/  Since 2016 serving the needs of the Los Feliz neighborhood.

Project Chicken Soup: https://www.projectchickensoup.org/ Delivering free Kosher meals to HIV/AIDs and cancer patients all around Los Angeles.

Cambodian Children’s Fund: https://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/  Transforming today’s impoverished kids into tomorrow’s leaders.

The Center in Hollywood: http://thecenterinhollywood.org/  Help to end homelessness in our community

No Limits for Deaf Children: http://www.nolimitsfordeafchildren.org/ Another children’s organization doing amazing things!

South Robertson Neighborhood Council http://www.soronc.org/  Great organization working to improve the area where our store is located.

South Robertson Great Streets: http://soroblvd.com/   Working with www.soronc.org to help improve the business district.

Reynier Village: https://rvna.wordpress.com/ 

National Night Out: http://www.midcitywest.org/event/national-night-out-festival-35th-anniversary/

Melrose Action Committee:  https://melroseaction.org/  The hardest working neighborhood organization around!

Southern California Mini Maniacs: https://www.scmm.org/ Well, if you have to ask, it’s because I own one! Not to mention they support several other non-profits’ themselves.

Everyone feels the crunch from an overwhelming number of good civic causes and non-profit organizations.  I would like to believe that SLB Printing has done its fair share of free or low cost work for a number of these worthy causes and organizations over the past 35 years. 

Same Day Printing – Reality or Fantasy?

Same Day Printing – Reality or Fantasy?

To be competitive in today’s’ short run printing world, providing Same Day Printing services has become a much needed reality.  However, only for the select few Printers out there who have the equipment and staff that can pull it off is it really a reality that can successfully be achieved.  What YOU need to know is that the promise of Same Day Printing is really more of a fantasy at a lot of other print providers. Unfortunately, like the old saying goes, a few bad apples can spoil the whole bunch.  So please don’t let a few bad apples prevent you from calling SLB Printing for your Same Day Printing needs.

The reality of Same Day Printing services at SLB Printing means that your job could be accepted, proofed, printed and finished all in one day.  It’s also realistic to say that not every job can be handled this quickly.  There are cut off times, press ready file standards and quantities that all play a part in the reality of Same Day Printing.  Overall, short run, same day printing is something we know we excel at. SLB Printing in Los Angeles  would very much like the opportunity to prove it to you.

Same Day Printing Job Examples

Here are some examples of the types of jobs we can do for you with a Same Day Printing result:

Movie Posters, usually 27” x 40” or smaller but we can print up to 59” wide.  Need a dozen, no problem!

Booklets, need 50 or 100 saddle stitched 24 page booklets?  We can do that!

Labels for your new edible or cosmetic product?  Custom contour shape? 500 or more is really a reality!

How about a mini Step and Repeat for that grand opening or big party?  We can provide one up to 59” wide by 78” tall!

Postcards, 5” x 7” or 4” x 6” club cards.  Need 500?  How about 2000?  Easy!

Proposals, 90 pages, coil bound.  Need 50 or more?  We’ve done that too!

If you have a press ready file, the possibility of completing your job by 5 p.m. is very high as long as we have your soft proof approval and payment all handled by 10 a.m. in the morning.  After that, we may have to juggle around our production schedule to accommodate your needs. It all starts with a phone call & email with your files.  Just call and ask what we can do for you.  Remember, we’re the company that knows how to Get It Done and is widely referred to in on-line reviews as the printer who really does print miracles!  Let SLB Printing prove to you that Same day printing can be a reality when you come to us.

Click on this link to learn more about how we do this by visiting our main page.

 

Need a Movie Poster for LA Film Festival 2018? We Can Print That Same Day! 

Poster Printing for LA Film Festival 2018

We print movie posters for independent filmmakers as well as advertising agencies, marketing agencies and major motion pictures studios around Los Angeles all the time.  One-sheets, movie posters and backlit film are the 3 common product requests we get all the time.  But what’s the difference between all three of those?  Good question!  Let’s talk about this more a little later.  So when you need a movie poster for LA Film Fest 2018 or any other film festival, give us a call!  LA Film Festival 2018 is running Sep 20, 2018 – Sep 28, 2018.

Common Movie Poster Sizes:

Common Movie Poster Sizes are either 27” x 41” or 27” x 40”.  However, we’ve produced custom size movie posters too.  Sometimes, the promotional poster design and location where it will be placed require something smaller or larger.  A bus shelter is a good example of a very large movie poster that measures up to 45” x 70”.  If you need a movie poster for LA Film Festival 2018 that measure up to 45” x 70”, SLB Printing can do that too.

Standard Poster Sizes from Movie poster to flyer and all common sizes in between.

Common Size posters – click image to enlarge

What’s the difference between a One-Sheet, Movie Poster and Backlit Film?  Well, there is no difference between the one-sheet & movie poster, it’s just a name.  However, the backlit film describes a material that is used in a light box while standard poster printing on either matte or semi-gloss material is for front lit job requirements.  We can also mount front lit posters on foam core when they are to be displayed on an easel. Lastly, if you want to go really big, we have a giant double wing easel option that is used for theater lobby displays measuring up to 48” wide by 96” tall.  How’s that for getting your film noticed!

SLB Printing is your Eco-Friendly Poster Printing Source!

Environmentally friendly inks.  We use HP water-based latex inks in our wide format poster printers.  Water-based HP Latex Inks offer health and environmental advantages compared to eco-solvent, solvent, or UV-curable inks.1  HP Latex Inks were tested for Hazardous Air Pollutants, as defined in the Clean Air Act, per U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Method 311 (testing conducted in 2013) and none were detected.1  Working with SLB Printing for your wide format poster needs gives you the opportunity to choose an environmentally friendly supplier too.

Fast Production Times

Production time: With multiple latex printers on site, we can produce short runs of movie posters in 6 hours or less. Larger quantities of 100 or more can be done in 2-3 work days with partials available after the 1st day.  Let SLB Printing take care of your need for a movie poster for LA Film Fest 2018.

Local Los Angeles Based Printing Company

We are local to all of the major studios.  The Culver Studios, Fox Studios, Sony Studios, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Raleigh Studios Hollywood, Sunset Las Palmas Studio, Paramount Pictures and more are all within minutes of our plant.  Not to mention the production companies on Wilshire Blvd and in Century City, Culver City and Beverly Hills.  Our client list is a who’s who in the movie poster printing business.  Film distribution and small independent filmmakers round out our list of clients using the services we provide for movie poster printing.  Make SLB Printing your choice partner when it comes to your need for a movie poster for LA Film Fest 2018.

1 Technical white paper | HP Latex Inks: health and environmental advantages

What are Text Weights and Writing Weights?

One day, I’m visiting my local paper supply house and I’m curious to see what they know about paper weights.  So I ask a question to 2 members of the staff.  What’s the difference between text weights and writing weights?  You’d think they would have the answer for this but instead, I’m getting the deer in headlights stare!  If they don’t understand, and they’re working in the paper store, then it’s about time someone like me writes about this.  So let’s get started answering the question, what are text weights and writing weights.

Paper stocks are not cover stocks

First of all, both text weights and writing weights are considered paper stocks as opposed to cover stocks.  So if you pick either of them up, they will not feel as thick as a sheet of cardstock.   Some text weights can be very thick, but no matter how thick the basis weight of a sheet of text stock is, it couldn’t be confused with a card stock.  Now here comes the technical part.

Text weights and writing weights are measured by taking 500 sheets of the “basis ream”.  The reason 500 sheets are used is that 500 is the common number of sheets in a “ream” of paper.  Basis ream refers to the common size the sheet is manufactured as, not to the finished cut sheet you buy in the store.  This is where the difference is between text weights and writing weights.   Let me explain in a little more detail.

  • Writing, Bond and Ledger papers have a basis ream that is 17” x 22”
  • Text, Book and Offset papers have a basis ream that is 25” x 38”

Now let’s discuss “equivalent weight” because this is where I feel the confusion comes from.  Equivalent weight is how you define a sheet of text weight against a sheet of writing weight papers.  Go back and look at the basis ream sizes again.  You’ll notice that text weights use a larger paper size for their basis measurement.  This is the reason why text weights can feel exactly the same as a writing weight but have a higher number printed on the package.  Here’s a list of common equivalent weights:

  • 20# bond is the same at 50# offset text, with an approximate GSM of 75
  • 24# bond/writing is the same as 60# offset text, with an approximate GSM of 90
  • 28# bond/writing is the same as 70# offset text, with an approximate GSM of 105
  • 32# bond/writing is the same as 80# offset text, with an approximate GSM of 120

You’ll notice I added the GSM weights above too.  This is the metric equivalent and is also referred to on packages of paper as g/m2 and all it means is grams per square meter.  GSM is commonly used in European countries where in the United States, we use pounds or # to express the weight of paper.  When you go to the paper store and look at prepackaged reams, you’ll most likely see all 3 units of measure now.  Being equipped with your new understanding of what are text and writing weights, you’ll be able to avoid that deer in headlight look because YOU will know what it all means.

Text Weights-Writing Weights

 

Don’t Believe Everything You Read! Printing Companies with Fully Automated Workflows Are Not Always a Good Thing

When it comes to client interaction, SLB Printing takes pride in the idea of answering the phone with a real voice and reviewing and pre-flighting new file submissions outside of the automated workflow. I read a recent article by Mark Bohan in a printing trade magazine regarding this. In his article called “Integrating Multiple Production Workflows”, Mark discussed the need for automated file submission. I disagree with his advice “File submission needs to be as automated as much as possible through the use of Web-to-print solutions…” SLB Printing refuses to go down this road and I’m advising other small printers do the same! Automated workflows may work for online stores that process thousands of orders daily, but not for the small and nimble printer like us.

Compared to Online Printers
Let’s be real here, SLB Printing does not handle thousands of orders every day nor do we care to. We’ll leave that logistic quagmire to the online printers of the world. But try asking your online printer with the automated workflow to turn out 500, 5×7 postcards printed 2 sides in an hour and see what happens. I’ll bet they write you back and say it’s impossible for anyone to do it. I say don’t believe everything you read!
Back to the Bohan article, I was really disappointed after reading this comment, “the use of automated pre-flighting…is worth its cost multiple times over by eliminating unnecessary actions and customer interaction – while improving customer satisfaction as their speed to finished item is faster.” What in the world is that supposed to mean? It’s certainly not meant for the types of jobs SLB Printing sees coming into our store every day. It’s probably just another one of those online printer metrics that really places little or no value on customer interactions.

Production Workflow at SLB Printing
Here’s what you can expect from SLB Printing. You call with a same-day job and speak with someone from our Wonder Women customer service team. They’ll take down the specs and email you back a quote. Then, after you email us the press ready file as instructed, the same person you spoke with will preflight your file making sure there are no problems preventing the job from printing as intended. Then it’s off to the Miracle Making Team in the Pre-Press Department. They’ll impose the job onto our press sheets and whip the digital presses into production. After the Miracle Making Team in Pre-Press gets done printing, our Bindery Ninja Team takes over to finish the job in 8 seconds flat! (Well, may a few more minutes than that). But in the end, the entire run of 500 – 5×7 postcards is done in less than 2 hours. And this article you can believe… I’ve been doing this since 1984.

Printing Comic Books with SLB Printing

I wanted to share a story about how SLB Printing began printing Comic Books. Sometime last year, a young man comes into the shop with his Mother and starts asking whether we can print his Comic Book. He had his artwork saved onto a jump drive in PDF format (he had already taken the time to read our FAQ regarding file preparation and was well prepared) and once our prepress department opened the files up, they confirmed the job was perfect and ready to print.  We went over the various paper options, showing him what the paper looked and felt like.  He chooses our 100# gloss text paper for the cover and 80# gloss text paper for the interior.  Saddle stitching was his binding of choice since all great Comic Books are bound this way.  Pricing was discussed for several different quantities as well as the cost for 1 printed proof.  Decisions were finalized and we were off turning his creative project that previously only existed on his computer and in his mind into an actual Printed Comic Book.  It was so rewarding to see his eyes light up with excitement the next day when the proof was put into his hands.  It was now REAL since he was looking at an actual printed comic book that he created!  It’s times like these that I really enjoy jobs like printing comic books.

Since that first comic book job, many talented Comic Book writers and illustrators have walked into our shop.  Printing Comic Books is very similar to any other type of booklet job we do. The most noticeable difference is the size is usually a little smaller but doesn’t always have to be.  Also, the paper used is a little thinner for both the interior sheets and the cover, but it doesn’t have to be either.  We can accept requests for Printing Comic Books on any of the text weight paper and cover stock combinations we have in the store, even newsprint.

Since Gotham Press on Fairfax went out of business in 2015, SLB Printing has helped many of our clients with Printing Comic Books too.  Short runs of 5, 10 or 50 can usually be completed in as little as 24 hours. We print miracles after all, as our tagline says. Give us a call at 310-558-4752 or drop by the shop and ask to see printed samples of our work.