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Many
printers only consider outsourcing their binding and finishing
needs when the number and volume of projects surpasses their in-house
capacity. Others turn to outsourcing when faced with difficult
or challenging projects that require specialized skills. But outsourcing
actually enables you to maintain control of the project end-to-end,
including scheduling, costs and a variety of other factors. Here
are some best practices for outsourcing postpress services:
Core
Competency
Graphic
arts businesses are built on their core competencies. For printers,
that includes everything involved with placing ink on paper. But
even printers with postpress equipment are often unable to deliver
the quality folding, binding or related post press service your
precision printing demands. That’s where a knowledgeable,
full-service trade bindery comes in. If some portion of a project
falls outside of your core competency, it’s often best to
outsource it to someone well-equipped to handle it.
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Cash
Flow
There
are financial benefits to outsourcing to trade binderies. For
steady customers, your bindery might offer 30-day payment terms,
which reduces the lag between outflow and inflow. This is particularly
beneficial for companies operating on a weekly payroll. Also,
rather than cut into profits by paying overtime to meet aggressive
timelines, outsource the project for set, controlled costs.
Smooth
Staffing
Outsourcing
to a trade bindery can limit the yearlong ramp-up and scale-down
staffing cycle that often accompanies printers’ in-house
post press departments. Rather than hire additional employees
who will be idle a good portion of the time, or bring in unskilled
temporary labor who could drive up waste costs and slow down production,
maintain just enough staff to handle your day-to-day workflow
and let your trade bindery partner handle the rest.
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