The Month of December in Print

Christmas sugar cookies. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On top of everything else you have to do in December, we ask you to think about what printing you may require in advance of the christmas week. Aside from anything else, you have the last postage dates to think about, and as you will be aware it is a period of holidays. All of this coupled with a three week month (effectively) we usually are running busy from start to end of the December month. 

Have you thought about your cards, maybe you have already done so or bought some, do you need insert sheets, do you want to get some christmas promotions out ready for the new year, maybe you want to kick off the new year with fresh promotional material. Either way you need to get in gear and set in motion now, or you will find the time just runs away with you. 

We also ask you to consider your regular stocks of product, letterheads, brochures and price lists. Is there something you feel you could do with help sorting, advice? We have a full studio ready to help with design or layout, and plenty of printing firepower for any of those larger jobs. We are not just about the Wealden Advertiser we are the Wealden Group, that is so much more, print and promotions. Our presses regularly undertake commercial and personal printing, from posters to magazines. The sales team is ready to help and advise, why not call them on 01580 753322. Why not let them take the pressure off this christmas? We look forward to hearing from you.

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One Size Fits All Printing

Does your printer tell you he can quote on anything or do any job you throw at him. We know that a lot of print companies tell you everything you want to hear, they think it is going to help them get your business, but we like to tell you what we are good at and what we can't do.  That way, we will deliver the job you want. We don't want to over commit sub contracting work that is not suitable for our presses. Where we score regularly is that we are a brochure and magazine company this is where we are going to exceed expectations. The equipment is geared up for it and it is a slick operation. We also print rope handled paper laminated bags and deliver a quality second to none. Our team of finishers on the bag side makes us extremely flexible on complex hand finishing to regular print jobs.

We have in house our own cutting and creasing machine, laminating machine, saddle stitcher and drill machine. What does that mean, well it means that we do not have to put out a lot of your work, it stays within our control and is done by our own staff.

We have a unique digital print operation that is particularly good at variable data and even bar coding. We do not shy away from these complicated jobs, we like to give it a go and show you what we can do.

We work within tight timescales and scheduled deliveries so we are used to a bit of pressure. We deliver product around the country not just in our immediate vicinity. The production staff have a great depth of knowledge, both from studio, and print to finishing, we are certainly going to have great advice for you before you start.

So what can't we do, well there are a number of things, but why don't you ask us about your job and get the honest reply back. You might even find the experience refreshing in this day and age. We want to do your job, and work with you, but first and foremost we want to make sure we are working together with the same mindset, otherwise we are doomed to failure. Call our Sales Team now on 01580 753322 and put them to the test.

Print Trouble and Increase your Sales

Do you have trouble with your current printer, do things end up going terribly wrong, are the prices not quite as you expect and lastly is the printed material delivering what you expect it to?

Does this sound like your situation, with you constantly wondering why things are always going wrong. Have you tried speaking to your printer? If you constantly buy on price alone and trawl the internet for ever cheaper prices, you will never build a relationship based on trust and delivery. Spreading your print across a range of sources, in one respect, does help you to get the cheapest price for that item, however, cumulatively you might get a better deal by placing all your print together in one place by upping your buying power. Furthermore by having an understanding of your full print requirements a print company might be better positioned to offer you alternatives that might suit your budget and sales better. 

Why not try letting the printer take responsibility for the design and artwork, by doing this yourself, you are probably moving out of your area of expertise into one that has many technical pitfalls that may hold up progress on the job in question. This is where that relationship comes in, if they work with you for a period of time they know what you like and don't like, they can deliver the design and material much quicker and cheaper in terms of resources than perhaps you doing it yourself, and in the case of larger jobs, the design is often the smaller part of the process so you can really drive for good deals.

With a professionally designed brochure, your market should be taking more notice of your product, it should be delivered into the spaces that your customer uses, again the printer should have advice and experience to help you along with these details. 

The long and short of this post really is to put into your minds that a relationship is far better, long term than trying to drive down the pricing and ultimately this will increase your sales by allowing you to focus on what you are good at.

At Wealden Print we pride ourselves on the ability to communicate and deliver your product, the team works together as a whole to work with you and alleviate your headaches to do with the printed job.

If you want to talk with us about some of your pain points or print issues, why not give us a call on 01580 753322 or email: sales@wealdenprint.co.uk maybe you would like to try additionally advertising in our magazines, for extra exposure. The possibilities are endless, and as BT once said, "it's good to talk".

Die Cut Handle Promotional Bags

The die cut handle promotional bag is little used these days, as the cotton or polypropylene ropes are more in favour. Coupled with the fact that it is a bit more expensive to use, due to the extra processes involved, you tend not to see much of this bag these days. They are however more eco friendly using no polypropylene in their construction (unless you have them laminated).

When used correctly the shape fits in with the design and creates a clever bag that is not offensive too the eyes. See these images below.

 

The trouble with these bags is the fact that the handle is cut in after manufacture, requiring a specialist cutting out procedure and machine which is very difficult to come by. We offer this service being UK based we have all we need, to hand to produce the job. But you may also like to think a bit laterally and maybe have cut out shapes within the face of bag, well we can do this too. So, use your imagination and think what you would like to do next. Don't forget this is the same process for a ribbon tie slot too.

Tight Timescales For Your Rope Handled Laminated Paper Bags

Do you have a tight timescale on your next project of rope handled laminated paper bags, then we are probably just what you need.

Uk based, we manufacture entirely under our own steam the rope handled laminated paper bags that are renowned for their bespoke quality. Our carrier bags are second to none, and we look to deliver within seven to ten working days from your passed artwork. We dont have to clear customs because our product is manufactured right here in our factory on the Kent/Sussex border. This means it will be where we say it will be, when we say it. Nobody is perfect, problems happen in production, but we should be able to notify you of any delays beyond our control. If there has been an issue in production we check rigorously to ensure production methods will eliminate future instances happening again. We are constantly aiming to deliver above expectations and keep your future custom within the carrier bag market. With all lamination and creasing in house we can also deliver in five working days subject to numbers and production so why not try us out with this too.

Our speciality is 150-2000 carrier bags, but we can handle orders of up to 100000 which we have done in a few circumstances. Basically we fed the carrier bags in, in lots of 10000 to stay ahead of usage, dont forget, that whilst you might need 100000 carrier bags, you will not use them all in a few days, or leastways its very unlikely to be used so quickly, so this method can deliver should you need rope handled laminated carrier bags in a very short space of time.

Why not ring us and speak to Paul on 01580 755102 to discuss your requirements. Paul works within the Special Products Department which is was created to handle special requirements outside of regular printing, ie all those problem jobs that printers just dont seem to want to touch because of the complexity.

Rope Handled Paper Carrier Bags

One of our specialities is rope handled paper carrier bags, not a lot of people know that! With a new laminator and totally refurbished creaser, we carry out much of the work in house. If you need to know about rope handled paper carrier bags, just ask the special products manager Paul Ricketts, who will walk you through the process. With many years in the trade, he has a great understanding of the rope handled paper carrier bag industry and his products in general. Our market is primarily for the quick turnaround or short run market. We deliver heavily for exhibitions and conferences, where your brand gets noticed. We deliver against the odds, and having everything in house gives us the ultimate control in delivering your product. 

We sometimes get asked for small, medium or large bags, to which we have to ask, what is your small, medium and large size, because every industry has a different requirement to this question. We have hundreds of cutter sizes, which can be used to fit the bill. Or we can manufacture to your exact size, to deliver your prefect rope handled paper carrier bags.

If you have any questions about rope handled paper carrier bags then give Paul a ring on 01580 755102 which is his direct dial number and ask away. If he doesn't have the answers for you he will know somebody who does. 

Are you ready for the Olympics 2012

So are you ready for the olympics 2012. If you are a business in the south east of England, then, certainly, you are planning to have some kind of increased business through the olympic 2012 period during the summer, be it through increased visitors or product. Indeed exciting times, and we are all sitting there thinking this really will be a great time for us. But have you considered all of the ancillaries to what you are hoping to achieve.

The simple fact is you need to plan, the government has numerous pages online that tell us to plan, but unless you fall directly into the category of being directly affected you probably haven't considered to plan for the event.

Most importantly, the Olympic Network Route (ONR) will make transport in and out of London very difficult during the period of the Olympics 2012. This could seriously affect your receiving goods into and out of London. 

Also, it appears that businesses will work on the basis that they will pre-order or post-order to cover stock levels, once again, consider that most people will have the same idea and you might find it difficult to get your products or goods as required.

The point of this post simply is to get you thinking, do you need to have more paper literature or receipts, invoices, materials, stationery, folders, magazines, brochures, tickets, carrier bags. The list goes on and on, but if it is a paper product we can help. We are ready, are you? Why not post on our Wealden facebook page any thoughts or problems you may have or encounter on the subject and share those thoughts with the community

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Magazines or Brochure Printing

Being the printer of the Wealden Ad, you may not think that we print other items, but you would most definitely be wrong. We have the capacity and experience to print other products such as magazines and brochures. In fact because we print the Wealden Ad, we are very well geared up to effectively print high quality magazines and of course your treasured company brochures. 

The production team is well versed in handling your initial enquiry to provide you with a competitive quote and timings to deliver the product you require. This stage is carefully entered onto our management information system, or MIS as it is called, where simple changes to your quote can take place such as pagination (the number of pages) or quantities. Once you have agreed the quote, either you will supply high resolution files or we will design and set your layout for you. Then proofing of the final pages takes place. Once sign off for these press proofs has taken place, the plates are made for the press and printing can start. 

Once the printing has been done, any further finishing takes place such as laminating or foiling and then any collating, folding, stitching and trimming, followed by box and deliver.

Having been involved in print for many years, I am constantly amazed at the efficiency in delivering such a complex product. It just seems to work, because all key members of the team, know the process well through the Wealden Ad and are happy to work on other products. 

Not only are our prices very competitive but the finished product is a quality one too. We don't just print and deliver, we take pride in helping you through the process and if we spot an error, we will stop and point that out to you rather than run on and forget it. Internet print companies will deliver very cheap pricing, but you are limited in materials, colours, and sizes. Remembering of course that everything is extra. So if you haven't thought about considering us before for your magazines or brochure printing, ring us today on 01580 753322 and speak to sales. You might find we save you both time and money.

Free Insertion into the Wealden Ad

What can you do to save money in the current climate on your printing needs? Currently we are running a free insertion into the Wealden Ad magazine for up to 10k leaflets when your printing order is placed with us before 11th May 2012*
10k A5 Colour Single Sided Leaflets £198
10k 6 page DL Colour Leaflets £320
10k A4 colour Double Sided Leaflets £289
If you wish to have different quantities printed or a free custom quote, we will be more than happy to assist. You can contact us from any of the resources on this page.

So we are doing our bit, how about you?

In the meantime, don't forget alongside the magazines that we print, we also print brochures, corporate literature and stationery. In fact, if it is a paper product, we can probably help! We have a range of colour presses to suit most printing applications coupled with a quality studio running the latest equipment and software, we are well equipped to deal with your company or personal printing requirements.

Also, you might like to think about variable data printing and how you could use that to reduce your current print and save money by providing more targeted literature to your customers. You could send out personalised invitations, or unique tickets, barcoded products, the only limit is your imagination. What about QR codes, a form of barcode that ties your regular print into digital data through smart phone applications? For instance you could send your contact details direct to a customers phone address book, or take them to a page on the internet specifically that you would like them to see. Printing has moved on these days, it should not just be about ink on paper, it requires a thought process to ensure all is working for maximum benefit, and this includes incorporating into magazine advertising, which we can conveniently help you with too.

*This offer is subject to availability, inserting can be up to and including September 2012. Promotion is limited to one per company and will be inserted into the Wealden Ad Property. This offer is not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Final decision is subject to Management approval.

Deliveries to London During the Olympics 2012

So what is your plan for deliveries to London during the Olympics 2012.  We asked ourselves that same question and then started looking into what was and was not going to be possible, speaking to courier companies and reading the olympic notes and government websites. Well, I trust you have more luck than we did, because it seems there is going to be a shut down of a lane running through London, for the Olympic network route, which is for the sole use of the olympics and moving people to and from the events. This, however, means that the traditional roads which are under pressure anyway will be further pressurised by the loss of one lane.
As far as I can tell this will mean trying to get in and out for delivering goods is going to be a non starter. So businesses throughout London are going to get choked from lack of goods or products. Possibly they will take deliveries overnight, but that would mean increased costs to their business and the courier. We shall be planning as best we can to get our deliveries done before and after the Olympics, but there will be emergencies, as I am certain there will be for many other people. So I wonder what exactly will happen in these instances.
If you have any thoughts or comments please use the channels available on this page to get in touch as we would love to hear other's thoughts on the situation.

A Day at the Farm Making Bags

When you drive into the beautiful setting that is Bodiam, you immediately start to relax, our factory is based on a farm that looks back across Bodiam and the views are simply stunning. The factory is 10 minutes away from our main base in Hawkhurst, but ties in on the phone system and computer network. The work we carry out at the farm is now creasing and bag making. The creasing consists of using a machine called a cylinder which has the bag matrix on it, and as the printed sheets pass through it, the matrix applies all of the creases and cuts, necessary to construct the bag. Once the sheets have all passed through they are released from the sheet via the guillotine and passed to the girls for constructing, where all the glues, tapes and boards are applied and the intricate process of making a bag begins.

This art of making a bag, really is a thing to watch, it looks so simple and yet when you start on your own, it stops making any kind of sense and the sheets get ruined. This, I have always felt, would have been a great task for the Generation Game. Quick when you watch somebody experienced and a complete disaster when a novice tries. Once the bags are made up we then drill them for the rope handles, or at this point send them off to a specialist machine called a platten for die cut handles. The bags are drilled in units of five. When we get ropes in stock cut to length, we immediately rope one end so that they are ready to thread through the drill holes, again when you see someone experienced doing this it is simply amazing to see. The bags are then packed and boxed ready to send to the customer.

Paper Laminated Bags In Less Than Five Days A Tough Ask

Date: Monday 30th January 2012
Situation: customer in desperate need of rope handled paper laminated bags for a show on Friday 3rd February 2012

So even in the best of scenarios this is a tough ask, 500 bags 230x70x340 printed 4colour process, gloss laminated and rope handled, and delivered back in just a few days.

Well, Production were fantastic, because the customer was organised and sent through artwork immediately, we were able to lay down on our templates and our production team fit the print into the Wealden Advertiser print run, so that it could dry over Monday night. It was then laminated on Tuesday, and cut and creased Wednesday and delivered to our team of bag constructors, who made them overnight on Wednesday night. On the Thursday they were drilled, roped, packaged and sent out via courier for a pre noon delivery on the Friday.

On Friday morning we checked via twitter they had arrived with the customer who was delighted and they were then taken to the exhibition Friday night for Saturday.

Result: Customer happy and working at their exhibition

Basically, we had all worked together in compiling the various components of a rope handled paper laminated carrier bag to deliver a quality product, right into customer hands on time, on budget. Did you know that to produce a paper carrier bag like the above, it needs to be:

Colour Proofed

Plated

Printed

Laminated

Cut and Creased

Constructed

Drilled

Roped

Packed

Delivered

This is why bags are not generally a quick timescale product, each part of the process requires checking before moving on to the next. 

So for this project, as Head of Special Products, I am grateful to the customer in believing we could do it and their order, to Production for their scheduling and moving of work, Finishing for their timely work, and especially the girls who worked in making up in very tight timescales, and lastly Despatch who worked seamlessly with the Courier to make sure all the aforementioned hard work was not wasted. Simply a brilliant team effort and proof of the quality within the company. 

If you have a project you would like to discuss please feel free to call us on
01580 753322, we welcome a challenge.