Friday, December 3, 2010

Pretty darn close to offset quality at a digital price

Happy December! Hope you had your fill of gratitude and goodness over the Thanksgiving holiday!

The last time we printed business cards for MORRIS, we went through quite the rigamarole (for more on the learning experience, see part 1 of Murphy's Law here and part 2 here). And, every time a new employee graced our doorstep, it cost us a small fortune to print new cards. Knowing this, I took a fresh approach when our agency recently refreshed our brand and business cards.

For a long time, we have been printing our case studies on a digital HP Indigo press. This particular digital press is not only unique in it's hybrid-like technology but in it's print quality as well. I would have to say, quite honestly, there's no comparison when it comes to quality. The Indigo pretty much kicks ass over all other digital presses and is a GREAT option for nearly-offset-quality small runs at a digital price.

Like all digital presses, there are limitations to the Indigo. Finished size is constrained to 11" (h) x 17" (w) and you have to choose from Indigo approved digital papers (which include a broad range of options) but for projects such as business cards, greeting cards and minimal-paged documents at low quantities (that don't exceed the size specifications), it's truly the best bet.

But shop around. Not all vendors have an Indigo. My recommendation, in the San Diego area, is SOS Printing. Beyond their experienced team and a press that is calibrated close to perfection, they produce high-quality products at extremely competitive prices. You can get to know their digital pressman, Kent Wright (aka rocking' guest blogger), here.

Trust me on this one. You won't be disappointed!

2 comments:

  1. Bridget,

    Love your blog, but wanted to point out one misconception. HP Indigo users are not limited to HP Indigo-certified stocks.

    Many non-certified treatment options are available for HP Indigo users to create custom stocks, treated specifically to use on their press. A treatment center, such as our facility, can help a digital printer select, source, and test new substrates. We can help a digital printer get their desired material to run beautifully and trouble free on their HP Indigo press. Some HP Indigo users even opt to toll-coat their desired offset stock to make it digital-ready for their machine. We can even help in getting a desired digital material HP Indigo-Certified.

    Please let me know if you need additional information on the capabilities available for custom treatment of HP Indigo stocks. We're here to help!

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  2. Bridget,

    I know I am late to the party, but thanks so much for your kind words about SOS. We really feel that our digital is the highest quality in San Diego and are very glad that you agree! Feel free to reach out to me for your next job!

    Andrew Nurre
    SOS Printing
    858-292-1800

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