While more and more businesses are opting to reduce their paper usage, in many industries, it is impossible to go completely paperless. You may need to keep paper files for people within your office to look at and/or you may need to use paper documents to interact with clients or other businesses. If your business still uses paper daily, you may benefit from production printers. Unfortunately, production printers are not a piece of office equipment that many business owners have heard of or are familiar with. As such, it can make it challenging to determine if your business should use one and can benefit from one when you have no idea what a production printer is and does.
Here is everything that you need to know about production printers.
Production Printing 101
To determine if a production printer is ideal for your business, you first must learn what a production printer is and what types of tasks it can complete. A production printer is a high-speed printer that is capable of printing graphic materials, most notably those used in graphic marketing communication materials. This includes, but is not limited to, brochures, manuals, booklets, and flyers. A production printer is designed to not only print these types of materials but is designed to do so quickly, helping your business to printer out thousands of pieces of communication materials significantly faster than using a traditional multifunctional printer. These types of printers also make the most of ink, helping to print these items using less ink than you would expect to use if you were utilizing non-production printers.
Historically, production printing was outsourced to large print companies. This is because production printers used to be quite expensive and large, making it challenging for the average company to have their device in-house. However, as the technology has advanced, the cost of these printers, and the size of these printers, has decreased, making it easier for businesses to have their own.
The Benefits of Production Printing
Now that you know more about what a production printer is, you may find yourself wondering about the benefits associated with production printing. Production printers have a number of benefits associated with them.
One of the major benefits associated with production printers is that they are able to print a large number of pages very quickly. When you think of printers in action, you may think of a traditional office printer. Depending on the model, it could take at least an hour to print a few hundred pages on one of these devices. Production printers are designed to print pages quickly, including those that have graphics on them, greatly reducing printing speeds within your office.
Another major benefit associated with production printing is that it is economical to have your own device in-house. A production printer uses less energy and less ink compared to a traditional office or multifunctional printer. Over the course of a few days, you may not notice the difference, but as you use this printer for months or years, you will begin to notice the difference when you save on energy and ink costs.
Production printers also allow for great color flexibility and color accuracy. Standard office printers or multifunction printers may not have the full range of high-quality color options that production printers have. This can make the pictures that are printed look off or muddy. Production printers can print images using the colors you want and expect to see.
The final benefit of production printers we’ll cover is that they are low maintenance. This means that they do not require a lot of maintenance or service to ensure they function properly. This can also help you to save on your printing costs.
Do We Need Our Own Device?
The final question you may have about production printers is whether it is something that your business should invest in. If your business prints a large number of items, or you regularly print high-quality materials such as flyers, booklets, pamphlets, or other marketing materials, you may benefit from your own production printer. Production printers can print anywhere from 60 to 150 pages per minute, making them ideal for those who have large print loads and who also need high-quality when it comes to their print jobs.
The next thing that you need to consider is how frequently you have large print jobs. There are printing companies out there who charge for their service and print a large number of items at one time. If you occasionally print large print jobs, you may be better off utilizing a print service for your needs. However, if you frequently have large print jobs, investing in a production printer and printing the items yourself in-house will help you to save money in the long run. Ultimately, you may need to compare the cost of a production printer to the cost of your annual printing cost utilizing a print company to find out if you will come out ahead investing in your own production printer.
Many companies are investing in production printers and reaping the benefits of having one of these powerful devices at their disposal. These printers allow your business to print large amounts of print jobs quickly, while also producing high-quality prints. If your business is regularly using a print shop to complete your large or high-quality print work, you may need to look into acquiring your own production printer. To learn more about production printers and why you’d benefit from bringing one in-house, contact Buckmaster Office Solutions today and speak with one of our sales specialists.