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Printing News Magazine
Adding Value: Flatbed Printing
Not a Flat Market

Printing News MagazineDec. 18, 2006—Flatbed printers occupy a space all of their own in the world of digital printing. They open up a variety of applications no other printer type-offset or digital-can match. While roll- or sheetfed printers can image onto pressure-sensitive materials, which can then be applied to rigid or unusual surfaces, only flatbed printers allow a shop to image directly onto those surfaces.

The ability to print directly onto rigid substrates-objects such as doors, glass, or wood-gives a shop a way to increase productivity and decrease their cost on those types of jobs. For shops already doing work that requires rigid or thick substrates, a flatbed printer is a good option to look into. Additionally, shops looking to expand their product offerings should also take a good look.

Get The Word Out
A problem with flatbed printing is that most printers do not understand the difference between the UV inks most models use, and other types, such as dye or pigment, and what the limitations and advantages are. Another problem is that printers often do not comprehend how a flatbed printer can turn previous costly or difficult applications into an option that will improve their response rates.

There are a few ways shops can market the unique capabilities of flatbed printers. Digital Impact, Yeadon, Pa., a subsidiary of VT Graphics Inc., has taken the education approach to the problem. Robert Mormile Jr., president of VT Graphics, noted that when his company decided to purchase a flatbed printer, the market they were looking to target did not exist. They had to educate their clients and create demand for the output the flatbed printer was capable of. He said the company spent the first two years after the initial acquisition in education mode, slowly demonstrating how flatbed printing could work in various campaigns.

Enhance a Colour, based in New York City, took a similar approach, aiming to educate clients by demonstrating what the firm's flatbed machine could do. Jim O'Conner, owner, noted that they produce a direct-mail campaign 10 times a year, sending out postcards done on the flatbed on various rigid substrates, such as wood or plexiglas. He has found this is a very effective way to get the word out, especially when paired with a direct sales force.

All About the Application
The value of a flatbed printer is in the applications. Depending on the focus of the shop, there are a wide range of jobs one can help produce.

Enhance a Colour purchased a Durst Rho 160W for its ability to print white ink, Mr. O'Conner noted. The company does many window displays, and that option allows them to offer clients work with more pop.

The firm has received some retail clients, he noted, that would have been impossible to secure without the flatbed capability. In addition, the ability to print direct-to-rigid-substrates has allowed them to cut costs and provide quicker turnaround, both of which are selling points they can use to win and keep important jobs.

Digital Impact has taken a different path. VT Graphics is a platemaker founded in 1966. They have been watching the digital technology since the 1990s, waiting to see where it would go. A few years ago they decided it was time to take the plunge, and purchased an HP CorJet.

The CorJet allows them to target the short-run market, for clients who do not need full plates made for jobs that require 10,000 or more impressions. They have paired the flatbed with an automatic die cutter to increase its usefulness, and have found that it is a good match with the plate making business-some customers like the short-run job enough to decide to do a longer run, in which case they have the company make the plates.

Digital Impact also found the Internet to be an effective place to get new business. They target start-up companies who want to do intricate work to get the word out about their own products, but cannot afford long-run jobs. The HP allows the company to offer a cost-effective solution, and to become a partner that can grow as the start-up grows.

The Right Solution
Flatbed printing is not for every shop-like any other print technology, it will work very well for some, and not at all for others. However, it is an option any shop looking to open up new markets should explore. When targeted right and marketed well, it can provide a whole new revenue stream previously untapped.

The Manufacturers
Sidebar By Toni McQuilken

There are several companies that produce flatbed printers, and each one has its strengths and weaknesses. If you are looking into purchasing a flatbed, get brochures or talk to representatives from as many OEMs as you can, as this will ensure you get exactly the machine for your needs.