Benefits of Digital Print

Since its launch in 1993, digital print has taken the printing industry by storm. It currently makes up about 13.5% of all printing and it is expected that European digital print revenues will reach EUR12.7bn in 2015. The growth of digital printing can be attributed the many benefits it offers customers. Printing industry expert Chris Baker, who worked as vice-president at HP and Indigo for five years, says: “The growth of digital printing has been driven by marketers. Companies need to communicate effectively with their customers and digital printing provides them with a way of doing this efficiently.”

  Green

This method of printing can boost the green credentials of any company. Unlike conventional printing, there are no pre-press stages between the digital document file and the final print, so there is no need for, film plates or photo chemicals.

  Speed

Digital printing offers a quicker response time due to its minimal press setup. It simplifies the printing process, traditional plates and film are redundant, there is no press make-ready needed, no plate mounting, no registration adjustments and no ink keys. There are less steps and people involved in the printing process, and as result the final product can be delivered quicker.

  Cost effective

Enabling companies to make financial savings is another benefit offered by digital printing. Traditional printing services have always had quotas or minimum orders required when you used their services. However, because of the flexibility of the printing press, digital printing companies do not have these sorts of boundaries, proving the freedom for the businesses and individuals to save and get the exact amount that they need.

  Short runs

Digital printing is the ideal method of producing short- to medium-runs in more effective ways than traditional print. Digital data is easily stored and updated; therefore changes are easily made either prior to printing or in the following batch. Digital printing allows more effective print management: there’s no need for bulk stock and no need to dump out of date stock. “The short runs offered by digital print mean that companies can tailor their message to their audience. It is economic both in the sense of time and finance. Companies can produce what they want, when they want it, tailored to who they want to. It’s about delivering the right message, to the right people, at the right time,” Baker explains.