January 2008: When Die Cutting is Just the First Step, Make the Right Outsourcing Decision

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Jobs that require multiple post press services belong with a finisher that can perform all, or at least most, of the operations under-one-roof. When die cutting is involved, this decision is even more important. Die cut accuracy and positioning affects nearly every downstream operation and usually occurs early in the production workflow. It is difficult for a die cutting-only shop to foresee all problem areas in other binding and mailing operations because these kinds of companies typically don't have all the required knowledge at their fingertips, like their under-one-roof counterparts do.

If you choose a die cutter with a complete array of binding, finishing and mailing services, questions can be quickly resolved by simply walking across the shop floor. If die adjustments are required, these can be discussed and taken care of within minutes, saving time, money, coordination and needless worry on your part.

Save Time, Money and Worry

Look for a finisher that:

• Makes and adjusts dies in house. This reduces the back and forth that can delay the delivery of a job.
• Helps you get the most out of your sheet. Look to your post press services provider for advice about choosing the right size sheet for your project. Under consideration should be: Grain direction; proper gripper and guide margin allowances; and downstream production efficiencies. Finishers that can die cut 40-inch sheets in multiple-up formats have a decided advantage.
• Advises you about job layouts. Often there are several ways to layout a job. Don't you want to choose the one that minimizes total production time and project costs?
• Helps you map out production workflows. When you ask your finisher to explain what happens next in the sequence of die cut operations, expect a helpful, complete answer.
• Assures great quality. Under-one-roof post-press service providers should offer better quality assurance because they can test the product during every production step, keeping an eye on all finishing operations. There's no waiting for your project to come back from being outsourced because everything is done in-house. Any required project "tweaking" can be taken care of immediately.
• Cultivates knowledge and helpfulness among its own people. Your post press services provider should have knowledgeable, caring and experienced customer service, estimating and production staff that is trained to help from job planning through delivery.
• Wants you to win more printing work. Choose a die cutting company that freely offers samples and advice to help you win the job in the first place.

The Rapid Bind Advantage
At Rapid Bind, our complete range of post press solutions makes us an ideal under-one-roof resource for both simple and complex projects. We offer many money and time-saving advantages, such as in-house die adjustment, that help ensure your projects are completed on-time and on budget. By consolidating so many post press operations under one roof, Rapid Bind customers are able to avoid additional transit time and costs while maintaining greater control over the quality of their finished products.

Give us a call to discuss your next project.

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