Site logo
Company
About us
Careers
Equipment
Environment
Products
Pricing
Blog
Contact
info@mediapoint.com.au
1300 66 33 42

Author: Jamie Xuereb

Why BOPP is the Top Choice for Stickers & Labels

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) is an incredibly durable plastic – making it perfect for printing applications. We discuss the benefits below.

When it comes to label and sticker printing, picking the right material is a key consideration. One option that consistently outperforms others is Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene. This material, known in industry circles as BOPP, offers great durability, flexibility, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

It’s also a tried and tested material that’s been around for several decades. Even if you didn’t know the name – you’ve likely encountered something printed using BOPP. So, let’s dive into why clear BOPP should be a go-to material of choice when printing labels and stickers…

BOPP is Designed for Excellence

In simple terms, BOPP is a plastic film stretched in two directions during production. This dual-direction orientation increases BOPP’s strength and flexibility. That gives it superior characteristics that make it a cut above the rest for various applications. Perhaps the most common is for labelling and packaging – where it provides a canvas for incredible clarity of print and eye-catching colour.

BOPP Labels on rolls
BOPP Labels on Rolls

The benefits don’t end there:

  • Firstly, BOPP is a printer’s dream. Whether water-based or solvent-based inks are required, BOPP labels can handle it, delivering crisp, clear images and text. It can even handle white ink with clarity – something unique in label printing.
  • BOPP is particularly resilient – it can stand up to water, oil, a variety of chemicals, and UV light, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. That’s why most labels on goods exposed to challenging conditions (like in kitchens, bathrooms, or outdoor environments) use this material.
  • There is also versatility when it comes to the overall appearance of a label / sticker. It can produce crystal-clear labels for see-through packaging or opaque labels for designs that require a solid colour backdrop.
BOPP stickers in outdoor application
BOPP Stickers in Outdoor Application Showcasing Opaque and Transparent Capabilities

Comparing other Label Materials with BOPP

So how does this material stack up against the common alternatives you’ll find listed at print shops?

Paper Labels

Paper labels are generally cheaper to produce but they just can’t compete with BOPP’s resilience to water, oil, and other harsh conditions. Even better, BOPP stickers are more tear and scratch-resistant than paper alternatives. The useful life of paper is also far shorter than this plastic alternative.

Vinyl Stickers

Vinyl stickers have become more and more popular in recent times. It’s likely that the brand stickers you see adorning many laptops and cars are vinyl. This material also holds up pretty well over a longer term – however BOPP still edges it out on durability. Despite being thinner, this plastic doesn’t compromise on durability or strength, and in fact – it makers it easy to cut, peel, and apply.

BOPP Stickers and Label Printing At Mediapoint

With its strong features, versatility, and competitive edge, it stands as a top choice for labels. As we strive towards a future where resilience, functionality, and sustainability are more important than ever, BOPP continues to demonstrate its value. We can help you unlock its potential and produce the best quality stickers the best prices.

In fact we recently installed Australia’s finest printing equipment for label and sticker printing. This advanced piece of kit, complements our expertise and can handle all your BOPP printing needs. Whether you need only a handful of labels or are looking to cater to organisations requiring large quantities, Mediapoint is your go-to trade printer.

Create an account today to access trade pricing on stickers and labels. Click here to get started!

Introducing an Exciting New Product: White Ink Printing for Clear BOPP!

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

At Mediapoint, we’re thrilled to announce the addition of white ink printing on Clear BOPP, available both on sheets and rolls. Our state-of-the-art Durst Tau printer utilizes UV White ink, allowing us to print an impressive 900 square meters of white ink per hour.

But why is white ink so important? Well, when it comes to printing on dark backgrounds, white ink plays a crucial role in achieving solid, vibrant colors. By incorporating white ink alongside CMYK, we can make your designs truly pop. To illustrate the difference, take a look at our real-world examples below.

In the first photo, we’ve placed a sample sticker with white ink on a standard window, while a standard CMYK label without white ink serves as a comparison. Notice how the white ink enhances the CMYK colors, making them more solid and vibrant, whereas the non-white ink sample appears washed out and barely visible.

To ensure the best results, we recommend positioning your white ink slightly offset beneath the CMYK layer. This adjustment helps align the colors and eliminates any visible white edges, resulting in a seamless and professional finish.

Even on a dark black background, our white ink remains strong and impactful compared to other digital inks. You can trust that your designs will stand out brilliantly, leaving a lasting impression on your audience.

We’ve also received inquiries from resellers about covering text or images. In the image above, you’ll notice the combination of CMYK with white ink underneath, as well as an example of white ink solely covering black text. It’s important to note that this technique does not provide complete blockout coverage; some showthrough may still occur.

With our white ink printing capability, you can unlock a whole new level of creativity and visual impact. Get in touch with us today to explore the possibilities and elevate your print reselling business to new heights.

To register to our Orders system and get pricing on White Ink Labels for your customer, Register Here.

Flat Fee Shipping For Trade Large Format Printing

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

We’re introducing flat fee shipping for trade large format printing – read on to learn how to claim this fantastic deal.

We are regularly speaking with. and listening to the feedback of, our print resellers and brokers. Over the last few years a consistent pain point has been varying shipping costs. Particularly when it comes to shipping large format printing ordered through our PrintIQ system.

So we’re introducing something that is sure to make life easier (and make savings bigger)…

FLAT FEE SHIPPING TO CERTAIN METRO AREAS

We have introduced flat fee shipping for large format printing to certain metro postcodes within the following cities:

  • Melbourne
  • Sydney
  • Brisbane
  • Adelaide

PARAMETERS ON FLAT FEE SHIPPING FOR LARGE FORMAT PRINTING

Of course, we need to make this deal fair and equitable for all parties. So there are a few requirements to claim flat fee shipping for trade large format printing from Mediapoint.

  1. Flat fee is available for board jobs under 150cm x 120cm in size.
  2. This freight method uses budget carriers such as Couriers Please and TFM in postcodes they are strong in.
    • Please note we do not guarantee a date of delivery with this freight method. Unfortunately it is out of our control. There will be no recourse action on any deliveries until 21 business days after the date of dispatch. We do however, expect that this issue would only occur in rare instances.

HOW TO ACCESS

When quoting in PrintIQ, any postcodes and job sizes which fit into these parameters will default to the new ‘Economy – Road‘ option. This is the option for flat feee shipping for large format printing.

If you do not want this to apply you will need to select an alternative freight option.

If you have any questions about this new freight option please email us on trade@mediapoint.com.au

Key Considerations For Label Print Quality

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

We review the elements of label print quality using our new equipment to help you understand, compare and evaluate options.

The quality of label printing significantly influences the overall appeal and effectiveness of the product. For ourselves, and our print resellers, it also has an effect on reputation and customer satisfaction. As such, label print quality should never be an afterthought. Producing high quality stickers and labels, for whatever application a customer requires, can be a real boon for business.

What to Consider When it Comes to Label Print Quality

When considering print quality for labels and stickers, several factors come to play. We’ve addressed some key considerations in a sample print run on our new addition, the Durst Tau 330 RSC E to highlight these for you.

So let’s get into it…

Resolution: The Foundation of Label Print Quality

Perhaps the biggest consideration of any print job is resolution. Stickers and labels are no exception. Getting sharp imagery and legible text means using the right equipment and technology for the application.

When it comes to labels, you generally want a high DPI (Dots Per Inch) count and small drop size. The higher the DPI the more nuance you can give designs, and the smaller drop size the less dot gain occurs – leading to crisp print details.

The Durst Tau 330 RSC E boasts a resolution of 1200dpi and a 2 picoliter drop size. That combination results in a market-leading label print quality. Just check out the quality sheet below. It’s an A4 paper showcasing ‘worst case’ scenarios, pushing a machine to its least effective print mode. Design details still pop and the varying elements don’t bleed into each other.

Legibility of Small Text

Small text has always been a tricky element to print clearly. On par with colour richness and image resolution, text issues are the most noticeable label print quality defects.  Naturally, a majority of label and sticker printing jobs require small text. You don’t want packaging and branding details being missed – especially in applications that fall under strict regulations. 

The smaller you can print text, the more you can play around with text on a design. Plus, the more peace-of-mind you’ll have of information being accessible to the end audience.



Taking this to the extreme, we’ve been able to print text on the Durst at 1 point size. That’s text that requires a loupe to read. This text is illegible to the naked eye, but the legibility under magnification is a testament to the printer’s precision.

Even better, italicised text also come out beautifully. Even ‘reversed out’ printing still yields good results. See the images below from our test outcomes.



When designing sticker and label printing or evaluating your printer options, these elements really open up the range of applications.

Scannability of QR Codes & Barcodes

The ability to produce legible, scannable QR codes is of great concern to printers. It’s in high demand from the customers of print resellers post-2020. That’s thanks to take up of QR code functionality and how they can be used in packaging or marketing applications.

Again, when it comes to labels, these generally need to be printed at small sizes. The clarity of the code print influences its scannability – you can’t have lines bleeding into each other. 

In the above example you can see that under a loupe, the clarity of a 5mm QR code remains impeccable. This is the smallest size QR code that we have seen scan through any of our presses. Whilst not all applications will require such small sizing, it’s a testament to what’s possible using leading-edge tech. It opens up many options too for our print resellers and their customers. 

Barcodes in Any Direction

This leads me to a quick note on something often overlooked – directionality of barcodes. Due to the setup of generic label printers, printing barcodes often requires a change in orientation to ensure scannability. That means compromising on design and often extra work for designers. This can lead to lower customer satisfaction and longer lead times.



With the Durst Tau 330 RSC E, we can print barcodes in any direction. That gives our customers the confidence to submit label and sticker designs knowing codes will scan perfectly.

Rich Solid Colours

Colour richness is another instantly obvious aspect of label print quality that can significantly enhance overall appeal. It’s a factor influenced by the printer’s colour reproduction capabilities, ink quality, and the interaction between the ink and the printing medium.

The Durst Tau 330 RSC E, leveraging the advanced inkjet tech we mentions before, excels in this regard. Colours are both rich and vibrant, giving printed labels a high-end, premium look and feel. 

Durability and Useful Life

Many of the applications of stickers and labels require the product to maintain quality label printing over a long term. Furthermore, the products are usually regularly handled, exposed to light, and outdoor conditions.

So printing equipment that utilises ink sets specifically for these purposes, in combination with durable stock, can greatly affect useful life. Our stickers and labels are printed with UV resistant ink sets that don’t require lamination and withstand outdoor conditions for up to two years. This, of course, isn’t necessary for every use case but it provides peace-of-mind to the end user.

It also unlocks a wide range of applications in combination with custom size options (stickers of up to 1m in length), a large die library, and the aforementioned label print quality.

Our Aim for Label Print Quality

As you can see there are some clear pillars of label print quality when it comes to stickers and labels. Taking these into consideration when selecting a print partner for jobs can save you money and frustration.

At Mediapoint we’re not just addressing these concerns but pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital label and sticker printing. Whether it’s resolution, colour richness, readability of small text, scannability of QR codes and barcodes, or length of useful life. Our label and sticker solutions provide peace-of-mind and quality customers will love (at prices you’ll love).

We’re not just improving the quality of our customer’s labels; we’re enabling them to elevate their  brand and offer an enhanced experience and wider range to customers.

If you’re a business in need, or a print reseller / broker, looking for quality label and sticker printing – put us to the test. Register for a trade account today to access exclusive pricing and online ordering.

Label and Sticker Printing – A Quantum Leap

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

Learn about our brand new label and sticker printing solution that’s changing the game for Australian printers.

We first embarked into the label and sticker printing market 12 years ago. So we’re all too familiar with the challenges of the medium. Over time, and still until recently, we’ve encountered the same obstacles and pain points our customers (and peers) faced.

Most notably was a forced reliance on wide-format printers, plotters, and manual cutting tools to produce jobs. It can be a painstaking process, particularly for smaller, high-quality projects.

But despite the inefficiency and quality not meeting our idea standards, it had remained the most cost-effective solution. Many other trade printers and traditional print shops still operate this way. But for Mediapoint (and our print resellers and brokers) things are finally changing…

The Ideal Label and Sticker Printing Solution

We never stopped looking for better technology throughout our journey. We believe in doing things right and investing in the best to ensure we never outgrow our capabilities. So since discovering the equipment that would integrate with, and enhance, our streamlined processes we’ve been meticulously working on a keystone project.

After two years, we believe we have commissioned the best solution in Australia. We excited to announce the addition of a Durst Tau 330 RSC E to our equipment lineup. It sets the standard for label printing – offerring unparalleled quality and efficiency.

What’s So Good About This Printer

It’s not just hyperbole – the Tau 330 RSC E offers some compelling benefits. Here’s why we’ve invested in this label and sticker printer…

Unparalleled Label and Sticker Quality

The Tau 330 RSC E prints at 1200dpi with a 2 picoliter drop and minimal dot gain. That makes is the highest quality inkjet printer on the market. Print elements are crisp and clean even at both macro and micro scale. The print clarity remains whether you need a label up to 1m in length, or QR codes, barcodes, and text at 5mm and under.

Plus, the Tau matches the throughput of our other machines meaning there’s no compromise between speed and quality.

Outdoor Durability

The outdoor-durable ink used by this machine eliminates the need for lamination. Yet stickers and labels can withstand outdoor conditions for up to two years. This unlocks a wide range of applications in combination with custom size options, a large die library, and the aforementioned print quality.

Trust & Reliability

We’ve partnered with Durst Group for a number of years and feature many of their machines in our processes. Their reputation for reliability is well-known, and the proof is in the jobs (stickers or otherwise) that we produce everyday.

The Tau 330 RSC E is no exception. It offers consistent throughput and fits in seamlessly with our streamlined processes. This makes great savings in a number of areas without forsaking quality on labels and stickers. This means we can continue to pass savings onto our resellers, offering them more margin to play with.

Future-Proofed Label and Sticker Printing

Our new Durst printer also has the potential to utilise White UV Ink in the future. Plus, our tight-knit relationship with the manufacturer makes it likely that we’ll have first access to upgrades and optimisations.

That will enable us to offer unique applications and expand services to Australian print resellers as the market (and demand) grows.

What Does This Mean for Our Customers

We’re obviously excited about this new addition to our service offerings – and you should be too. With the Tau 330 RSC E Mediapoint trade customers get:

  • Free blind shipping as standard
  • A best-in-class label solution that doesn’t require laminate.
  • Australia’s largest die library – order custom sizes and custom shapes.
  • Low minimum starting prices on sheets and rolls at any order volume.
  • Application-ready labels and stickers – no white edges!
  • A 100% easy peel guarantee. Never worry about labels being cut too deep.
  • The ability to order labels up to 1m long.
  • Instant pricing and industry-leading, 2-day turnaround times.

We’re absolutely redefining what’s possible when it comes to labels and stickers for Australian print resellers. If you’re interested – put us to the test!

Make sure your are registered for a trade account to make the quantum leap today.

6 More Benefits of Trade Printing

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

The benefits of trade printing extend even further than just cost and labour reduction. In this blog, we look further into how resellers and brokers can partner with us to unlock growth.

Trade Printing is Cost-Effective

One of the primary benefits of trade printing is its cost-effectiveness. By partnering with a trade printer, businesses can take advantage of wholesale prices, which are often significantly lower than retail prices. This means that businesses can produce high-quality printed materials without breaking the bank, allowing them to allocate more resources to other aspects of their operations.

Access to Specialised Equipment + Expertise

Through long-term supplier relationships, we have state-of-the-art equipment that few trade printers have access to. Even better, over 16 years in business means we are well-versed in the equipment best practices. Plus, we understand the various nuances of print reseller / broker requirements.

When evaluating a trade printer, a key consideration is that they not only have the equipment to manufacture to your requirements – ideally they will also be able to support you in making informed decisions on the best methods for specific project. Solid expertise combined with access to quality equipment leads to better outcomes for you as the reseller and your clients at no extra cost.

Turnaround Times Are Another Benefit of Trade Printing

The potential for improved turnaround times is another significant advantage of trade printing. Trade printers focus solely on printing services, so we complete jobs quicker than businesses than in-house print production.

Mediapoint relies on a highly automated ordering system that requires our customers to provide (and proof) artwork online. This enables us to cut down turnaround as well as pass on the savings that come from not having design services. It also provides resellers more lead-time for projects and increases the possibility of delivering on last-minute orders received from their clients.

Wider Range of Print & Product Options

Trade printers offer partners access to a wider range of product options than doing things in-house. Unless the reseller has a significant amount of space or capital to outlay it is highly unlikely that most print shops can compete on our scale.

By partnering with a trade printer, a print shop can offer more options on stock, finishes, cuts, and products to its customer base. This adds a competitive advantage in a crowded market without the requirement of purchasing / holding more inventory.

Increased Scalability

By outsourcing their printing needs to a trade printer, businesses can scale their operations more effectively. We have the capacity to handle large-volume orders, allowing businesses to ramp up their marketing efforts and focus on strengthening existing customer relationships.

Once again this is without having to invest in additional equipment or staff. This scalability can be particularly beneficial for growing businesses or those experiencing seasonal fluctuations in demand.

Trade Printing Simplifies Logistics

Rather than having to manage the entire printing process in-house, businesses can rely on a trade printer to handle everything from production to shipping. This can free up valuable time and resources, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations and strategic growth initiatives.

A Final Note on the Benefits of Trade Printing

Trade printing offers a wide array of benefits for businesses looking to optimise and scale their operations without forsaking quality or revenue. By partnering with a reliable and experienced trade printer, you can unlock expansion and drive your business forward.

If you’re a print reseller and yet to register for a Trade Account with Mediapoint – you can sign up here. Access 24/7 live pricing, industry-leading turnaround and a wide range of products.

Labels on Rolls: New Opportunities Coming Soon

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

The purchase of the Durst Tau by Mediapoint isn’t just exciting for us – it’s good news for Australian print resellers. This state-of-the-art printer is designed to print a plethora of products at a high quality and high volume. We’re particularly excited to finally be able to offer labels on rolls from day one of operation. This adds a new capability (and product) to our ever-expanding facility and means quick, efficient printing of stickers / labels is more accessible than ever to the Australian market.

Resellers Can Take on Bigger Orders for Labels on Rolls

Adding another product line – particular one that is in high demand – is another way we’re helping print resellers to scale their business.

By investing in the Durst Tau, Mediapoint is enabling customers to optimise their workflow, fill production gaps and offer affordable label printing to their customers. Thanks to the ability to print on a wide range of materials, print brokers can offer their customers a wide range of sizes and styles. Plus, as it will be the first in Australia to be fully automated (and integrated with our existing systems) significant savings can be passed on.

So not only are we quadrupling our print capacity overall, we can now offer sticker and label printing at a competitive rate, with the fastest turnaround.

Keep an Eye Out for Labels on Rolls In Our New System

When the printer is up and running, resellers can register into our new Orders system and can simply log into our self-serve portal to order. As usual, you can expect live, 24/7 quoting and quick turnaround on all label orders.

Resellers won’t have to wait around with an industry-leading 2-day turnaround on any labels on roll orders. Increased margins, reduced turnaround time and the ability to onsell high-volume label printing will give our partners a competitive advantage.

Not to mention that it could lead to new customers, whilst offering more value to their existing clients. Whilst label / sticker printing may seem like an innocuous addition, it will allow Mediapoint and our customers to maximise their value proposition.

Want to Be First In Line?

This is significant step-forward for us and Australian print resellers. If you’d like to be one of the first to offer and order labels on rolls with all the usual benefits of trade printing – register your interest here.

How Much Does it Cost To Buy A Large Format Printer?

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

There are several factors that determine the true cost when you buy a large format printer. Jamie Xuereb discusses them in the video below and outlines the costs further in this article.

Everyone Gets Distracted by Physical Equipment Cost

We often see people get sucked in by the cost of a large format printer itself. They only look at this number as a metric to determine quality of the asset, the capital required and expense to the business. But we believe that there are several important factors besides the cost of the printer. The main elements to consider are:

  • Print Mode
  • Ink Costs
  • Service Fees
  • Floor Space.

The Effects of Different Print Modes

You always want to work any cost calculations on the ‘go to’ mode that you want to print at. This is how print line capacity is throttled; directly impacting ROI. We are notorious for knuckling honing in on optimal print modes when acquiring a new equipment. The key is to identify a mode that eliminates banding in print and provides a balance of speed. This way we can ensure we sustain our service level to our reseller customer and prints are of a good quality.

We do not get swayed by the fastest modes on a printer – even though it is easy to! Each printer will have a different sweet spot that provides the optimal results. We account for reduced speed through batching and other pre / post print processes. That’s how Mediapoint can support the needs of our high-volume resellers without sacrificing quality.

Consider Ink Cost When You Buy a Large Format Printer

The ink cost (per square meter) is very important, particularly for higher volume use. It’s imperative that you calculate the price of your printer based on average usage throughout its useful life.

For example: Say a new large format printer will have a 4 year useful life. You could anticipate doing 100,000 square meters of print during that time. You’ll want to work out the total cost with ink required for that volume, as well as any servicing fees in the 4 year period.

On that note…

When You Buy a Wide Format Printer You’ll Require Servicing

This is the part that most print equipment salespeople do not like to talk about. However we can’t stress enough how much this can influence the true cost. At Mediapoint we have found maintenance costs with certain brands to be unfeasible.

When you buy a large format printer, investigate the square meters of printing it can produce before certain servicing is required. Make sure to keep this top-of-mind and factor into your costings.

How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Large Format Printer
Our Durst 512R LED in action. We used the points in these posts when making decision to buy this printer as it fit our business

Large Printers Require Significant Amount of Floor Space

When it comes to commercial printing, new equipment ties up more floor space. There is a material cost to this (buying / leasing space) and an opportunity cost (using the space for something else). Don’t forget that on top space for each piece of equipment we need room for handling stock, to a working and dispatch area.

To give you an example: at Mediapoint we have over 2000sqm of internal warehouse space. Now whilst not all of that is used at the moment (we are future proofing for further expansion), a significant portion is takin up by our printing equipment. Real estate is a major, yet often overlooked, reason why business scaling is challenging for print shops.

If you’re looking to buy a large format printer to cater for demand growth, first consider a trade printing partner like Mediapoint. We have 16+ years experience dealing only with resellers, allowing them to expand their businesses efficiently. Contact us today to discuss your requirements.

The Costs of Wide Format Printing Explained

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

In this article we break down wide format printing costs to give you a peak behind the scenes. You’ll be able to better understand exactly where gains can be made. Plus, you’ll have a better idea of the difference between trade printing and in-house production.

Wide Format Printing Equipment Cost & Capacity

First and foremost is the actual cost of the large format equipment to be used. The capital expenditure of these assets is factored into the cost of each sheet. When calculating this, organisations need to also consider the capacity of the selected printer. At Mediapoint, we have invested in large format printers that can handle more volume, to bring down the cost per sheet and produce more jobs per hour. In tandem with our streamlined batching processes we can feed more volume through the line in less operational time. That means we can pass on greater savings to our trade clients and give them greater margin for reselling.

For the clients we cater to best (high volume resellers) this is the optimal process, however there will inevitably be some tradeoffs. We’ve covered those in another article that outlines how to evaluate a trade printer and make sure they match your needs.

Ink Plays a Key Part in Large Format Printing

Fundamentally you need ink to print – there is no way around this commodity. An ink cost per square meter is factored into the cost of any printing run. When dealing with large format prints this can be a significant cost – particularly if the equipment being used is not efficient in its ink usage. You’ll find that entry level or cheaper equipment will be less effective in its use of inks. So you may still end up with a quality print, but the ink costs per square meter are much higher.

We run premium Durst printers on a single printing mode. These are optimised for a set quality of print in all batches. This allows us to sustain efficient ink usage even at the high volume our clients expect, whilst sustaining the level of print quality their own customers expect.

Floor Space Required for Wide Format Printers

Large printers need a lot of floor space. From handling stock, to a working and dispatch area; each piece of equipment needs a significant amount of real estate. At Mediapoint we have over 2000sqm of internal warehouse space. This enables our teams work safely and efficiently when handling print jobs. Plus, it future-proofs our expansion plans.

This is an oft-overlooked aspect of wide format printing, and a major reason why scaling production / capacity is hard for your average print shop. Once the capacity of existing equipment is reached, not only do you need to outlay capital for equipment but also rental of extra floor space or sometimes even an entirely new premises. That expenditure usually leads to increase in print pricing which can affect relationships with customers and significantly impact your bottom line.

Finishing

Another overlooked aspect of wide format printing is the added finishing equipment and processes required. Finishing has a linked impact on quality and delivery of print runs. Sometimes, the cost of good finishing equipment can cost more than the actual print equipment. Then we must consider the cost of staff, training, and the time needed to finish orders. Once again, this all contributes to the final pricing of print jobs. Any process optimisations or capital savings mean less costs overall and greater margins to play with. In printing, economies of scale are very real – which is why trying to justify completing high-volume, repetitive work in-house can be difficult.

Durst 512 Mediapoint
The Costs of Wide Format Printing Explained

Quality Assurance and Dispatch

Unlike other forms of print, like the name suggests, large format printing is large. Due to the materials and equipment involved the print process differs from smaller-scale operation. That means it is necessary to conduct QA work prior to dispatch. It also requires customised packaging and delivery option which ties up a lot of resources as well.

As you can see, there are many factors at play when it comes to the pricing of commercial printing. Due to this the quoting process can often take quite a while, delaying projects or blowing out lead times. That’s why we’ve invested in our PrintIQ system – offering 24/7 live pricing and automated print processing.

If you’re a print resellers looking to provide accurate quotes, manage customer expectations, and get on with the business of selling, create an account today.

4 Tips for Optimal Large Format Printing

Posted on by Jamie Xuereb

Jamie shares several tips to minimise delays and achieve optimal output from your large format printing.

1) Always Use Vectors Where Possible

When creating / supplying artwork, utilise vectors – these are your best friend! Vectors are images created from shapes based on mathematical formulas. This keeps them sharp no matter how large the artwork needs to be. Don’t worry – you don’t need to know the tech or mathematics behind it all. Your graphic design software should look after that. The reason we (and other printers) recommend vectors is that they are sharper than Rasters. With rasters, there is always a point where the images will pixelate. Rasters are essentially a photo – hence the inability to scale infinitely. In large format printing this is invaluable as it eliminates the possibility of any issues.

Even better, vector images contain the CMYK values of a graphic which leads to more accurate colour output in the finished print.

2) Ensure Fonts Are Converted to Outlines

Fonts are perhaps the most fickle element when it comes to supplied artwork – just ahead of colours. Due to the variety of fonts in existence and the legal / technical limitations of having them stored within a database, you should always convert your text elements to outlines. Without conversion there’s a high chance your printer may not have the font available and it will be automatically substituted by their graphic design software. This is particularly true of bespoke fonts or those in languages that do not use the English alphabet.

There are other processes to workaround these issues – like flattening of an image file – however this can create other issues that need fixes of their own. By simply converting fonts to outlines you can ensure that artwork will print as it is provided, and avoid any delays to printing.

Most trade printers will not undertake proofing and require artwork to be provided in this way. This allows for automation and expedited printing with minimal service requirements. If you want to better understand what is required by your trade printer, and find the right match, we recently discussed the fundamental questions to ask.

3) Flatten Gradients Where Possible

When it comes to gradients (unlike Fonts), flattening is a useful process to ensure an accurate finished product. If you leave gradients as a raster, or simply a selected effect option in a PDF, it may be interpreted differently depending on the Raster Image Processing Software (RIPS) used by the printer. Not all RIPS are made the same, so it is best to standardise your images and eliminate the chance of gradients going awry in your wide format printing.

It’s always safer to flatten your gradients and it doesn’t take long – so what have you got to lose?

4) Utilise CMYK For Large Format Printing

Always create and supply your print artwork in CMYK colour format. Conventional large format printing is done using CMYK inks, so you’ll want to ensure your artwork matches. Whilst it may be tempting to use RGB in this digital age, that colour format is only best for screen / web design. Quite often we find people are surprised by the difference in colour between a digital RGB file and a sample CMYK print output.

By using CMYK from the very beginning you’ll be able to see the actual output throughout the entire processes. This leads to accurate printing, a better idea of the finished product to set expectations, and satisfied customers.

BONUS: Inspect Your Artwork At 100% On Screen

Here’s a bonus tip we’ll throw in for free: make sure you view your PDF Files at 100%!

This simple trick can pay dividends down the line and help you avoid any issues with large format printing quality. By viewing at 100% you will get an idea of the actual quality of images and see any potential pixelation.

For those more technically-inclined here’s what this means from a DPI perspective:

  • If the file is 10% then make sure to zoom in at 1000% to see the artwork as it will end up.
  • 120 DPI for raster photos at 100% size is what we generally recommended. Going over this is likely overkill and will see diminishing returns.

An example: For banner files at 10% size, ensure that it is set up at 1200 DPI so when blown up it gets to the 120 DPI mark.

Mediapoint Optimal Large Format Printing
Optimal Large Format Printing

Eliminating Errors From Wide Format Printing

So there you have it – our top tips for eliminating any issues when utilising a trade printing partner. We’ve worked thousands of print jobs over the years; by following these recommendations our customers have accelerated their print processes and eliminated the burden of rework / delays.

If you’re a high volume print reseller looking for a trade-only printing partner with a wide range of products speak to us today.

have a question?
question
Link added to the buffer