A large portion of promotional product manufacturers are now eyeing wide-format as the next evolution of their own businesses. But while it might be tempting to jump in with both feet and hope for the best, there are a few things to keep in mind if you want to truly make this new venture successful.
This includes taking into account things like the space in your facilities, what products your customers might be looking for that you never even knew, where wide-format would fit into your existing business plan, how to master the art of finishing, and more.
1. Consider the space.
Wide-format equipment, by it’s very nature, requires a pretty significant footprint. Moreover, much of the ancillary equipment, such as cutting tables, folders, gluers, etc., might not be compatible with what you use for the promo side of the business, if there is any overlap at all.
You’ll need to have space to stage the finished prints as they come off the machine. You’ll need a place to store the large amounts of substrates needed to feed these machines. You’ll need to consider what types of finishing your applications will require, and plan accordingly for that space as well. And that’s just to get started.
There are some fantastic entry-level wide-format printers out there that will allow you to test the waters without too large of an investment, but they still require forethought. Taking the time to plan ahead for how your wide-format operation will flow and function will save a lot of headaches.
2. Consider your customers.
The odds are extremely high that your customers are getting additional materials printed elsewhere. Find out what they like and dislike about their current print providers. What is on their wishlist when it comes to wide-format printing that they aren’t currently getting elsewhere? What wide-format prints would they be willing to give you a try for if you were to offer?
You might be surprised about some of the answers — and it might not all be just about price.
Bruce Kolbrener, executive vice president of sales for Hanover, Pennsylvania-based QUINN, stresses that research is the best thing a promotional printer can do before ever investing in anything.
“Find out about all the companies that offer the equipment,” he says. “Because it’s not always apples to apples about what it can do. It is also about the support — all of these machines require regular maintenance, and some have parts that can be hard to service. One of the worst things that can happen is you get a great deal on a machine, and then have a problem with it down the line and parts are no longer available.”
3. Consider the applications.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all wide-format equipment is suited to every type of application. The possibilities are vast, and knowing ahead of time what will best complement your current promotional products business will dictate which machines will do the best job.
You’ll also want to consider the size of the applications you’re hoping to add. Odds are good if this is a new venture, you’ll want to start on the smaller end of wide-format. Leave yourself room to pivot as you discover the applications that do — and don’t — work for your specific customer base.
You also might discover completely new application ideas that complement the campaigns you’re already helping brands execute. Do your due diligence with a good idea of what wide-format applications you want to start out offering, but don’t lock yourself in either.
QUINN, Kolbrener says, actually does a wide range of products on their wide-format equipment, including flags, banners, backdrop displays, and more.
“Our fastest growing wide-format application is actually 10×20-foot tents,” he says. “We’ve also been doing a lot of super long poly mesh fencing banners. Those are as wide as the fence is tall, and can go on forever. There are just lots of applications for wide-format printing now.”
4.Consider if wide-format will replace some of your current processes, or be wholly independent.
Wide-format printing offers up an alternative to traditional promotional printing that can be faster and cheaper — the same benefits digital printing has brought to every other segment of the broader print and graphics industry — but it also brings things like easy versioning and personalization, as well as the ability to print on a much wider range of products, in full color, with high quality.
Don’t just focus on what new applications it will allow you to branch into, also think about how it might help you streamline and remove costs from your current offerings as well.
5. Consider the finishing.
Finishing is just as critical to success as the printing itself. Sublimation can either be built into the printing press or be a completely separate piece of equipment. Cutters are a popular paring with wide-format printing, and can range from relatively small tabletop models, to large flatbed machines that are just as big as the presses and can do complex shapes and sizes.
There are also things like folders, gluers, grommets, display stands, and more.
6. Consider the installation.
While most promotional products are likely boxed up and shipped to your customers to hand out as part of their own events or at retail, wide-format is a different matter. Most of these projects will require some form of installation, even if it’s just putting a fabric sign into a display.
Is that a service you will be offering alongside the printing? If so, you’ll want to make sure you hire staff with experience in this side of the business if you don’t want to make costly mistakes. If you don’t intend to do any of the installation, make sure you’re up front with your customers, and know that it will likely limit the amount of growth your wide-format operation will be able to reach.
7. Consider your people.
Wide-format and promotional printing are not the same skill sets, especially if you intend to enter the roll-to-roll side of the business and offer things like fabric signage or banners. You’ll want to either invest in training for your operators, or you’ll want to hire someone with that experience already who can come in and ensure your new wide-format printing operation gets off on the right foot.
“You should really have someone with some sort of background or experience in fabric,” says Kolbrener. “I could see a shop that already does embroidery adding wide-format [without any issues], but if it’s a shop that’s always done pens, for example, it’s a completely different animal. That would be a big shift, so I hope they have someone with experience in fabric.”
He further notes that one way he’s seeing a lot of promotional product printers get into wide-format is by way of acquisitions.
“There is a lot of consolidation right now,” Kolbrener says. “You have to hire the right people who have the right knowledge — that’s not something you can really teach yourself. That takes some time — or you can go buy someone already doing it, and integrate them into your business.”
8. Consider your workflow.
The way a job flows through your operation from the initial sale to getting it into the customer’s hands is likely going to be very different for wide-format than it is for promotional products. What software will you need to manage those jobs? How much automation do you want to invest in? How will jobs move between areas of the shop, such as between print and finishing, and finishing and installation?
9. Consider how you’re going to sell wide-format printing.
Will you expect your current sales team to sell wide-format alongside their usual offerings? If so, how do you plan to train them on what’s possible and what’s not? Do you plan to bring in someone well versed in wide-format to handle sales for that side of the business? How do you plan to educate them about your promotional product lines so they can find opportunities for cross-selling? Do you intend to start with your current customer base, or launch wide-format as a completely separate offering? There is no wrong answer here — do whatever will work best for your business, but don’t leave it to chance.
10. Consider how you’ll stay ahead of the technology curve.
You cannot expect to buy a press today and have it still serving you 10 years from now. Even in five years, it will likely be so out of date it will be more liability than opportunity.
“We just purchased a new machine a year ago, and it prints as much as four of our other machines,” says Kolbrener. “There is only a few years difference in them, but the new one is five times faster than the equipment was just a couple of years ago. That’s huge when it comes to deadlines.”
Wide-format printing is one of those businesses that requires constant investment to stay on top, whether that is in new printers, new ink sets, new finishing options, or new software. Before taking the leap into this business, understand that it won’t be a one-and-done investment, but rather a long-term, ongoing project. This is where events such as PRINTING United Expo — which will be in Altanta, Georgia Oct. 18-20 this year — are game changers, allowing you to see all the latest wide-format advances alongside the innovations in every other space, so you can make strategic investments when and where you need them.
Wide-format is an exciting space, opening up opportunities that at times can boggle the imagination that someone was able to actually print something unique and unusual. It’s a fantastic way to expand your business and capture more of your customer’s print dollars, but only if done intelligently, with thought and planning. It could be your next big opportunity if you’re willing to make the effort.
