Print is not dead. Neither is outsourcing. China
With president Obama just leaving China, this post may be seen as timely; Adopt a printer in China or other far-east markets. That is my idea for the day. Just as many small towns and cities will have sister, partner cities in other parts of the world, so should print-shops. Why?
Print is not dead. Neither is outsourcing.
We read here on this reply to a Chinese print representative looking for work with American printers:
“Many companies are taking their large print orders to Chinese printing companies in the hopes of saving money. I know of three sales reps in my area alone that are representing chinese printing companies.Their pricing is half to one third of mine on larger projects. They have a high degree of success bringing work to their Chinese employers.
But as always with a lower price, comes a cost…” (Read full source post for full details)
Source: PrintPlanet on Linkedin.com
And that cost can be partly be overcome by setting up real, perhaps even legal, partnerships. If you just shop for the cheapest print, you’ll be switching every job or monthly. Why not form a true partnership?
We read here how the Chinese print market is growing, while the UK, USA and other European print markets are shrinking. Is China really consuming that much more print, or are more books, color brochures and packaging print-jobs being outsourced overseas?
If you can’t beat them, join them is the old adage. And why not*? If our governments in Europe and North America are not going to regulate and let our jobs fly out the doors, we have to do something about it. That something is to perhaps consider becoming a bit more of a print-broker in addition to your current printing business. Look at it as a way to weather out this storm, for I for one think this globalization hype has it’s limit and print-work is one of them- but that is for another post.
There is a point at which certain, larger print-jobs, can better be done outside the walls of your establishment in the current political and business environment. Thus adopt a Chinese printer, work together, form a partnership and keep your local print business alive is the idea for today.
* One big reason why not. By and large, software piracy is HUGE in China and with printing and prepress companies it is no different (I have some war stories, pardon the pun, if you want to hear them later.). There has to be an equal flow of moral balance for partnerships to work (Ask for proof of legal software ownership.). The United States and other worldwide governments should demand that China puts an end to corporate software piracy, costing the US and Europe billions each and every year (When you include music, video and movies as well.)- that is my job and many countless tens of thousands as well; otherwise simply stop the import of print-work. Then I wonder if the Chinese print market still would have seen as much growth in 2008…? Partnerships must be equal or they are doomed from the offset, pun intended.
Heck, we even have a worldwide promo price ($100 off!) on FlightCheck Professional for any printers that are interested! (just drop me an email) And on that note, when outsourcing a job to the other side of the world, you’d better be preflighting!
