How to choose a litho printing service

Over the last few years, digital printing technology has come along in leaps and bounds, and quality-wise, there is not a great deal to separate the two. The “two” in question are digital printing or litho printing. From a print supplier’s point of view, digital is by far the ‘easiest’ option with the litho option and format the more complex and somewhat high quality option to choose from.

Early digital machines were not a substitute for litho print, as the quality wasn’t at the level its reached in today’s marketplace, and were usually reserved for ‘throwaway’ jobs, leaflets, dance tickets, luggage tags etc. A lot of the worlds top blue chip firms by contrast tend to go for and choose litho print as the main option for having key material printed. Litho printing tends to have the slight edge on the finish offered by digital printing. Digital machines can now handle thicker materials, whereas previously only very thin paper and boards were printable.

The industry-standard colour matching system for many years has been an ink-based matching system developed by the Pantone® company, and the toner-based system used by digital print has as yet, not been able to compete fully in this area. The first question one should ask oneself before deciding on either of the two systems: how important to you is consistent colour across your corporate brand? Achieving colour consistency across all your business stationery and promotional items is a technical business. This is an area which needs to be looked at and handled with great care and overall precision.

Digital-only suppliers will probably tell you that this is the best method, whereas litho printing suppliers will often tell you the opposite. Try to go with and hire a printing firm able to do and offer as well as deliver both types of printing in this area. They will not tend to be so biased and they will in turn be able to most likely work in a more flexible overall manner in line with you and your needs.