Right for Every Print Job
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Not all printers are suited for all jobs, but Print Management is! Located in the historic Penn Brewery building on Vinial Street, Print Management has been providing the Pittsburgh area with printing services for over thirteen years.
Lee Ann Bennardo, CEO, opened Print Management’s doors in 1993 to provide better printing service options than traditional printers and print brokers. When buying commercial printing, there are a number of obstacles such as knowing what printer to use, obtaining multiple bid requests, analyzing bids, completing jobs on time and within budget, press checks, and wading through technical jargon that can occur. Bennardo’s organization works to help clients avoid those barriers. Print Management is a team of professional print production coordinators who work as part of their clients’ teams to provide project management, tracking, mailing, distribution, inventory management and more, versus a traditional print broker.
At one time, businesses employed an in-house print buyer whose sole job was to purchase printing – this included collecting competitive bids, keeping jobs on schedule and attending press checks. Due to downsizing over the past decade, many of these jobs have been eliminated. Purchasing printing has now become the responsibility of a designer or account executive in an agency or marketing department – all of whom already have full plates and need help.
Enter Print Management. By evaluating and assessing printing needs, Print Management is able to provide ideas and solutions that meet each client’s specific needs. The company works with clients during the design stage to troubleshoot potential problems (colors, sizes, die cuts, etc.), makes paper recommendations (showing paper dummies of what the piece will look like) and, when necessary, has ink draw downs (special ink color matches on the actual paper your job is printing on) made. In addition, Print Management collects two to four printing quotes for each project. Deciding which printers to have bid on a particular project is based on numerous factors – turnaround time, complexity of the print job, quantity and of course, budget. And that’s not all. Once all of the above is determined, paper prices still need to be determined along with bindery bids, if needed, and mailing and fulfillment costs. It really is a job by itself.
Many people assume that by having Print Management handle all aspects of a print job, that it will cost more to use their services. The answer is no. As Bennardo explains, “It will cost a client more in the long run if they don’t use Print Management! We sell service, knowledge and quality above all else. In addition, many times we are awarded jobs because we are the lowest bid.”
The organization is able to offer competitive prices due to the volume of printing and paper that they buy. Printers provide Print Management with a substantial discount on printing since the company doesn’t have to pay any of the overhead costs associated with an outside salesperson.
Print Management maintains strong working relationships with multiple printers in the Pittsburgh area but they are not associated with a specific printer. Working independently to find the best options for clients’ projects, they are ready to put their knowledge, support and service to work for you. Remember, not all printers are suited for all jobs, but Print Management is!
To learn more about Print Management call 412-321-5205.