For businesses using narrow & medium web printing machinery, there are many products to choose from. There are also many technologies on the market, which can make it difficult to choose which innovations will benefit your label printing requirements most. Looking for the following characteristics in your printing machinery supplier can help you make an informed decision.
Look at Websites and Reviews
A website can provide a lot of information with regard to what a supplier will or will not provide. Providing a small amount of information on a website is a good way to persuade visitors to call a company; and there is nothing wrong with that, as long as you know what questions to ask. More on this later on in this article.
Reading the reviews & testimonials of a certain machinery supplier can also be very helpful. Reviews should be approached with caution, however. It is impossible to verify who the original author of the review was. As well, if the reviewer is a disgruntled customer, their review could be one-sided and biased against the supplier, there are two sides to a story.
References
Don’t be afraid to ask for references or even request a site visit with an existing user. Most Companies can arrange this if they have a good relationship with their clients, but there will be exceptions if the nearest site is a security printer or a direct competitor… be flexible you may have to travel.
Their Customer and Industry Standing
It is true that review portals and company websites can both offer what you’re looking for when you need to know more about a printing machinery supplier. There are other indicators, however. Those companies who have been trading for a long period of time are more likely to have gained a lot of experience in the industry.
In addition to experience, long-trading companies will also have a long customer list. A good idea is to ask the company for contact information for one or two customers so that you can get their opinion of the company.
Their reputation can also be checked against specific industry and general business standards. A good place to get this data from various Print trade Associations. Businesses registered there are those who are both accredited and proven to provide quality products and services.
What to Ask a Company
There are several questions you should ask when trying to gauge the reputation of a supplier. First, it can be a good idea to plan a meeting with the company. During this time, you can discuss your requirements and possibly tour their facility.
While at the meeting, you can request a sample of their printed products and discuss overall quality. You can ask them which substrates, inks, tooling, servicing and maintenance and technical support.
You will want to see a demonstration in order to know how easy their equipment is to operate & run , as well as how adaptable their machinery will be should you need to print on several substrates. You’ll also want to ensure you’ve asked them about whether they provide training for their machinery and a service support contract.
The supplier/seller relationship is an important one. Without a close connection to any third party suppliers, a seller may not be providing the highest quality product. Therefore, asking questions about their relationship with their supplier(s) – if any – will be crucial to getting the best possible machinery for your application.
Taking the time to get all of the information you can from each machinery supplier, will help you pare down your options and make the best choice. Of course, at Focus we are extremely proud of both our products and the after-sales care we provide. If you would like to find out more about our cost-effective range of narrow web printing & Converting machines, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for an informal chat and a tour of our facility.
Our FREE Guide To Flexo-Printing
Purchasing new printing equipment is an important investment decision, so it is crucial you get the best value for money throughout the life cycle. We have written an ‘Ultimate Guide to Flexo-Printing’ to give you all you need to know about flexographic equipment before making a purchase. Contents include what to look for and what to avoid when choosing a new machine. To access your copy of the eBook, simply follow this link to our website.
