Sussing Trade Shop Facilities
by Michael Paeth, President, FlexoGrafix
The one thing consistent in the world of prepress is change ... daily! If keeping up with new software, proofing, screening technology, plate exposure technology, direct-to-plate, and the myriad of other ever-changing facets of prepress isn't for you, you are not alone. But before you put your work into the hands of a trade shop, you should evaluate your needs, and then evaluate the trade shop that will be getting your work. Here are the "Top 10" criteria (in ascending order) to keep in mind when deciding on a trade shop to handle your work. Since everyone's needs are different, this list is in no particular order.
1) LOCATION—This is a no-brainer, but it's important. This is not to say that a trade shop in a different part of the country shouldn't be awarded your work. But if you have a press that regularly mangles plates, you'll always appreciate a trade shop that can get you a duplicate plate made the same day.
2) FORMAT SIZE—Always make sure your trade shop can make a plate to handle your largest press and your largest repeat size.
3) SOFTWARE COMPATIBILITY—Most trade shops are Macintosh-based, but a lot of artwork gets created in a Windows environment. If you are one of those converters that runs into a lot of IBM disks, make sure your trade shop can handle them.
4) MINIMUM DOT/MAXIMUM SCREEN RULING—As 900-line to 1,000-line (and climbing!) anilox rolls become more common, the need to push the envelope becomes more apparent. If you are a converter that regularly requires 175-200 line screen and/or 1 percent minimum halftone dot, make sure your trade shop can meet these needs.
5) PLATE GAUGE—Most trade shops make .067˝ flexo plates daily. But if you use different gauges (.045˝, .090˝, .107˝, etc.), make sure your trade shop keeps the appropriate photopolymer on hand. Also, not many trade shops make gravure cylinders or rubber plates. If you have a regular need for these, check out the trade shop's capabilities.
6) TURNAROUND—Get an idea of how long it will take to get proofs once you place a new order. Then find out how long it will take to get plates made once proofs are approved. In addition, find out what is considered "normal" turnaround and what is considered "rush"—and is there a price difference?
7) PROOFING—Cromalin, Color Key, Matchprint, Waterproof, Digital Waterproof, Kodak Approval, Digital Matchprint, Polaroid Polaproof, and Prediction ... the list of proofing options is ever-changing. Find out what the prospective trade shop will use as a proof. Then find out if your customer is happy with this type of proof. Next, find out if you are able to match this proof on press. If your customer is happy and you can match the proof, look no further.
8) VALUE—This is tough to determine until you have had some experience with the trade shop in question. In the end, you will usually get what you pay for. But if you feel that you are regularly getting less, it may be time to re-evaluate.
9) HIGH-END SERVICES—Do you need direct-to-plate? Do you need continuous sleeves? Do you need high definition plates? Do you need digital proofing? Most of these and other higher-end services require considerable capital investment by any trade shop. Most offer some of these services; few offer them all. Investigate your particular needs and evaluate the trade shop accordingly.
10) PARTNERING AND TRUST—A great deal of trust has to be put into the hands of a trade shop. If you have to blindly hand a disk to a trade shop, you need to have a high level of confidence that the job will be done right. Most artwork is set up incorrectly by designers, so the trade shop routinely has to pull the files apart, put them back together and make them work. If you can build a good working relationship with someone that you trust, this is easily the most important part of finding the right trade shop to work with.
Trade Shop Directory
Compiled by Kate Tomlinson, Assistant Editor
Check out your September issue for a detailed listing of the services each trade shop provides.
Segments Served Key: C=Corrugated; FP=Flexible Packaging; FC=Folding Cartons; L=Labels
Accu Graphics
Ph: (323) 583-1001
Segments served: FP, FC, L
American Color
(610) 363-2238
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Aries Flexographics
Ph: (905) 272-3312
Segments served: FP, FC, L
B.R. Printing Plates
Ph: (800) 565-1028
Segments served: FP, FC, L
CAD Coat
Ph: (630) 455-6700
Segments served: C, FP, FC
Cassata & Associates
Ph: (847) 310-3500
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Cincinnati Precision Plate
Ph: (513) 874-6922
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Color Associates
Ph: (314) 423-9300
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Concord Photo Engraving
Ph: (603) 225-3681
Segments served: FP, FC, L
Container Graphics
Ph: (919) 481-4200
Segments served: C, FP
CSW, Inc. (City Stamp Works)
Ph: (800) 800-9522
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
D.C. Graphics
Ph: (631) 777-3100
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Die Technology
Ph: (800) 666-3437
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Digital Graphics
Ph: (407) 422-6500
Segments served: FC
Dixie Graphics
Ph: (615) 832-7000
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Dynamic Dies
Ph: (419) 865-0249
Segments served: C
Flexografix
Ph: (888) 824-0400
Segments served: FP, FC, L
GMF Flexo Prepress
Ph: (905) 677-9144
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Graphic Art Service
(770) 422-5500
Segments served: FP, FC, L
Graphic Design Services
Ph: (562) 282-8000
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Green Bay Engraving
Ph: (920) 339-3100
Segments served: FP, FC, L
Imaging International
Ph: (954) 725-5855
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
JW Color Graphics
Ph: (330) 794-2100
Segments served: FP, FC, L
Lehigh Colortronics
Ph: (847) 364-8000
Segments served: FC, L
The LTC Group
Ph: (425) 486-9525
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Mark-Maker
Ph: (616) 538-6980
Segments served: C, FP, FC
Master Arts
Ph: (714) 695-1850
Segments served: FP
Mastergraphics
Ph: (330) 688-6797
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Midwest Graphics
Ph: (317) 780-4600
Segments served: C, FP, L
Monarch Engraving
Ph: (440) 638-1500
Segments served: FP, FC, L
National Printing Plate
Ph: (317) 630-2355
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
NCL Graphics
Ph: (847) 593-2610
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
North American Color
Ph: (616) 323-0552
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
OEC Graphics
Ph: (920) 235-7770
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
ONE Color Communications
Ph: (510) 652-9005
Segments served: FP, FC, L
Para Plate
Ph: (562) 404-3434
Segments served: C, FP
Pen & Inc. of Milwaukee, Inc.
Ph: (414) 421-8262
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Photoengraving, Inc.
Ph: (813) 253-3427
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Phototype
Ph: (513) 281-0999
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Printron
Ph: (920) 725-3077
Segments served: C, FP, FC
Professional Image Printing & Packaging
Ph: (918) 461-0609
Segments served: FC
Quality House of Graphics
Ph: (718) 784-7400
Segments served: L
Quint Company
Ph: (215) 533-1988
Segments served: FP, FC, L
Schawk Chicago
Ph: (847) 296-6000
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Schawk, Inc.
Ph: (847) 827-9494
Industries served: C, FP, FC, L
Schawk de Mexico
Ph: (770) 333-9432
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Southern Graphic Systems
Ph: (502) 637-5443
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Stevenson, the Color Company
Ph: (513) 321-7500
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Tacoma Rubber Stamp
Ph: (253) 383-5433
Segments served: C, L
T.H.E. Corporation
Ph: (812) 232-2151
Segments served: N/A
Trinity Graphic USA Inc.
Ph: (941) 355-2636
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Unitech Prepress Solutions Inc.
Ph: (630) 858-8900
Segments served: C, FP, FC, L
Watson Label Products
Ph: (314) 493-9309
Segments served: FP, L
