As every publisher knows, the lifecycle of a book begins with a boom and ends with a splutter. To avoid obsolescence, which means waste to recyclers and wasted money, print runs need to match each stage of the book lifecycle.
Soar’s MD Fred Soar recently presented at the PrintHow symposium in Tokyo. His focus was using digital print, specifically automated book printing with the Oce i300, to accurately match publishing supply to demand. Fred used a tertiary education example to make his point:
“Tertiary education providers have an ongoing need to print prospectuses and course materials, typically near the start of each semester. While history can help them to predict print runs, fluctuations in student numbers often lead to print obsolescence. For a budget-conscious organisation, sending books to the paper recyclers equals money down the drain. Just as bad is not having enough books to meet student needs, which can negatively impact the university’s brand.”
Soar Print recently invested in an Océ VarioPrint i300, a fully-automated digital press for books and other multi-page outputs. With this press, you can literally press one button and have a fully-formed book come out the other end. For smaller runs (1 to 3000), the i300 is a cost-effective way to get a high quality result. For the PrintHow symposium, Fred used an infographic to explain how the i300 makes it easy to match print runs to the lifecycle of a publication.
“This diagram shows that 1750 copies of a book are required by students during its lifecycle. This was carefully managed by starting off with a run of 750 and setting dynamic minimum stock levels that drop down over time. Reprints were produced 150 at a time, then 100, then 50. It meant they had virtually no obsolescence with the publication. What’s more, the artwork files can be easily modified before each reprint to include new information. Every reprint can essentially become an updated edition.”
This type of digital-only print management model is ideal for publishers who know they will need up to 3000 books, but can’t predict demand with pinpoint accuracy. For publications that will sell more than 3000 initially, combining a primary offset run with subsequent digital runs can be an ideal strategy for avoiding obsolesence.
If you regularly print prospectuses, course guides or catalogues that have a limited lifespan, Soar can help you to master the art of accurate print lifecycle management. Our experts can also design a lifecycle model for other types of publications – everything from poetry and art books to travel guides and text books.
Email Stuart Shepherd about printing for books and booklets stuarts@soarprint.co.nz
Read more about automated book printing with the i300.
