There are many printers in constant competition with one another and a great eagerness to separate themselves for the common lot. When a client presents a challenging project, the eager salesman and confident company responds with an immediate – yes we can! Back at the shop the initial enthusiasm is followed with – ok, but how can we?
Recently our company was presented with such a project. The client’s art department wanted a printed, die-cut and folded wallet- literally a wallet. Oh and by the way, can you put a special coating on it so it looks like embossed leather? Sure!
The printing and the die cutting was no problem. We do that every day in our shop. But how can we fold a piece that has been die cut with several different angles and edges? There is no folding equipment that can accomplish that task in an automated fashion. They have to be folded by hand – lots of hands. Folding 25,000 pieces by hand requires all hands on deck. Production and office staff and sending some home as piece work got the job done.
Next, the coating for an embossed leather look had to be done. There’s only one company in our greater business region that can do it – and we found them!
It takes a team effort to meet a challenge like this. Sometimes you have to look beyond your own facility for expertise and put the client’s need ahead of the competitive dynamic. It’s called partnering – and when done for the good of a project, everybody wins!
Article Written by: Larry Okolish
