Why Is Litho Printing Still Relevant When You Can Digitally Print?
Lithographic, or ‘offset’ printing has a long history. Its origins can be traced back to 18th century Germany, which admittedly makes it an old method. But does old mean irrelevant to the needs of modern businesses?
Like many other industries, the printing business has been revolutionised by the development of digital technologies. For short to mid volume print runs, digital printing is often considered the option by default, and businesses aren’t made aware of other alternatives.
In this article, we will look at why it’s still worth considering litho printing and we will examine some of the advantages it has over digital printing.
Litho Outperforms Digital In Mid To Large Volume Orders
Although digital presses have their advantages, they can only accommodate certain printing requirements. Digital printing presses can handle low to mid volumes very effectively, but the costs start to mount up during moderate and high runs, due to the typically slow printing rate of digital presses. In these cases, lithographic printing outperforms digital in terms of throughput speed and cost per run. Litho also allows heavier weights of substrate, while remaining very cost effective.
The range and quality of inks and finishes available with litho printing also often exceeds those available through a digital press, so litho printing is the right choice if you want to create a strong sensorial impression that won’t be forgotten.
Consistency Irrespective Of Volume And Substrate
Colour consistency is important in branding and printed materials, so you want to make sure that your colours appear in printed materials accurately and consistently, regardless of the print volume.
In digital printing, there’s a marked difference between how some Pantone colours appear on-screen vs once printed, leading to a disconnect between digital images and their printed counterparts. This can be disastrous for B2B retail businesses that use both online sales and printed brochures to market their products. By contrast, the traditional plate-based method of lithographic printing reproduces every colour nuance, in every printing job, irrespective of volume and type of material.
Digital Or Litho Printing: Which One Should You Choose?
Litho printing processes can handle virtually every request, but there are some scenarios where they deliver a clear advantage over digital printing. For example, litho is best suited to the needs of businesses with regular mid volume printing needs, whereas digital may do the job if you only need to print materials occasionally, or in small volumes.
Generally speaking, you would choose litho over digital whenever quality, colour precision and definition are needed in large scale and with a quick turnover.
Find Out More
TL Colour is an established specialist in litho printing services with experience going back more than 100 years. We are always ready to assist our customers with innovative solutions through the use of lithographic printing, as well as digital and large format print technologies. Contact us to discuss your needs and find an affordable bespoke solution.
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