Part of my current role in copywriting and working with a design team to produce a range of adverts and exhibition materials. Most of the time, all I get to see at the end of a job is a high resolution PDF or a print out. It’s often weeks or sometimes months after an overseas exhibition that I get to see what the stand looked like.
That’s why I jumped at the chance to visit Discount Displays in Croydon to get a tour of the print room and see how the whole printing process works.
It was fascinating. The size and cost of the printers, the volume of jobs coming through everyday and how organised the systems have to be to ensure these large and often costly shipments get to their destinations.
The technology of digital printing is growing all the time, as are the types of sustainable inks and materials that they are printed on. Laser cutting machines make perfect incisions on boards and computers play a vital part in the process. What struck me though was the importance of the people in the shop to ensure progress management right down to laminating, packaging and shipping.
It was a well oiled machine and really useful to see the next step in the process of producing materials. Next time a shiny pop up stand or banner arrives by my desk, I’ll have an idea of the route it’s taken to get to me!
