Digital printing began back in 1993 and has since become something of a phenomenon in the commercial printing world, largely due to the numerous benefits that it offers printers, publishers and customers. As well as providing a number of attractive cost advantages, this method of printing can bolster the green credentials of any business.

If your company is looking for ways to reduce its environmental impact and improve profitability, it may be worthwhile turning to digital printing solutions. For example, expert label manufacturers such as Labels Plus can offer high quality digitally printed labels that no longer require the expensive printing plates used in traditional printing methods, achieving a more cost effective process for shorter print runs.

With more materials becoming available for digital printing, as well as the ever-increasing capabilities of its technology, the quality is now virtually indistinguishable from traditional printing.

If you are undecided about whether or not to utilise digital printing methods, here are some of the main advantages to help make the decision process a little easier.

Eco-friendly

Unlike traditional offset printing that produces high levels of waste, digital printing eliminates many of the technical steps involved. Not only are the films, plates and photo chemicals bypassed, the ‘make-ready’ is also practically non-existent, significantly reducing the need for various printing materials. This slimline printing process helps to minimise the environmental impact in terms of paper and chemical waste, with no need for bulk prints.

Digital printing technology is suited to short print runs and uses a distributed model that prints at several locations at once. As copies are closer to their end-use, this helps to lower the carbon footprint of print transportation.

Speed

Digital printing offers a quicker turnaround time due to its minimal set up. Simplifying the printing process by removing traditional plates and film means that the completed product can be delivered in a shorter time period. With digital printing, it’s possible to get next-day, or even same-day delivery whereas offset printing will take longer.

As digital data is stored on an external database, changes to text and graphics can easily be made to each piece. This enables companies to quickly personalise their message to their audience without slowing down the press. Digital printing offers a fast and flexible way to produce multi-colour prints of various designs. There is also less drying time involved, as the product is produced in its finished form.

Cost effective

Not only is digital printing time-efficient, it can also help businesses to make financial savings. Because offset printing is suited to long print runs, customers will often be tempted to order high quantities resulting in a large number of copies being disposed of. The flexibility of digital printing allows you to order the exact amount that you need, meaning fewer redundant prints. As such, there’s no need to worry about the risk of having to get costly add-on orders if a few additional copies are needed at a later date.

Printing in shorter runs to match the exact quantity of prints needed is highly beneficial for small businesses who want to print small volumes in a cost-effective way. The reduced variations in the setup also make it more effective for small print runs by reducing operation costs.

Variable data printing

Digital printing allows businesses to personalise each print with content that is relevant to their customers. While conventional offset lithography techniques employ a ‘one size fits all’ approach, digital printing technology can produce variable data, such as names and addresses. This allows commercial printers and publishers to bolster their marketing strategies and communicate more effectively with their customers by producing highly targeted printing material that is unique to the recipient. Not only can this increase customer response rate, it also further demonstrates how waste can be reduced.