We are looking to find information on printers, as many as possible,
who can print customized giftwrap as a new product line for our
company.  The printers should be flexible and be able to print large
format sheets of different colors (including black) with designs on
them.  They should also be able to fold the sheets and package them in
plastic for shipping.

---

Request for Question Clarification by digsalot-ga on 13 Jul 2003 19:49 PDT

In which country do you want these printers?

---

Clarification of Question by freakfarm-ga on 13 Jul 2003 21:04 PDT

in the united states

---

Request for Question Clarification by digsalot-ga on 14 Jul 2003 12:08 PDT

Since I have worked in the print prokerage industry, I now have emails
out to several sources.

I know you want work done in the US but if a foreign printing company
can match or beat cost as well as meet delivery times, would you
consider such a source?

Some information about your pre-press would make the search easier. 
Do you plan to submit designs electronically, by disk, camera ready,
or other.

The type of paper stock you are looking for would also be of help. 
Some companies specialize in tissues, some in metal finished papers
and some in straight paper.  Because of the nature of your product,
unless you are looking for fairly short runs, a gravure printing
operation would probably meet your needs better than a web or
sheet-feed press.

Cheers
digsalot

---

Request for Question Clarification by digsalot-ga on 14 Jul 2003 12:10 PDT

LOL - that should be "brokerage" not "prokerage."  It's a good thing I
don't do type-setting.

---

Clarification of Question by freakfarm-ga on 14 Jul 2003 17:22 PDT

Thank-you for your detailed questions.  I will try to clarify. 
Foreign sourcing scares us as we have never worked with a foreign
supplier and are concerned about being able to communicate and make
changes in a timely manner, as well as trying to deal with someone in
a radically different timezone and possible language barrier.

The designs we will submit will all be camera ready and submitted in
digital format.  We will not be doing metallic or tissues, just
straight paper.

Since this is a new product, we can only ballpark what we expect to
sell.  So assume that each order will consist of 2 sheets of paper,
each sheet being 20"x30".  We are looking for an initial run of 7000
units, divided into 10 different designs.  But since this estimate is
on the conservative side, and we may run into a run on a particular
design, such as design #1, we will need a printer who can quickly turn
around and print another run of 1000 units of a particular design and
get it to us quickly.

But this a totally new area for us.  I know that in printing there is
a set up cost and a cost per "run".  sosometimes it costs as much to
print 100 of each design as it does to print 500.  this is why we need
a breakdown of how much itt will cost to do small runs.  we want to be
stuck with as few of the "lemons" as possible.  so we need to know
what it costs to do 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 1000, etc.  this will be
the true determinant of how much we order.  In addition, if the
printer tells us it will be 1 week turnaround, or 4 weeks turnaround,
that will also affect how much we need to have on hand.


So, based on what I've told you, hopefully, you can tell me whether
these would be considered a short run or not.

---

Request for Question Clarification by digsalot-ga on 14 Jul 2003 18:54 PDT

Just a suggestion while waiting for email returns.  Your gift wrap
will probably be printrd in rolls of 800 feet plus (usually 833). 
Common widths are 24 and 30 inches.  Producing individual sheets of
paper which are wrapped for distribution is not normally part of the
printing plant bindery activity, though many will accomodate you at a
hefty price.

My suggestion is this, have the printed rolls delivered from the
printing plant to a custom packaging firm.  Packaging firms are
already set up to handle individual packaging and don't have to
reinvent the wheel to make accomodation.  You can also negotiate
custom shipping procedures and multiple address shipping with a
packaging firm which may not be available from most printers.

Use the thirty inch roll.  You can make a single cut every 20 inches
with no paper waste.

Your printing plant price would be lower without the inhouse bindery
needed and your cost at a packaging company would be lower than what
the printer would charge.  The reason is that the printer may have to
obtain new equipment to fill your order while the packaging company
would already have most needed machinery in place and you would not
have to cover the cost of new investment.

Prices are determined by quantity and how many colors are in the
design. The other determining factor is the actual design itself --
is it all over or a random print?

The vast majority of plants will not accept orders of less than five
rolls.  Many will want more.

You may be surprised to learn that some of the best custom gift wrap
printers are the same companies who have their own inhouse product,
such as Hallmark.

Give a day or two for the emails.  I know how fast some of these
company contacts work.  Print sales is an industry with long lunches.

digs

---

Clarification of Question by freakfarm-ga on 15 Jul 2003 09:51 PDT

digs-

thanks again for your thoughts.  we will consider an outside packaging
company, although we will handle fullfillment ourselves

Hello there

First I'll start with a company where you have been invited to bypass
the sales department and contact the president directly.  They print
by the roll (833 ft) with a five roll minimum.  With this type of
printing, you may want to ask about the cut.  I suggested a 30 inch
wide roll to you and a cut every 20 inches.  However some presses have
a "bleed" at the side and you may still have some waste paper if the
cut has to be made differently.
_________________

Subject: 
        Re: custom gift wrap
   Date: 
        Mon, 14 Jul 2003 20:33:52 EDT
   From: 
        Starpackbt@aol.com
     To: 
        XXXXXXX


Dear XXXX:

Thank you for your inquiry. Yes, we imprint custom gift wrap in retail
rolls of 833 feet only. The width available in 24 inches or 30
inches. The absolute minimum is 5 rolls.

Please have your client contact me either by email or on our toll free
number with specifics.

Best Regards,
Beth Tobin, President
Starpack, Inc.
Phone: 954-894-3808
Toll Free: 877-835-7632
Fax: 954-894-3809
Email: sales@starpackinc.com
http://www.starpackinc.com

Thank you for your business! 
_________________________

This company may very well have the cutting and packaging capability
already in house which would preclude the need for a separate
packaging company to complete the work.  They are already packagers as
well as printers.

Perfect Packaging

P.O. Box 846 - Bellmore,  NY 11710

Tel: 516-783-3314    Fax: 516-783-3714

Product Description - Printed Wrap For Gifting Or Covering, PMS Color
Matches, Gloss Or Matte Finish, Plain & Embossed Paper Foils, Sheets &
Rolls Large Selection Of Colors, Patterns, Rotogravure, Shreds -
Custom Printed, Cut, Paper, Foil, Plain, Printed, Rolls, Sheets, Stock
& Custom

Please note, that for sheet printing you may need a sheet fed press. 
They are slower than web presses or gravure presses but the quality is
excellent.  Sheet fed presses are used for the finest graphics such as
art reproductions, etc.

I have no idea at all what the final retail cost of your paper will be
but if it is in the luxury line, then I suggest you speak with these
people.

They have asked you to email them at perfpac@hotmail.com - mark it to
the attention of John Amato and put in the subject line "gift wrap
quote."  They can give you full service.  I called and asked about the
bindery and packaging.  They are aware of your request and look
forward to hearing from you.

Their website:
http://www.perfectpackaging.us/
______________________

Here is another company which can give full service. 

Howard Decorative Packaging, LLC

3462 W. Touhy - Lincolnwood,  IL 60712

Tel: 800-323-1609       Fax: 847-675-9042     or call 847-675-7650

Christina, who is their national marketing director would like you to
contact her directly at colshefske@hdponline.com

Put in the subject line "gift wrap quote."  She is a very knowledgable
person to speak with and can be of great help to you.

Their product description - 1,200 standard gift wrap patterns as well
as custom printed gift wrap.

Their website:
http://www.hdponline.com/
________________________

Hudson Paper co

1341 West Broad St. - Stratford,  CT 06615

Tel: 203-378-0123        Fax: 203-378-7109

They said to tell you to save a buck and call their 800 number which
is 1-800-243-5179.  There is no particular contact, just ask for
customer service.  I spoke with Dolly.

They have no website that I could find but are well known in the
trade.
_____________________
The above companies are your best bet within the USA and their
minimums are within your reach.  There are other companies doing
custom wraps but they are located mostly in Asia or the UK.  If you
are interested in any of those, please let me know.  With the UK
companies, at least there would be no language barrier.

Other companies such as American Greeting, Hallmark, etc, all have
minimums which are far above your needs so I am not including them in
this list.

Search - Google

Terms - custom gift wrap printing, plus some personal experience in
the printing industry.

You will find all the contacts listed to be personable and
knowledgable people who will bend over backwards to provide any
information you need.  All have excellent track records for on time
delivery and quality.

Since your biggest cost will be paper, and that market changes daily,
you may want to ask whether it would be less expensive if you bought
and provided your own.  Some companies will permit that and some
won't.  If your ongoing orders are sufficient, many printing plants
will store your paper stock for you against future need.

If you want to check out some paper suppliers, ask for them as a
clarification request and I will provide you with some of the better
ones.

If I may clarify anything, please ask before you rate the answer.

Cheers
digsalot

---

Clarification of Answer by digsalot-ga on 16 Jul 2003 10:33 PDT

I have contacted my former print brokerage house.  Since I no longer
work for them there should be no conflict of interest.  They have the
capability of buying unused press time for specialty runs and much
more.  As soon as I hear back, I will add the information here.  LOL,
I have a feeling they will be working with the same companies I have
already listed since they are the best for the size run you want, but
there might be a surprise or two in the works.

digs

---

Clarification of Answer by digsalot-ga on 18 Jul 2003 10:00 PDT

I made a follow up call when I didn't hear back.  Except for a
skeletal office staff(1 person) they are down for vacations.  They
will be back in the office Monday.

digs

---

Clarification of Answer by digsalot-ga on 22 Jul 2003 08:32 PDT

Well, I'm afraid we have pretty much covered it.  I was told that
while the brokerage does handle gift wrap printing, and has done so,
the quantities are much larger than what you are looking for.

Your quantities constitute pretty minimal runs and only a few
specialty houses, such as the ones already listed, have the capability
or the interest.

The minimum run Publisher's Printing could place would be at least a
hundred rolls of any single design.

He did check the reputations of the plants listed for me, just as
extra insurance, and found them all to have good track records for
both quality and on time delivery.  He also suggested that "Perfect
Packaging" may come closest to what you are looking for.

Cheers
digs

---

Request for Answer Clarification by freakfarm-ga on 28 Jul 2003 09:55 PDT

ok, thanks

---

Clarification of Answer by digsalot-ga on 28 Jul 2003 23:02 PDT

You are quite welcome.  Please let us know when your product goes to
market and what the brand is.  You may have found future customers in
here.

digs

thank-you for your quick response and all of your insight.