Create It Packaging
Where are the Price Breaks in Packaging?
We are often asked “Where the price breaks in package printing?”
We hear this question all the time. Customers want to know where a price break is, so they can order the most economical quantity. With advances in digital printing the question of price breaks gets a little murky. It used to be that all package printing and converting was done in a production facility. In order to cover the costs of printing plates, press make-readies, and converting set-up costs, many packaging companies set a minimum cost or order quantity. Once up and running, per unit costs become less the higher the quantity gets. Price breaks are often given for larger quantities because of efficiencies in producing long runs. There is no magical reason for a price break, however. And even if there were, each job is unique, such that there is not a one-size-fits-all answer here.
Sample Run Packaging
Smaller custom packaging quantities were very expensive before the advent of large format digital printing. The reason digital makes sense is that there are no up-front costs. Digital means no printing plates, or lengthy make-readies. Litho printing for example, requires presses to be inked up, and a substantial number of sheets run, just to get the colors in check, before production can begin. Digital die cutting has the same efficiencies when it comes to short runs. Instead of making expensive steel rule dies, and having a long make ready, a CAD programmed cutting table cuts directly from the digital dieline file. The file instructs moving cutting and scoring heads to follow the pattern automatically. Therefore, it is both quick and economical to die cut with a minimum quantity of 1 or more packages.
Digital Printing
The downside of digital is that as quantities increase, per unit costs only decrease slightly. At some point, it become more economical to switch to production processes. That point is a somewhat gray area since every package is different. It is very difficult to know ahead of time, where it makes sense to print conventionally vs. digitally. The only sure way to know which method is best, is to price the job out both ways, and compare for each quantity, which method is cheaper. There is not really a point in which, the pricing drops, or breaks any significant amount, but only a point in which the production process takes over.
Special Printing Effects
Most digital printing presses use either toner based inks, solvent based inks, or UV inks. All 3 types produce production quality prints. Special effects like foil, white layers, spot gloss or dull UV, embossing, printing on plastics, and transparent materials are easily produced.
When quantities are too low for litho printing, digital is the way to go. Cost is usually the main factor in determining which type of printing press is correct for your boxes, cartons, or flexible packaging. Deciding to go digital is not solely based on quantity, however. Factors such as size, colors, paperboard, finishes, die cutting, and converting will all come into play. A good packaging estimator will take all considerations into account, when determining which process will net the most cost effective result.
Short Production Runs
As a general rule; quantities under 1,000 will quite often benefit from a digital process. Depending on the job, several thousand cartons digitally printed could easily be more economical digitally run, as well. When it comes to printing just a few samples or mockups, digital is the only economical option. Create It Packaging prints packaging prototypes in as few as one, on a regular basis.