Litho printing

On a long run, litho brings the cost per copy down. On a short one it doesn’t, and you’ll be told.

You get the press that suits the size of your run, not the one that suits us. Long jobs go litho, short jobs go digital, and you find out which before you commit.

When does litho printing in Somerset make sense

Litho works by putting your artwork onto metal plates and running ink through a press. Making those plates takes time and money before a single sheet comes off, which is why a short run works out dearer per copy on litho than it does digitally. Once the press is rolling, though, each extra sheet costs very little, so the longer the job the further ahead litho gets. That’s the whole trade-off, and quantity is what settles it. There are other reasons to pick it. Litho holds colour steady from the first sheet to the last, matches a Pantone properly when your brand hangs on one exact shade, and prints on stocks a digital machine won’t feed. Long brochure runs, catalogues, and anything with big flat blocks of colour usually end up litho. Tell us the quantity first, because getting that wrong costs you either money or quality.

Your job	Litho	Digital
Long run	Cost per copy keeps falling	Cost per copy stays flat
Short run	Plates make it not worth it	Straight onto the machine
Exact brand colour	Mixed as a spot ink	Built from process inks

Questions people actually ask

How do I know my job is big enough

Tell us the quantity and what it’s printed on. It gets worked out both ways and you’re told which comes out better. If digital wins, digital is what you get.

Can you match our exact brand colour

On litho, yes, using a mixed spot ink rather than building the shade from process colours. Say up front that the colour matters and the job gets set up that way.

Is litho just better than digital

Not automatically. Digital has caught up for most everyday jobs. Litho pulls ahead on long runs, big areas of flat colour, and paper that a digital press won’t handle.

What will it cost

Depends what you want, so ask. Ring 01823 242424 or email info@reor.co.uk, tell us what you need, and you get a price. One job, one price, done.