Have I Missed the Deadline? Print Lead Times Explained

In the world of business, most people want things done yesterday. From graphic design and website building to corporate strategy and marketing, the faster that tasks are completed, the better.

The same is true for print companies. Businesses looking to create advertising or promotional materials often leave their jobs until the last minute, cutting it close to missing important deadlines in the process.

Though a delay of a few hours or days may not matter much at some points during the year, at others, like the festive period, missing a print deadline can mean an entire job is wasted, with the printer unable to deliver it before Christmas no matter how hard they try.

Understanding the time is takes for a project to go from initiation to completion – or the lead time – will help to ensure that you get all of your important print jobs done and dusted in time to cash in on Christmas.

What are lead times?

The lead time is the amount of time that elapses between the start of a process and its completion. So in print terms, this means the time from your order going into production to the moment that your posters, calendars, flyers or Christmas catalogues etc. roll off of the presses.

Lead times can vary considerable between jobs with everything, from the size of the job and the materials used to the finishes applied, influencing how long it takes.

In many cases, clients submit print projects just hours before a big deadline. But even if they send everything through days before, due to the lead time, they could still miss their deadline even though they think they have left plenty of time.

Is it possible to reduce lead times?

Reducing lead times is a major goal of most companies. The faster a project can be completed, the faster the company can move onto the next project and the more revenue they can produce in the process.

In some cases, there will be things that can be done to reduce the lead time. Properly preparing all of the project files will help to speed up the process, as will using standard materials and sizes for the products.

However in some cases, the time it takes for inks to dry and projects to be set up will mean that we simply won’t be able to complete the work any faster.

When do I need to get my order in by?

Lead times will vary for different projects and at different times of the year, so talk to us if you’re unsure exactly when your deadline should be for a project you’ve got coming up.

By being aware of lead times, you can stay ahead of the competition and make sure that all of your hard work is seen and, ultimately, sells!

So to make sure that you don’t miss your deadlines, call us to discuss your next project .