26 Jul News: UK Printing Companies Capacity Squeeze Comes Early

News: UK Printing Companies Capacity Squeeze Comes Early

With the continued reduction in capacity in many sectors of the UK Print market, we’re starting to see the annual capacity squeeze coming early across the UK.

What is the Capacity Squeeze?
For those of you who aren’t aware, UK printing companies go through an annual cycle where there is press space available during most of the first half of the year but from the end of August onwards, we typically see a surge in demand for print creating a lack of available capacity. Which means you may have a problem finding press space for your print project!

The capacity squeeze generally begins with the larger presses, starting with gravure presses. Where press space on gravure presses isn’t available, the next largest presses are targeted, squeezing capacity out of these and having a trickle-down through the press sizes.

However, this year, with the general reduction in capacity in the print market caused by the recession, we’re seeing the capacity squeeze coming a month earlier.

Much of the print that’s placed now is, of course, targeting the Christmas market. Catalogues, brochures, flyers and so on are being printed for distribution to capitalise on the Christmas bonanza. And these are essential marketing communications for all manner of businesses, often making an immense difference to a businesses’ bottom line.

Our Advice
So our advice to print buyers and marketers who don’t want to miss the boat, is to move timelines forward as much as possible and secure your press space as early as you can. If you don’t, you may lose out working with your first choice supplier or miss out altogether.

Move quickly, or your delivery bay could be empty this Christmas!

Note that to secure a press spot, you don’t necessarily need exact paginations or quantities as these can be firmed up later.

For more information on how we see the market – including an interview with our MD – see this Printweek Update.

The last thing you need is to be hit with a brick wall when you’re trying to find space – so act now.

Webmart works with over 400 UK printers. Our print buying team actively monitor UK capacity and can often place print projects when others are having problems. If you’re having problems now or at any time, please contact us and speak to one of our experienced Print Consultants.