Globally Local Print Network – Create, Print, Source, Deliver
Since forming in 1980, Imago has worked with over 1,000 worldwide publishing companies, using our knowledge, capacity and creativity to bring your project to life. Choosing where and who to print with depends on many factors: price, quality, schedule, proximity and capability all need to align. That’s where we can help, we’ve done the groundwork and we have the relationships to give you real choices – a truly global printing solution.
Printing in China and South East Asia
Printing in the Far East will enable you to bring your product to market in the most economical way. However, buying direct can be a daunting prospect – how can you be sure of the factory you are using operates ethically? What if something goes wrong?
Imago has over 35 years’ experience working with suppliers throughout China and South East Asia. We have our own production offices in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Malaysia and are working with printers in China, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Our production team of over 50 people, are your eyes and ears in the factory, negotiating the best price, monitoring the quality and ensuring everything goes smoothly.
Books Plus projects can involve sourcing components from several different factories adding layers of complexity. Imago offers a ‘one-stop-shop’, our dedicated sourcing teams co-ordinate with multiple manufacturers, ensuring components are compatible, compliant and arrive on time.
Benefits of printing in China and South East Asia
Price – Generally speaking printing in China and South East Asia is more economical than printing in Europe, even once freight costs are added.
Choice – The range of materials, finishes and products on offer is extensive. From bath books to sound books, plush toys to tins, Imago have specialist suppliers for a wide range of books and other products.
Quality – We work with factories who deliver the best quality and we have our own team of QC inspectors.
Customisation & Handwork – Everything can be made to your exact requirements (as long as it’s physically possible) and many of our suppliers specialise in hand finishing.
No Restrictions – Having access to suppliers throughout the Far East means topics that might be sensitive in China can be handled without issue by printers in other regions
- Own Merchandising Team – Keeping all your enquiries in one place, Imago offers its own team of merchandisers, complementing our estimating teams.
- Press Checking – We will send our team of experts in to check your titles on press, ensuring the best quality at all times.
- Third Party Inspection – Occasionally it’s also good to have an independent eye cast over your titles, be it on press, during binding, or post-production. We can offer our own Imago Quality Control or provide independent specialists, as per your needs.
- Pre-press consultants – With links to the very best in the industry, we make sure your titles look their best even before they are printed.
- In-house Estimating – Our teams of in-house experts have an unprecedented knowledge of the industry, of up-to-date trends and costs, and connections to the best suppliers for all your needs
Printing in Europe
When working to tight schedules there’s no doubt that European production is a good option, as production and delivery times are shorter for Europe and the US.
Printing in Europe also offers more flexibility on minimum order quantities, having the advantage of reducing warehousing costs. If you are shipping to the US, European printing and manufacture is also not currently subject to additional tariffs.
Our network of European printers is extensive – both inside and outside the EU. We have suppliers in the UK, Italy, Spain, France, Poland, Serbia Croatia, Bosnia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Turkey and Ukraine – each with their own individual strengths and specialities. We can offer high quality colour and mono book and catalogue printing, board book, board game and packaging manufacture, all from our rapidly expanding supply base.
When you send an enquiry to Imago you tap into a global network of suppliers. We can recommend the best options based on your specification, schedule and budget.
Benefits of printing in Europe
- Schedule – printing in Europe offers quicker print and delivery times to Europe and the US
Materials – FSC grade papers are often more readily available and paper ordering lead times are shorter
Quality – it’s a given for us, wherever we print, quality is paramount
Lower Quantities – printing in Europe is more cost effective on lower quantity print runs and are not always possible in China
Tariffs – if you are shipping to the US, European printing and manufacture is not currently subject to import tariffs
Printing in India
Printing in India can be extremely competitive, indeed unbeatable, on certain book formats. We have a highly reputable partner in India with state of the art facilities, who provides a proactive, knowledgeable service and excellent quality. Our ‘man on the ground’ ensures communications run smoothly and that quality exceeds expectations every time.
We’re extremely happy and confident to offer no risk Indian printing services to you when your budget requires it.
Benefits of printing in India
Price – printing in India can offer unbeatable pricing on standard book formats / slipcase sets
Materials – we can offer a wide range of local and European paper stocks, including creamy book woves
Schedule – we can offer quick turnarounds and weekly sailings
Quality – we’re sure we’re working with the best and deliver good / commercial quality
Printing in the USA
For our USA based clients, or for those supplying co-editions to the USA, printing close to home offers a quick solution for urgent printings. There is the added advantage of being able to truck door to door. Printing in the USA can be economical for certain formats, particularly if you can tie your trim sizes to web press formats and if you can forego sewing (notch binding is economical in the USA both in terms of cost and speed).
On occasion we have split printings of successful titles between China and the USA, offering really flexible supply which can be prioritised either by price or schedule depending on the circumstances.