Sure, envelope printers exist, but how do you know if an envelope printer will solve the problems you're currently facing? Well, I'll be the first to tell you, an envelope printer is not the solution for everyone. But, if you have the right needs, an envelope press can be a lifesaver - and a business saver.
Whether you're printing envelopes in-house or outsourcing, consider the following signs. If one or more of these apply to you and your business, you've come to the right place.
Infographic: 9 Signs it's time to invest in an envelope printer
1. You Print 10,000+ Envelopes a Month in Short Runs
By our standards, a "short run" is 2,500 envelopes or less. When you're doing short run envelope print jobs, you want a machine capable of switching between print jobs quickly and efficiently. That way, you're not losing precious time during cleaning and setup.
2. You Run a Large, Digital Press that Doesn't Do Envelopes Well
Large, digital presses print a lot of materials well, but envelopes are the exception. Digital presses run envelope jobs slowly and use expensive supplies. Additionally, the heat and pressure used by digital presses can crease and emboss the envelopes as they're run.
3. You're Retiring a 2-Color Offset Press
When you move to retire your old, 2-color offset press (also known as a duplicator), an envelope press is an ideal replacement. It offers greater speeds, color capabilities, and user-friendliness than a 2-color offset press. And, you'll enjoy how quickly you're able to switch between jobs.
4. Your Pressman is Retiring
If you're like a lot of businesses who print envelopes in-house, you have a single, dedicated employee who's responsible for running the offset press. When that employee decides to retire, finding someone with the knowledge, capabilities, and desire as a replacement can seem near impossible.
Alternatively, an envelope press is easy to learn and easy to use. Just about any employee can learn to operate an envelope press.
5. Your Outsource Turnaround Time is Too High
When your envelope printing is outsourced, accommodating rush orders is much more complicated - and much more expensive! With typical outsource turnaround time hovering at one or two weeks, having the ability to run the same volume in-house in the same number of days is quite valuable.
6. You're Dissatisfied with Your Current Color Capabilities
Having great color is big business in any realm of printing. Envelope presses have fantastic color capabilities, including 4-edge full bleed, spot color matching, and variable data for getting repeat jobs up and running quickly.
7. Supply and Labor Costs Push Your Expenses Too High
Offset presses run labor costs through the roof, while toner-based printers require costly supplies to get the job done. With an envelope press, you're looking an inexpensive supplies and labor for envelope printing.
8. You Want to Print on More Envelope Types
Some print devices limit the types and textures of the envelopes you can run. With the iJetColor Press, you can run:
- Thick envelopes
- Textured envelopes
- Stuffed envelopes
With a maximum print area of 8.5" x 17" and a minimum print area of 3" x 4 1/8", you have a lot of freedom with what envelope types you print.
9. You Want Lower Energy Use
The iJetColor Press has significantly lower consumable costs than toner-based devices. It's more energy efficient and requires less supplies to run equal amounts of envelopes.
