THE GLOBAL MARKET
Where in the World
Modern technology is now more accessible all over the world. Gone are the days when a print job would be produced in the Far East and shipped back to the UK for distribution. Although cheaper and more cost-effective years ago, as Far East production costs including transportation were a cheaper cost combined than UK production, this is no longer the case. A more level playing field means a job can be produced in the UK, Far East, USA or Europe at a very similar cost. Local markets may dictate certain material costs such as paper, but the overall cost is still better then producing and shipping thousands of miles.
Engaging with an overseas printer is not too much different from dealing with a UK supplier. The beauty of print – is it is universal. Or nearly – when you factor in the USA and Canada not using the standard A series and using the imperial inch instead. Likewise, the paper weights are not the standard g/m2 (gsm) we use in the UK and are measured in lbs.
A Series
The A Series of paper measurements are used globally - apart from the US and Canada that use the imperial measurement system.
The above table shows all the A series sizes which you will be familiar with, B and SRA sizes are for larger sheets used by printers to be able to print full A3 for example with bleed then cut down. C sizes are envelopes to take the A size.
Traditional US
You will have heard of American Letter and American Legal sizes.
The above shows the sizes of these in Imperial and Metric.
American Weights
US paper isn't calculated in gms as we do , but in lbs.
The above table shows common paper weights in the US and the gms equivalent.
Once you know the pagination, size and paper needed, an RFQ can be issued, but bear in mind the quotation received will be in the local currency of the country you issued the request to. So, while you can use 3 x Euro quotes as a comparison, you will need to convert back into GBP to know how much the job will cost you. Check the quotes as well, as various countries have numerous different tax values on printed matter. In the US there are also taxes added to goods produced or delivered in certain states.
