Print Buying Services

Full Service Print Buying Company

print buying services

Are you looking to print material such as brochures, flyers or postcards but find yourself stuck in the maze of options available? Or struggling to understand what represents good value when it comes to print buying? At Critical Media, we have an encyclopedic knowledge of all things print and will find the perfect solution for your brand and budget.

The timeless power of print

We adore digital media, but nothing beats the tactile joy of a great brochure or the smell of ink on fresh paper. Even in this digital age, we never underestimate the power that printed material has to sell a brand or convert a prospect. We are physical beasts after all, and draw instant conclusions from the most subtle visual and tangible cues.

Whether it be a flyer, business card, or even a pen, you can literally hand your brand to the audience and get your message across in a way that a website just can’t match. So when it comes to your next print project, be sure to pay close attention to every printing choice as it really does make a difference. As you can probably tell, we’re passionate about the subject and can offer our print services to help you create something glorious and worthy of your budget.

A print buying service you can rely on

Print buying, alas, can be baffling and a drain on your valuable time. We get that not everyone is as enamoured with the process as we are! That’s why we offer a complete print buying service for everything from brochures to banners, promotional merchandise to high-end books. Whether your run is high or modest, we will use our 25 years of experience to place your print job with the right printer, at the right price.

We know the print process inside out

When it comes to placing a print job, experience is the mother of wisdom. Printers specialise in different methods and mediums, so depending on what you would like to print, how many and your budget, we know exactly who to approach to deliver the goods. Our talent is in recognising the sweet spot where price and quality meet – we’re not aligned to any particular printers, so our only motivation is to get you the best quality print your money can buy.

We have great relationships with numerous printers around the country. We can even place print in the EU and China to achieve amazing value for our clients, on items including hardback books. So please don’t feel limited by your budget having got a few online quotes – we have an impressive number and range of printing contacts and can save you cost as well as precious time.

When it comes to print management, we can offer you a friendly, approachable service with a single point of contact. So hang up the phone, close your inbox and allow us to manage your project right through to delivery.

print buying management services

Design services

We’re a team of highly creative designers with broad commercial experience. We understand what makes a brand compelling and infuse each job with real flair and creativity. We can design your piece from scratch and manage the whole job through to the delivery of the final product.

Print buying only

Alternatively, we’re happy to just pick up the print side of things if you have artwork ready to go. We can still offer you the benefit of our design experience by advising you on print finishes and specialist print processes to make the most of your artwork.

Print job advice

Printing is a highly technical process so jargon is inevitable, but, rest assured we will inflict it on you as little as possible. We use plain English and printed samples to get the point across and help you make the right choices for your job. We’ve even come up with a neat little guide to some of the technical terms you’re likely to encounter.

Contact Critical Media about all things print

As highly experienced print specialists we promise to save you time and money by placing your job with the ideal printer. It really is a jungle out there, so allow us to be your guide and deliver printed material you can be proud of at a cost that won’t upset your accountant.

If you’d like to give our services a whirl on your next print job, please give us a shout we’d love to talk to you.

 

A quick guide to printing lingo

Like any specialism, printing has its own jargon to get to grips with. If you don’t know your laminates from your spot UVs, here’s a quick guide to help you get your head around the basics.

Pantone Matching System (PMS)

Colour consistency is key to presenting a strong brand, and Pantone is the first and last word in print colour. They have been creating and patenting print colours for over half a century, and the vast majority of printers use the Pantone Matching System (PMS) in their printing process. The result is designers and printers working in harmony to achieve the perfect result for their client.

Spot UV

You know you’re handling a printed piece with a touch of quality when it contains spot UV. It’s the term used for that gorgeous glossy, clear coating that is applied to carefully selected parts of your design. It creates an attractive contrast that’s pleasing both to the eye and to the touch.

Laminate

If you want your printed piece to last then it is best to go for lamination. It’s the process of coating the paper in a very thin layer of plastic to preserve all of your lovely content. The added bonus is that it sharpens images and text and makes the colour leap right off the page. There are variations of laminate from matt through to high gloss, depending on the look you’re after.

Foiling

Foiling is adding a metallic finish to text, logos and shapes to give it a rich look. You can foil in a wide variety of colours and finishes, not only gold and silver. There’s not much that can’t be enhanced with a bit of shine and foiling looks amazing on business cards, brochures, labels and postcards.

Paper weight

This is simply the thickness of the paper used. Paper weight is measured in grams per square metre (gsm) and the higher the number, the heavier and thicker the paper. To give you an idea, standard office paper is 80gsm and (decent) business cards start at about 400gsm.

Paper stock

The type of paper you choose is so important in portraying the right image. Be of no doubt that your audience will literally judge the book by its cover. You will need to consider the type of finish and feel best suits your project, be that matt, gloss, satin, or textured. If sustainability is a priority for you, you could choose something recycled. The range can seem a bit daunting and it’s a good instance of when a print specialist such as Critical Media can add value.