Blog - Blue Technologies

Solutions to Supply Chain Shortages Impacting Production Print

Written by Blue Technologies Ohio | Sep 19, 2022 1:00:00 PM

With supply chain shortages and disruptions continuing, companies often have to scramble to get basic tasks done. When it comes to printing, problems range from rising paper costs and shortages to difficulties in replacing printer parts.

Both print houses and businesses that print in-house can be impacted by these supply chain issues. Upgrading to a more efficient production print machine can help mitigate these issues. 

For businesses that have yet to bring print production in-house, in-house printing can be a great way to reduce costs and gain more control over the printing process.

Be Prepared for More Supply Chain Disruptions

We can certainly hope that the supply chain situation will improve in 2023 and beyond, however, it is probably a good idea to plan for it not to improve. The best-case scenario is that you will be overly prepared, and your business will be that much ahead when it comes to your workflows and operations.

The worst-case scenario of course, is that the supply chain shortages will not only continue but get worse. For this reason, it’s a good idea to upgrade any printing equipment now, in case such equipment might be harder to get in the not-so-distant future.

Upgrading Production Printers for Both Print Houses and Businesses

Both professional print houses and businesses that print in-house should consider making sure their print equipment is upgraded and working optimally.

If your business is using an older printer that might have been a workhorse in its day...and maybe it’s still functioning fairly decently...should you upgrade it?

The answer of (course) depends, however, you might want to err on the side of caution and upgrade now. There are a number of reasons for this, one of which we’ve already mentioned. Here are some of the reasons:

Possible Future Equipment Shortages

Since the supply chain is so unreliable right now, and we can presume that it might get worse in the future, if you’re planning to do an equipment upgrade, don’t wait. Upgrade now, before the printer that you want to upgrade to becomes less easily available.

Older Parts May Be Harder to Find

Older printers will need more maintenance, and it may be harder to find supplies and replacement parts of them. With supply chain shortages common, parts for older printers may become harder to find in the future. Upgrading to a newer production printer can potentially avoid the problem of an older printer breaking down and then replacement parts aren’t available.

Rising Printer Supply Costs

Old printers will be more likely to make errors, so you may end up wasting more paper with an older printer, and paper is obviously becoming more expensive.

Improved Efficiency

Newer production printing machines have improved features and technologies that can streamline printing and help overall operational workflows. This improved efficiency and speed can help reduce overall costs and improve team productivity.

Why Bring Production Printing In-House?

Bringing printing in-house also gives you more control during times of supply chain stress. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from in-house production printing. In-house print production services can reduce costs, enable more efficient workflows, and provide you more control over your print materials. You can benefit from:

  • High-volume, high-quality monochrome printing that is blazing fast – as high as 250 pages per minute – which is great for everything from invoices to sheet music.
  • Brilliant, quality-controlled colors that you have direct control over to ensure your branding stays consistent.
  • Quick turnaround times with flexible, on-demand printing, even for larger items, which is possible with wide-format printing solutions.
  • Reduced print costs via efficiency improvements and in-house production.

Wide-format printers and production print devices are available that are reliable and efficient, and can resolve some of the problems of out-of-date equipment that has become slow and hard to maintain.

Need a New Wide-Format Printer or Production Printing Solution? 

Blue Technologies specializes in powerful office equipment solutions to help you unleash your in-house printing potential. Whether you have a print house or a business looking to do some printing in-house, we can help with the best office equipment solutions, from top-of-the-line production printers to wide-format printers in various sizes. 

Create more resilience in your printing solutions to avoid supply chain problems. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant and get a print assessment scheduled today.