Printing and the Supply Chain

Where’s my Stuff?

Try these 6 tricks to navigate supply chain and current employee shortages.

In the United States, 4.1 million people quit their jobs in October 2021. In the private sector, fewer people left their jobs in October than in August and September, which could mean good news for worldwide supply chain slowdowns. However, in the public sector, quit rates continue their five-month upward trend, indicating continued instability. 

More than 21% of these workers—nearly a million—hail from the trade, transportation, and utility industries. Over 900,000 people in industries like trucking, rail cargo, air travel, retail, agriculture, mining, power, gas, water, manufacturing, and publishing left their jobs last month.

Our industry—print, and publishing—is getting hit hard. There are lumber shortages, increased cost of pulp, insufficiency in the labor force, and impaired logistics that are keeping even basic supplies on backorder. All commercial printers are hiring. 

These problems are unlikely to be resolved until well into 2022.

Yet, we know how crucial your collateral is. From scheduled publications to sales tools, from catalogs to direct mail, every piece you invest in is designed to create revenue.

Revenue is lost if the piece or campaign doesn’t come out on time.

Here’s how Journal Graphics can help you navigate delays and keep the momentum in your marketing.

It starts as an inside job.

We are recruiting the most experienced and competent professionals available to keep our presses running 24 hours a day. We offer a competitive salary and benefits well beyond standard medical and dental.

Why does this matter to you, our customer?

When we hire the best, train them to our standards and retain them over the long haul, we provide you with a consistent, high-quality, error-free product. This enables Journal Graphics to stay on schedule and within budget.

We put you at the front of the pack.

If we are experiencing hiring and supply chain challenges, we assume you are too. 2022 is here. We will work as consultants to help you plan your year. Let’s sit down and prioritize your publications and focus on your goals in the months ahead. We are happy to commit future resources to loyal customers. Planning in advance (at least 12 weeks), allows Journal Graphics to secure the paper, inks, and finishes you want when you need them. A great relationship is the tide that floats all boats.

We have friends up the chain.

For more than 80 years, we have been a premier commercial printer in the Pacific Northwest. That means we have cultivated strong relationships at all points in the supply chain. As we work with you to get your priorities on the calendar, we stay in front of our suppliers and vendors to ensure prompt delivery when supplies come in. We can also special-order quality substitutions and create workarounds to ensure the quality you expect from Journal Graphics is achieved.

Here’s what you can do to mitigate supply and employee shortages.

Get ahead of deadlines. 

Make this year all about the calendar. If you send out fall catalogs in June, have them ready to go on the press in March. Decide in August if you’ll be sending out season’s greetings and gifts. Check with us - we can give you the skinny on lead time and supply availability. Plan to have your scheduled publications done weeks ahead of time. Create evergreen content and talk to sponsors early. Give them the same advice we’re giving you.

If your company holds regular fall galas, end-of-year fundraisers, or spring auctions—or any annual/seasonal promotion—plan ahead and get that collateral ordered.

Go local.

Use vendors and suppliers with local delivery services. If your project or product only travels a few miles, it will get there a lot faster if it’s not being manufactured or printed hundreds of miles away. If you are shipping products and have outsourced delivery in the past, try building a supply chain department, however small, in-house. Short-distance deliveries can add days of needed cushion to a project.

Know—and keep—your customers. 

Loyal, long-term clients make all the difference during a challenging period in business. Small businesses routinely get stuck in the I’ll-pay-when-I-get-paid loop. If your clients and customers prioritize your relationship, count your lucky stars. Return the favor by keeping up communication in good times so that when challenges arise, you have a connection to fall back on. No client wants to pick up a cold call out of the blue delivering bad news. 

The bottom line, it will level out. We just don’t know when. Until then, we work together to create impressive projects that increase your revenue and visibility. Just like we always have.

Journal Graphics creates high-quality print products to ensure your creative messaging and overall strategy are collectively focused to help you grow your business in target markets. We can design and execute a mailing campaign that complements and capitalizes on your brand’s e-commerce efforts.
Call or click today to tap into the most effective marketing tools for your brand.

Walking Maps Bring People to Your Door!

A WALKING MAP IS THE PERFECT FIRST STEP TO GET PEOPLE TO FIND YOUR BUSINESS.

Urban areas are brimming with vibrant, walkable neighborhoods. The synergy of those spaces makes them irresistible to zoomers starting out, career-focused millennials, and cultured retirees. 

Portland neighborhoods are densely populated with homes, apartments, and condos, and—of course—shops, restaurants and grocery stores. Some of those retailers are on the arterial, easy to find and visible from multiple vantage points. But the real gems—exclusive boutiques, fresh eateries, innovative service providers—are often tucked into small spaces off the beaten path. 

But the strategic wonder of walkable commercial hubs is this: if you bring a browser to one store, you’ll bring a buyer to many. 

Enter the humble yet powerful walking map. 

As the pandemic recedes and tourism spikes, consider printing a well-designed walking map that showcases your business and your brand, while encouraging consumers to visit your neighbors. 

A charming yet functional walking map highlights the features of your neighborhood and the businesses that serve it. Here are some guidelines to follow: 

❌ Don’t miss those businesses that are off the beaten path. Shoppers love to discover and frequent hidden treasures. 

❌ Don’t charge businesses to participate. An incomplete walking map is confusing at best, frustrating at worst. 

❌ Don’t charge shoppers for it. People love to pick up cool, useful brochures and maps. What’s more, they’re an incredibly powerful influence on consumer behavior. 

79% percent of people will pick up a brochure from a lobby or visitors center. Check out these other shocking stats about the power of brochures. 

✔️Do develop a brand for your map. If you’re going it alone, showcase your own brand on the map. If you are partnering, create a new brand or leverage the neighborhood’s brand. 

✔️ Do commit to an annual or biannual reprint. Businesses open and close all the time. Keep your map current, and date it prominently, so consumers know what to expect. 

✔️Display the maps in an intentional and consistent manner. You could invest in a specific display or simply reserve a space at point-of-sale. Keep it organized, or the maps lose their perceived value. 

✔️Do sell advertising space to offset costs and create visual interest. 

✔️Do create a corresponding website or interactive map. Drive traffic between them with powerful messaging and special offers. 

Did you know? Journal Graphics can create an interactive digital edition of any printed piece! 

Get ready to help drive traffic! A walking map is the perfect first step. Contact us today to get on the road to success in 2022. 

Publication Essentials

At Journal Graphics, we’re proud to produce top-quality multipage publications like magazines, catalogs, and brochures. These are possible with a combined approach of intelligent engineering, appropriate paper selections, high-quality ink, and finishing processes that bring your message to life. We love to work with our customers early on to help achieve results with consistent, colorful outcomes. In this blog post, we cover some of the basics around what goes into creating a multipage publication and offer some tips on what works best to grab your audience’s attention.

All shapes and sizes

The most frequently used sizes for multi-page print publications are 8” x 10.5”, produced in both landscape and portrait layouts. However, square (8.5” x 8.5”), oversized (11” x 14+”) and other configurations are available as well. When selecting the size for your publication, consider if the shape and size will factor in the overall design aesthetic while staying within your print and postage budget parameters.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to be different. Some of the most successful print pieces are those that stand out from the crowd. Work with your sales representative to create a size and shape that works best for your design and budget.

Specs of paper

Selecting the best type of paper to use in your print publication or marketing collateral can be overwhelming. Ask for samples from your sales representative before making your final decision. We compiled a list of terms that will help you learn the lingo used in describing paper.

• Basis weight – weight per pound per ream cut to size by inches

• Coated – paper treated with a coating for added properties like durability, ink holdout and gloss..

• Cover – a durable, heavy-weight paper used for booklet covers, postcards, business cards, rack cards, etc.

• Smoothness – the evenness of a paper’s surface

• Text – a general term describing an assortment of paper grades but often applied to content pages within a publication and programs

• Uncoated – paper that is not treated or coated and typically has a rougher surface

• Varnish – a thin layer of protective coating that is applied over the ink to help prevent scuffing or add gloss or matte effects

Tip: Go green and FSC. Sustainably sourced paper products are not only good for the environment, but they are a value-add for your brand image. Consumers seek out companies committed to helping to save the planet and are willing to spend more on products and companies with a sustainable focus.

Finishing in style

Once the main pages of a publication come off the press, they progress to the finishing department for completion. This next step involves any number of machines that will apply any additional coatings needed for durability or shine, fold the pages, bind the publication together in either saddle-stitch or perfect binding format, and trim the edges.

Tip: Perfect binding is worth the money when your page count allows and your audience skews toward luxury. The edges have a crisp and clean look that elevates your brand.

Let Journal Graphics help you turn your next publication into something spectacular. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!

Print: The Definition of Sustainable Media

Print is the definition of sustainable media. Recycling, replenishing forest land, and renewing local resources are just some ways paper imprints lightly on the planet.

Sustainability is a strong value in the Pacific Northwest, and Journal Graphics is committed to being part of the community in this way. Of course, sustainable practices extend far beyond just recycling. We continually evaluate our facility and equipment to minimize emissions and waste, striving to exceed state and federal guidelines. 

We are an FSC Chain-of-Custody Certified PrinteR

Journal Graphics is committed to management best practices required to maintain environmentally superior and responsibly sourced certified papers. 

In its mission, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) promotes environmentally sound, socially beneficial, and economically prosperous management of the world's forests. The organization expands water quality protection, prohibits harvest of rare old-growth forest, prevents loss of natural forest cover, and prohibits highly hazardous chemicals.  

In addition, FSC requires forest managers—on both public and private lands—to engage local community members and protect customary rights of indigenous people, ensuring their voices are part of the certification process and impacts of forest operations are addressed. 

The FSC standards are high, and we are happy to use paper suppliers that meet or exceed them. 

We use locally sourced paper

Excessive and long-distance transportation adds to greenhouse gas emissions, increases customer costs, and lengthens deliverable times. Journal Graphics purchases most of our substrates from an Oregon-based paper mill located just 24 miles from our plant. Committing to mostly local sourcing is a commitment to a smaller ecological footprint. 

We contract with a reputable paper recycling program 

Our paper waste is 100% recycled through International Paper. International Paper collects, consumes, and markets more than 7 million tons of all paper recovered annually in the United States. 

 Paper is recycled more than any other commodity in the solid waste stream and is often the dominant raw material used in paper production. In fact, paper is the most recycled material in the world today, with recovery rates ranging from 65% to almost 80% in North America, Western Europe and Japan. A combination of fresh wood supply and recycled paper allows printing and writing paper to be down-cycled to other products like corrugated boxes, tissue, and other packaging. 

We use Waterless Platemaking

Water is a necessary tool in the creation of paper and print. To keep things clean, cool, and running well, water can be a necessity. This year, we installed a new printing plate that does not require water for processing, saving gallons of this natural resource each day. 

Paper is one of the few truly sustainable products

Each year, forests in North America grow significantly more wood than is harvested.  North American woodlands are a renewable resource, continuously replenished using sustainable forest management. Over the last 60 years, the net total U.S. forest area has increased by over 3%, and the net volume of trees on forestland has increased by 58%. 

In addition to all the environmental reasons to use paper, it's simply a crucial part of any marketing mix. 

As the pandemic continues to drive consumers online for shopping, learning and communicating, digital fatigue is setting in. People are ready to engage with materials again, hold books in their hands, and flip through a catalog before purchasing. And businesses and publishers continue to use print because it works, and people simply enjoy it. In fact: 

• According to the United States Postal Service, direct mail recipients purchased 28% more items and spent 28% more money than those who didn't receive the same direct mail. Again and again, a print catalog or directory increases the odds consumers will buy.  

• 73% of U.S. consumers said they prefer direct mail for brand communications because they can read the information at their convenience.  

• In publishing and academia, studies show that paper books are better for reading comprehension.  

• Even millennials prefer paper-based reading.  

 
Supporting print is supporting the environment. Engage with Journal Graphics today to get started on your next Earth-friendly project. 

Five Fresh Summer Design Trends

The summer sun has us inspired to try out some fresh new ideas. We researched design trends to help infuse some creativity into your next publication or direct mail project. Here are our top five selections:

Brighten up with sunny, juicy palettes

One sure sign that we're starting to come out of the pandemic is the dialing back of muted, subdued tones. In their place are fun, juicy colors in bright citrus and berry hues. See it here on everything from kombucha to book jackets to magazine covers – "the future is so bright we gotta wear shades."

Hold the type

Dial back the type and let your images do the talking. Use bold, striking images to draw your audience in rather than bombarding them with many layers of type in different sizes and weights. Mainstream magazines like TIME and Wired have used this technique to make statement pieces, creating intrigue while sparking curiosity.

Authenticity and representation

2020 was the year that brought everyone's social consciousness into focus. Consumers are looking at brands to follow suit. Add authenticity to your designs by featuring real people and real-life situations. Focus on reflecting your targeted customers visually in your language and layout. It is essential to avoid appearing opportunistic or pandering. When in doubt, hire a freelance writer or designer to help bring an outside perspective to your team.

Elevate retail with look book styling

Capture your customers' attention by infusing lookbook styling into your retail or sales catalog approach. For example, fashion designers use lookbooks to show off their newest creations within themed collections using high-quality photography. Content is curated around the images, using in-depth product descriptions. Pricing is downplayed, either relegated to a separate sheet or landing page. This idea can be applied to any industry and set of products or services. They help to elevate your brand status and give your customers a memorable experience beyond just flipping pages. Here are a few tips:

• Keep the focus on images and layout – simple is always best

• Think about the whole theme you're trying to convey – is there a particular lifestyle you want your customers to experience or embody?

• Tell your story start to finish

Everything old is new again

Nostalgia design and retro-futurism are having big moments right now. 80s video game graphics, 90s music videos, and psychedelic typography and palettes all seem to be popping up on the design trends list this year. It makes for a lot of fun for designers to create and customers when they get that pop of recognition in seeing the effect.

 Are you ready to put these trends to work in print? Journal Graphics can turn any design trend into a top-quality print publication or direct mail piece. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!

Welcome to the New Voice of Journal Graphics

As a privately held commercial printer in Portland, Oregon, since 1937, we consider our customers, vendors and suppliers, community members and industry colleagues in everything we do. As we build our brand to demonstrate excellence in powerful, high-capacity web printing, we’ll take deep dives into new techniques, technologies and approaches that are crucial to the work we do for you.

We launched this platform to share the resources we discover, the inspiration we find, and our expertise along the journey.

For over 80 years, Journal Graphics has been pushing the edge of innovation to print superior publications on deadline and within budget.  Our state-of-the-art web presses and bindery ensure a professional product that stands the test of time, while our expert mailing and fulfillment teams deliver to destinations with speed and accuracy. Seamless integration of web editions create value-added content, brand awareness, and critical analytics. 

We will also use this space to explore issues critical to our industry and region. At Journal Graphics, we recognize that the way we do business impacts everything around us, including the natural world and the people in it. We aim to lessen our carbon footprint in every way we can while finding ways to make life better for those who live, work and play in our community. We recently invested in new technologies to develop the most efficient production methods, and all employees are encouraged to continuously innovate. 

We’re invested in the future of the industry and our lasting place within it. We want you right there with us as we learn and grow, so watch this space for the latest in printing innovations, technological advances and people-first practices. While other printers may be holding back, we will continue to press forward.