On this page we have tried to place some of the more frequently asked questions of Reeds. If you need to know something that isn't on this page then please get in touch with us using the details on the Contact Us page.
general faqs - pre press faqs - printroom faqs - finishing & delivery faqs
General
Can we talk to you for help and advice?
Our helpful staff will be only too happy to offer you the benefit of their knowledge and experience. Give us a call on 01768 864214 and we will pass you on to the correct department.
Do you use an Management Information System (MIS) to manage your workflow?
Yes we use a package by Tharstons which enables us to keep a track on estimates, job tracking, production schedules and stock control. The system enables us to follow jobs through the whole production system from estimate to delivery.
Can you obtain samples of paper and card for me to see?
Yes, just give us a rough idea of what you are after and we will source a sample for you.
What about job samples?
We are happy to show you samples of previously printed jobs.
What are your working hours?
The factory operate 24 hours a day and is open 6 days a week except for national holidays. The office is open from 7am until 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 12pm on Saturdays. If you need to contact us outside of these hours then give us a ring as there is normally someone available.
Do you cater for the individual as well as large businesses?
We are just as happy to deal with someone who needs 250 one colour business cards as well as graphic designers that want 100,000 full-colour catalogues. We treat every customer with the same attention to detail regardless of the size of the order.
Do you use the Pantone Colour Matching System?
Yes, we can print any colour from the Pantone swatch and can mix ink to match any particular colour requirements you have.
Are you certified to ISO 14001?
Reeds have put in place an Environmental Management System (EMS) and we are certified to ISO 14001, being subject to regular checks by independant assessors to ensure that we are doing our bit to protect the environment. For more information visit the Environment page of this website.
What disc formats do you support?
We accept CD, 3.5" Floppy, DVD-ROM/DVD-RAM, ISDN & e-mail and also have an 'upload artwork' facility on this website.
Do you accept both Mac and PC discs?
We work with and output from both Apple Macs and PCs but the Apple Mac does takes the vast majority of our work.
Do you use computer-to-plate (ctp) technology?
Yes. We use the latest processless CTP technology using Azura plates which not only offer superb detail but also fits in very well with our environmental ethos.
Can you do scans in house?
Yes, we have a flatbed scanner which can scan from 35mm transparencies up to A3 illustrations.
Can you provide Cromalins or matchprints?
No, but we offer high quality Epson colour matched proofs or, should it be required, a 'wet proof' hot off the press.
Can I use files that I've copied from web pages for my artwork for print?
Web graphics tend to be created at low resolution (72dpi) so are generally unsuitable for reproduction in high quality print work.
What Mac and PC applications do you support?
This is a list of our most commonly used applications:
Mac Format
Adobe Acrobat 4 to 8 •
Adobe Illustrator CS3 •
Adobe InDesign CS3
Adobe Pagemaker •
Adobe Photoshop CS3 •
Macromedia Freehand MX
Microsoft Word 2004 •
Microsoft Excel 2004 •
Microsoft PowerPoint 2004
Quark Xpress 7
PC Format
Adobe Acrobat 4 to 8 •
Microsoft Word 2007
• Microsoft Excel 2007
Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 • Quark Xpress • CorelDraw 12
If I supply you with a PDF, can you print from it?
We can print from your PDF's providing all images are embedded at 300dpi and fonts are also embedded.
Can I supply a job to you in Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint or Publisher?
We accept jobs in these formats but remind customers that they work on the RGB colour principal and do not separate to either spot colour or CMYK without work at our end. Due to the nature of these programmes problems can occur with layout etc so we will also require a hard copy from yourselves. For further information please give us a call and we will happily discuss any queries you may have.
Do you offer guidelines for customers creating and submitting their own artwork?
At the moment we are working on a comprehensive downloadable brochure explaining in detail what we can work with, the best way to supply images etc but in the meantime please feel free to contact Dave Walters - Pre-press manager - should you require any information.
Do you print Litho?
The vast majority of our machinery are lithographic although we also have a digital press and flexographic web press.
What printing presses do you use?
All of our lithographic presses are made by Heidelberg who are the 'Rolls Royce' of the printing industry with a reputation for quality and reliability which is second to none.We also have a purpose built flexo web press and digital print facilities.
What is the maximum and minimum sheet size that you can print?
We print a large variety of sizes ranging from 90mm x 152mm all the way up to B2 size (720x520mm).
How can I be sure that the colours will be consistent throughout the job?
We use densitometers which we use to measure the density of the colour and match this throughout the job run. These machines are far more accurate than the human eye and are regularly calibrated for accurate usage..
What paper stock can you print on?
We can print on a whole range of paper and card thickness ranging from 60 microns to 600 microns which will cover almost every print possibility.
Can you print on envelopes?
Yes, up to C3 size.
Can you number and peforate?
We have a specialist machine which can number, perforate and print the job in one pass through the machine. This is ideal for invoices, order books etc.
Do you use vegetable based inks?
All of our Pantone inks are vegetable based but due to quality issues with full colour vegetable based inks we do not tend to get asked to use them for high quality, full colour jobs although we keep vegetable based full colour ink in stock should a customer request it. We are monitoring the quality of these inks and when we find an ink that provides quality print then we will look at switching over.
Do you print labels?
Yes, practically any size and shape but we do not print onto reels of labels. We can, however source a supplier for continuous labels and deal with the job for you should you wish.
Can you 'seal' jobs?
We use a sealant varnish to protect the print image and in many instances this is a service we provide free of charge for items such as booklets, magazines etc. printed on silk paper or the like.
Can you produce continuous stationery?
Yes we can, however, we do outsource it to a specialist printer with whom we have built up a long-term working relationship.
Do you use digital presses?
Yes. We recently installed a state of the art digital press which offers economical short runs and variable data capabilities.
Do you produce magazines and catalogues?
We have the capability to produce, completely in-house, large and small magazines, catalogues etc using our state of the art collator/stitcher/trimmer which takes in folded sections at one end and produces the finished magazine in one pass which means a quicker delivery for you.
Can you do forme cutting (die cutting)?
Yes. We have a dedicated Heidelberg Cylinder machine for this job.
Do you produce Invoice Books?
Yes, we print, number, perforate, collate and bind all manner of invoice and order books.
Can you meet tight deadlines?
Our finishing department works on a 16 hour shift system to enable us to meet, where possible, the tightest of deadlines.
What type of folding can you do?
Due to our policy of continual improvement we have an extremly well specced finishing deptartment which means we can fold concertina, gatefold, map-fold, roll-fold etc from a 4pp to a 36pp section and everything in between.
What other finishing can you do in-house?
Drilling, padding, collating, cutting, binding, stapling and gluing.
Can you laminate/enscapsulate?
We can gloss or matt laminate, single or two-sided up to SRA2 size. We can also enscapsulate small items up to A3 size.
Can you hand-finish jobs?
We have a team of staff who specialise in hand-finishing folders, dot-glueing, inserting CDs etc.
I want to self-publish, can you help?
We have a long standing relationship with a specialist bookbinder who will take our printed sheets and bind with hard or soft cover.
Do you do mailsort in-house?
We can provide an in-house mailsort, inserting, packaging and polywrapping of your job using your database and delivery instructions.
Can you do foil blocking?
This is not a facility we offer in-house although we use a long established specialist company with whom we have worked for a long time.
Will you deliver to multiple destinations?
We will deliver your job to wherever you need it delivering- mailing houses, your customer or
straight to your door. Local delivery is free and nationwide deliveries are charged at cost price. We regularly send work overseas both to Europe and the United States so this is also easy for us to arrange for you.
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