Where can I find a printing company in China with a Heatset web printing machine?

Question

I have several printing jobs that are high volume amd I need to find companies with commercial web printing presses

Answer 1

I've worked with several printers in China over the years, but before we discuss that I need to clarify the situation a bit.

I assume you are looking for a printer in China because you expect the cost to be lower than printing in America? In one respect this is true: if you had two printers running the same job, one in China and one in the U.S., the price per unit from the China printer ought to be cheaper. That's even after you factor in shipping costs, which I'm sure you've thought about. But what I'm not sure you've considered is the up-front costs of finding the right printer for your job and the ongoing costs of managing the Chinese printer and trying to control quality from overseas.

Not only must you find the printer that has the right equipment, technical capabilities and experience, but they also have to have to be TRUSTWORTHY and willing to work with you. This is crucial during the initial inquiry phase when you are asking for quotes and samples, trying to determine which supplier to work with. This process can easily last for 9 to 12 months for those inexperienced with the sourcing process. And mistakes can be extremely costly.

If you have not visited the supplier yourself you have no way of knowing if the person you've been corresponding with is merely a Chinese agent handing off the work to someone else. If you place an order it is impossible for you to control quality from here in the U.S. - you are leaving this entirely up to the supplier. Meanwhile that supplier has other customers, some of whom are there, breathing down their neck, making sure their work gets done right and on time.

My advice to you is to use a U.S.-based sourcing company that has a China office. A good sourcing company has the resources and ability to find the right supplier for your needs and facilitate the process of quoting and sampling. Sourcing companies find multiple suppliers, screen them, survey them, interview them, and actively manage them. Not to mention when the time comes to place an order you incure less RISK by paying a U.S.-based company than by sending your money to some company in China. Plus a legit U.S. sourcing company will provide you favorable credit terms; e.g. 30% deposit with the balance payable 30 days after shipping.

Trying to source and manage a supplier in China yourself will be a full-time job that will drain your time, resources and money, and will be more costly in the long run that simply hiring a professional U.S.-based sourcing company to do all that for you. For a modest management fee you can let the sourcing company handle the sourcing, production control, quality control, and logistics, and you can focus on serving and growing your customer base. Also nowadays most sourcing companies offer complete transparency - you know the China supplier and the FOB China price.

This is what I do for a living. I'd be glad to discuss it with you further, with NO obligation! 212-847-7175.