Each year, U.S. businesses spend an estimated $100 billion on annual reports, brochures, promotional sheets, direct mail and a wide array of other marketing collateral which are externally-procured from traditional offset printers, high-end digital printers and specialty printers. Analysts report that commercial printing represents the largest portion of a business’ print spending. Yet, most businesses have little or no controls in place to manage it.

Print buying responsibility is often dispersed among many departments and spending is spread across a multitude of suppliers. Buyers typically focus on the cost per piece without evaluating the cost per marketing response or the total lifecycle cost of the printed document. And the process is frequently driven by end users’ immediate needs with little regard for corporate standards, alternative print technologies or effective sourcing and supply chain management.

This chart highlights the current issues associated with externally-sourcing printing and offers a model for optimizing the print supply chain that will deliver substantial cost savings to adopters.

Experience has shown that organizations achieve hard dollar savings of 42% on average — sometimes as much as 72% — by optimizing the process of externally -procured printing. Typically, half of that savings is derived from sourcing excellence. The remaining savings is achieved through supply chain excellence.

Print Supply Chain Optimization PathForward will develop an integrated approach to print supply chain management that leverages technology, creates a competitive supplier marketplace and provides the expertise, measurements and accountability to improve customer service, simplify supplier management, exert control over spending and achieve your corporate goals.

Document Lifecycle Optimization PathForward re-engineers workflow and processes, providing you with a more cost-effective approach for managing documents through their entire lifecycle – creation, ordering production, distribution, warehousing/archiving and obsolescence. We will provide on-going management to ensure you achieve your desired business results long term.

Document Lifecycle Services Through PathForward, you can leverage the expertise of a PrintConcierge®, and the full resources and capabilities to Standard Register to create and manage documents throughout their lifecycle. Services include design, on-demand printing, kitting, fulfillment, imaging, Internet presentment, archiving and records management.

PrintConcierge® Services Leveraging the considerable expertise of our PrintConcierge, you can establish a single source of accountability who will manage your vendors, drive process improvements, and track and control print spending. As a champion of best practices, the PrintConcierge will lead your organization to design for manufacturability and embrace just-in-time delivery, thereby helping you to minimize the costs associated with inventories, obsolescence and waste.

Strategic Sourcing & Vendor Management PathForward will help you streamline procurement and consolidate your supplier network, providing you with a certified network of highly qualified suppliers you can leverage to achieve cost savings. In establishing consistent specifications for brand, quality and lowest cost delivery, we’ll help you better measure and manage vendor performance, so you achieve desired results. Leveraging SMARTworks® technology, you can improve the efficiency of the sourcing process and better manage print jobs and vendors.

Rebranding & Conversion Management Look to us to engineer and manage the most complex corporate rebranding initiatives. We plan and implement document workflow, technology, sourcing and management strategies, addressing critical timelines and compliance issues. We provide you with a seamless process and the resources to manage today’s rebranding and future conversions as new brands are acquired.

Learn about the methodologies and technology behind these services now. Or, contact us to discuss the challenges you face managing your print supply chain.

Also see Enterprise Services.