Printing Artwork in China

[Derfie]

The past 2 companies I have worked for have outsourced their packaging and catalog printing to China. Currently I send my files by FTP to China and due to cost and time restraints I never see a proof, and I don't see the final untill the packaging hits the store shelf. This is scary.

My question is: Does anyone know if the presses that are used in China have standards and if so are there ICC profiles for printing in China. I know the standard profiles for printing in the US as I do advertisements here. I need to prepare my files the best way possible to ensure at least decent color (I am flying blind here). Another problem I have with the printing overseas is the color tends to be "Washed-out", I think they are running light on the ink in general, how can I compensate for that.

I am also interested to hear if anyone else has this problem, as my company can't be the only one having printing done in China.

Thanks for your help:)

[PrintDriver]

Not that I don't sympathize with your problem but is it really worth it in cost savings of going to China if you don't see a proof then get a full run that is wrong? Is time really that tight?

As far as getting your printer's standards you are going to have to ask them directly. Even in the States printers' standards are all over the board. In China they may be far worse. We'd only be able to offer general advice here. For details you will have to figure out how to communicate with your vendor.

[Derfie]

Thanks for your reply. Currently I actually work for a Chinese company, we have an office in China, so that is part of the reason we print in China. At least now we pretty much use one or 2 printers, and for the most part they do a pretty good job. The graphics usually go through a few people before they make it to the actual guy printing the boxes, and unfortunately there is a language barrier. (I don't speak Chinese:() It's hard enough explaining printing to non-graphic people who speak english. Usually the guy running the press can't decipher my english instructions anyway.

At my last company it was a nightmare. Every vendor that produced our products was responsible for getting the packaging printed so the product could be packaged at the same time and shipped out. The problem was that 4 or 5 different vendors would make the same product, so the same box grahics would be printed at 4 or 5 different places and in some cases different countries. All the packaging would then come together in the same store.

[Derfie]

Not that I don't sympathize with your problem but is it really worth it in cost savings of going to China if you don't see a proof then get a full run that is wrong? Is time really that tight?

There are 2 issues:
I don't believe the printers even run proofs, they usually go straight to press, on maybe one or 2 occassions we have seen proofs when a client screams enough about it, but usually by that time they have already done a full run and any corrections become a "Running change".

As I am sure you know designers and printers are always on the tail end of a deadline, so I hear all the time that if the Graphics aren't done the product won't ship and it will cost us boat loads of money. Not to mention that months went into the development of the project but the box graphics get a few hours consideration.

And most of the time the packaging with awfull color is sent to the stores anyway. If you actually look at what makes it to the store shelves you will be surprised.

[budafist]

That would be far to risky for me. Printing without a proof. No way.

[Silence04]

as a packaging/print designer that often "has to" print to china... good luck!

welcome to the world of printing overseas! :D