FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
What is gravure printing?
Gravure printing uses
etched steel cylinders to transfer solvent-based paste inks to a substrate.
What
are the advantages of gravure printing?
Photographic quality, bright
colors, superior registration of colors, best possible appearance,
highest perceived value for your product.
What are your pre-press
charges?
All pre-press charges, such as design work, computer file
preparation, proofs, and film are quoted and billed separately. If you provide your own art on disk you can figure on about $550-$600
per color for pre-press charges, including the cost to engrave cylinders.
How
are cylinders engraved?
Gravure cylinders are made by copper-plating
a finely milled steel cylinder, then etching a recessed image into
the copper plating. Etching is done using either a diamond-stylus
or laser. The depth, shape, size, and angle of the recessed
are closely controlled to give the desired result on press. Etched cylinders are then chrome-plated to add wear-resistance.
How
long to cylinders last, and do I have to pay again if they wear out?
Cylinders
typically last about 20,000,000 revolutions and you never have to
pay to have worn cylinders replaced.
What line-screen do you
use?
175 to 220 line screens are typically used for process images. We can print up to 250 line screens.
Can I use common cylinders?
Absolutely. Using common cylinders is the best way to save money on both pre-press
and material cost. Our design department will show you and/or
your artist how to design most cost-effectively.
Do I have to
pay for pre-press?
Sorry, but yes. Many printers bury the costs
of pre-press in their material prices. The disadvantage to you
is that you continue to pay the inflated price well after the printer
recovers the pre-press costs. We prefer to give you the lowest
possible material cost.
What is your minimum?
3.5 million square
inches for any flexible packaging material. This is equivalent
to:
about 30,000 6” X 9 “ Stand-Up Pouches,
about 100,000 Shrink Sleeves
for a 16 fl oz bottle,
about 70,000 Bar Wraps for protein bars or candy
bars.
What is your lead-time?
Your new flexible packaging material
will be ready to ship within 4 weeks of art approval. Repeat
orders are typically ready to ship in about 3 weeks. Shipping
time to West Coast companies via ocean freight is about 3 weeks, including
customs clearance and ground shipment to your door. It’s about
a week longer for shipments to the central and eastern parts of North
America, or to Europe or
How much
does shipping cost?
Normal shipping costs are included in all of our
quotations. The only cost on your flexible packaging material
invoice will be the price per thousand. If you need your material
sooner than 6-7 weeks, air shipment is available at about $5.00 per
pound ( or about $3.00 per pound if we can send your material “standby”,
using a freight consolidator.)
How may colors can you print?
Up
to 10 colors per design.
What are color and copy change charges?
When
you have more than one item that are the same size and material, you
can combine them for the best pricing. When a printer stops
the press and changes to the next item, there are costs associated
with the lost press time and wasted material. Some gravure printers
charge up to $200 per cylinder and $200 per color for each change. These charges can add up to a significant amount. Osio does
NOT charge for color and copy changes. We encourage you to read
the fine print on our competitors’ quotes!
Who handles importing?
Osio
handles all aspects of the importing process, including all shipping
and customs documents.
Do you warehouse material for your customers?
Yes
we do. With a warehousing agreement, Osio will inventory a 30-90
day supply of your material at no additional charge. We can
use our facility in
Can
I do a press-check?
We welcome you to visit our printing facilities. We will make travel arrangements for you and provide transportation
while you are in
Do you sell to the trade?
Yes, we do. We guarantee that we will provide an excellent value on the best materials
available and protect your clients for as long as you continue to
buy from Osio.
Do you have stock material in inventory?
No. Everything we print is custom made for our customers.
Do you
have people to help us develop our ideas?
Absolutely! Our technical
and design directors are ready, willing, and able to help you with
any issue.
In what form should art be supplied?
We prefer files
created with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, supplied on any disk
media. If you supply art created in any other programs,
such as PageMaker or Quark Express, we will convert your files to
Illustrator files. It will be safer and less expensive if you
use Illustrator to create your files. When you supply art on
disk, please send a color print of each item on the disk so we know
that what we have received is correct. If you e-mail your files,
e-mail a PDF of each item as well.
Got any freebies?
Yes. Call
Rick Whipple at 888-671-6746 for details.
Do you stand behind
your work?
Of course. We guarantee that you will be thrilled
with the appearance and function of your flexible packaging material
from Osio.
Is Osio a Korean company?
No. Osio is incorporated
in the state of
Does Osio own the printing
plants in
The best way to define Osio’s role is a distributor
of imported flexible packaging materials. Osio has several joint ventures
that include ownership interests, but in general we are a separate
company from each of our vendors.
Does Osio “shop” vendors?
No. Unlike some distributors that will change printing plants without
your knowledge, Osio has exclusive relationships with its vendors. Each is ISO certified and follows strict QA procedures that Osio has
helped them develop. We have excellent relationships with our
vendors and find that these relationships are critical to good communication
and preferential service.
What does "Osio" mean?
In Korean, "Osio" means welcome. It is a formal word, implying gratitude
and hospitality. We at Osio will welcome you into
our family of customers.