Greystones Printing

repeat customers

Being a small business, and not having a shop front where i might get a lot of passing trade, I depend on customer retention. Some of my clients have been with me for years. Some are regular clients, buying print every month, some more infrequent. This week, I had the pleasure of a visit from Steve Mendelsson, who has been having his society’s annual programme printed by me for many years now, and even though we see each other just a couple of times a year, one of his first questions is “And how are your children: your son, the engineer? And your daughter, what is she doing now?” It all adds to the enjoyment of being self-employed, and knowing my clients. And long may it remain so.

The “C” word

Sorry, but it is just about time to think ahead to Christmas! Or at least, Christmas cards. For the last , oooh, I don’t know how many years, I have by now received my suppliers brochures. This year however, I am not being an agent for any of the greeting card suppliers, but would prefer to print your cards completely in-house, preferably from your ideas or designs. So get your felt tips out, and draft out a few ideas, then come to me. Last year, one of the nicest cards I produced was taken from a photograph of a  stained glass window in a cathedral. The Christmas message will mean so much more to the recipient if a bit more personal thought has gone into its production.

Today’s job

and yesterday’s, and tomorrow’s!

Finishing a run of 550 calendars, which need holes punching across the top, thumb-cuts cut out, and wiro bound with a calendar hanger. A simple job, however as my machinery can cut ony a limited number of sheets, is proving to be labour intensive! Lots of coffee breaks!

better delivery service

We hope! I have just been introduced to a local courier service that offers a reliable and quick service, particularly useful for local deliveries, which means that as soon as a job has been printed, it can be winging its way to you, instead of having to wait maybe a few days for me to be in, for instance, the north of the city. We will see how it works, but don’t be worried, no customer will lose any of the personal print service we strive to offer.

the current temperature……!

If Greystones Printing was the Met Office, the current temperature would be HOT! The jobs going through as I write are 500 14 page A4 calendars for a doggie charity, the cover of which has been designed by brilliant graphic designer Gemma Dinham, (who graduated from Uni at the same time as her pal, my daughter Emily). The fourth, yes fourth print run, of the highly acclaimed nMRCGP manual is now in the printer’s in box, so the Olivetti is set for about 6 days of  solid printing. A new client, a local Educational Consultant, has just brought in a couple of jobs to keep the Duplo busy for a few hours. For the technocally-minded, the front and back covers of the calendar are being printed on 300 gsm Advocate smooth extreme white, the inner pages on the same, but in 160 gsm. The nMRCGP text pages are printed on 100 gsm Pro-Design laser stock, the covers on 335 gsm Royal Kent Ivory board, which is laminated to the print side prior to perfect binding.

todays job: Friday

I could do with another weekday! The weekend will be spent working, but I am certainly not complaining! Just in: an order for 5000 invoices from my Veterinary Client in Shropshire, 1500 statement forms to be printed and perforated for a Sheffield hydraulics engineering company (to go along with the 5000 two part carbonless sets I mentioned the other day), and a very interesting book that has come to me for thermal binding. This entails printing a cover, creasing it, applying thermal melt glue, inserting into a device that melts the glue, and finally guilloting it on three sides. Oh, and laminating the outside of the cover too. I have organised a delivery date for a consignment of medical books for Cambridge, following a delivery made to Nottingham yesterday.

re-reprint!

The medical manual for the nMRCGP is proving a great success: we are about to print the third batch!

today’s jobs

I am pleased to be associated with the Moorside Writers Group, who have asked me to print books of their members work. Most are 64 pages, A5 size, and thermal-bound. Today will be spent binding two more writers books. The first draft of Dronfield Miscellany, the twice-yearly production of the Dronfield society’s magazine is ready for proofing, then I will settle in to a 5000 run of a two part carbonless invoice set. Plus lots of other, smaller jobs.

becoming a GP mark 2!

I go away for a well earned break, and checked my e mails from a hotel on Mull, and what do I read? An e mail from Dr Rughani asking for another batch of ‘Becoming a GP’! This just shows what a quality product the book is! The local booklet ‘Mum’s the Word’ is currently on another press, 700 copies of a 44 page A5 ‘toddlers directory’ published four times a year, on the computer screen is progressing the final(?) drafts of a couple of local guide books. Plus many other jobs, ladies football registration cards, record cards for an alternative therapy practice, etcetera. If you want something doing, ask a busy person! Want printing? ask me!

latest job

can be seen here!

http://www.medpublishing.co.uk/

Also available from Amazon, this is a 240 page perfect bound ‘bible’for the medic who wants to become a GP.

I am proud to be associated with Dr Amar Rughani, and have printed guides he has written for a number of years. This is the most ambitious project so far, and are keeping fingers crossed that it will become a best seller.