CD Packaging: Finding a Trusted Supplier
March 2016: CD Printing and Packaging Project
Jane works as part of the design team for a renowned interior design company that specializes in designs and decorations for large public buildings. In addition to design work, he also takes responsibility for marketing the company at exhibitions, conferences, and business-to-business events. She has found that more and more often potential clients request information about the company’s past work and experience on a CD, she has also noticed that many of her competitors are handing out CDs at similar exhibitions and events, as well as distributing printed matter. information. As the business has grown, the exhibitions they attend and the booths they occupy also grow, and to maintain that growth, Jane needs to reach more potential customers. During a meeting with your team, it is decided that they will produce a document that will work within a web browser that can be saved to a CD. The CD, when inserted into a laptop or desktop disk drive, will automatically launch the document showing the job and capabilities of the company.
Your competitors are distributing CDs in high-quality, eye-catching cases that contain information brochures with instructions on how to use the disc and are also promoting their business. Jane volunteers to work on obtaining the printed CDs and packaging the CDs as she has some experience producing artwork for print.
Finding the Right CD Printing and Packaging Provider
Jane has previously worked with a local print shop that produces high-quality promotional material for her when needed. He talks to his contact at the print shop and asks if they can recommend someone who offers a CD printing and packaging service. Jane receives some contact details for a potential provider, but she also does some research on the internet to find a provider of these services based in the UK. He finds several suitable companies with good websites and positive customer reviews, so he inquires and requests quotes for a 500 CD run.
Jane is contacted by a project manager at the CD printing and packaging company recommended by her contact at the print shop. He has also provided a quote for a 500 printed CD run that is competitive compared to the other quotes, so she begins trying to set up a meeting with him to further discuss the project. Jane has allowed herself 3 weeks to complete the CD project in order to have the CDs available for her next big show. Unfortunately, you find that your new contact doesn’t return phone calls or emails in a timely manner and you start to run out of time.
Jane decides to contact one of the other potential vendors on her list who have a reputation for good customer service and high-quality products. Their price was a bit higher than the competition, but better service is a good compensation. Talk to Greg, who is a project manager and designer, and he recommends a meeting the next day at his manufacturing unit as the project is running out of time.
Meeting with the Project Manager to discuss the CD packaging
Jane meets Greg the next morning at the company where he works, which has the CD printing and packaging facilities on the same site. Greg knows there isn’t much time left for the project, so he gets down to business and discusses the CD printing options with Jane. You have had small batches of CDs previously produced by another local vendor who specialize in very small runs, so you have some experience with the available CD printing methods. He quickly decides on a 3-color silkscreen for CDs with the company logo on a colored background with the disc’s silver surface in some areas to create an eye-catching effect for the disc.
CD packaging options
Jane has only received CDs in plastic wallets before, but this time she needs something much more substantial and impressive to get the attention of potential customers.
The options discussed are as follows:
Paper or plastic wallets – These provide only rudimentary protection for printed and recorded CD surfaces and are the cheapest packaging option available. It is possible to put a printed insert in the plastic wallet if necessary, but again, it could only be used to contain the minimum required information.
Shell and Trigger Cases – These cases are made of a flexible and durable polypropylene material that offers good protection to the discs and can be manufactured in various translucent colors. They’re flashy and quirky, but they don’t offer an ideal way to store printed information.
Jewelery cases – They are made of a rigid polycarbonate material and are usually transparent. They are the type of case used for mass-produced music albums and most will be familiar with them after purchasing a music album in a retail setting. The cases hold the CD in a tray that has a center spigot to secure the disc in place. This tray can be black or transparent depending on whether the printed rear tray card is printed on both sides. The rigid material used to make CD cases can be prone to cracking or breaking under pressure, but they have a provision for a front booklet to contain information about the content of the disc or in support of the content. A well-designed front booklet and back tray card can be an impressive end product. Jewelry cases are also available in a slim format that is about half the width of a standard jewelry case, and in a dual or multiple disc format that can accommodate 2 to 6 discs if required.
DVD style cases – These cases are made of a polypropylene material that is more flexible and less rigid than the polycarbonate material used to make previous jewelry cases. They are generally widely available in a black or transparent material, but can also be had in a range of bold and bright colors if required, although the cost tends to be higher. A DVD-style case is the type of case you would normally expect to find a DVD movie in, in a retail setting, but they are equally capable of holding a CD with the advantage of being able to hold a large information booklet and a printed case wrapper. . It slides into a clear plastic cover glued to the outside of the box. These cases come in a slim format if required and also in a multi-disc format capable of holding from 2 to 10 discs.
Jakeboxes and presentation cans – These are the types of premium packaging that are offered. Jakeboxes are constructed from cardstock that can be laminated glossy or matte. They have an intelligent mechanism that presents the disc to the user when the package is opened, much like the “pop-up” mechanisms found in some children’s books. Display cans can be made as needed with a custom design or standard round cans can be sourced and printed in spot colors.
CD packaging art
Jane decides to go for the DVD-style case after considering that she needs her CD packaging to contain an information booklet on how to use the CD, which also contains more information about the company.
The bleed area and brochure layout
Greg provides templates for designing the brochure and wrapping that show a margin for ink “bleed” and page positions. The “bleed” area is usually 3mm around the outside of the printed sheet and the printer will ask that any background image used on the sheet be extended to the “bleed” area so that no small white edges are visible if the clipping is slight. incorrect. It only takes a discrepancy of a fraction of a millimeter to produce a tiny white border if the image does not extend into the “bleed” area.
The page positions are marked on each template. Jane needs a 16-page booklet and these need to be printed in a certain way to allow for the assembly of the book. For example, the book cover has the front image on the right side with the back image on the left. On the inside of the front cover, page 1 is printed on the left side and page 15 is printed on the right side. It is important to pay attention to how the book should be printed for its correct assembly in order to save time with the correction of possible errors.
Use of photographic images
Greg analyzes the photographic images that Jane wants to use in the brochure and the DVD-style box packaging, as some of them are quite dark. Dark photos can be difficult to print digitally as they can be darker than they appear on a PC screen, which can spoil the required effect. Proof prints are essential so that you can determine how an image will look when professionally printed and exposure adjustments can be made to the photo if it needs to be lightened or colors better.
Work in CMYK mode for printing
Another important consideration that Greg discusses with Jane is the print format required to fit his process. Many illustration software packages allow the user to work in RGB or CMYK modes. RGB mode is generally used when the image is intended for a website or screen display. CMYK mode is the required mode for printing. Users should be aware that sometimes colors can look quite different when viewed in RGB mode and then switched to CMYK mode. Block colors can be given a Pantone reference code, which is a color standard used by printers that allows customers and the printer to be sure of an accurate end result, particularly when using a well-known company logo and color. specific is part of that logo. .
Conclusion and summary of the project
Once Jane has her artwork in order, the CDs and paper parts are printed, then the CDs are duplicated, and the CD packaging assembly takes place. The process takes 4 business days so you have your order 2 days before the request. The project has run smoothly for Jane and the following listed points should be followed to allow similar projects to work just as well:
Research your vendors online or by word of mouth – find a vendor with a reputation for good customer service and quick communication. The lowest price should not always be the primary consideration. A cheap and poor quality product delivered late is unnecessarily stressful.
Allow enough time – Discuss any timing issues with your supplier first, to allow you to check if you can deliver your work on time. The 500 CD run of Jane in DVD-style cases with printed booklets took 4 business days from receipt of the master CD and approval of the artwork, and this is typical for the industry. Any mistake or delay in an order on short notice can be catastrophic and, again, very stressful for both parties.
CD packaging art – Discuss this with your supplier so that you are clear in what format the artwork is required. A good supplier will work with you to make sure the artwork is correct and will result in a high quality end product. Most vendors will have an art team that can produce art for you if necessary. Please review any text in the artwork and make sure there is no possible copyright infringement with the images used.
CD packaging selection – Consider exactly what your requirements are for packaging and, if possible, create a mockup to make sure the final product is fit for purpose.