Abstract

Distribution of printed materials involves the movement of product from the production site to an internal (e.g., warehouse) or external (e.g., customer) location. Key issues in physical distribution include cost, materials handling, storage, and safety (Cummings & Chhita, 2004b). Following printing and binding, printed materials are sometimes entered directly into a distribution channel to be delivered to the ultimate reader or user. Printed materials frequently are warehoused for later distribution. This traditional workflow is known as print-and-distribute (Lamparter, 1998; Cost, 2005). A new workflow reverses these steps and distributes a job in electronic format to a remotely located print site for reproduction. This workflow has been described as “print’s great paradigm shift,” or, distribute-and-print. CAP Ventures, a market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry, defines distribute-and-print as “electronically distributing a file and then physically printing the job near the point of final delivery” (Miley, 2003).

Publication Date

2006

Document Type

Full-Length Book

Comments

A Research Monograph of the Printing Industry Center (CIAS) at RIT

Department, Program, or Center

Printing Industry Center (CIAS)

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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