Signs & Large Format Print
Questions worth asking a printer
| Question | Good answer | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Do you print in-house? | Yes, with a description of the technology and materials | An evasive answer, no production address |
| What is the maximum print width without welds? | A specific figure, e.g. 3.2 m | 'We'll weld it, you won't see it' |
| What does the price per m² include? | Trimming, welded hems, eyeleting – listed explicitly | A 'from' price, with the rest turning out to be extras |
| Do you check the file before printing? | Yes, always, flagging problems before production | 'We print whatever the client sends' |
| What is the lead time, and is there express? | A specific lead time and the conditions for express | 'If we can manage it' |
| Will you do a test print on the final material? | Yes, at a stated price | Only an on-screen preview |
| Who installs? | Their own crew, or a clearly defined scope | 'The client sorts that out', with no advice on how |
The point is not to grill the printer as if it were an exam. The point is to know, after five minutes of conversation, whether you are talking to someone who knows their process or someone who just passes orders on.
Own machines or a broker
There are plenty of companies that take orders and subcontract the printing. Nothing wrong with that, as long as everything goes smoothly. The trouble starts when something has to be fixed by yesterday or the colour differs from the sample – then the broker is waiting for the printer's answer too.
A printer with its own machinery controls lead time and quality from file to packing. In our case that is more than 35 machines: two industrial 3.2 m wide UV printers (roll-to-roll and flatbed), textile printing and dye-sublimation, a CNC router, a laser, cutting plotters, automatic eyeleting machines, laminators and a sewing room. That lets us produce a banner, a dibond sign and a fabric display wall in one place, on one schedule.
Print width matters in practice too. We print banners up to 3.2 m wide in one piece, without welds. With narrower machines, larger formats have to be joined from strips, and the join is where a visible shift in the artwork or a difference in shade easily appears.
Material and finishing matter more than the price per metre
When comparing quotes, compare like with like. An example from our price list at small sizes (1–4 m²):
- laminated banner 510 g – approx. €11 net/m², designed for up to 12 months' exposure,
- coated banner 510 g – approx. €13 net/m², 2–3 years' exposure.
The difference is approx. €2.60 per square metre, while the lifespan is two to three times longer. If one printer quotes '510 g banner' noticeably cheaper than another, they may well be talking about two different products. More on banner types in our guide which banner to choose, and on prices in how much a banner costs.
The second place differences hide is finishing. Our banner price includes trimming, welded hems and eyelets every 50 cm. For large formats (over 20 m²) we recommend reinforcing webbing, approx. €3.05 net per linear metre of perimeter. A banner without reinforcement will be cheaper in the quote and more expensive when it has to be reprinted after the first storm.
- 01Brief
Description, sizes, site photos and deadline — a few sentences are enough.
- 02Design and quote
Our designers prepare artwork or a visualisation and you get a price.
- 03Approval
You approve the design; for brand colours we provide a proof.
- 04Production
35+ machines in our own plant in Poland: 3.2 m UV print, CNC, laser, 3D, sewing.
- 05Installation or delivery
Own crews and vehicles across Europe, partner network, couriers worldwide.
File check, test print and colour
A good printer checks every file before printing and flags problems before production starts: a photo at too low a resolution, text too close to the edge, colours in RGB. With us the technical check is always included in the order price.
If your brand colour matters, ask for a test print on the final material. An A3 sample costs approx. €13 net with us, refunded on orders over 20 m². It is the cheapest way to test a new printer before a big order – you see the colour, the material and how the printer communicates with clients. Details in our guide brand colour in print.
- 24 hexpress printing (UV inks need no drying)
- approx. 3 daysstandard lead time
- up to 14 dayslarge and custom projects with installation
Plus courier delivery. Tell us your date — we plan production around it.
Local or online – or a supplier abroad?
Each makes sense, but for different jobs.
Ordering online works for standard items: a banner in a typical size, posters, stickers, business cards. You upload the file, see the price straight away, and a courier brings the goods. With us, standard items have indicative prices in the product catalogue, and we confirm the final price when you send the file.
A printer you can work with directly wins for anything that has to be measured, installed or discussed: shop signs, light boxes, window and vehicle graphics, facade signage, non-standard structures. Our own vans run across Europe every day, our crews install across the EU and in the UK, supported by partner installers, and we handle enquiries in English; more about us on the printing company in Wieluń page.
Advertising agencies usually look for one more thing: a printer that will produce and ship materials under the agency's brand, in neutral packaging. We describe that kind of partnership on our page for advertising agencies.