What are your capabilities?
The Messenger Press offers a wide range of printing services with capabilities to print and finish everything from simple to highly customized projects. For more details about what we can help with, read more on our Commercial Printing and Finishing & Direct Mail sections of our website.
How do I get an accurate and detailed quote?
We’d love to hear about your detailed project specifications in the manner easiest for you!
If you know all or some of the details of your project, you can complete our online Quote Request Form. We will respond with an emailed estimate or follow up with any questions we may have regarding your request.
You can also reach us using our online Contact Us page or, you can give us a call at 419-925-4121 or toll free at 800-645-5344. A print professional will go over the details of your project and provide a timely and detailed quote based on your needs.
What artwork files do you accept?
We utilize a modern PDF workflow so for most projects, a high-resolution PDF with embedded fonts and graphics and applicable crop marks or bleed is ideal. You may also choose to include original packaged files with your PDF in the event our prepress department would need to make simple file corrections. Please include all fonts and graphics with your original files.
Packaged file formats that are preferred include:
- .INDD Adobe Indesign
- .AI Adobe Illustrator
- .PSD Adobe PhotoShop
- .QXP or .QXD QuarkXpress
We can also work with other file types such as:
- .EPS Encapsulated Postscript
- .TIF Tagged Image
- .JPG or .JPEG Images (High Resolution)
- .PUB Microsoft Publisher
- .DOC or .DOCX Microsoft Word
- .PPT or .PPTX Microsoft PowerPoint
However, keep in mind that some programs or file types may alter fonts and spacing, may require additional effort to convert them to a usable printable format, or may hinder final output quality.
If you have a specific file format you need printed, get in touch with us and our prepress department will check compatibility and provide guidance on how suited the file type will be for printing purposes. Ready to start? Upload your files here.
What kind of proof will I receive?
We offer free digital PDF “soft” proofs or for a nominal fee we can provide “hard” Epson color proofs which closely represent how color will produce on press. It is the client’s responsibility to carefully review provided proofs for content and accuracy. Once approved we output directly from the approved file.
We encourage that for high end 4-color projects or ones involving a finishing operation like a die-cut or folding that you receive a physical “hard” Epson color proof. However, if that is not possible due to time restraints, we make every effort to ensure your project will be done right the first time and our output print profiles are set to GRACoL standards, within our AGFA workflow.
We do not provide proofs if the project is an exact reprint done previously by The Messenger Press. We will pull a physical sample from the previous job and reproduce based on our archives.
I’ve received my proof. Are the colors accurate?
“Soft” PDF proofs can vary in color by the monitor it is being viewed on. We cannot guarantee that the final print product will match the color(s) as seen from your monitor but it should be a close match of what your are viewing on screen.
If we provided an Epson “Hard” color proof, color will be matched on press relatively close to the Epson proof. Due to the differences in Epson inkjet versus actual offset technologies, there will be minor changes in appearances of color do to a variety of factors such as paper brightness.
What kind of guarantee do you offer?
We stand by our work completely and want you to be completely satisfied with your printed product. If you’re not happy, please contact us. We will come up with a solution for you, whether it’s a reprint, reworking of the project or a refund.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express. With credit references, we can also set your company or organization with terms (NET 15 DAYS) to accept check or ACH payment.
What is your service area and where do you ship to?
We print and ship throughout the USA and Canada. In addition, there is standard one-day shipping for small parcel throughout Ohio and Indiana, northern Kentucky, southern Michigan, and eastern Illinois and one-day LTL shipping points throughout the Midwest and Southeastern portion of the USA. Check out our outbound service maps for standard transit times located on our home page.
When can I expect my order to ship?
Our lead time will vary based on the complexity and specifications of the project. Once we have approved print files, simple projects may only take a few days to ship. More complex projects may take five to twelve working days. We can usually provide a lead time estimate at the time of any quote and we will always do what we can to meet your expectations or deadline when possible.
If or when I have a reorder, what should I do?
We make reordering simple. Just give us a call or send us an email! All you have to do is provide basic information such as your organization name, project description, the quantity, and whether or not the order is an exact or reprint with changes.
Does The Messenger Press have an outside sales force?
No, however, if the project calls for onsite meetings, we will do our best to meet with your company or provide detailed answers, samples or project mock ups. We prefer to rely on our inhouse team of knowledgeable print professionals to give you assistance and support. Outside sales force teams are expensive, and we believe our inhouse team provides greater value while still delivering a personalized and prompt buying experience.
Do you print and provide finishing services for the trade?
We do! If you are another printer or graphic design firm we will provide you with great service and the utmost quality and will complete the order to your detailed specifications. We can also blind drop ship as your business direct to your customer while providing printed samples of your product for your records.
Can you print for pharmaceuticals or work with very small or mini folding projects?
We have the ability to print and fold products in a variety of sizes, including various pharmaceutical or mini folds. We can batch count and use paper or plastic bands to provide secure packaging of your project. If you have specific packing, banding, or wrapping requirements, please contact us and we can provide samples or discuss our capabilities with you.
What if my project type isn’t listed or discussed on your website?
We provide custom printing and specialty finishing services for a wide range of needs. If your exact project isn’t found on our website, please contact us anyway and a print professional will discuss your needs in detail.
What does bleed mean?
Bleed simply means that a design element (i.e. an image or color) extends past the edge of the sheet of paper or trim/cut line. If a printed item has a white border on an outside edge, it means those edges do not bleed.
If your printed project has bleed, setup your document or file so that all elements that bleed extend ⅛ an inch beyond the trim line.
Are there any common problems with submitted files I should know about?
Bleeds: Make sure any design element that bleeds extends an ⅛ of an inch beyond the trim line when exporting your PDF and include crop marks.
Resolution: Images should be at least 300 DPI for print production. Low resolution images, such as those used on websites, will reproduce poorly when printed. They will appear blurry, especially when an image is enlarged from its original size.
Proofing and Text: Please proofread your PDF before you send it to us. Check for proper spelling and grammar. Also, make sure text can easily be read against your chosen background color. We can not be held responsible for artwork that has been approved for production.
What is “four color process” and pantone colors? Is there a difference?
The term “four color process” simply means producing printed material in color using four different printing inks – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. For short, those four ink combinations are also commonly referred to as CMYK.
It is helpful to have a general understanding of how humans perceive color. Color is a result from the interaction of light, the object light reflects off of, and our eyes perception of that modified light. Light consists of waves and every hue of color in the visible spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet) can be described by its wavelength. On the visible light spectrum, red’s have the longest wavelengths while violet’s have the shortest. When our eyes detect all visible wavelengths at once, we perceive white light, and conversely when our eyes detect no wavelengths we perceive black. So color is the modified light reflecting off an object.
In printing light reflects off of paper, which is usually a shade of white, and the inks used. This is why white areas on printed pieces usually contain little to no ink. Color is achieved using the subtractive primary inks of Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y) and Black (K). These four inks print as separate layers of dots in a specific pattern. Varying the size, balance and angle of these CMYK dots will dictate the color perceived via this process. The color Black is achieved by overprinting all four inks and it is commonly called “rich” black. The inks absorb all wavelengths in the light so your eye perceives black.
If you have a magnifying glass you can see these dot patterns on CMYK printed pieces. A printed image with a wide variety of colors is comprised of many different dot patterns. Each pattern is specific to the color hue you perceive. For example, a green hue will be made up of mostly Cyan and Yellow overprinted dots, while reds largely consist of Yellow and Magenta dots.
Pantone colors are specific color formulas, much like how you buy paint from a hardware store. They are premixed from those formulas and are assigned a number which is standard across the industry. With these standard colors, printed materials using pantone, or “spot” color inks will have consistent color. So for example, PMS 186 red means the same thing no matter who is printing the product. Usually Pantone colors are a good route for 1 or 2 color logo’s because the can offer a more affordable use of color for items like Envelopes and Letterhead. If a logo uses 4 or more colors it is often more economical to print those logos via the CMYK process. Pantone colors also offer a wider gamut of colors not possible via the CMYK process. Bright colors like neon greens and oranges do not produce well via CMYK, and true Metallic inks can only be achieved via the use of Metallic Pantone colors.
