Our core business is helping companies bring new products to market fast," says Bob Scherer, vice president of CL&D Digital, Oconomowoc, WI, flashing his trademark grin. "The digital converter is really selling time, not packaging or labels. The customer is gaining time by using digital, and they're willing to pay for that."

Scherer's privately-held company, founded in 1995, uses digital equipment to print labels, sleeves and bags with turnaround of just a few days in many cases. Used for sales samples and test markets, these products can be personalized in small lots (a few hundred up to a few thousand) and delivered on rolls with print quality identical to conventionally printed packaging. The printed rolls move to conventional finishing, which may include varnishing, laminating, die-cutting, slitting or sheeting.

While many converters are trying their hands at digital printing, either as an adjunct to their printer mix or as their main printing method, CL&D has seen true profitability—and happy customers.

"If you can meet the application requirements and timeframe using any other method, do not use digital," stresses Scherer. It will not be your least-expensive solution." He divides his customer base into two categories: Not Crisis and Crisis.

"The regular Not Crisis account has printing done daily, weekly or monthly. The printing may consist of packaging or labels at a predetermined cost. They help us with overhead costs and basic bills, and level out the workflow. We help them avoid obsolete packaging and labels.

"The Crisis account customers call on Monday and want something in a few days. We are the 'trauma center' for their packaging and label emergencies. Not surprisingly, the Crisis account pays more for their packaging or labels than the Not Crisis account. Their order may require overtime and weekend work to meet the due dates. Overall, they are less price-sensitive and focus on when a product can be delivered."

When pricing digital services, Scherer advises converters to ask themselves, "If the delivery timeframe was not an issue, what would it cost to have this package or label printed conventionally?" If the answer is "$1,000 for delivery in four to eight weeks," the next question is "How much of a premium over $1,000 can I get for delivering in a few days?"

Concludes Scherer, "As in any business, the seller of digital printing can build a profitable business if they understand the customer's needs and the value that both the customer and printer bring to the relationship."

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of profiles of digital printers. Reach Bob Scherer at 800/777-1114, fax: 262/646-5346, e-mail Bscherer@clddigital.com. For info on this and other digital-printing presentations at the recent "Digital Printing for Packaging" conference co-sponsored by Converting, look for the link from the online version of this article at www.convertingmagazine.com