The term ‘offset’ refers to the process of the inked image being transferred from a thin flexible metal plate onto a rubber blanket and then onto the printing substrate. The plate acts in a similar way to a film negative and carries the image of each ink colour required for the final printed graphic.

For all CMYKhub offset full colour two sided printed products, eight plates will be required; four on the front - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black) and another four for the reverse side. These colours provide a colour gamut that is flexible enough to produce most images and brands. For best results visit CMYK Colour Finder.

Whilst setting up this process can be time consuming and expensive, this is a very efficient way to produce higher volumes. Offset print also produces and very sharp, clean image quality. This is typically described in line screen, which is a measure of halftone lines printed in a linear inch (LPI). Most commercial printers run 175lpi, however CMYKhub prints at 250lpi.

To provide our trade partners with access to superior offset printing quality, we didn’t want to limit them to only being able to order tens of thousands of their finished product. CMYKhub has provided a solution by imposing several orders on the same sheet for different customers, which shares the makeready cost. On an A1 size offset print run we would impose up to 90 Business Cards, or 24 DL Flyers or 8 A4 Brochures. This has allowed our customers to order as little as 250 units at competitive rates that they can confidently add a margin to.

CMYKhub has invested in LED & H-UV offset presses that utilises light emitting diodes to immediately cure the light sensitive ink as the media feeds through the press. Traditional solvent ink offset presses rely on ammonia based aqueous coating to dry the sheet by oxidising in the environment over 12-24 hours.

The benefit of our LED and H-UV technology is that sheets can be laminated, folded, guillotined or embellished as soon as they have been printed. Our offset presses are also ‘perfecting’, meaning they print both sides of the stock in one pass. These efficient production methods mean we can produce several next day dispatch products.

LED and H-UV production also has its environmental benefits along with a superior colour depth and intensity. Due to the ink drying immediately, it sits higher in the paper stock which means it doesn’t dull when absorbed deeper into the porous fibres. Check CMYK Colour Finder for more information.