Some things never change!

As I embark on the latest chapter in my 40+ year career in the printing industry I wanted to share some articles from a bygone era. At a recent British Print Society event I came across 'The Ideal Price List, Estimate Guide and Cost Book' which made some interesting reading.

Hints on Printing Office Management

It would be comparatively easy to write at great length on this important question. In many towns it is now almost the rule to have to give prices beforehand for nearly every description of printing. Unless great care is exercised in the work of estimating, loss will inevitably follow. Many printers- more especially those new to the work-invariably over-estimate the productive capacity of both machinery and workman, and also cut down the profit on the estimate to the lowest possible margin, with a view to impressing a possible customer with the lowness of their charges. These errors should be carefully guarded against.

The person whose duty it is to make out estimates should be first of all, a thoroughly practical man, with a good up-to-date knowledge of his business, and he should also possess a good general knowledge of the chief trades and processes allied to printing. He should, if possible, be the person who has to cost out the work of the office, in order that he may make use of the data that this will place at his disposal.

The complete absence of any reference to women in this article possibly gives the era away. It was actually published 122 years ago! However, the message is as relevant today as it was then.

In future posts I will impart more hints and advice from a collection of books and pamphlets passed down from my grandfather Jack and my dad Alan. Jack was a lithographic printer apprenticed in 1927 in Sanderson & Clayton in Wakefield and Alan followed in 1955.

Jack spent the war years printing landing charts for the Admiralty and his claim to fame was printing the chart that led to the sinking of the Bismarck in 1941. Alan's claim to fame was printing album covers for the Beatles at Garrod & Lofthouse in the South East during the 60's- What a contrast!