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Inside the Print Shop: Commercial Printers

Inside the Print Shop: Commercial Printers

Inside a Print Shop: Commercial Printer – Episode Summary

In this episode of The Print University, Ryan McAbee and Pat McGrew walk through the dynamic world of commercial printing—an industry segment known for its adaptability and diversity. Referred to as the “jack-of-all-trades,” commercial printers serve both B2B and B2C customers with a wide range of applications, including brochures, business cards, direct mail, signage, books, and even magnets. It’s a key session for anyone involved in printing industry training programs for new employees, print shop employee onboarding templates, or seeking outsourced training for print production staff.

The hosts explain how commercial print shops typically operate with a mix of analog and digital equipment—offset, electrophotography, inkjet, and increasingly wide format—allowing them to say “yes” to nearly any job. Many also rely on trade printers for specialized tasks like perfect binding or laser cutting. Customer types range from walk-in consumers to large enterprises, with many shops developing niches by vertical (e.g., real estate, healthcare, education).

This flexibility extends into workflow: jobs are often diverse in format, run length, and finishing requirements, creating complex production planning. Commercial printers face industry-wide challenges like shrinking margins, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions—but they’re responding by automating workflows, adopting robotics, expanding service offerings, and shifting toward higher-margin applications like wide format and embellishments.

If you want to understand how commercial printers stay competitive, creative, and essential—this episode delivers.

You Will Learn:

  • How commercial printers manage diverse applications and client types

  • Common equipment setups: offset, toner, inkjet, wide format

  • When and why they outsource finishing to trade printers

  • Strategies for overcoming industry challenges through automation and diversification

  • The evolving role of commercial printers in both B2B and B2C markets

Who This Course Is For:

Print shop managers, production leads, press operators, sales teams, and anyone developing training programs for print companies or evaluating outsourced training for print production staff

Time to Watch:

Approx. 20 minutes