What is Production Printing?

What Is Production Printing? – Episode Summary

In this episode of The Print University, industry experts Ryan McAbee and Pat McGrew break down what “production printing” really means—and why it’s one of the largest and most fragmented industries in the world. While most people associate printing with books, magazines, or home printers, production printing encompasses high-volume, high-quality outputs for everything from business cards and books to wide-format signage and folding cartons.

The hosts cover how digital technologies, especially inkjet and electrophotography, have transformed what commercial printers can offer—enabling short runs, personalization, and new revenue streams. This is essential viewing for anyone exploring printing industry training programs for new employees or commercial printing training for beginners.

Listeners will also learn about the six major types of printing establishments—commercial printers, in-plants, transactional printers, publication printers, sign shops, and packaging converters—and how each fits into the broader ecosystem. The episode also highlights evolving roles, from prepress to finishing, and how smart automation and workflow software reduce labor and increase profitability. These insights are foundational for printing press operator training courses, digital printing press training, and MIS software training for print production.

You Will Learn:

• What defines production printing vs. office or home printing

• Core industry segments: commercial, transactional, publication, sign, packaging, in-plant

• Trends in digital print technology, automation, and substrate diversity

• Business strategies like product bundling and magalogs

• Roles and workflows in production environments

Who This Course Is For:

New hires, print sales professionals, print buyers, prepress technicians, equipment operators, and anyone seeking outsourced training for print production staff

Time to Watch:

Approx. 15 minutes