Cliffe Enterprise provides print fulfilment, stock management, pick and pack and distribution services for organisations that need printed material produced, stored and delivered efficiently.

Fulfilment should not begin when finished print arrives at a warehouse.

Quantity, finished size, weight, packaging, stock requirements, order frequency and distribution can all influence how a printed product should be manufactured in the first place.

As an independent print-management company, Cliffe can consider production and fulfilment as one requirement: determine an appropriate print specification and manufacturing route, coordinate production, manage stock and arrange delivery to the people or locations that need it.

This can support anything from a one-off distribution project to an ongoing requirement involving multiple printed items, stock holding and repeat orders.

Already know what you need? Ask us to price your print and fulfilment requirement.

Not sure how much to print, store or distribute? Talk to us before you decide.

What Is Print Fulfilment?

Print fulfilment is the process of managing printed materials after — and sometimes as part of — their production.

Depending on the requirement, it can include:

  • receiving finished print;
  • stock holding;
  • inventory management;
  • order processing;
  • picking individual items;
  • assembling packs;
  • packing;
  • addressing;
  • mailing;
  • courier dispatch;
  • multi-address distribution; and
  • stock reporting and replenishment.

For an organisation managing substantial quantities or several different printed products, fulfilment can remove a considerable administrative burden.

But good print fulfilment is not simply warehousing.

The quantity produced, how often material changes, how quickly it is used and what it costs to store and distribute should all influence the production decision.

Print, Stock, Fulfilment and Distribution as One Process

Print and fulfilment are often purchased separately.

A print run is ordered on the basis of the lowest apparent unit manufacturing price and only afterwards does somebody decide where thousands of copies will be stored and how they will be distributed.

That can create a false economy.

Producing more copies usually reduces the unit printing cost, but those additional copies have no value if they remain in storage until the content becomes obsolete.

They also consume paper, production capacity, storage space and working capital.

We therefore consider:

  • manufacturing cost;
  • likely usage;
  • stock requirement;
  • frequency of content changes;
  • storage;
  • fulfilment;
  • distribution; and
  • potential obsolescence.

The objective is not necessarily to achieve the lowest print cost per copy.

It is to establish a sensible total cost for producing and supplying the material that will actually be used.

Stock Management for Printed Materials

Organisations with recurring print requirements can accumulate a surprisingly large number of individual stock items.

These might include:

Effective stock management means understanding what is available, what is being used and when replenishment may be required.

It also means identifying slow-moving or obsolete material rather than continually producing more stock simply because a previous print quantity has become habitual.

Where appropriate, stock levels and usage can therefore become part of the next production decision.

How Much Print Should You Hold in Stock?

There is no universal optimum stock level.

The correct quantity depends on the economics of production and the way the material is used.

For example, increasing a lithographic print run may add relatively little to the manufacturing cost once the press is running.

But that does not automatically mean the additional copies should be produced.

We need to consider:

  • expected usage;
  • shelf life of the content;
  • frequency of revisions;
  • storage cost;
  • capital tied up in stock;
  • likelihood of obsolescence;
  • cost of future reprints; and
  • whether another production method would make shorter, more frequent runs economical.

For frequently changing material, digital production may make smaller replenishment quantities viable.

For stable, high-volume material, a longer lithographic or web-offset run combined with stock holding may be more economical.

The production route and the stock strategy should therefore be considered together.

Pick and Pack Fulfilment

Pick and pack involves selecting the required items from stock, assembling the order and preparing it for dispatch.

That might involve sending a single brochure following an enquiry or assembling a pack containing several different pieces of literature.

Typical requirements can include:

  • individual literature requests;
  • sales packs;
  • information packs;
  • membership materials;
  • event packs;
  • presentation materials;
  • promotional packs;
  • catalogue and brochure orders; and
  • combinations of printed and supplied items.

Where several components are involved, accurate stock identification and clear packing instructions become particularly important.

The fulfilment process should ensure that the correct materials reach the correct recipient in the required configuration.

Pack Assembly and Collation

Some requirements involve more than simply selecting one item from stock.

Printed pieces may need to be collated, inserted, folded, assembled or combined with other components before dispatch.

A pack might contain, for example:

  • a personalised covering letter;
  • brochure;
  • product sheet;
  • application or response form;
  • membership information;
  • promotional item; and
  • return envelope.

The appropriate assembly method depends on volume, complexity, personalisation and the components involved.

Simple high-volume requirements may lend themselves to automated processes.

More complex or variable packs may require manual assembly.

The production and fulfilment route should reflect the actual requirement.

Multi-Address Print Distribution

Many print projects do not have a single delivery destination.

Finished material may need to be divided between branches, sales teams, campuses, stores, offices, distributors, events or other locations.

Cliffe can coordinate multi-address distribution as part of the overall print requirement.

This can be particularly useful where a large production run needs to be divided into different quantities for multiple destinations.

Planning distribution before manufacture allows packing, labelling, palletisation and delivery requirements to be incorporated into the production schedule rather than treated as an afterthought.

Bulk Print Distribution

Not every fulfilment project requires individual order picking.

Sometimes the requirement is simply to manufacture a large quantity of print and distribute agreed quantities to multiple destinations.

This might include:

  • publications to branches;
  • prospectuses to campuses or recruitment events;
  • brochures to sales locations;
  • marketing materials to regional teams;
  • catalogues to dealers or distributors; or
  • printed material to multiple business premises.

For these projects, accurate allocation and delivery planning can be just as important as the manufacture itself.

Direct Mail and Mailing Fulfilment

Where printed material needs to be mailed directly to recipients, production can be coordinated with the appropriate mailing process.

Depending on the project, this may involve:

  • data-driven addressing;
  • personalised print;
  • enclosing;
  • poly or paper wrapping where appropriate;
  • envelope insertion;
  • sorting;
  • postal preparation; and
  • handover into the relevant postal network.

Format and weight can materially affect mailing cost.

For that reason, postage should ideally be considered before the print specification is fixed rather than after the material has been manufactured.

A small change in format, paper weight or pack construction can sometimes have a significant effect across a large mailing.

Magazine and Publication Fulfilment

Publishers and membership organisations can have particularly complex fulfilment requirements.

A publication may need to be divided between subscribers, bulk deliveries, events, internal recipients and other distribution channels.

There may also be inserts, supplements or different versions to manage.

Cliffe’s experience in publication production means printing, mailing and distribution can be considered together.

Where appropriate, specialist magazine requirements can also be supported through Magazine Printing Company, Cliffe Enterprise’s dedicated magazine-printing operation.

Catalogue Fulfilment

Catalogues frequently combine substantial print quantities with ongoing distribution requirements.

Copies may need to be mailed directly, supplied in bulk to branches or sales teams, dispatched following individual requests or held for future campaigns.

Because catalogues can also become obsolete when products, ranges or prices change, quantity planning is particularly important.

The apparent saving achieved by increasing the print run should therefore be considered against storage, usage and the risk that unused stock eventually has to be discarded.

Brochure Fulfilment

Brochures can be held and distributed for sales teams, exhibitions, customer enquiries, visitor locations, branches and marketing campaigns.

Where several brochure versions are in use, stock control can help prevent outdated literature continuing to be distributed after a replacement version has been produced.

For recurring brochure requirements, production quantity and fulfilment should therefore form part of the same planning process.

Prospectus Fulfilment

Universities, colleges and schools may require prospectuses to be supplied to prospective students, campuses, departments, schools, exhibitions, recruitment fairs and open days.

These requirements can involve individual mailing as well as bulk distribution.

Planning fulfilment alongside production can help ensure that the correct quantity is available at the appropriate point in the recruitment cycle without creating unnecessary obsolete stock when course or institutional information changes.

UK and International Distribution

Print fulfilment can involve local, national or international delivery.

The appropriate method depends on the nature of the consignment, destination, urgency, quantity and budget.

Options can include parcel carriers, pallet distribution, dedicated transport, postal networks and international delivery services.

For complex requirements, different distribution methods may be appropriate within the same project.

Our objective is to coordinate the logistics with the production and fulfilment requirement rather than treating delivery as an isolated final step.

Print-on-Demand and Replenishment

Not every printed item needs to be produced in a large quantity and stored.

Where demand is unpredictable or content changes frequently, shorter-run digital production can allow stock to be replenished in smaller quantities.

This can reduce the risk of obsolete inventory.

For stable items with predictable usage, producing larger quantities and holding stock may remain more economical.

The right answer depends on the balance between:

  • unit manufacturing cost;
  • demand;
  • production lead time;
  • storage;
  • replenishment cost; and
  • risk of obsolescence.

Independent print management allows the production method to change when the economics of the requirement change.

Reducing Print Waste and Obsolete Stock

Unused printed material represents more than wasted paper.

It also represents design time, manufacturing cost, storage, handling, transport and working capital that produced no useful result.

Avoiding obsolete stock therefore makes both commercial and environmental sense.

This does not mean always producing the smallest possible quantity.

Repeated very short production runs can themselves be inefficient.

The objective is to balance production efficiency against realistic usage.

Reviewing historical demand and anticipated changes before a reprint can help establish a more appropriate quantity.

Fulfilment for Ongoing Print Programmes

Some organisations require fulfilment for a single campaign.

Others manage printed material continuously throughout the year.

An ongoing requirement might involve multiple products, different stock levels, repeat orders, periodic reprints and distribution to numerous locations.

In these circumstances, fulfilment becomes part of the wider print-management process.

Production can be planned around actual requirements rather than treating every reorder as an isolated transaction.

This provides an opportunity to review:

  • what is being consumed;
  • what remains in stock;
  • what needs replenishing;
  • what has become obsolete;
  • whether the existing specification remains appropriate; and
  • whether the current production method is still commercially sensible.

Why Combine Print Management and Fulfilment?

The main advantage is visibility across the complete requirement.

If print production, stock management and distribution are considered separately, decisions made in one area can create unnecessary costs elsewhere.

A heavier paper may increase distribution cost.

A very large print run may reduce unit manufacturing cost while increasing obsolete stock.

A bespoke finished size may create inefficient packaging.

A change to the production process may make shorter replenishment runs more economical.

Cliffe can consider these relationships because we are not restricted to a single manufacturing plant or production method.

The question is not:

How much does it cost to print this?

The better question is:

What is the most appropriate way to produce, hold and distribute the quantity we are actually likely to use?

Independent Print and Fulfilment Management

Cliffe Enterprise does not require every project to pass through a single Cliffe-owned printing plant or fulfilment facility.

We manage requirements using manufacturing, mailing, fulfilment and distribution resources selected according to the project.

That means the solution can be built around:

  • the printed product;
  • quantity;
  • production method;
  • stock requirement;
  • fulfilment complexity;
  • mailing requirements;
  • delivery destinations;
  • schedule; and
  • budget.

For one project, that may mean producing a long run efficiently and holding stock for controlled distribution.

For another, it may mean shorter digital runs with more frequent replenishment.

For another, it may involve manufacture followed immediately by a one-off multi-address distribution programme with no long-term stock holding at all.

The requirement determines the solution.

Proven Print, Stock and Distribution Experience

Cliffe Enterprise has provided independent print management since 1991.

Our documented experience includes projects where production, stock control and distribution have been integral parts of the client requirement.

Leeds Castle Enterprises Limited documented using Cliffe’s print-management service from October 1999 for an annual print requirement exceeding 1.2 million items. Its account of the relationship specifically refers to material specification, cost control, stock control and distribution.

Our documented transport-sector experience also includes the production and distribution of more than 3.1 million timetables in eight days, followed by delivery to 212 stations across the South and Midlands.

These are different types of project, but they demonstrate the same principle:

Print is often only useful once the correct material reaches the place where it is needed.

Why Use Cliffe for Print Fulfilment?

There are specialist fulfilment companies with substantial warehouse networks, sophisticated e-commerce integrations and very high-volume parcel operations.

If that is the principal requirement, a dedicated logistics fulfilment company may be the appropriate solution.

Cliffe’s strength is different.

We are particularly useful where print itself is a significant part of the fulfilment requirement.

Because we understand print specification, manufacturing methods, quantities, paper, formats, mailing and distribution, we can consider the complete journey from production decision to final delivery.

That can be valuable for publishers, education providers, visitor attractions, membership organisations, public-sector bodies and commercial organisations managing substantial or recurring printed material.

The principle is straightforward:

Produce an appropriate quantity. Manage it intelligently. Deliver it where it needs to go.

Print Fulfilment FAQs

What is print fulfilment?

Print fulfilment is the management of printed material after or alongside manufacture.

It can include stock holding, inventory management, order processing, pick and pack, pack assembly, mailing and distribution.

Is print fulfilment the same as a fulfilment warehouse?

Not necessarily.

A fulfilment warehouse principally stores and dispatches products.

Print fulfilment can additionally involve decisions about how printed materials are specified, manufactured, replenished, mailed and distributed.

Cliffe’s approach integrates these decisions with print management.

Can you print and fulfil the same project?

Yes.

We can coordinate print production with the subsequent fulfilment and distribution requirement rather than requiring the two stages to be managed independently.

Can you manage stock of brochures and catalogues?

Yes.

Stock holding and fulfilment can form part of an ongoing brochure, catalogue or wider print-management requirement.

Do you provide pick and pack?

Yes.

Depending on the project, fulfilment can include selecting individual items, assembling multi-item packs, packing and arranging dispatch.

Can you distribute print to multiple addresses?

Yes.

Print runs can be divided and distributed to multiple branches, campuses, offices, events, sales teams or other destinations.

Can you handle direct mail?

Yes.

Print can be coordinated with appropriate mailing and postal fulfilment requirements.

The precise solution depends on format, quantity, data, personalisation and destination.

Can you fulfil magazines and publications?

Yes.

Publication production can be coordinated with mailing, subscriber distribution, bulk deliveries and other fulfilment requirements.

Can you help reduce obsolete print stock?

Yes.

We can consider historic usage, likely future demand, production economics and the frequency with which content changes.

The objective is to balance efficient manufacturing quantities against the cost and waste created by unused stock.

Is it cheaper to print more copies and hold them in stock?

Sometimes, but not always.

A larger print run may reduce the manufacturing cost per copy while increasing storage requirements, working capital and the risk of obsolescence.

The total cost should therefore be considered rather than unit print price alone.

Do you provide e-commerce order fulfilment?

Cliffe’s core expertise is print-led fulfilment rather than general consumer-product e-commerce logistics.

Where printed materials form a significant part of the requirement, talk to us about the project and we can determine whether our fulfilment model is appropriate.

Can you manage an ongoing print and fulfilment programme?

Yes.

Recurring requirements can be managed across production, stock, replenishment and distribution, allowing each new production decision to take account of current inventory and expected usage.

Talk to Us About Print Fulfilment

If you already know the products, quantities, stock requirements and distribution pattern, send us the requirement and we can assess the appropriate solution.

If you’re trying to decide how much to produce, whether stock should be held, how frequently to replenish it or how print and distribution should work together, involve us before the production decision is fixed.

That is where independent print management can add the most value.

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