Employees

Three powerful ways employees shape the Consolidated Press culture

Consolidated Press is growing, and we couldn’t be more excited to add additional like-minded employees on various shifts to our bustling print floor. We are building a solid growth strategy and a strong company culture, and we recognize our greatest assets—our employees.

As we seek both experienced and entry-level employees ready to fast-forward their careers in print and graphics, we asked our staff to let us in on why they love Consolidated Press and who their ideal co-workers would be.

At Consolidated Press, every day is different. 

Print is one of the most deep-rooted creative professions, and it continues to evolve into the future. New technology helps us innovate and exceed our customer’s expectations on each job. Our exceptional clients challenge us to keep growing with each new project. 

We bring books, publications, manuals, catalogs, directories, brochures, and newsletters to life. We print, bind, mail, and ship.

No two days are the same, and that’s how we like it.

There’s no such thing as too much fun.

The Consolidated culture is one of a kind. We have been working hard at evolving our company and creating solid strategies for growth, and we are seeking employees to help us build into the future. And we hope you like to laugh! Besides being talented, well trained, loyal, and innovative, we want to enjoy what we do each day. 

You can fast-forward your career AND enjoy it at Consolidated Press.

We are together, as a team.

At Consolidated Press, we roll up our sleeves every day together as a team. Remote working is great…but it is for other people. 

Our employees team up with leadership to innovate and drive success at two convenient Seattle-Tacoma locations

But it’s not just a feel-good environment, it’s a stay-balanced workplace. Overtime is available if we choose it, yet we’re empowered to take our well-deserved vacations and holidays without burdening our colleagues. Management and staff work together to create teams that thrive.

With robust hands-on training, competitive pay, growth opportunities, and hard-to-beat benefits, you will fast forward your creative career at Consolidated Press.

 

Click Here to check out our career page and learn more about working with Consolidated Press.

Reading Resurgence

Four ways publishers can capitalize on a reading resurgence in turbulent times

Heading into 2022, book publishers are riding a worldwide resurgence of interest in printed books and reading.

At the same time, they are facing a shortage of paper and distribution networks that are crucial to putting those books in their readers’ hands.

Many paper mills have pivoted to packaging, the manufacturing workforce is mid-shuffle, and global logistics disruptions continue to slow shipments of supplies and end products.

Since we specialize in book printing, we want to share with you some of the ways publishers are capitalizing on the demand for printed books, while managing the challenges of printing them.

Print large runs in smaller batches.

Publishers are exploring a stock replenishment model that reprints smaller batches more frequently. Publishers will still meet—or even generate—consumer demand with a plan to roll out an entire run, but in increments that keep prices low and distribution steady.

Publishers sell directly to consumers.

Direct-to-consumer sales are nothing new, but it is easier than ever before to pass on retail sales, which can take up to 40% of the cover price. Using an omnichannel marketing approach, including social media, blogs, websites, and author following, publishers can create a community of readers clamoring for their books.

Experiment with size, shape, and stock.

Consolidated Press can publish a huge array of sizes and shapes. Depending on how your book is being distributed, you may want to try a different size or shape to keep costs low on shipping. In an era where it’s on-trend to buck the trend, you might find that an offbeat look sells more books—especially if it doesn’t need to sit neatly on a retail shelf. The same goes for stock. While CP has the resources and relationships to keep a range of paper stocks on hand, we can offer suggestions for substitutions when one is low or another that might be less expensive.

Expect the unexpected—and tell everyone else to as well.

Today’s mantra is communication, communication, communication. In all manufacturing sectors in 2022, releases, roll-outs, and launches will be…squishy. For book publishers, that means clearly managing expectations for your readers, clients, and authors. At Consolidated Press, our value is in reliable runs on a large scale. So, on our side, clear communication means letting you know exactly what supplies we have available when you can expect to get your project on the press, and if there are changes in cost due to continuing increases in paper and pulp prices. We are not in the business of surprising our customers.

While we recognize how much fluctuation there is in our industry right now, we are in the business of solutions—effective solutions in print, especially for publishers and manufacturers.

Contact us today to get started on your next book, manual, magazine, or catalog. Our power puts us ahead of the pack.

CatalogsInAction

The Benefits of B2B Catalogs

If you are a manufacturer or wholesale business, you know getting your product into the right hands is vital to your sales. One way to get a buyer to notice your product is to put a catalog mailed directly in their hands. Like in the B2C space, B2B catalogs are tangible content pieces that have a long shelf life, can build a brand, help cross-sell, and offer an overall picture of what is available.

What You See

Because a printed catalog remains in someone’s sight, the brand, products, and other details stay on the buyer’s mind. Especially for manufacturers and wholesalers who offer many different products in larger quantities, a catalog with comprehensive information makes it easier for a buyer to make wise decisions. Instead of clicking through tabs on a web browser, they can enjoy the convenience of having a single piece to view.

In addition, printed catalogs are more likely to be retained for future reference. Suppose a customer likes an in-stock product but is interested in a different size or color. In this case, the seller can quickly refer to the catalog rather than attempting to navigate a website.

Another advantage to a print catalog is that the visual elements help build brand recognition. The way the photographs are styled, the colors and fonts used, even the finish and weight of the paper, create positive brand associations.

Finally, a print catalog shows commitment. The planning, design, and distribution of catalogs assure your audience that you invest in quality and aren’t afraid to promote your business and showcase your products in the best light.

What You Get

Whether you are a buyer who is sourcing inventory for a storefront, a construction company looking for building materials, or a manufacturer locating replacement parts, the experience of browsing a catalog is more immersive than scanning multiple websites. As the digital space becomes noisier with pop-up ads, email notifications, and social media alerts, having curated content in one place lets the viewer discover products and potentially uncover new items that may not have been generally found with an online search.

SampleCatalogsImg Wholesalers and manufacturers can use catalogs to inform businesses that they have options. With delays in the supply chain disrupting inventory, the arrival of a wholesaler’s printed piece can open the door to new relationships. On the flip side, showcasing your product in print can help move excess inventory from your shelves to where it is needed most.

Let Consolidated Press help you open those doors and move those products. Whether you need to provide a business customer a quick and simple directory of parts, or you want to feature beautiful goods in quality imagery and special paper finishings, Consolidated Press can help you explore cost-effective options. We also specialize in one-stop printing, binding, and mailing, for an end-to-end process that will streamline distribution, getting your pages where they are needed most.

PrintROCKS! Awards Fender Poster

CONSOLIDATED PRESS IS AWARDED WITH 10 PRINTROCKS! AWARDS

Consolidated Press is thrilled to announce its recent awards at the 2021 PrintROCKS! competition. We were awarded Best of Division for printers with 51 – 100 employees for our work to produce the Advantage Mailing / Pearl Jam / Fender Booklet and Poster.

PrintROCKS! Awards - Fender Booklet PrintROCKS! Awards

In addition to our Best of Division Award, we received the following recognitions:

Best of…UW Clamor Literary Journal

Books, Book Jackets, and Diaries
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
UW Publication A7597 Clamor Literary Journal 2021

 

Magazines and Magazine Inserts
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
Freehub Media Craft Magazine

 

Second Place

Brochures, Booklets, and Flyers
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
Western Washington University Jeopardy Magazine 2021

CatalogsBarn Pros Catalog
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
Barn Pros

Books, Book Jackets, and Diaries
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
Western Washington University Jeopardy Magazine 2021/JEOPARDY MAGAZINE

 

Third Place 

Catalogs
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
Mallory Paint Catalog

Magazines and Magazine Inserts
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
Charles Wright Academy TIES Magazine

Honorable Mention

Brochures, Booklets, and Flyers
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
MOHAI Q4 Programs and Events Brochure

Books, Book Jackets, and Diaries
Offset: Sheetfed 40” and larger
Bloom Journal

Hosted by The Pacific Printing Industries Association, now PIASC, the PrintROCKS! competition celebrates the outstanding work of printing companies in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, and Utah. Learn more about the PrintROCKS! event by visiting: http://www.printrocks.org/

Consolidated Press Charitable Giving - Northwest Harvest

Join Consolidated Press in a low-key, high reward giving campaign this season

It almost goes without saying: Consolidated Press is here today because of our customers and their customers.

You are our whole story.

We appreciate you every day. We dream up ways to express our gratitude. Our team shows it by getting your work done expertly, on time, and within budget. We treat everyone who walks in with respect and dignity.

This holiday season, Consolidated Press is pushing ourselves outside our own story. We’ve persisted through the last two years, and we’re looking at a bright 2022.

But not everyone is. For many, this pandemic is not even close to over. And we know that a safe and thriving community is better for all of us.

The pandemic’s footprint is massive, but together, we can fill in the gap.

That’s why this year we are making a corporate donation on behalf of our clients, employees, and corporation to Northwest Harvest this December.

Northwest Harvest supports a statewide network of 375 food banks, meal programs, and high-needs schools. What’s more, they work for real transformation by seeking to remove barriers within our food and economic systems permanently.

We’re so proud to support this Seattle-based nonprofit.

We know that our clients support important causes and organizations throughout the region. We invite you to join us in two ways:

✔️ Support Northwest Harvest by making a donation that fits your business.
OR
✔️ Make a holiday gift to a nonprofit that is a meaningful match for your company’s values and culture.
THEN
✔️ Drop us a line by Dec. 15 to tell us what organization your company gave to this season, and—if you have an extra minute—tell us why. In December, we’ll publish a post featuring all of our “Friends in Philanthropy.” Tell us your story at sales@consolidatedpress.com.

Together, we can make a big leap forward into 2022. Bringing others along with us makes the ride that much sweeter for everyone.

Hitting the Road with the Right Travel Publication 

Ah, the allure of travel. Even though some restrictions are still in place, the pace of travel has definitely increased from last year. Consumer air travel in June 2021 reached its highest levels since 2020, at 83% of 2019 volume (564,583 flights compared to 679,802 flights). Although cruises were suspended in March of 2020, as the industry aggressively pursued safety protocols, 200 sailings took place from June to December 2020, and in 2021, CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) expects the industry to continue its recovery throughout 2021 in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.   

While it may be some time until travel and tourism numbers reach the highs of 2019, they are showing significant improvement from last year. Overall, July spending on travel reached $98.5 billion, only 6.5% under July 2019 levels. Demand for hotel rooms varies across locations, but is only 4% under 2019 levels. Business travel remains strong, and leisure travel rates are reason to be cautiously optimistic.

travel publicationSpreading the News 

Despite numerous online resources, the travel industry still relies on print to attract, inform, and retain customers. The travel book industry alone sold $124 million worth of print travel guides in 2017, the largest year for sales in the United States after several years of declining numbers. In another study,  73% of visitors would consider altering their plans because of a brochure. While the web facilitates travel planning, travel guidebooks introduce readers to the highlights of their chosen destination. Local contributors help give recommendations, write about can’t-miss experiences, and curate attractions to help their audience create memories.

 

Another print piece enjoying a resurgence is the travel brochure. Travel sellers and agents respond to consumer demand and create brochures for their customers to take with them out the door. People of all ages like to have something tangible to refer to, take notes on, and share with potential travel companions. These brochures are more like catalogs, with plenty of editorial content. While the internet provides basic details and prices, printed brochure content excites and entertains. 

Don’t Forget Direct Mail 

Travel agents don’t need to wait for customers to contact them to hand over a brochure, though. The travel and recreation sector uses direct mailers to attract and engage its audience. This industry uses envelopes, postcards, and self-mailers at lower rates than, say, non-profits and retail businesses, but reap the same benefits that direct mail delivers. Envelopes containing a brochure and response card can appeal to emotions, self-mailers are versatile and cost-effective, and postcards convey simple information with clarity (i.e., Now Flying Non-Stop to London!). 

Go on a Journey 

An experienced printer will enhance your travel and leisure publications. Combining the right paper type with unique inks and specialty finishes creates high-end pieces that will attract, inform, and entertain. 

Get moving and contact Consolidated Press to get your printed publications into the right hands. 

Local Publications Center Community

The local magazines, brochures or maps are still a vital and booming communications resource for small cities, townships, neighborhoods, and villages. Produced by local experts, and mailed to residents, these local and regional publications are regarded as trustworthy and filled with relevant information. 

Relevant Content for Readers community magazine

Community magazines, usually mailed to residents quarterly, provide timely articles on local issues, schedules of community events, information about recreational activities and clubs in local parks, and guides to community development. Local magazines targeted to local audiences impart a sense of community, and build a sense of comradery in neighborhoods.

For example, many community magazines publish information regarding the hours and contact information for the township or municipal offices. They share waste management schedules, including special recycling events and yard waste pick-up days. Parks and recreation departments publish trail maps, summer camp options, and farmers’ market schedules. Community events such as outdoor concerts, fireworks for the Fourth of July, and even car shows all appear in the local magazine.  

A similar community publication that neighbors enjoy is a calendar. Filled with photos of local flora and fauna, children enjoying nearby playgrounds, and other familiar images, plus holiday events, and information regarding, for example, school start dates or library book sales, community calendars are useful and stay accessible in households. 

Print Options for Advertisers 

Community publications are a boon to local businesses. Advertising dollars are well spent on space in a local publication. Because of the way these periodicals can build community, seeing an ad for a local business can feel like getting a recommendation from a trusted friend. These print publications help lead readers to an advertiser online as well; print ads that include QR codes and links to websites provide readers with more information. 

calendarWhether mailed to residents or distributed at a neighborhood business, locally produced calendars provide another cost-effective option for advertisers. Because a print calendar stays on-hand as a relevant reference in households, an ad is guaranteed to be seen. While an ad on Facebook may have a bigger reach, it does not necessarily hit the right target and demographic the way an advertisement in a local publication does. 

Print ads in magazines and on calendars have longevity. These publications have a life beyond the mailbox, often showing up in dentist and doctor offices, neighborhood grocery stores, coffee shops, and pharmacies. When someone picks up a magazine while waiting or just hanging out, they engage with the content and advertising differently than they do on social media.  

Professional Looking and Timely 

The nature of a community magazine demands a printer who knows how to print, bind, and mail in specific quantities and on schedule. Quality graphics, clear fonts, and the right paper are key to eye-catching content and ads. Events and shopping guides need to reach customers by mail well before they are going to happen so people can plan and budget, both time and money. Consolidated Press offers in-house mailing services, helping publishers navigate and negotiate the best mail rates for their magazine or calendar.   

 

 

 

magazine

Magazines, Now is the Time to Shine

The print industry is here to stay, and at the same time, the industries that use print are changing. Magazines and periodicals are perfect examples of industries in demand, yet these media companies are also changing how they do business. Ad revenues are down; subscriptions are up (in some cases, 15% to 30%), and printers can serve these markets in creative and exciting ways. 

Reread, Retain, Reward 

Research shows over and over again that people enjoy getting mail and many prefer interacting with print pieces rather than digital advertising. People who read print media learn more effectively and retain more information. Magazine readers are diverse and include members of every age group, income level, sexual orientation and ethnicity. According to research, 91% of adults in the United States have read a magazine in the past six months, including 95% of adults under the age of 25.  

Magazines provide trusted information, and compared to Internet and television advertising; magazines persuade readers to try new things, buy new things, and help them make purchase decisions. Paper-based reading stimulates emotions and desires, and helps focus attention. Readers have positive associations with brands that advertise in magazines, and often seek out more information about the advertised product or service.     

According to “Mr. Magazine”, Samir Husni, Ph.D., the founder and director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the Meek School of Journalism at the University of Mississippi, magazines are here to stay. We don’t have a print problem, he explains. We have a business problem. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the business model in terms of distribution and revenue collection. Bookstores and newsstands closed, so periodicals need to depend on the post office to get to consumers. Advertisers have other, often less expensive outlets than print magazines. The loss of distribution outlets and advertising dollars is a real double whammy.  

print magazine and periodicals

Quality over Quantity 

In order to continue to publish, magazines need to deliver experience-making content, says Dr. Husni. People depend on the publications to which they subscribe to provide content they can trust, content that has been vetted and verified. Magazines are reinventing themselves by moving to quarterly publication, rather than monthly, or by releasing special editions. Timeless content that readers can return to will pay off for magazines as advertising models change 

Making a print project stand out from the pack can grab a person’s interest when browsing the magazine rack. As a non-disposable media platform, magazines have an advantage in style over other types of media. One option to engage customers is a bookazine, which is a publication that combines elements of magazines and books. A savvy magazine publisher will look beyond a monthly subscription, and create special editions on niche topics their readers will want to read and save. By using embossed graphics, foil printing, and high-quality paper, a printer helps publishers impart a feeling of value. (Very savvy publishers will also branch out into digital or streaming platforms, such as podcasts or television, information about which will be available to consumers via their print base.)  

A Knowledgeable Printer is a Valuable Partner 

Building a relationship with a printer will make a good print partner aware of the challenges magazines and periodicals face. By offering quality printing, an experienced printer will ensure that customers who are now laying down $12 or $15 per magazine get a collectible item that they can showcase in their homes. 

publications

Periodical Publishers Should Capitalize on Surprising Finishes and Formats

The golden age of print is happening now. More formats are available than ever before, more enhanced printing and finishing options at a lower cost, and lightweight papers that convey gravity and elegance while being economical to print and mail, especially for periodical publishers.

As magazines, periodicals and journals continue to compete for shelf space and strive to reach the top of the inbox, publishers should capitalize on the unique, hands-on experiences printers have to offer. Look for a color that’s outside the lines, eye-catching sizes and shapes, and highly touchable papers and finishes. The trick is to find a printer with these capabilities that also offers value, speed, competitive pricing, and unmatched quality.

Refining the look and feel of your publication will set it apart from and above the competition. Consider going outside the box with:

Paper.

Consolidated Press offers more flexibility and economy, starting with picking your paper. CP’s process allows for lightweight paper options that most offset printers won’t touch because they can be hard to print on. Publications can be lighter and less expensive to mail, making a huge difference to a magazine on a regular schedule. 

Tipped-in pages.

Set your periodical apart with color illustrations, maps, coupons, advertisements, reply cards, and much more. Be sure your readers open to the page you want them to.

Customized binding and finishing.

Choose from in-house perfect binding, saddle stitching, drilling, laminating, gluing, and more — whatever binding matches the personality of your publication and works for mailing to your customers. 

Color that dazzles.

In publishing, a printer’s capabilities should show their true colors. In addition to striking and precise color matching, true to the last page, CP can do a fifth spot color, as well as spot varnish. CP can print “5 over 5”  in one press run, translating to faster delivery, less waste, and excellent color consistency throughout the run. 

Versatility.

Not all the pages are created the same, and they don’t all need to go on the same press. Consolidated Press offers the upgraded, in-house process of simultaneously printing the inside of a publication on one press and the cover on another. This optimized workflow offers efficiency for printing pages while opening unique opportunities to make each cover impactful and distinctive using handpicked stock and finishing options. 

After your unique publication is printed and bound, CP can shrinkwrap, mail, distribute and warehouse. We are indeed the premier resource for periodical publishers. See more of our work.

Consolidated Press is one for the books. Call or click today to start our valuable partnership in printing.

Consolidated Press – Seattle’s Printer

For over 80 years, Consolidated Press has been a part of Seattle’s thriving and vibrant evolution. When our doors first opened in 1934 near the famous Pike Place Market, no one could have imagined that our city would be the center of technology, innovation, retail, and tourism that it is today. Fast forward many decades and one big move down to Sodo, Consolidated Press brings print and mail projects to life for many of the companies that have helped drive Seattle’s success and bring new people to the region to live, work, and play. Here are some of the Seattle-based projects that help tell the story of our great city. 

travel magazineDestination guidebooks 

No destination is complete without a guidebook. Whether sending these out to prospective visitors or handing them to customers who have just arrived, tour books and guidebooks are a great way to welcome new business and help retain customer loyalty. These are often kept for the duration of a trip or stay and taken home and shared with others. 

Gameday books and fan guides 

Our location in Sodo makes us a little partial to our neighbors in the Stadium District and beyond. Whether you root for the Seahawks, Mariners, Huskies, Sounders, or our new NHL expansion team, the Kraken, fans love to take home a piece of the action. Gameday books, fan guides, commemorative player rosters and more are all a part of the ultimate fan experience.  

Direct Mail to Reach Your Community 

Seattle is known for its many distinct neighborhoods, each with its own unique style and flavor. Community events and festivals are the glue that keeps our city together. Seattle Farmers Markets serve the city population providing food access and promoting Washington State farmers. Communities participate in the National Night Out with neighborhood block parties and other relationship-building events. Rack cards or direct mail are great ways to reach residential-based lists to spread the word about events and other important initiatives in your area.  

Pass booklets 

Amongst Seattle’s many attractions are its wineries and breweries. Woodinville, the popular wine region about 45 minutes outside the city, is home to more than 100 wineries. Locals and visitors pick up pass booklets to take advantage of discounts and find information along our many wine and beer trails throughout the region.  

Consolidated Press is proud to be a part of Seattle’s rich heritage and looks forward to growing along with its strong future. We are honored to serve our many local companies and organizations with effective solutions in print — direct mail, brochures, catalogs,  booklets, and more to help them stay on time and on budget. Let us know how we can help with your next project.