Monday, July 14, 2008

Difficult to print an A0 poster in Leeds...

On Sunday night I finally found the time to design my poster, representing the Centre for Creative Technology. I thought it would be easy to find a shop which could print it in A0 size. But when I looked at the Fedex/Kinko site, where I had printed that nice poster for the 2005 AXMEDIS conference, I noticed that they are no longer in Leeds, only in London. I had asked the day before at Staples, but they only print A1, and laminate only A2. I could split the poster, but this would be only an emergency option. A friend had told me about a copy shop near Leeds Uni. As I pass it, it appears to be closed for holiday. In many of the online directories, one company was mentioned: Baskind Imaging. I had tried their website, but I only had gotten their reply "website cannot be found". I had called their phone number, but nobody had picked up. When I finally went to their address, 54 Otley Road, there was a sign that parking is only for Baskind Imaging customers. But the actual store was not there. I ask the clerk of a printer cartridge shop which now seemed in its place, and he told me that they have moved two blocks futher. Ok, I walk there. No sight. I go back to the car and drive along where the clerk had told me the shop would be. No avail. Only private residences. some churches. Am I stupid or what? This search for a simple print job becomes quite frustrating.

I have to go back to my office and search the web again... There I find something promising: Printer In Leeds. They have a nice online chat. I sign on to ask if they can do the job. Alice answers, yes they can, but it would take a while to ship it to me. Can I not pick it up? No, because they are - in London. So what about their name "Printer in Leeds"? Yes, they are currently looking to hire a representative in Leeds.

I feel like I am in a parallel universe, where everything that business do is aimed at getting no business. What kind of attitude is this? Who came up with that business name? Why not call it PrinterInLondon? I am getting desperate. Find another company, get a quote, is over 100 pound. Ok, I am willing to pay this, would be reimbursed from my EU grant.

But then I finally hit the jackpot: Deepblue Digital. Here is a company who is willing to do business. Of course, they could make the music on their web page an optional item, instead of forcing the viewer to listen to it, but they respond quickly to my inquiry. I had called them, get a call back that they can do it. I send them the PDF and the Powerpoint File around 12:00 noon, and at 16:45 I get a call back that the poster is ready. Printed and laminated, and trimmed to my specifications. Great! I drive there to Roundhay Park to pick it up. Price: 19.90 £ for the A0 print (which is extrodinarily affordable) plus another 19.90 £ for the lamination. Plus VAT. In any case, they have the lowest price I had found, and they were actually able to do it. I can recommend them highly! And the poster looks great. Aside from my own mediocre design for it ...

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I stumbled across your blog entry while looking for a place that would print an A0 conference poster for me in Leeds at short notice. It turns out that Deepblue are near my house and have been very helpful. Thanks very much!

Reinhold Behringer said...

Hi, glad that my post helped you to get the poster printed! Yes, DeepBlue indeed are very helpful, and I can recommend them to anyone.

Anonymous said...

Is this place open on a sunday? as i have a poster presentation in the morning and i cant find anywhere that can print A0!

Gareth Hagger-Johnson said...

Thanks for flagging this incredibly useful resource! They are great value for money.

Reinhold Behringer said...

Glad that this was useful for you!
I will have a print job for them again in the near future - will post my experiences again here.

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Reinhold Behringer said...

A few months ago I had again used the DeepBlue-Digital poster printing service, and I can uphold my positive review from more than a year ago. The price has gone up slightly, but is still very reasonable. They work very fast, and are very friendly. I can recommend them to anyone!

Anonymous said...

FROM: DAWN AT DEEPBLUE DIGITAL!!!
Thank you everyone for your comments!!!
We now have a special offer for students - If you get 5 of your friends to get a posters printed - get your ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!
Check out our website for prices - the smallest poster prices in Leeds!!!
http://www.deepblue-digital.co.uk/large-format-print-leeds.php
Call or email Dawn - dawn@deepblue-digital.co.uk
0113 237 0555.
We are always happy to help!
Thanks again - Dawn :)

Worldreamer said...

aah I wish I had seen this few days ago. I couldn't find a decent alternative printers to the uni one in Leeds so I came to London
:(

Reinhold Behringer said...

that is a pity, Indiansoul, that you missed this. I recently again used them, and it worked out great. Their prices have a bit risen, but they are very flexible re. print sizes - could even get a non-standard 1m x 1m print!

Can really highly recommend them.

poster printing said...

This blog explains about how one goes on for various options to get an effective poster print.

zack@ said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Your post saved me from an emergency. However, for future reference for others, I'd like to point out that the colours on my print were rather faint. In fact my poster was one of ther faintest among the posters displayed in a conference I presented it. I don't think my file had that problem, as my test print was all bright and vivid. I did not mind price going up five quids butt....