Shortly after the release of our FREE 8-page report on “Coping with Covid-19 & Supply Chain Issues,” we received an email from a printer who participated in our survey. He commented, “Wow, a lot has changed overnight for me.”
This printer went on to explain, “I filled-out this report (survey) just prior to my paper merchant putting me on a 20% monthly allotment. While I filled-out the report and expressed I did not have any supply concerns, overnight I was told I am only allowed to order 20% of my monthly norm. Simply devastating,” he added.
In a follow-up email from this printer he told us, “I am a three-man shop in my rural area. I never made it big time, but I have beaten the odds of survival. We also do small signs and banners and such too. When the pandemic hit last year in June, we officially went to a quick print shop that did signs and banners to a sign shop that offered quick print needs. The sign end has saved us.”
“No, the supplier is not being selective,” he added. The allotment is based on your past purchase history. So the larger you are the more you can get. Plus since the allotment is currently monthly, whatever I do not order does not roll so my rep call actually pull un-used allotment from another print shop if they do not use it and redirect towards me…. in the grand scheme of things and in the eyes of Midland Paper, I am still just a small three-man operation,” he added.
As an aside, this printer told us that his brother operates a much larger operation about 60 miles away. It operates with between 40-50 employees. His brother tells him that he is struggling as well, and can’t get any coated and has turned away a lot of work due to no paper.
Send us an email at [email protected] if you’re struggling with supply chain issues, especially paper, and tell us what, if anything you are doing about it.
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