Frequently Asked Overseas Printing Questions

PRC Book Printing factories are certified with ISO-9001, FSC and FSC recycled paper certified, even Disney Certified.

PRC Book Printing quotes every project DDP (Delivered, Duty and Paid), unless otherwise noted. Quoting DDP destination includes “all” shipping costs. This way there are no surprises after the book has been delivered unlike FOB when you receive another bill (extra charges or hidden charges). Always ask for DDP destination!!!!

PRC Book Printing will quote your specs and will provide recommendations based on your project. Our objective is to print a book that is high quality at the lowest possible price.

PRC Book Printing will send you printed samples that are similar to your project, but better yet we will send you an unprinted dummy. A dummy is the exact book we quoted you with the paper and binding that your finished product will look and feel like.

PRC Book Printing will provide you a most recent list of clients we have printed.

As stated above we are certified in FSC and Disney. FSC/Forest Stewardship Council are a third party certification organization who evaluates those who manage the care of forests. ISO-9001 and Disney certifications are strict, self-imposed requirements including lead tests, child safety testing, and environmentally-friendly inks, as well as successful high-level factory audits with the likes of some of the most well known publishers in the world. It’s clear that we’ve established a proven model to deliver on that promise.

Resolution should be set to at least 300 dpi. Pictures and graphics pulled from the internet are often low resolution, typically 72 dpi or 96 dpi. Avoid these graphics, as they will appear pixilated and blocky when printed. Please note: All images should be saved as CMYK and text should be 100% black.

In short, printers and monitors produce colors in different ways. Monitors use the RGB (red, green, blue) color model, which usually supports a wider spectrum of colors. Printers use the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color model, which can reproduce most—but not all—of the colors in the RGB color model. Depending on the equipment used, CMYK generally matches 85–90% of the colors in the RGB model. This is why proofing is an important step in the production process.

Standard turn-around time for printing from China is 10 -12 weeks. This time frame can vary depending on the project, proofing, production and shipping. PRC Printing will handle all export and import for your projects.

Tracking Labels: Section 103(a) of this law requires manufacturers to have a tracking label or other distinguishing permanent mark on any consumer product primarily intended for children twelve and younger. The tracking label must contain certain basic information, including the source of the product, the date of manufacture and more detailed information on the manufacturing process such as a batch or run number. (Please contact us for more information or view www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/sect103.html )

FOB– Free on Board: Shipped under a rate that includes costs of delivery to and the loading onto a carrier at a specified point. CIF– Cost, Insurance & Freight: Seller paid costs necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination, also includes marine insurance loss or damage to goods during the ocean shipment. Buyer pays customs, port processing fees, warehouse fees and inland transit. DDP – Delivered Duty Paid: Seller delivered goods at the named destination and pay charges of delivering the goods to be cleared at custom. All port, custom, warehouse, insurance and inland freight are paid by the seller.

PDF – Referred as digital or soft proofing. This is emailed/loaded to an ftp site for you to review the layout, text and images. This proof offers a preliminary review that all of the art files you provided have been received. Blue lines/Ozalids – Inexpensive, photographic proofing where all the colors are shown in blue or another color. This is used to check placement of text and images, cropping and page sequence. This proof is not used for checking color. High Res Hard Digital – Our digital proofs are imaged using profiles certified by the International Standards Organization (ISO). These profiles represent the color of your supplied file on either a coated or uncoated paper. The proof is a representation of the final output, printed on proofing paper, and therefore cannot be matched exactly to every variation. Press Proof – Most expensive proofing, involves using a press to generate a printed image before the actual press run. This is used mainly to replicate printing processes using the actual plates, inks and paper.

PRC Book Printing quotes every project DDP (Delivered, Duty and Paid), unless otherwise noted. Quoting DDP destination includes “all” shipping costs to your loading dock. This way there are no surprises after the book has been delivered unlike FOB when you receive another bill (extra charges or hidden fees). Always ask for DDP destination and mention if you will be delivering to a commercial or residential address.

To purchase an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) you can order online through R.R. Bowker: www.isbn.org Current pricing as of December 2014, to purchase 1 ISBN# and barcode the cost is USD$150. If you purchase 10-ISBN#’s and barcode (if you are producing a series or multiple editions of books) the current price is USD$300 (current pricing taken from R.R. Bowker website 12/17/14, does not include taxes, fees or whatever is applicable).

There are three fundamentals to complete the registration of your book/books: 1. Completed copyright application. 2. (Non-refundable) filing fee. 3. (Non-refundable) deposit also non return of the copy/copies of your book. Where do you file such an application: www.copyright.gov. Usually filing is completed after the book production.

We offer many types of binding methods, here are a few:

• Smyth Sewn & Case Binding
• Perfect Binding
• Saddle Stitch/Wire Binding
• Wire-O Binding
• Spiral Bound
• Concealed Wire-O
• Sewn and Perfect Binding

We offer coated papers, offset paper, wood free papers… We will assist you with different weights and coatings. Once we are in touch via email or telephone we can learn more about your project and offer paper recommendations fit for your quality book.

Depending on the interior page count, size and binding style, an example a hardcover children’s book, 32 pages, 4 color throughout we recommend customer to print at least 1,000 copies to make it worth while. As a rule of thumb, anything that’s quoted domestically for $3000 or under is a good fit, printing overseas shipping can cost up to 35% of the job.

We can produce digital printing but the cost will be equivalent to printing domestically, due to the shipping costs. Our forte is Offset Printing.

We can offer most boxes, CD’s, DVD and CD-ROM, Flash Drives,Ribbons, Bags,Posters,Playing Cards, Slip Cases, Touch and Feel Board books,envelopes and much more. If your project requires handwork, overseas is great due to the low cost of labor.