The value of stepping
inside the process
We recently welcomed the West Kent Housing Association (WKHA) communications team and a group of tenants for a behind the scenes look at how their resident magazine comes to life.
We love hosting clients and giving them a BTS insight of what goes on behind the scenes, queue the “oh wow, I didn’t realise all this went into it” moment.
Creative workshop
We kicked off in the studio, diving into layouts, design choices and how each edition starts to take shape on screen. It’s always a different experience when you can sit with the designers, seeing ideas take shape right in front of you.
The tenants got stuck in too, sharing what they value as readers. These conversations are a great opportunity to capture audience insight, which will influence the content of the next edition.
Production tour
Then came the tour. This is usually where people’s eyes widen a bit. Seeing the presses, the kit, the speed, the precision, however everything falls perfectly into place. It gives a whole new appreciation of what goes into a single printed piece.
And because everything happens under one roof, you get to see how each part flows into the next. No mystery steps, no black boxes. Just a clear, hands-on walk through the full journey.
Pressing print
A standout moment was letting the group hit print on our litho press. Watching their pages roll out in full colour is always a crowd-pleaser. It is the kind of moment that reminds people why print still has so much power. It feels real, crafted and is a tangible representation of your brand.
Quality checks
Following the print run, we showed them how we check each job: colour, alignment, finish, all the things most people never notice unless something is wrong. Seeing it up close gives people confidence that every detail is looked after long before anything leaves the building.
Talking sustainability
The group wanted to know how we keep waste low and materials in use as long as possible. They got to learn about our partnership with The World Trust, what FSC certified sustainably sourced paper is, about our clear plant-based wrap packaging and what being a carbon balanced printer means for the environment.
This print run itself of just over 8,500 magazines offset 338kg of CO2, helping the WLT to preserve 65m2 of critically threatened rainforest.
Visits like this unlock a few things you cannot get from a PDF proof or a Teams call. They give teams the chance to:
-
understand the full process, not just their part in it
-
see what is possible with print when you explore beyond the basics
-
meet the people behind the work
-
pick up best practice straight from designers and production experts
-
feel more confident about their communications
It is eye-opening, energising and genuinely helpful for anyone responsible for printed comms.
Fancy a visit?
If you would like to see how everything works behind the scenes, we would love to show you around. Drop us a message using the contact form and we will make sure the presses (and the kettle) are ready.