Holy smokes... Epic prices What's your ink plan for 2013?

[ZooCity]

I just went on source one to price check a gal of Epic Super Dallas Green.....$225/gal ?!

Parmele still has it at around a hundo a gallon but dang homie, this is not good. I know Nazdar is probably "first to know" with many mfg so they are probably just ahead of schedule on a big ass price jump I presume?  It's now looking more cost effective to change part of our pricing approach.

Previously: You could select a "super opaque" from the WFX color card and we would print it PFP as a one color print with a $0.25 per pc Flash charge (covers the flash, 2nd revolution and ink).  We'll mix an in-house super-opaque of a Pantone that will PFP for an additional $15.  note: bigger orders using this option, we would still run a UB at no charge as it was more cost effective but you get the idea here, it was helpful to some on short runs looking to avoid a second color and no big hassle for us with the right ink  Also note: Can possibly go back to this with one of the new HSAs if pricing is better than plastisol.

New idea: All prints on darks require a UB screen.  We'll use DC UB as standard and top hit with house mixed WB or Epic.  House mixing the Epic appears way cheaper now v. bucket price on the spots.  Takes about a 15min max to hit a pantone and we could simply mix our own stock spots.

Crazy times.  This is the first time (in biz since 2006) I've ever had to consider our pricing structure due to ink costs.  I wonder if it's just plastisol going through the damn roof or if it's the pigments or.....?   What's your ink plan for this year? 

[tonypep]

You can make that green in discharge for around $30 p/gallon

[Printficient]

Xenon Dallas Green is $44 per gallon

[mk162]

try printing that discharge on poly

[Zelko-4-EVA]

the formula to make "70501 Super Dallas Green" is in the wilflex software - you can make your own for less. 

i found it under the MX and PC system

[ZooCity]

try printing that discharge on poly

Exactly. HSA may be a solution though, have to see how it susses (and prices) out though.

And yep, going to do it ourselves I guess.  Base ink is not that bad by the 5gal and they have an opaque base now so that's that.  I guess the cool part is we can mix/name our own colors.  I always thought "rebel flesh" had some dubious marketing qualities.

[mk162]

To me, rebel red makes a better rebel flesh

[ZooCity]

Sonny, are you guys able to provide documentation that the ink is phthalate-free yet?

Some quick background on how I've done this:

Used to use QCM exclusively but I noticed the white/spots were extremely inconsistent but the mixing bases were pretty good so I never offered "standard" spots and mixed for each order or made my own house colors to use in gallon batches.  Then QCM took a big dive and the mixing bases started being off (nasty migration/crock issue with red in our case).  So I switched over to all WFX for plastisol and it's been dead nuts on the money, every bucket.  That let me offer a set of standards and then charge for pantones for the first time.  At $225/gal, there goes that.  Shame as, we just got a bunch of the good, older, actually printed swatch books to distribute to our main accounts from our rep. 

So my big question Sonny, if you guys are phthatlate-free, how are you guys able to provide consistency at those prices if WFX needs 5x as much to do it?  Also, do you guys have a disto out West?

[mk162]

I haven't notice the prices going up that much, of course I haven't bought much ink either.

[Screened Gear]

I like wilfex also. I just can't keep buying it at the prices my distributor wants for it. Not just for white. Quick was around $260 a 5 the first time I got it. Then $330 for a 5. Last time it was $360 or something crazy. (I will have to check that) I am looking at Rutland as a option. I know frog had a website posted once that had amazing prices. My local guy was more than $50 more per 5 gallon on SF White LB. I am a small shop and will not lie and tell them I am going to buy a ton of ink just to get better pricing. Karma is a b!tch.

[ebscreen]

Jon - Dynamic Supply, they're in Rancho Cucamonga. (yes, that's a real place non-westerners) Should be
one day to you?

Quick is nice but not worth the extra price over Rutlands Streetfighter series.

[mk162]

I have been having problems with streetfighter recently.  I am not sure if it's the temps, but it sticks really bad and is hard to get smooth.

I went back to xenon and my prints feel like butter again.  The other great ink I've used is One Stroke EJ special white auto.  Freaking awesome ink, but I think it's around $450 a 5.

[Screened Gear]

Jon - Dynamic Supply, they're in Rancho Cucamonga. (yes, that's a real place non-westerners) Should be
one day to you?

Quick is nice but not worth the extra price over Rutlands Streetfighter series.

Thanks for the heads up. I have used the Street fighter white low bleed and had no issues here. I didn't notice much of a difference on press compared to Quick. The only thing that stood out was a little bit of shine. I hate shine. But with a DCUB I don't think that will ever be a issue. $360 or $160 a 5. Call me cheap but I think I just made my choice.

[ol man]

Hey Mk - which Xenon white is that -- we got some last year - buttery yes, opaque no.   have they reformulated?

[cbjamel]

Call them I bet that's for 5 gallon not 1 gallon.

Shane