Large-Format Printing
What is Large Format Printing?
While small format printing is what people interact with on an everyday basis (magazines, books, brochures), large format printing refers to printed materials that might be measured in feet as opposed to inches. Also known as wide format, large format printing requires equipment that is specialized for material sizes that will end up as blueprints, building wraps, store displays, wall panels at trade shows, oversized posters, big maps, banners, billboards, and other large printed projects.
Large format printing is ideal for catching the eye of customers in urban landscapes where marketing is visible around every corner. With large format printing, you can present a lot of detail over a sizable area with attention-grabbing graphic design. Despite the massive size available for your marketing, SpeedPro Chicago Loop is able to capture your graphics with high resolutions: Our printers can print up to 1440 x 1440 dpi, with standard print resolution of 720 x 720.
Very specialized and costly equipment is required to produce large format printing projects. SpeedPro Chicago Loop digital output is basically unlimited, except by your imagination. Output can be tiled to produce full-color images of any size. This capability means that your options drastically increase when you consider large format printing for your project.
Screen printing was once preferable for quality, but the current technology involved in large format printing equipment has evened the playing field. The efficiency in production available through the use of machines has brought the cost down, as well, and now many people prefer large format printing over screen printing as in many cases it costs less. Combined with scale and quicker turnaround, large format printing is very cost-effective.
Due to the many possibilities of size, large format projects are often some of the best ways to promote services and products to potential customers at your storefront or out at events. Festivals, trade shows, and other large spaces are perfect opportunities to display eye-catching large advertisements.
You might even consider large format printing as a way to boost your own branding both in your neighborhood and inside the very spaces of your company. You could offer sponsored building wraps or sports banners to local charities or schools, or even have special customer wallpaper printed that can feature anything you like for inside the halls of your company’s offices.
There is almost no end to the kind of projects you can undertake with large format printing. Price will be affected by your chosen medium (what you actually print on) and the final size you want to go with. Here is a small list of projects you could take on with large format printing. It’s not exhaustive by any means, as you might be able to think of other different ways to present your marketing:
- Outdoor signage
- Point-of-purchase displays
- Window Clings
- Blueprints
- Large maps or charts
- Trade show wall panels
- Business presentations
- Posters
- Color comps
- Vinyl banners
- Backlit Displays
- Courtroom exhibits
What is Included in Large Format Printing?
One of the most exciting advantages of large format printing is the wide array of various media that can be used. Media are the types of material that you can choose to print on. With SpeedPro Chicago Loop, your many choices allow you to tailor the appearance, texture, and visual appeal of your project to the location and expected audience and help create truly stand-out marketing.
SpeedPro Chicago Loop’s media include:
- Calendered Vinyl
- Cast Vinyl
- Translucent (for backlit signage)
- Reflective (for nighttime viewing and safety)
- Mirror Finish (for a metallic look)
- Etched Frosted
- Banner
- Specialty Media
- Photo Paper
- Artist Canvas
- Perforated Window Film
- Static Cling
- Street & Wall Graphics
Large format printers exist in a few differing versions, with each type offering advantages in certain uses:
Aqueous printers: Using a water-based ink, these printers make high-resolution graphics and operate quickly. While being less expensive machinery than the other printer types, the media that they print on requires an additional coating for the ink to adhere. We have opted for more sophisticated and cost effective printing methods than Aqueous.
Solvent printers: Using a moderately durable solvent-based ink, these produce projects that are better for outdoor use. The challenge with this process is that it requires a solid 24-hour curing process and delays your ability to get prints in a timely and cost effective manner- we prefer more efficient printing methods to better serve our clients.
UV printers: With resin and latex-based inks, these printers can be utilized with the widest range of media. The inks used here are equally as durable as solvent inks if not more so. SpeedPro Chicago Loop believes these are the most cost effective and efficient types of inks, applicable to the widest ranges of solutions producing a stellar quality final product.
At SpeedPro Chicago Loop, we primarily use UV-curable and UV-curable FlexGel to inks to print your projects, allowing us to craft the most durable prints possible across the widest variety of media for your large format printing needs.
In addition to the medium and ink used for your large format printing project, you are also able to apply lamination to further protect your graphics and choose various substrate materials to enhance your project’s structure depending on the intended use.
SpeedPro Chicago Loop
Located just three-blocks from McCormick Place on Michigan Avenue, serving the entirety of downtown Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, we are convenient, accessible and able to support all of your large format graphic printing.
The Best Large-Format Printing in Chicago
SpeedPro Chicago Loop was the largest SpeedPro franchisee in the region (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan & Indiana) for 2022 and in the Top 10% of all SpeedPro’s nationwide.
We are humbled and proud of of the recognition we have received, not merely as a high performing studio, but by the accolades of our clients and the awards we’ve received, to include; the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) ‘2022 Franchisee of the Year’ (Nominee), ‘3 Best Sign Shops in Chicago’ 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, ‘Exceptional Customer Service’ 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, the only two-time winner of ‘Project of the Year’ 2018 and 2021, ‘Exceptional Growth’ 2018, ‘Rookie of the Year’ in 2016, over 300 perfect 10/10 online reviews and countless other franchise awards– SpeedPro Chicago Loop is committed to delivering great results and a delightful experience for our customers.
What Are the Advantages of Partnering With SpeedPro Chicago Loop?
Why should you choose SpeedPro Chicago Loop over other studios in the area? We offer a range of unique benefits, including:
- Fast turnaround on projects against tight deadlines
- Professionalism in every interaction
- Reliability you can count on
- Precision of graphics, which we use digital measurements to create
SpeedPro Chicago Loop creates one-of-a-kind graphics that will last for your company. See how we can connect you with the potential customers you want while also creating graphics you feel proud to display. Our graphics will make you look better. When companies partner with us, they see results.
Schedule a Consultation With SpeedPro Chicago Loop
Let us get your message noticed. You have something you want to tell potential customers. Visual communications such as the ones designed by SpeedPro Chicago Loop can deliver that information and build bridges that could develop into longstanding relationships.
We want to help you accomplish your goals and grow your business. Chicago-area companies can contact us today to discuss a consultation or request a quote.