Printai

Printai is a Spanish online print marketplace that pools the production of more than 24 partner printing companies spread across Spain. It prints books and magazines from a single copy, and around them a very wide catalog of business cards, flyers, large-format signage, labels, packaging, bags, textiles and promotional products. It sells to professionals and private customers, runs a reseller program, and describes itself as an "imprenta online de proximidad," an online printer built on local production.

Who is behind it

The home page explains the model in its own words: "Somos la primera comunidad de impresores que se unen para dar servicio a los profesionales de las Artes Gráficas," the first community of printers joining forces to serve graphic arts professionals, and "Una red nacional de impresión con servicios de producción local y presencia omnicanal," a national print network with local production and an omnichannel presence. The partners are located in different parts of Spain, which the company presents as the basis of the close, local service it sells. It calls itself the leading online print marketplace in Spain, made up of more than 24 partners with more than 3 generations in the trade between them.

The figures it publishes for the network are "+47.500m2 de instalaciones," more than 47,500 square meters of facilities, "+798 máquinas instaladas," "+162.144 pedidos gestionados" and "+15.901 clientes satisfechos." It shows an "Excelente 4.8/5" rating from Trustpilot.

How book printing on demand works at Printai

Printai's own guide to print on demand sets out the process. The reader does not buy the book from Printai; the author or publisher does, and they decide when to print. An author or publisher opens an account, and their details and the file sent to press are stored in the customer area. To print more copies later, they simply request the copies they need and pay for them, with the files already on hand. "En Printai podemos imprimir desde 1 solo ejemplar hasta los que necesites y los enviamos donde nos indiques," the guide says: Printai prints from a single copy up to however many you need and ships them wherever you say.

The same page gives the economics. Printing is digital and needs no plates, so short runs cost less than in the offset model; there is no minimum stock, which removes storage costs; and because the sale comes before production, the printing cost only arises once the book has earned its money. For projects outside the standard options there is a custom quote, and the guide notes that more than 24 specialized print shops are available to take on a job. Printai's blog backs this up with practical articles for authors, on choosing between offset and coated paper, on the main binding types, and on crowdfunding as a third route to publication between a traditional publisher and self-publishing.

The book range

The catalog's publishing section lists what can be printed:

• stapled comics and fanzines, in the BASICS line
• perfect-bound books and magazines in color, in the ECO+ line
• perfect-bound books and magazines in black and white
• hardcover books
• stapled catalogs and magazines, including a standard BASICS version
• Wire-O spiral catalogs and magazines, and Wire-O with a hard cover
• pocket books
• custom bookmarks
• notebooks with Wire-O and hard covers, and custom planners

That makes Printai a fit for self-published novels, zines, comics, catalogs, company magazines and short-run photo or art books, and the rest of the catalog covers the print that surrounds a book launch: posters, flyers, roll-ups, bookmarks and branded bags.

Everything else it prints

The breadth is the point of the marketplace. The home page shows starting prices for some of its best sellers: advertising roll-ups "Desde 42,72€," white PVC cards at 760 microns "Desde 111,00€," carbonless invoice books "Desde 54,20€," luxury bags "Desde 191,56€," natural cotton tote bags with DTF printing "Desde 61,50€," white or kraft paper bags "Desde 18,06€," printed stackable cubes "Desde 40,15€" and business cards with 3D selective varnish "Desde 50,77€."

The full menu adds business cards in many finishes (eco, stamping, embossing, laminated, selective varnish), flyers and folded leaflets, calendars, welcome packs, eco stationery, letterheads and envelopes, stamps, large-format vinyls and banners, rigid boards such as Dibond, Forex PVC, methacrylate and foam board, canvases, wallpaper, 3D printing and 3D lettering, and a label and sticker range from die-cut stickers to roll labels and ADR safety labels. On the merchandise side it lists mugs and thermal cups, T-shirts, sweatshirts and fleeces, bottles, backpacks, thermal bags and coolers, pens and pencils, and DTF and DTF UV printing. A design service is on offer for business cards and flyers, and a design guide sits in the site header.

Service, payment and shipping

Printai leans on advice. The home page promises the largest team of graphic arts experts to answer questions and follow each order through, and says "Incluímos siempre una revisión gratuita de tus archivos," a free file check on every order. It advertises national production, free shipping (marked with an asterisk), a satisfaction guarantee, a reseller program and a loyalty scheme. Products that do not appear on the site can be requested by getting in touch, and support is by email or phone at 919 49 74 25, listed as Spanish-language.

Payment is by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Bizum or bank transfer, and the footer promises "Envíos urgentes 24h," urgent 24-hour shipping. Signing up to the newsletter brings "10€ de dto." off a first order, and there is a gift card aimed at entrepreneurs, artisans and new businesses.

On the environment, the home page says Printai produces "de forma respetuosa con el medio ambiente, cuidando desde los procesos, uso de energías limpias, y asegurando una logística de proximidad," caring for processes, using clean energy and relying on local logistics. Several products carry an ECO+ label. Those are the company's own claims.

Who it suits

Printai suits Spanish authors and small publishers who want short book runs from a single copy with a simple reorder route, and businesses or resellers who want books, marketing print, signage and merchandise from one account. The free file review and the advisory team help first-time authors. It is a marketplace that routes work to its partners rather than a single factory. The site header offers Spanish, French and Portuguese, but the pages and the phone line are in Spanish, so it fits best for customers in Spain who are comfortable ordering in Spanish.