Multiman Publishing now printing overseas.

MMP has begun moving their printing overseas. To their credit they're adjusting prices downward because of it, but jeeze, they were the last major publisher to print in the states.

The only domestic printer I can think of that still remains is Holandspiele, and they're a print-on-demand publisher and small numbers at that.

American companies can't push cardboard into a machine cheaply enough to avoid 6000 miles of shipping.

Labor costs are one thing, but we also just don't have factories that specialize in board game printing. And if you want minis... no chance.

Multiman's product line is chits, cards, and maps. It makes sense they stayed domestic as long as they did, and clearly had an American company that did printing.

Best guess is that the consumable supplies, ink and the like are cheaper and more available in China. The printers can plug in anywhere and it's not a very labor intensive business at the print end of things. I've been in Multiman's headquarters when they're assembling the finished product here in the states.

The good old days when Avalon Hill had their own printers.

I give them credit for holding out as long as they did. In the end though, it’s a HUGE difference in cost. Not just in component line items, but the other issue is that even when you’re willing to incur the higher US cost, there is no single printer than can do even simple paper/card games all under one roof in the US . Counter die cutting for instance is a separate facility - the sheets are printed, sent to the die cutter, mounted and die cut - then shipped back to either the printer or in MMP’s case, to their warehouse. Boxes, same thing. Then you’ve got to collate and assemble and shrink wrap all those games. I’ve done it ( for a different company, New England Simulations) and it sucks the big one. You can have the printer collate and shrink wrap, but that will cost you…more than you think.

I think the collation/assembly issue is almost as big a reason as the reduction in component printing costs. Collating and shrinking a GTS or monster OCS game is a HUGE manpower suck .

The earthborne rangers publisher learned a lot about just how hard it is to print local recently, so I don't find this too surprising. Not just "can they do it?" but also their whole pipeline and QC sucks way worse than a Chinese firm.

Yeah, capability is only part of it, the production pipeline and quality control can make a huge difference too.