Print courier for same-day print delivery, proofs and signage
For printers, publishers and agencies whose deadline is fixed: proofs out for sign-off, finished print to a venue before doors open, advance copies to a launch, and boards and pallets that need to arrive dry, flat and uncrushed.
- Proofs and print to deadline
- Boards and banners up to van size
- Pallets by tail-lift Luton
Which print jobs we move
Print deadlines do not move. The exhibition opens at 9.00 am, the client's board meeting starts at 2.00 pm, the book launch has its date in the press. When press time slips or a reprint is ordered, the only part of the schedule left to compress is transport.
| Job | Why it is time-critical | Typical vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Hard-copy proofs | Press is booked, waiting on colour approval | Small van |
| Event and conference print | Must be at the venue before doors open | Small van to LWB |
| Advance copies and launch stock | Fixed launch or press date | Small or SWB van |
| Display boards and roller banners | Needed for an install or a show build | LWB or Luton |
| Palletised print runs | Mailing house or warehouse slot booked | Luton with tail lift |
These are typical choices; exact load space and payload depend on the vehicle model, and we confirm at booking.
Proofs that can't wait for the post
Digital proofs cover most work, but colour-critical jobs still go to the client as a hard-copy contract proof for a physical sign-off. When the press slot is booked for the morning, a proof sitting in an overnight network is a press slot at risk.
A dedicated van takes the proof straight to the client and, where sign-off is quick, can wait and bring the approved copy back. Tell us when you book, and make sure the client knows it is coming. For sensitive material such as annual reports before publication, the proof is handed to a named person and signed for, in the same way as our document courier work.
Print to venues
A large share of urgent print ends up at an event: brochures for a stand, delegate packs for a conference, menus for a hotel dinner, programmes for a theatre. Venues have their own delivery rules, from booked vehicle slots at exhibition halls to a single goods-in door at a hotel.
Give us the delivery details from the venue, including the hall or room, the name of the person receiving and any slot, and we time the run around them. Our exhibition courier page explains how venue delivery slots generally work. Printing late into the evening is common before a show, so an overnight run that reaches the venue as build-up opens is often the most reliable plan.
Publication deadlines
Publishing schedules are built backwards from a date. Magazines need advance copies with the publisher and advertisers, book publishers need finished copies at a launch event or a sales conference, and local newspapers and free sheets need bundles at distribution points on the right morning. A reprint or a late binding run leaves no slack. Same-day delivery from the bindery to the launch venue, or a multi-drop route across several distribution points, recovers the time.
Boards, banners and signage: size limits
Large-format print is where vehicle choice matters most. Board sizes are fixed by the sheet, and a van's load length is fixed by the vehicle.
| Item | Typical size | Suitable vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Roller banners in cases | About 2.1 m long | Small van or SWB |
| 8 x 4 ft boards (foamex, dibond, correx) | 2.44 m x 1.22 m | LWB van |
| 10 x 5 ft boards | 3.05 m x 1.53 m | LWB van, flat or on edge |
| Boards or framed signs up to about 4 m | Up to about 4.0 m long | Luton van |
| Anything longer than about 4 m | Not suitable for our vans |
Measure the packed size, not the printed size, and allow for edge protectors and crates. Our van size guide has typical load dimensions for each class.
Palletised print runs
Leaflet runs, catalogues and books often leave the printer on pallets for a mailing house, fulfilment centre or publisher's warehouse. Paper is dense, so weight limits a van well before space does: one heavy pallet of coated stock can take up most of a van's payload. A Luton van with a tail lift typically handles pallets up to about 500 kg on the lift, and anything heavier needs a forklift at both ends. For more on palletised loads, see same-day pallet delivery and our guide to preparing a pallet for collection.
Keeping print dry, flat and uncrushed
Paper takes up moisture from the air, and damp print cockles, curls and jams finishing machines. Cartons stacked under too much weight crush at the corners. A dedicated van removes the open docks and sortation belts, and packing does the rest.
Packing print for transport
- Let litho work dry fully before boxing, to avoid set-off and marking
- Pack cartons to a weight one person can lift safely, and fill them so they do not collapse
- Wrap pallets in polythene and use corner boards under the straps
- Protect board faces with sheet or foam, and edges with card
- Give us an indoor delivery point and a named person to receive
FAQ
Common questions
Can you get our brochures to an exhibition hall before the show opens?
Yes, provided the print is finished and packed in time. Give us the venue, hall and stand number, the name of the person on the stand and the venue's delivery rules from the exhibitor manual. Many venues limit vehicle access during open days, so delivery during build-up or early on the opening morning is safest. An overnight run from the printer often avoids the build-day queue at the loading bay.
Can the driver wait while our client signs off a proof and bring it back?
Ask us when you book. If the sign-off is quick, the driver can wait and return with the approved proof, and we include the expected wait in the price. Make sure the client knows the proof is coming and has time set aside to check it, because a long wait at the client's office costs more than a second short trip later in the day.
What is the largest board or sign you can carry?
As a typical guide, an LWB van has a load length of about 3.4 metres and a Luton van about 4.0 metres, with internal height of around 1.8 and 2.0 metres. Standard 8 x 4 and 10 x 5 foot sheets fit an LWB, flat or on edge. Anything longer than about 4 metres will not fit our vans. Exact sizes depend on the vehicle model, so send us the dimensions and we will confirm.
Can you deliver a print run on pallets to a mailing house the same day?
Yes. Paper is heavy, so tell us the number of pallets and the weight of each. A Luton van with a tail lift handles pallets up to the lift's rating, typically about 500 kg, and a forklift at both ends is safer for anything heavier. Payload often limits a van before floor space does, so a heavy run may need two vehicles.
How do you stop print getting damp in transit?
The van is enclosed and the print is loaded once and unloaded once, so it is not left on an open dock or in a sortation hall. Your part is to wrap pallets in polythene, keep cartons sealed and give us an indoor delivery point and a named person to receive. We will not leave print outside in the rain unless you have told us that is acceptable.
Can one van deliver printed material to several addresses?
Yes. Election literature, store point-of-sale and regional magazine bundles often go to several addresses on one run. Send us the drops, what goes to each and any times that must be met, and we plan the route as a multi-drop job, with a proof of delivery at each address.
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