02/10/2026
Ever wondered why a print job that takes five days in June can take so much longer in November? 🤔
It's not the printer being slow. In the last few months of the year, every stage of a job builds up its own queue: getting artwork approved, sourcing paper, press time, finishing and delivery. In quieter months those stages overlap nicely. In Q4, the queues stack up.
The good news is that most of the problems are avoidable if you plan now rather than later. A few things worth doing:
📄 Check your paper stock early, especially heavier boards, coloured or textured papers
✨ Book any foiling, die cutting or embossing in good time
📦 Get packaging, presentation boxes, display work and direct mail booked first
🔁 Think about reprints now, as topping up in December is much harder than printing in October
🗓️ Work backwards from the date your print needs to be doing its job, not just the delivery date
We've written a full guide covering all of this 👇
https://www.birchprint.co.uk/q4-print-lead-times-stock-and-what-to-book-early/
Why print lead times stretch through Q4, what to book early, and how to keep a Christmas campaign on schedule when everyone else is ordering too.