Time Publishing & Media Issues Interim Rules for Designated Printing Enterprises, Tightening Print Resource and Quality Governance

To align internal printing resources and improve allocation efficiency, Time Publishing and Media Co., Ltd. is bringing publication printing and raw and auxiliary material procurement under integrated operation and management. The company also seeks stricter unified oversight of publication print quality and anti-piracy management to maximize overall benefits. Guided by the principles of “standardized operation, mutual support, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation,” it has decided to competitively select a group of book and periodical printing enterprises from across the province as designated printing enterprises, and recently issued the Interim Provisions on the Management of Designated Printing Enterprises.

I. Eligibility Requirements for Designated Printing Enterprises

1. A designated printing enterprise of the company must be approved by the provincial publication administrative department and hold publication printing qualifications.
2. Its printing and binding equipment scale, technical level, management level, quality level and service capability must meet the company's publication printing management requirements.
3. Based on comprehensive factors such as printing production capacity, the company's designated publication printing enterprises are divided into Category A and Category B. This is intended to gradually create a layout of designated printing enterprises focused respectively on textbooks, supplementary teaching materials and general books, each with distinct characteristics and complementary advantages.
4. Printing plants with long-term cooperation with the company, a good reputation and relatively strong printing and binding quality may be given priority for inclusion in the company's designated publication printing plant network.
5. Outsourced printing enterprises used by printing enterprises directly under the company must be included in the unified assessment and management of the company's designated printing enterprises.
6. Designated printing plants are determined as follows: publishers and relevant units make recommendations; the company arranges for recommended printing plants to complete a “Designated Printing Enterprise Application Form”; the company's “Designated Printing Plant Working Group” then organizes a review of applicant enterprises; and those that pass the review are submitted to company leadership for approval and confirmation.

II. Core Rules for Assigning Designated Printing Work

1. Printing work for the company and its affiliated publishing houses must be assigned within the scope of designated printing plants. Designated printing plants should prioritize and properly handle printing work arranged by the company and its affiliated units. In special circumstances where printing work must be assigned to a non-designated printing enterprise, the publishing house and printing plant involved must first report to the company and obtain approval before making arrangements.
2. The company and its affiliated publishing houses should, based on the specific conditions of designated printing enterprises and their own total printing volume, submit printing arrangement plans for company approval twice a year, in spring (March) and autumn (September), before implementation. One copy of the printing order must be filed with the relevant company department (the Printing Quality Department of the Textbook Center). At least 30% of the printing volume for student books and general books must be assigned to Category A plants (specific volumes for each unit will be confirmed by the company in documentary form twice a year).
3. Printing work of the company's designated printing enterprises, especially those directly under the company, may not be outsourced without company approval. Designated printing plants also may not place printing orders with one another without approval.

III. Printing Management at Designated Printing Plants

1. All designated printing enterprises must strengthen publication printing management in accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of Publishing, the Regulations on the Administration of the Printing Industry and the “Book and Periodical Printing and Binding” industry standard issued by the General Administration of Press and Publication. Publication printing quality must reach the qualified product level or above.
2. The company will establish a unified publication printing quality management mechanism. The Textbook Publishing Center and the Publication Printing Quality Management Center will handle daily management and specific coordination of designated printing business and printing quality, while relevant departments of publishing units will assign dedicated personnel to participate in coordination and management.

IV. Pricing and Material Supply Management for Designated Printing Plants

The company and its affiliated publishing houses must strictly implement the printing price standards set out in the “Publication Printing Price Table” issued by the company. Paper will be procured through unified tendering by the Pulp and Paper Center on the principle of selecting the best and most economical price, while other raw and auxiliary materials will be provided by the Printing Materials Company on the principle of high quality and low price.

—This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn), original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-362221.html