Business Details
Full-Service Commercial Printing Solutions
Carter Printing is a family-owned full-service print company serving Des Moines since the late 1920s. Founded on a legacy of craftsmanship and innovation, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality print solutions tailored to meet diverse business communication needs. Our capabilities span digital printing, offset printing, bindery and finishing, mailing services, and design/prepress support. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, we ensure vibrant color reproduction, crisp detail, and efficient production for projects ranging from short-run digital jobs to high-volume offset printing. With a dedicated team of 15 professionals, we maintain a tradition of excellence through advanced equipment, in-house expertise, and a commitment to personalized service.Our bindery department offers comprehensive finishing options, including cutting, folding, collating, and laminating, while our CSAA-certified mailing services streamline address verification and sorting. Backed by over a century of generational experience, we provide honest advice, quick turnaround times, and competitive pricing. Our digital archives and nightly server backups ensure file security, and we support seamless digital file transfers through secure FTP. As a trusted local partner, we blend historical expertise with modern techniques to deliver reliable, high-impact print solutions for businesses in Des Moines and beyond.
Services
Digital Printing
Offset Printing
Bindery & Finishing
Mailing Services
Design & Prepress
Business Cards
Postcards
Posters
Banners
Silk Screen Printing
Highlights and features
- Four generations of family ownership since 1923
- Comprehensive in-house printing and finishing capabilities
- CSAA-certified mailing services for postal accuracy
- State-of-the-art digital and offset printing technology
- 15 experienced professionals dedicated to quality and service
Associations and certifications
- CSAA Certified
Services
Digital Printing
Our state-of-the-art digital printing technology produces vibrant colors and crisp black-and-white results for flyers, brochures, and proposals. Ideal for smaller runs under 2,000 copies with fast turnaround times, this service handles full-color, two-color, or single-color projects on diverse paper types. With digital printing, businesses achieve up to 15% higher impact in reader engagement compared to standard monochrome printing.
Offset Printing
We operate six modern offset presses capable of handling sheets up to 20x26 inches and 40# offset to 15pt stock. This method ensures high-volume production with precise color consistency for complex multi-color projects. Our skilled pressroom team delivers superior quality for large-scale printing needs while maintaining competitive turnaround times and cost efficiency.
Bindery & Finishing
In-house bindery services include cutting, folding, collating, stitching, laminating, and shrink-wrapping. We accommodate specialized needs like perforation, scoring, and hole drilling for custom finishing. These capabilities ensure complete project fulfillment from initial print to final presentation, reducing reliance on external vendors and streamlining production timelines.
Mailing Services
Our CSAA-certified mailing services include high-speed inkjet addressing, NCOA database updates, variable data imaging, and postal presorting. This comprehensive solution handles all stages from printing to final postage, ensuring compliance with postal regulations. Businesses benefit from reduced mailing costs and improved delivery accuracy through automated sorting and tracking systems.
Design & Prepress
Our design team provides end-to-end prepress support including layout, color correction, and file preparation. Using Adobe Creative Suite and QuarkXPress, we create both simple and complex designs optimized for print output. Epson color proofing systems ensure accurate color matching, while nightly server backups safeguard client files throughout the production process.
Questions
What printing services does Carter Printing offer?
We provide digital printing, offset printing, bindery and finishing, mailing services, and graphic design support. Our capabilities include business cards, banners, posters, and custom silk-screen apparel printing.
How long has Carter Printing been in business?
Carter Printing has served Des Moines since 1923, maintaining family ownership across four generations with continuous operational improvements.
Are your mailing services certified?
Yes, our mailing operations are CSAA-certified and include address validation, sorting, and full-service postal solutions for improved delivery accuracy.
Do you handle large-format printing?
Yes, we produce large-format aluminum signs, vinyl banners, foamcore displays, and window graphics up to 15 oz blockout vinyl specifications.
What file formats do you prefer for printing?
We recommend high-resolution PDF files using PDF/X-4 standards, though we also support Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Microsoft Office formats.
Is Carter Printing locally owned?
Yes, we remain family-owned with three generations actively involved in daily operations since our 1923 founding in downtown Des Moines.
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