The Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn is an exceptionally complete and well-preserved medieval northern European trading city on the coast of the Baltic Sea, less than 2 hours by plane from Oslo, Norway.
The city developed as a significant centre of the Hanseatic League during the major period of activity of this great trading organization in the 13th-16th centuries.
The printing house we are going to with Frode Fjellberg is known for printing quality books, and is especially selected for this project. Frode has a large printing business in Estonia together with his local business partner, Andrus. They have been printing books for Norwegian clients for more than 10 years, and we know that our new book is in the best of hands!
As they run a tight ship both in terms of quality and price, it’s possible to print such a high quality book within a reasonable budget.
Upon arrival at the printing facility, we are excited. There is this unique and special smell … a mix of ink, machinery and coffee …
And there is a buzz and a critical deadline to be met … big machines are waiting, the last check files are in the making and last minute modifications are done.
There is no turning back!
The book will finally be produced. Large printing machines are ready to kick start the process, an enormous amount of paper sheets will go through the press. With 16 book pages on each sheet, 8 on each side, we need 22 plate sets to print all our 344 pages! And printed on the high quality Arctic Volume White 150g, we are talking almost 12.000 kilos of books that shall be bound and sent out to all the 55 participating hotels, to travellers in Norway and to other potential visitors wanting to discover Western, Southern, Central and Northern Norway – and Spitsbergen. The book is made in both English and Norwegian.
Puhhhh … we are finally here!
In today´s world, the printing process is mostly automatic. However, when the large machines start up and we get our first “proofs” in hand, it is unbelievably exciting; What will it really look like on paper? The images, the text and the titles; layout we have worked with for so long?
After staying the whole day and checking 5 plate sets going through the print process in both languages, the printing shall continue throughout the night and early hours. We are relieved. This is looking good! The editor can sign – and the printers are smiling proudly. The signature is their clear signal; go ahead!
When we leave the printing house after a full day of checking, updating, and modifying, we are grateful for the fine print and the experienced and skilled printers.
The next time we will see the book again is when it arrives at the different destinations, and we get to hold it in our hands.
There is nothing like the smell of a freshly printed book!
Best wishes from Praktbokforlaget!