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What keeps your printing business in business? It’s a simple question, but leadership teams often respond with complex answers. Operations managers point to capital investments that drive speed and efficiency. Prepress operators cite automation tools that reduce labor. While these are important, the real answer is fundamental: you must make more money than you spend. The proof is in the profit—and that profit hinges on the accuracy of your Budgeted Hourly Rates (BHRs).

BHRs represent the cost—direct and indirect—required to operate a piece of equipment or deliver a service per hour. This becomes the baseline rate to break even. Every estimate, every quote, and every job ticket should be grounded in BHRs to ensure profitability. Without accurate BHRs, your pricing can miss the mark—either undercharging and eroding profits or overcharging and losing business.