Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions of Business, September 2023.

WHEREAS

A) The Magazine Production Company Limited is a magazine design and production company.

B) The Customer has engaged The Magazine Production Company Limited to organise its design and/or print production and/or printing requirements as detailed below.

IT IS AGREED as follows:

1. INTERPRETATION

In this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:
“MPC” The Magazine Production Company Limited, a company registered in England number 6414534;
“Customer” is the person or company that purchase services and/or goods;
“Services” the services specified in the MPC’s terms and conditions; and invoice;
“Product” the magazine, journal, newsletter, leaflet or any print or design project the Customer arranges with MPC;
“Brief” the written or verbal instructions that the Customer gives to MPC;
“Proof” the visual to the Customer that the Product is correct and may be sent to the print process;
“Quotation” the costs (in some cases ‘estimated’) provided by MPC to the Customer and to which the Customer must agree before any work can commence on the Product;

1.1. Any preceding definitions apply to the singular or the plural form of the term used as the context may require.
1.2. In this Agreement:
1.2.1. clause headings are inserted for ease of reference only and do not affect construction; references to “writing” or cognate expressions includes a reference to email or comparable means of communication;
1.2.2. words importing one gender shall be treated as importing any gender, words importing individuals shall be treated as importing bodies corporate, corporations, unincorporated associations and partnerships and vice-versa, words importing the singular shall be treated as importing the plural and vice-versa, and words importing whole shall be treated as including a reference to any part thereof;
1.2.3. references to clauses or appendices are to the clauses or appendices of this Agreement.

2. SERVICES

2.1. By this agreement presented to the Customer, the Customer authorises The Magazine Production Company Limited and its associated companies to proceed with the product's design, production, and submission for printing as per the Brief submitted by the Customer.
2.2. MPC will provide the following services to its Customers:
2.2.1. MPC will provide a comprehensive solution to its Customer, offer a professional level of service, and act professionally to the Customer’s Customers and its advertisers.
2.2.2. MPC’s services also includes all communication, preparation, placement, design, typography, checking the print compliance of supplied artwork (and informing the Customer if it contains a problem), file management of all images & finalised text provided by the Customer or nominated member of their company, preparing all aspects of design for print compliance, submission of proofs (whether by hard copy or PDF files) in good time for the Customer to make amendments where necessary, for us to make those amendments and resubmit proofs if required.
2.2.3. MPC will, at the Customer's request, create adverts and liaise, if required, with its advertisers (this service may incur additional fees).
2.2.4. The creation of adverts (inclusive of the page rate) is limited to 30 minutes per advert irrespective of size (of which the advertiser will need to submit copy and images), after which an additional charge may apply for more intense work. If so, this will be discussed with the Customer.
2.2.5. MPC will prepare all pages to the respective printing companies requirements for successful output for print and aim to submit by the specified deadline.

3. MATERIAL AND CONTENT

3.1. The Customer agrees to provide us with proof-read finalised clean copy, high-resolution images, design guidance (if required), and the content we need to create the product. With the Customers instruction, MPC will pursue additional material if the Customer cannot source it themselves. The Customer agrees to be charged for any additional services or goods to obtain such content.
3.1.1. If the Customer cannot supply the information the Customer wishes to feature in the product, MPC endeavours to source what it can within a limited amount of time by the set prices.
3.2. MPC allows minor typographic amendments within the agreed set price. However, if the Customer supplies content that later requires extensive amendments, we reserve the right to apply an Author Amendment fee. This is charged in half-hour units. If production time allows, we may offer the Customer to clean up previously supplied content and resubmit. However, this may attract an additional page rate being applied due to time reformatting of content a second time around, but this remains at the discretion of MPC.
3.3. The Customer agrees to supply a proportion of content in readiness at the start of the production with the remaining content to follow but no later than 48 hours before the print deadline.
3.4. MPC will offer the best possible results in the finished product, but MPC accepts no responsibility for imperfect work caused by defects in or unsuitability of materials supplied or specified.

4. ESTIMATES

4.1. All work is estimated and is subject to sight of content supplied.
4.2. MPC will not be responsible for a re-estimated price differing from an original estimate, errors and omissions excepted.
4.3. MPC will endeavour to find the most appropriate and most economical solution to provide the Customer with an accurate price before work commences.
4.4. This agreement between the Customer and MPC will be adhered to at all stages unless the work is different from that originally Brief. In this case, additional costs may be incurred, and MPC will inform the Customer of such charges before work commences.

5. COSTS

5.1. MPC will invoice all work rendered by the Customer’s brief and will do everything it can to maintain those costs.
5.2. If MPC finds during the creative and production stages that additional work is required or the Customer has asked for further work which exceeds the original budgeted time allowed to fulfil the job successfully and/or this is outside of the initial Brief and Quotation (whether oral or written), MPC will advise the Customer of the additional time required and estimated additional costs to complete the product before work commences.
5.3. MPC will inform the Customer of any additional costs in good time. The Customer can approve or reject the costs.
5.4. If the Customer approves the revised costs, whether in writing or verbally, then MPC will carry out the work, and the Customer will be charged according to the following rates. A confirmation email by MPC may not be sent for smaller revised amounts.
5.5. If additional work is required at short notice, then Band rates may apply. Band A is the standard hourly rate; Band B is time and a half of the average hourly rate; Band C is double time of the hourly rate; Band D and E are treble the hourly rate, and completed during the following periods required by the Customer:
5.5.1 Band A rates apply Monday to Friday: 0900hrs-1800hrs
5.5.2 Band B rates apply Monday to Friday: 0600hrs-0859hrs – 1801hrs-2100hrs
5.5.3 Band C rates apply to weekends Saturday to Sunday: 0600hrs-2100hrs
5.5.4 Band D rates apply to night rates: 2101hrs until 0559hrs the following weekday
5.5.5 Band E rates apply to UK Public Bank Holidays from 0001hrs to 2359hrs of that day.
5.5.6 No services are offered on UK (England) Public Bank Holidays, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, New Years Day.
5.6. The current work rates are attached to each initial Quotation to the Customer.
5.7. If the Customer rejects the cost of the additional work, then MPC will not carry out the extra work required, and the Customer must inform MPC of an alternative solution.
5.8. If MPC informs the Customer and MPC do not hear from them within one working day, then MPC will carry out the work to complete the product in accordance to fulfil the brief, and the Customer will be charged accordingly.

6. ADDITIONAL WORK

6.1. MPC will include minor work (up to half-hour per item) within the set costs of magazine production. Still, additional work required outside this time will be quoted and charged according to our hourly rate specified in clause 5.5, and the Customer will be invoiced for work carried out.

7. PROOF AND SUBMISSION OF ARTWORK TO PRINT AGREEMENT

7.1. It is NOT in the remit of MPC to proof the content of the Customer’s product. If amendments are required, then clause 3.2 applies. The Customer must take all efforts to proofread, check and ensure all content of their product meets the Customer’s approval before commencement of printing.
7.2. MPC will endeavour to fulfil all instructions, but it is the Customer’s responsibility to ensure they have all been actioned as requested.
7.3. The Customer must confirm verbally or in writing (accepted by email) to proceed with the artwork for printing. If the Customer confirms verbally, then MPC will confirm back in an email, and this email will be the authority to proceed. If the product is complete and MPC do not receive confirmation of final approval, then MPC will take the initiative to proceed in submitting the artwork to the printing company in good time so as not to miss the print slot. The Customer will be responsible whether they have confirmed or not.
7.4. Sufficient proofing time and processes should be adhered to.
7.5. The Customer absolves MPC of all liability for any errors, omissions or discrepancies (including supplied artwork by its advertisers), which may be present on the proof, whether hard copy or digital PDF proof sent by email or Dropbox.
7.6. Once the Customer has agreed to proceed, the Customer can make additional changes up and to the point of the files being submitted to the printing company, after which the Customer will incur all costs to halt and amend relevant artwork and the reproduction of new amended plates if plates have already been produced. This is the Customer’s final opportunity to make changes to the content. Creating new plates can require additional time; therefore, delivery times will not be guaranteed. The Customer cannot make changes once the plates are on the printing press.
7.7. This Agreement revokes the Customer right to take any action against MPC for any aspect of the work with which the Customer is later dissatisfied. If the finished product is consistent with the proof as supplied, the Customer must pay in full for the job whether or not the Customer later takes issue with any aspect of the product. These terms are final and non-negotiable.
7.8. The printing of the product will come under the Terms and Conditions of the company that is physically printing the product.
7.9. If the Customer uses their own chosen printing company, then the MPC contract is finalised once the artwork has been dispatched to pre-press. The invoice is then payable in full.

8. DELAYED, FAILED OR MISSED PRODUCTION SCHEDULES AND DEADLINES

PLEASE NOTE: Because of the amount of time required to turn round publications, Production Artists time needs to be allocated and booked several weeks in advance to ensure priority can be given to the Customer’s title when the Customer requires. Customer communication is necessary to avoid charges being applied later.
8.1. The Customer MUST inform MPC at the earliest opportunity of any possible delay. If the Customer misses their production schedule and/or print deadline for whatever reason, then MPC will reallocate the production of the product to a new schedule so as not to hinder the delay or production of preceding magazines. The Customer will not receive priority outside the initially agreed production slot.
8.2. If the content of a job does not materialise in good time or the magazine is put on hold indefinitely during the production by the Customer, for whatever reason, then MPC reserves the right to invoice in full the originally agreed cost whether the work is complete or not. The recommencement of work will be charged by the agreement or by the hour if the budgeted time has been exceeded at the discretion of MPC.
8.3. MPC accepts no responsibility for any delay caused by the Customer providing insufficient, unsuitable or late content.
8.4. If the Customer notifies of any operational changes of production to other parties (including the Customer’s in-house production team) that will result in cancelled production time with MPC, then MPC reserve the right to charge:
8.4.1: 50% of the invoice value if informed in writing between 30 and 15 days before the start of the intended scheduled production, or;
8.4.2: 100% of the invoice value if notified in writing within 14 days to the start of the intended scheduled production.
8.5. If the Customer fails to notify MPC of any possible delay and continually misses their production schedules and/or print deadlines, then MPC reserves the right to charge the Customer where MPC experiences a direct cost caused by the Customer’s delay. The Customer is responsible for ensuring that finalised content is supplied in good time.

9. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OWNERSHIP AND ORIGINAL FILES AND IMAGES

9.1. The Customer owns the content and images they supply. MPC owns the intellectual property rights to the design work it creates contained within the InDesign file and its associated assets, such as additional page furniture it sourced. Any electronic files provided are for the stated use only and are not to be changed, adapted, or reused without written permission from MPC. Due to licensing restrictions, fonts cannot be supplied other than for output.
9.2. If the Customer has notified termination of business, as specified in clause 17, and that all invoices have been paid in full and to date, then MPC, for a mutually agreeable release fee, will provide all working backup copies, associated artwork and PDF files and prepare and supply on digital storage media to the Customer.

10. QUALITY OF THE PRINT

10.1. Every effort will be made to obtain the best possible colour reproduction on Customer’s work. Because of the nature of the processes involved, MPC cannot guarantee an exact match in colour or texture between any materials the Customer supplies us the printed article.

11. CLAIMS OF THE DELAYED, LOSS, NON-DELIVERY, DAMAGED PRINT

11.1. MPC will not be responsible for delayed, lost, non-delivery or damaged print goods.
11.2. If MPC has arranged the printing with its partnered companies, then the Customer must contact MPC in the first instance so MPC can liaise on behalf of the Customer to find the cause and resolve such issues between the Customer and the printing company. Our findings will be reported to the Customer.
11.3. Claims can be made to the printing company directly, of which the Terms and Conditions will fall under the company who printed the product.
11.4. If the Customer has sought the services of their own nominated printing company, then the Customer must liaise directly with their contact with the printing company.

12. COPYRIGHT

12.1. Unless negotiated and agreed in writing, the copyrights of general artwork, commissioned artwork, illustrations, and copy belong to MPC until paid in full.
12.2. If the Customer supplied MPC with the material, it is the Customer’s responsibility to obtain all necessary copyrights for its use. In agreeing to these terms and conditions, the Customer asserts its right to the copyright. In such cases, the copyright belongs to the Customer.
12.3. The Customer agrees to indemnify MPC from any claim regarding the use of material with which the Customer supplies to MPC.
12.4. MPC reserve the right to use any artwork or printing MPC has produced to promote MPC services unless the Customer request otherwise in writing.

13. ILLEGAL MATTER

13.1. MPC reserves the right not to print any matter deemed illegal, defamatory or offensive, or which may be an infringement of any third party's proprietary or other rights.
13.2. The Customer agrees to indemnify MPC regarding any claims, costs and expenses arising out of any libellous matter or any infringement of copyright, patent and design or of any other proprietary or personal rights contained in any material printed for the Customer. The indemnity shall extend to any amounts paid on a lawyer’s advice in settlement of any claim.

14. HOLIDAYS, ILLNESS AND TIME OFF DUE TO EMERGENCIES

14.1. Our directors and staff are entitled to holidays of which any delay in such events will be best accommodated to MPC’s ability.
14.2. MPC will advise its Customers of such events in good time and at the earliest opportunity.
14.3. MPC does not supply services on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, the last week of the calendar year (at the discretion of the Production Artist), New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
14.4. MPC does not supply services in evenings, weekends or public holidays unless by prior agreement (see 5.5).
14.5. If a member of MPC is unable to work due to illness or to attend to a personal emergency, then MPC will inform the Customer at the earliest opportunity. MPC will recommence the work at the earliest opportunity, or if an unavoidable time delay is foreseen, then MPC will instigate plans for another member of the company to take over the project. This may cause a delay in meeting print deadlines, and MPC will make every possible effort to submit the work on time.

15. PRICE BREAKDOWN

15.1. The invoice MPC sends the Customer will show the cost of the design, production, research process and fulfilment services if applicable. Supplying us with insufficient material and non-proofed content will increase the time spent on design and production, thereby, the final charge.
15.2. VAT is charged on the final invoice at the current Customs & Excise rates and according to current regulations, irrespective of whether or not it is included in an initial price quotation.

16. PAYMENT AND CREDIT TERMS

16.1. UK Customers must agree to pay in advance the template fee on order then 50% of the estimated value of the first issue with the balance being paid before the files being sent for print or being digitally published or;
16.1.1 International Customers must agree to pay in advance the template charge and the production of each issue.
16.2 If Credit Terms apply to UK Customers, all invoices must be made in full within 30-days of the invoice date or before the commencement of the next issue, whichever arrives soonest. The next issue will not commence until the previous issue has been paid in full.
16.3. If after 60-days, payment has not been received, then MPC reserves the right to refer the account to the legal department and will employ terms, costs and interest, which the Customer will be responsible for until the outstanding balance is paid in full.
16.4. Any unpaid invoices will be charged interest of 4% above the Lloyds Bank base rate at that current time.

17. TERMINATION OF BUSINESS

17.1. If the customer wishes to terminate or cease the services offered by MPC, the Customer must give at least 60-days written notice as time would have been allocated in advance. Failure to do so will provide MPC with the right to charge the customer in full based on the previous invoice or estimated cost on all intended or planned work for up to 60-days.
17.2. MPC reserves the right to terminate or cease services to Customers at any time. In any such event, MPC will give 30-days notice and commit to fulfil any outstanding work.
17.3. If there is an outstanding balance on the account, the customer must pay in full without prejudice.

18. INSOLVENCY

18.1. Any Customer ceasing to pay its debts in the ordinary course of business or proving unable to pay their debts as they become due or, being, a company, is deemed to be unable to pay its debts, or has a winding-up petition issued against it or, being a person, commits an act of bankruptcy or has a bankruptcy petition issued against it, MPC, without prejudice to other remedies, shall:
18.1.1. have the right not to proceed further or undertake other work for the Customer and be entitled to charge for work already carried out (whether completed or not) and materials purchased for the Customer, such charge to be an immediate debt due to it, and
18.1.2. in respect of all unpaid debts due from the Customer, have a general lien on all goods and property in its possession (whether worked on or not) and shall be entitled on the expiration of 14 days’ notice to dispose of such goods or property in such manner and at such price as MPC thinks fit and to apply the proceeds towards such debts.

19. DATA PROTECTION

19.1. By agreement with MPC, the directors, employees, freelance staff, and its associates of the printing companies/mailing houses will abide by Customer confidentiality at all times. If one of the aforementioned breaches trust and releases confidential information in the public domain or to MPC Customers, then MPC will seek legal action against that company or individual.
19.2. MPC agrees to keep the information of its customers confidential. All information will be treated as confidential in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

20. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS AND LIABILITY

20.1. MPC and its directors will accept no liability whatsoever for consequential or third party losses, resulting in incorrect print being supplied and/or a delay in delivery howsoever caused.
20.2. MPC and its directors accept no liability for financial loss or loss of earnings arising from products or services provided.
20.3. MPC shall not be liable for any loss to the Customer arising from delay in transit caused by circumstances beyond the company’s control.

21. FORCE MAJEURE

21.1. MPC accepts no responsibility if MPC is unable to carry out any provision of the contract for any reason beyond our control, including (without limiting the preceding) Act of God, legislation, war, the act of terrorism, the effects of an act of terrorism, fire, flood, drought, inadequacy or unsuitability of any instructions, electronic files or other data supplied by the Customer, failure of external servers, failure of power supply, lock-out, strike or other action taken by employees in contemplation or furtherance of a dispute or owing to any inability to procure materials required for the performance of the contract. During the continuance of such a contingency, the Customer may, by written notice to ourselves, elect to terminate the agreement and pay for work completed to date and materials used, but subject to it shall otherwise accept delivery when available.

22. NOTICES

22.1. Any notices served under this Agreement shall be in writing for the Customer's attention to the party’s contact details.
22.2. Notices may be served by personal delivery, e-mail or first class pre-paid post.
22.3. Any notice so given shall be deemed to have been delivered, if by hand, on the date of delivery, if by post, 48 hours after posting.

23. GENERAL

23.1. No variation to this Agreement shall be valid unless in writing signed by an authorised representative of the parties.
23.2. Save as expressly provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall operate to the entire exclusion of any other agreement or understanding of any kind between the parties preceding the date of this Agreement and in any way relating to the subject matter of this Agreement.
23.3. This Agreement constitutes the whole agreement and understanding of the parties as to its subject matter. There are no provisions, terms, conditions or obligations, whether oral or written, express or implied, other than those contained or referred to in this Agreement.
23.4. The failure by either party to enforce at any time or for any period any one or more of the terms of this Agreement shall not be a waiver of them of the right at any time subsequently to enforce all terms of this Agreement. The rights and remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies otherwise provided by law.
23.5. If any term or condition of this Agreement shall be determined to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, then it shall be deleted from this Agreement, and the remainder shall continue with full effect.
23.6. The Customer shall not assign, transfer or charge or purport to assign, transfer or charge this Agreement or any of its rights, liabilities or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of MPC.
23.7. Under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999, the parties intend that no term of this Agreement may be enforced by any person not a party to it.
23.8. The laws of England and Wales govern this Agreement, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
23.9. Any dates referred to in this Agreement, whether specifically or by implication, in relation to the Quotation shall refer to 9am on that day.