Pre-press: In-house or out?

The decision to have prepress in-house or employ the services of a specialist is very crucial in the print market, and printers are required to consider several factors before making this decision. More plates and sleeves are produced through specialized pre-press houses than ever before. These companies are closer to the brand owners or retailers and it is their job to know the requirements of the brand owner and also to through their own procedures of fingerprinting each printing press they make for the exacting tolerances. In the wide web market, the growth of continuous sleeves with or without butt joins is growing and the benefits in reduced makereadies, exacting register and faithful reproduction brings economic savings. If the company makes its own plates, it will be possible to compare costs for outsourcing. The situation should be discussed with the plate supplier and also with local pre-press house so that most effective and efficient way can be explored.