[kjb]

Does anyone have any opinions on the future of pre-press? Specifically, I'm wondering about color separation, traditionally speaking. Do you think digital processing will completely kill off traditional prepress. What about mock-up? Do you think mock up will still be around 5, 10, 20 years from now? I'm guessing it will- it's not like consumer goods and marketing materials are going to disappear completely.

Anyway, the reason I'm asking is because a friend and I are talking about buying a small pre-press/mock up shop from a guy that's wanting to retire early. I'm wondering if it's a dieing niche, or if there is still room to exist in the next 20 years or so. Thanks for any opinions.

K.

[Corys]

I personally don't see how a "prepress" only shop could make it long term...A lot of the services that a prepress shop offered are just not required anymore, there is still some high end scanning, but a huge percentage of that has gone digital.

Print shops rarely farm out their trapping/system work/platemaking.

When you say Mock-up, what exactly are you talking about?

[almaink]

All of the prepress shops around here have retooled to do digital printing or traditional printing or have closed the doors.

[kjb]

Originally posted by Corys:


When you say Mock-up, what exactly are you talking about?

He'll take "prototype" files for posters, retail packaging, candy bar wrappers, product boxes, etc. and make the mock-ups for print shops/marketing depts/designers so they can see the real thing in order to make a decision. This seems to be a fairly decent chunk of the business.

Thanks for the responses.

K.