Establishing an “in-house” pre press department

[Craigo202]

We’re thinking of establishing an “in-house” pre press department to help control costs, color management, and overall improved workflows (faster than using and outside vendor).
Can anyone recommend a group that could come in look at what we do and the amount and offer product, workflows, and suggest the type of person needed to run this department
thank you

 

[Ian Mackenzie]

Craig -

There are several types of people and/or entities that could possibly help you here.

1. The "consultant" (Really a dealer with a laid back approach...;-)
2. The dealer
3. The manufacturer
4. The printer

IMO - you would be well advised to work with your current print provider to set up a department that can make and send proofs to match the jobs that you will be sending them.

Sometimes, it can be as easy as just getting a printer, RIP and paper to match the files that your printer sends you via FTP or other.

However, YMMV, and to get better responses, you may need to provide more info.

 

[Craigo202]

Ian,


thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately we use many different printers that print on various substrates etc...so its difficult to work from that approach. We've been courted by 1 "consultant" that wants to sell product and another that wants to lease everything and tie into their "system". I don't know enough about the industry so I want to turn over some rocks to get a better understanding and perhaps hear/see some continuities between the consultants, dealers etc..

 

[Ian Mackenzie]

You may have good results posting your request on a forum over at Linked In.

It is essential that provide info for the old "G.I.>G.O." cliche holds true here.
Info like:

1. Are you printing/prrofing to standards like GRACoL or SWOP?
2. Are you proofing single pages, double pages, sigs, etc. (This determines what size printer you may need)
3. There will be those who may tout Monitor/Soft proofing as a solution. Be ready.
4. What kind of work do you do?
5. Do you create content? Do you work in PDF workflow? Do you need preflight?

Some consultants are truly excellent at what they do. Others use the word "consultant" as a synonym for "home-based reseller". You will also need supplies....as in paper, ink, etc. Make sure you factor that in.

again, the more info the better.

 

[mattbeals]

You could hire a consultant to help get basics established. As for someone to run it, that can be a bit more difficult. If you're being courted by someone who is trying to tie one thing to another I would be cautious. There are many different tools available that do not need to be tied to any contract or anything else. Typically consultants like to tie into contracts for ongoing revenue. But that's not always best for you. Use a consultant to help pick the best workflow tools, practices and procedures to build a workflow that is vendor neutral or at least easily adaptable to many different vendors. That way you have the flexibility. The system(s) and workflow should be easily manageable and understandable. Otherwise you end up with more of a mess than you began with. You want to look at industry best practices and standards, adhere to those and work with vendors who also work with industry standards.

I'd be happy to talk with you about this. Maybe I'ma good fit, maybe I'm not. But I'd still be open to talking with you so you can at least get a second opinion if you are interested.

 

[marktonk]

Craigo202

I do not know if you are a printer or not but Heidelberg offers solutions from the Internet to postpress and anywhere in between. If you have our presses, we have integration form MIS to Prepress to Press second to none. Currently, between MIS and Prepress, we have 33 presets we can digitally provide to some of our new presses, greatly reducing makeready. Our color management is also excellent, we have been involved with color management since the mid 90's. If you have any specifics, please let me know.

Regards,

mark

 

[PDL]

EskoArtwork certainly has the resources, the people, the products, and the expertise, to be able to sit down with you and listen to what your goals are for your new venture, and then construct with you a game plan to accomplish them. Check out our website, Packaging and printing pre-production solutions - EskoArtwork , take a look at our solutions (all customizable) based on industry/workflows, if you have any questions, when you are ready, gives us a call.
Good luck with your new project.

 

[Johntron]

Why not simply gather your thoughts into a well-written Help Wanted Ad and see if you can't find someone with the experience to get this off the ground. What you are looking for isn't terribly difficult if you can find someone who has already worked in that environment.

For instance, I went from being a "pre-flighter" to running the printing department at a large format printing company. There were no opportunities for me to grow with them further so I started my own business, but there are definitely people out there that might be able to help.

On the flip side you could consider finding someone who already has a dept like the one you are aiming for, and offer them a consulting payment to advise you in these efforts. I did this for that same company I worked for 2 years later when they were under new ownership. The owner called me whenever he needed help with training or such and I billed him by the hour until he could run on his own.

 

[PatrickMcd]

Question for you folks out in the Trade: Should the "Go To Guy" in the pre-press department be making the same salary as a jorneyman pressman? This person is very experienced and being paid about 7k less annually? Is it justified?

 

[Johntron]

That's a fairly loaded question. You'd have to give more details about each person's experience, time with the company, and responsibilities. You'd also have to consider the geographic location of the business and availability of good workers in your field.

I know where I live, both jobs would be very hard to fill with experienced workers. But you'll get many more applicants for "digital file pushers" than press operators.

In the end, like all things in life, any given thing is only worth what someone will pay for it.

 

[PatrickMcd]

We are in-house shop. He has 20 yrs as a "real stripper", and about 9yrs ctp. This person knows how to print. It is agreed that this person is underpaid, we are looking for a lateral comparison to justify an increase. In the trade, should such a person be making high-end pressroom salary?

 

[dleather]

Do you have someone in your company now who works with your prepress vendors closely? If so, they may know your vendors' prepress workflow and be able to tell you some important things: like how many people you may need to hire, what kind of equipment you need, etc. If you're looking to streamline, it's a good idea to attend a conference to soak in the entirety of what's available to see exactly what you need and (more importantly) what you DON'T need. If this is a move to save money, you don't want to be amortizing unnecessary machines for the next four years. Last suggestion, ask around. Call other businesses in your area and try to touch base with a Creative Director or someone who has an idea about prepress. Maybe you and set up a meeting and see exactly what they have.

 

[Ian Mackenzie]

This thread does not need to be hijacked with a different topic. If you want feedback on labor, etc, then I suggest you start a new topic.

As for the original post, well, perhaps it will help if you look at all (or some) of the components needed to put together a department. (Not counting the actual labor.)

1. Mac hardware
2. Good monitor
3. FTP server or some file transmission program
4. Software for Mac (InDesign, Acrobat,etc.)
5. Good spectro and profiling software
6. Perhaps preflighting software (may not need workflow software yet.)
7. Inkjet RIP (and possible computer for it)
8. Inkjet printer
9. Inkjet paper
10. Light booth
11. Training and consultation.(Dialing in the proofs to standards, etc.)
12. Color laser printer for comps

I'm sure i have missed some things.

Knowing basic things like this will help weed out the "wanna-bes". If you have to go out and source all of this stuff yourself, then you will be busy. There are those who can do it all. Leverage your paper use to get people to do this stuff for you.

You will need a reseller from whom you will buy all your supplies. Ask them do a lot of the upfront work to earn your business. If you ping me offline, I can provide reseller references. (We were once in that business.)

Just beware of the consultant who will magically recommend the products that they just happen to sell. also, most manufacturers cannot supply all necessary components as they do not make them....;-)

 

[Ultimate]

One advice is that you can get lots of valuable free advice from experts on multiple forums and from multiple vendors too.

At the end of your investigation process, you'll certainly want to have an "open architecture" workflow, not being locked in with a workflow vendor that offers it all. Being "modular" will allow you to have the best technology on the market, at a much lower price. With the number of very good solutions on the market for automation, preflight, color, imposition and RIP, you'll be able to build something very efficient. Moreover, using the most popular tools will allow you to gain access to a broader range of people that can work with these (employees, etc.).

We offer a modular imposition solution which is hot folder based. You can try a complete version for free.
(actually, all respectable vendors will offer you a complete and a free trial of their solutions)

Good luck,
Ray Duval
Ultimate Technographics Inc.
www. imposition. com

 

[geozinger]

We’re thinking of establishing an “in-house” pre press department to help control costs, color management, and overall improved workflows (faster than using and outside vendor).
Can anyone recommend a group that could come in look at what we do and the amount and offer product, workflows, and suggest the type of person needed to run this department
thank you

It's a little hard to divine exactly what you're trying to accomplish by starting an "in-house" pre-press department, because you don't specify what kind of shop you're in or what it is you're printing or having done by outside vendors.

Working in pre-press at a commercial printer, we get all kinds of files and problems from our customers, but our best (technical) customers have established a line of communication to see what it is we need from them to keep costs down and quality up. They rely on us to do our part of the work, but are willing to do the best preparation of their files, which we are happy to advise them about.

I guess I'm unclear as to your motivations for going this route.

 

[ajr]

Why dont you go back to your current supplier, tell them youre not happy and see what they are going to do about it. They may be able to upgrade there workflow systems to give you the service level you need.

This would be a cheaper option.

AjR

 

[WiseGuy]

It's a little hard to divine exactly what you're trying to accomplish by starting an "in-house" pre-press department, because you don't specify what kind of shop you're in or what it is you're printing or having done by outside vendors.

Working in pre-press at a commercial printer, we get all kinds of files and problems from our customers, but our best (technical) customers have established a line of communication to see what it is we need from them to keep costs down and quality up. They rely on us to do our part of the work, but are willing to do the best preparation of their files, which we are happy to advise them about.

I guess I'm unclear as to your motivations for going this route.

I would have to agree with this statement. Given that you work with many different printers, it's going to be difficult to know all the specs for each of your print vendors. All presses and finishing equipment have their own needs and the only one that knows that is the printer themselves. This is why Service Bureaus went away in the 90's and commercial printers took on the film and platemaking themselves.

I would try to look at your original problem that you're having with your vendors. It could just be you need to invest more into better file creation, preflighting, and color management so that you're more consistent with what you produce and let the printers make the plates and deal with the tweaking. Besides... if you do the work and create the final files or plates... you also assume the responsibility for any errors. At least now if prepress messes up at one of your vendors, they have to eat the cost, not you.

Good luck!
Michael

 

[Craigo202]

1. We are printing SWOP.
2. We're proofing single pages.
3. In the photo studio we're using several Eizo CG222W along with eye one eye calibration
4. We create content in a PDF workflow and yes we already preflight?

 

[mattbeals]

As a practical matter you are not too far off from where you want to be for having your own in house prepress department. Add a GMG or ORIS proofing RIP, an Epson printer, some color management and you're basically there. There are always add ons that expand your functionality, but you are close to where you want to be right now. You don't need a full fledged RIP/integrated workflow, but it would help. What my suggestion would be is talk with your vendors, standardize what you are doing and come up with a set of best practices and standard operating procedures. You can go a long, very long, way with just that. This doesn't have to be expensive or overly complex if it is well planned.