1998 Ranking of Digital Prepress Leaders 1998 Ranking of Digital Prepress Leaders By Hadley Sharples Associate Editor Merger mania continued to sweep the prepress segment of the graphic arts industry, a trend reflected in the departure of several companies from this year's list of the top U.S. prepress companies. In addition, mergers and acquisitions resulted in several firms reporting significant increases in sales figures during the last year. A number of mid-size firms that appeared on last year's list were acquired by larger prepress or printing firms. Focus outside prepress Key trends the industry witnessed over the last several years continue to develop. Prepress firms are increasingly relying on services such as printing, design, digital photography, and new media to supplement sagging prepress sales.
Asset management seems to be growing as a strategic focus for many prepress firms as well.
Most of the firms on our list indicate the Internet will exert great influence on the industry in the long term. While a few prepress firms offer Web page design and Web site management services, almost all use the Internet regularly in their daily businesses. All but one prepress firm reported using the Internet for file transfer, and all but two reported using e-mail. A few firms even use the Web for job tracking, job estimating, and remote proofing. Despite the upheaval this industry segment has endured, many prepress firms enjoyed strong sales in the last year and are optimistic about the future.