Improving the Pre-Press Process

Having the latest and greatest equipment and tools at your disposal makes work go smoother and faster. But some things never change.

Process.

“Even in this age of faster processors and ever more demanding clients, we still follow a basic process when it comes to preparing and getting a project approved,” Sherry Valentine said. “It doesn’t matter how new, fast or cheap something is, quality workmanship boils down to process,” she said.

Sherry is in charge of pre-press and digital printing at Executive Press. Executive Press is a full-service printing company headquartered in Richardson, Texas, and has been in business since the early 1980s.

The pre-press process at Executive Press revolves around these four basic steps:

1. Design or file acceptance. “Whether we generate the file or the client delivers the file to us,” Sherry noted,” every project starts with an original.” 
2. Proof. Email or hard copy, the work has to be seen and approved by the client. 
3. Imposition. “This is the step where we make a plate or a master, in the case of the digital press,” Sherry said. “We are about ready to go to press.” 
4. Platemaking. “Once all is approved and proofed, we go into actual production and make a plate,” Sherry said. 

Recently, Executive Press upgraded their pre-press equipment. New Apple Macintoshes were installed to provide more memory, increase processing speed and handle the latest software applications.

It is a dream to work here now,” Sherry said. “This new equipment makes all the difference in the world when it comes to improving quality and saving time,” she said.

You can reach Sherry and the rest of the Executive Press team at 214-217-7000 or at their website.