Print Lab
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Print Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Print Lab
- Legal name
- Printlab
- Website
- https://printlab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Print Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Photo Printing and Fine Art Reproduction Services
- NAICS
- Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111), Photographic Services (54192)
- SIC
- Commercial Printing (2750), Services-Photofinishing Laboratories (7384)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Large-Format & Specialty Printing (Signage, Posters, Displays) (MPAJALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Photo Printers & Dedicated Imaging Printers (HDACAEAG)
Keywords
Where Print Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Print Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Photo Printing Services: Printlab generates revenue through various printing services including archival pigment printing (giclée), Piezography B&W printing, standard/autolab printing, and print-ready file services. Pricing varies by paper type (Baryta, Rag, Luster, Canvas) and size. 25% discount offered for print-ready files.
- Film and Art Scanning Services: Revenue from scanning services including small, medium, and large size film scans, contact sheets, and fine art reproduction scans using METIS technology. Additional services include proofs and adjustments.
- Mounting and Framing Services: Custom framing using archival materials and UV-rated glass/plexiglass, prefabricated ALUMA aluminum frames, and cold mounting services on various board materials. Revenue from both custom framing and prefabricated framing solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cost-effective standard printing on luster paper with basic corrections |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Professional archival pigment printing with expert file preparation and complimentary proof |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Piezography B&W printing with 10 shades of black at 720dpi |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Film scanning services at three quality tiers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fine art reproduction scanning using METIS technology |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cold mounting services on various board materials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Prefabricated ALUMA aluminum frames with optional custom matting |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Print Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Printlab is a Chicago-based fine art printing studio founded in 1987 that produces museum-quality archival pigment (Giclée) prints, high-definition Piezography black-and-white prints, professional film scanning, fine art reproduction scanning, and custom archival mounting and framing. The studio serves professional photographers, artists, museums, galleries, and cultural heritage institutions by combining specialized equipment (METIS flatbed scanners, Heidelberg drum scanners, 12-color and 7-color pigment printers) with 39 years of color management expertise to deliver gallery- and museum-grade output. Customers submit orders through a Google Forms / WeTransfer workflow and receive jobs via worldwide shipping, paying per-job fees sized by paper and print dimensions.
Product overview
Print Lab is a professional photo printing studio offering a comprehensive suite of printing services centered around archival pigment (Giclée) printing and fine art reproduction. The core product portfolio includes: (1) Pigment Printing / Giclée Printing as the flagship professional service with full file preparation; (2) Piezo B&W Printing using proprietary Piezography technology for high-definition black-and-white; (3) Film Scanning using Heidelberg drum scanners; (4) Fine Art Reproduction using METIS flatbed scanners; (5) Autolab Printing as a cost-effective standard option; (6) Print-Ready Files for self-prepared files at discounted rates; and (7) Mounting & Framing services for complete print display solutions. The studio also offers Alternative Processes such as Platinum/Palladium printing. Services range from professional museum-quality output to standard cost-effective printing, with mounting and framing available as add-on display solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pigment Printing / Giclée Printing Archival fine art printing service using 12-color and 7-color pigment-based printers on premium fine art papers (Baryta, Matte/Rag, Luster/Photo, Canvas) with fade-resistant archival inks. Includes professional file preparation and a complimentary proof print. Targeted at professional photographers, fine artists, museums, galleries, and cultural institutions needing museum-quality color prints.
- Piezography B&W Printing Premium black-and-white printing service using the Piezography High-Definition system with 10 different shades of black at 720dpi resolution and 16-bit output for maximum tonal gradation, deepest blacks, smooth gradients, linear printing, archival permanence, and warm/cool toning. Any size available on Baryta or Rag papers. Targeted at fine art photographers and artists seeking the highest-quality monochrome output.
- Film Scanning Professional film digitization using a Heidelberg Tango XL drum scanner at three quality tiers (Small 14" long edge, Medium 24" long edge, Large 40x50+), plus contact sheet scanning. Targeted at photographers and archivists needing high-quality digital conversions of film originals.
- Fine Art Reproduction Scanning High-fidelity scanning of original artwork for reproduction, using the METIS 1220 DCS Plus flatbed scanner and a custom-built large-format flatbed scanner at up to 1200dpi, with proofs and adjustments available. Targeted at museums, galleries, cultural heritage institutions, and artists needing archival-quality reproductions.
- Autolab Printing Cost-effective standardized printing using Printlab's archival printers and inks, restricted to Luster paper and preset sizes (4x6 through 12x18) with basic corrections and volume discounts. Targeted at photography and art enthusiasts needing professional-grade output at lower cost.
- Print-Ready File Printing Discounted pigment printing tier (25% off) for image-makers supplying their own properly sized, resolved, and color-adjusted print-ready files that bypass Printlab's setup process. Targeted at professional image-makers and studios with in-house prepress capability.
- Mounting and Framing Custom framing using archival materials and UV-rated glass/plexiglass, prefabricated ALUMA aluminum frames (with optional custom matting in Wood Pulp or Cotton), and cold mounting services on 3A Fome-Cor, 3mm Sintra, and 3mm ACM panel substrates. Targeted at professional photographers, artists, museums, and galleries needing archival-quality presentation solutions.
Companies that use Print Lab
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Print Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Print Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Print Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Icon: New York-based digital fine art print studio offering archival pigment, B&W, and specialty services to photographers and artists — a city-level comparable in service mix.
- White House Custom Colour: Long-established professional photo lab offering fine art printing, B&W services, and a wide range of substrates with strong direct-to-photographer positioning — the closest large-scale direct peer to Printlab.
- Bay Photo: California-based professional photo lab with deep fine art, metal, and acrylic print offerings serving working photographers and artists — directly comparable in customer base and premium print focus.
- Nations Photo Lab: Professional photo printing lab serving photographers nationwide with archival papers, B&W options, and mounting — a high-volume comparable in the same professional printing category.
- AdoramaPix: Online professional photo printing service offering fine art, canvas, and metallic prints for photographers and artists — directly overlapping in product line and target customer.
- Artifact Imaging: Specialist in fine art reproduction, cultural heritage scanning, and large-format giclée printing — directly comparable to Printlab's museum and fine art reproduction services.
- Linden Arts: Fine art print studio offering pigment/Giclée, Piezography B&W, and film scanning — a directly comparable niche competitor in the premium B&W and fine art segment.
- Durham's Imaging: Specialty lab offering pigment printing, B&W services, and film scanning with a similar boutique, craft-focused positioning to Printlab.
Broad incumbents
- Mpix: Large-scale online photo printing platform serving both pros and enthusiasts with broader product breadth and lower price points — overlaps with Printlab's Autolab and print-ready tiers.
- Shutterfly: Mass-market photo printing and personalized products platform — broader incumbent competing at the consumer/hobbyist tier of the photo printing market that Printlab also serves.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Print Lab social profiles
Digital presencePrint Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Print Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Print Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Print Lab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Print Lab
What does Print Lab do?
Printlab is a Chicago-based fine art printing studio founded in 1987 that produces museum-quality archival pigment (Giclée) prints, high-definition Piezography black-and-white prints, professional film scanning, fine art reproduction scanning, and custom archival mounting and framing. The studio serves professional photographers, artists, museums, galleries, and cultural heritage institutions by combining specialized equipment (METIS flatbed scanners, Heidelberg drum scanners, 12-color and 7-color pigment printers) with 39 years of color management expertise to deliver gallery- and museum-grade output. Customers submit orders through a Google Forms / WeTransfer workflow and receive jobs via worldwide shipping, paying per-job fees sized by paper and print dimensions.
Is Print Lab a public or private company?
Print Lab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Print Lab founded?
Print Lab was founded in 1987. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Print Lab based?
Print Lab is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Print Lab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Professional Photo Printing Services are the primary driver. The others are film and Art Scanning Services and mounting and Framing Services.
Who are Print Lab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Icon, White House Custom Colour, Bay Photo, Nations Photo Lab, AdoramaPix, Artifact Imaging, Linden Arts and Durham's Imaging. Broad incumbents are Mpix and Shutterfly.
Does Print Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Print Lab.
What industry is Print Lab in?
Print Lab's product category is Professional Photo Printing and Fine Art Reproduction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJALAD, Large-Format & Specialty Printing (Signage, Posters, Displays), with a secondary code of HDACAEAG, Photo Printers & Dedicated Imaging Printers. Its NAICS code is 323111 and its SIC code is 2750.