Prepress
Prepress Inc. is a San Francisco-based design, prepress, and print production company serving artists, agencies, and publishers with digital printing, color management, fine art reproduction, and bindery services since 1984.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Prepress does
Prepress Inc. is a privately held, full-service design, prepress, and print production company headquartered at 2203 Newcomb Avenue in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1984, the company operates from a single facility with 1–10 employees and serves local artists, advertising agencies, and nationally recognized publications. Service offerings span the full production workflow: book, catalog, and collateral printing; in-house design; file management and preflighting to press-ready PDFs; color management; SWOP/GRACoL7/FOGRA certified proofs; in-house digital photography and on-location shoots; drum scanning; inkjet fine art reproduction on archival papers with optional hand-torn deckled edges; variable data implementation; and binding (saddle stitch, perfect bind, hard case bind) with no minimum quantity requirement. Underlying technology is built around digital printing and prepress production hardware — including computer-to-plate (CTP) systems, digital presses calibrated to emulate sheetfed output, inkjet fine-art presses, and drum scanning equipment — together with proprietary file-saving workflows aligned to web and sheetfed press criteria.
The company makes money through per-project, quote-based pricing for both professional services (design, prepress, color management, scanning, photography, variable data) and one-time printing jobs (books, catalogs, collateral, fine art reproductions). Go-to-market is direct sales-led: customers engage via phone (415-520-7663), the website contact form, social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, legacy Google+), referrals, and walk-in consultations at the San Francisco facility. Revenue is generated project-by-project rather than through subscriptions or recurring contracts, and pricing is not publicly disclosed.
The customer mix is intentionally diversified across three primary segments — publications/publishers, artists/galleries, and advertising agencies — plus general business clients needing short-run work. Partnerships with ePressBooks (short-run/on-demand book printer) and Norfolk Press (San Francisco publisher) and a referral relationship with print broker Trademark Graphics extend the company's reach into adjacent production and fulfillment workflows. Operating geographies are limited to the United States, with no stated international expansion.
Prepress firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Prepress
- Legal name
- Prepress Inc
- Website
- https://prepress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Prepress Inc. is a San Francisco-based design, prepress, and print production company serving artists, agencies, and publishers with digital printing, color management, fine art reproduction, and bindery services since 1984.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Prepress industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Printing Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Printing (32312), Support Activities for Printing (323120), Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111)
- SIC
- Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Prepress & Composition Services (Typesetting, Layout, Color Management, Proofing) (MPAJALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Prepress, Plate-Making & Artwork Services (IMALAKAM), Finishing & Post-Press Services (Cutting, Folding, Collating, Laminating, Foil, Emboss) (MPAJALAF)
Keywords
Where Prepress is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Prepress business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Printing Services: One-time printing services including book, catalog, collateral printing, short-run and on-demand printing. No minimum quantity required. Revenue generated per print job based on specifications.
- Design Services: In-house design team providing design services for projects ranging from small postcards to large book projects.
- Prepress and Production Services: File management (preflighting to press-ready PDFs), color management, drum scanning, digital photography, SWOP certified proofs, and binding services.
- InkJet Fine Art Reproduction: Fine art reproduction using archival fine art papers on inkjet press. Artists may order prints as needed.
- Variable Data Implementation: Incorporation of variable data into print pieces, seamlessly adding independent copy from Excel files into postcards, brochures, or other materials.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based custom pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Prepress product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Prepress Inc. delivers integrated design, prepress, and print production services, including color and file management, digital photography and drum scanning, SWOP/GRACoL7/FOGRA certified proofs, inkjet fine art reproduction, in-house design services, short-run and on-demand digital printing, variable data implementation, and bindery (saddle stitch, perfect bind, hard case bind). The company serves publishers, artists, agencies, and businesses, with no minimum quantity requirements and quote-based custom pricing per project.
Product overview
Prepress is a full-service design, prepress and print production company offering an integrated suite of services for printing needs. The core offerings include Color and File Management (color manipulation and preflighting), Digital Photography and Drum Scanning, Color Proofs (SWOP/GRACoL7/FOGRA certified), InkJet Fine Art Reproduction, Design Services, Short-Run and On-Demand Printing, Variable Data Implementation, and Bindery services (saddle stitch, perfect bind, hard case bind). The company was established in 1984 and is based in San Francisco, California.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Color and File Management
Quantifiable outcome
- Print one copy as easily as 1,000 copies
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Prepress
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Prepress technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Prepress partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- ePressBooksminorA short-run and on-demand printer specializing in books, brochures, magazines and catalogs. They have design staff that can assist in designing projects and capability to drum scan or digitally capture high resolution images. They offer various binding processes: saddle stitch, perfect bind or hard-case bind.
- Norfolk PressminorNorfolk Press is a book and catalog publishing company based in San Francisco, established in 2009. Their in-house production services include printing, promotion, website development and fulfillment.
- Trademark GraphicsminorPrint broker mentioned in print buying tips article. They have built relationships with various printers and suppliers and can advocate for clients in the print world to get the best possible quality and price.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Prepress competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tukaiz: Chicago-based commercial print and direct marketing services company offering prepress, digital printing, bindery, and direct mail fulfillment. Comparable to Prepress because both bundle prepress, design, and digital print production for agencies and publishers, with similar variable data and short-run capabilities.
- Anderson Direct: California-based integrated direct marketing company providing prepress, printing, bindery, and direct mail services. Comparable to Prepress as a small-to-mid-sized integrated print and mail house targeting agencies and publishers with similar bundling of services.
- Sandy Alexander: Multi-service commercial printer offering prepress, digital and offset printing, bindery, and direct mail. Comparable to Prepress as a similarly positioned full-service print production partner for agencies and publishers needing integrated prepress-to-finish workflow.
- Calitho: Union City, California-based commercial printer with full prepress, digital and offset printing, finishing, and direct mail services. Comparable to Prepress due to overlapping Bay Area footprint, full-service prepress-to-bindery offerings, and similar publisher and agency customer base.
- Acumen Media: Independent commercial print and direct marketing firm offering prepress, digital printing, and mail fulfillment. Comparable to Prepress as a similarly-sized independent integrated print production house competing for the same publisher and agency clients.
- Classic Impressions: Full-service prepress and commercial printing company serving agencies, publishers, and brands across the U.S. Comparable to Prepress due to its prepress-centric service offering, color management expertise, and similar target customer segments.
- Cooke Color & Printing: Long-established commercial printer providing prepress, printing, and bindery services. Comparable to Prepress given its long operating history, color management focus, and traditional full-service print model for publishers and agencies.
Broad incumbents
- Walsworth Publishing: Multi-generation commercial and book printing company with prepress, print, binding, and distribution capabilities. Comparable to Prepress as a broader incumbent that overlaps directly in book, catalog, and magazine prepress and printing services.
- Quad/Graphics: One of the largest commercial printers in North America, offering prepress, printing, mailing, and integrated marketing services at massive scale. Comparable to Prepress as an incumbent in the same commercial printing and prepress space, though operating at vastly different scale and breadth.
Others
- Trademark Graphics: Print broker referenced in Prepress's own website content as a partner that advocates for clients in print procurement. Comparable to Prepress as an ecosystem participant in the same commercial print supply chain, channeling work to printers like Prepress.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Prepress social profiles
Digital presencePrepress compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Prepress financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Prepress leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Prepress funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Prepress 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 Prepress
What does Prepress do?
Prepress Inc. delivers integrated design, prepress, and print production services, including color and file management, digital photography and drum scanning, SWOP/GRACoL7/FOGRA certified proofs, inkjet fine art reproduction, in-house design services, short-run and on-demand digital printing, variable data implementation, and bindery (saddle stitch, perfect bind, hard case bind). The company serves publishers, artists, agencies, and businesses, with no minimum quantity requirements and quote-based custom pricing per project.
Is Prepress a public or private company?
Prepress is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Prepress founded?
Prepress was founded in 1984. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Prepress based?
Prepress is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Prepress make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Printing Services are the primary driver. The others are design Services, prepress and Production Services, inkJet Fine Art Reproduction and variable Data Implementation.
Who are Prepress's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tukaiz, Anderson Direct, Sandy Alexander, Calitho, Acumen Media, Classic Impressions and Cooke Color & Printing. Broad incumbents are Walsworth Publishing and Quad/Graphics. Trademark Graphics is listed as an others.
Does Prepress have an API?
No public API is recorded for Prepress.
What industry is Prepress in?
Prepress's product category is Commercial Printing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJALAA, Prepress & Composition Services (Typesetting, Layout, Color Management, Proofing), with a secondary code of IMALAKAM, Prepress, Plate-Making & Artwork Services. Its NAICS code is 32312 and its SIC code is 2790.