Summary
Integrated Plastics Packaging is seeking a Prepress Officer in Dubai to prepare and check customer artwork for flexible packaging production. The role involves creating print-ready files for rotogravure and flexographic printing, conducting preflight checks, preparing proofs, and coordinating with design, production, printing, quality, and cylinder or plate-making teams. Applicants should have a relevant diploma or bachelor's degree and 2–5 years of prepress experience, preferably in flexible packaging. Hands-on experience with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat is required; knowledge of Esko, ArtPro, or Packz is an advantage.
The posting
As published on ipp.ae. Pulled from the employer's site and shown as they wrote it.
Key Responsibilities
1. Artwork & Prepress Preparation
- Receive, review, and process customer-supplied artwork for flexible packaging.
- Check artwork for dimensions, resolution, fonts, bleeds, colors, images, dielines, and other technical specifications.
- Prepare print-ready files forrotogravure and flexographic printing.
- Perform artwork corrections, modifications, and file conversions as required.
- Prepare color separations and ensure correct CMYK and spot-color specifications.
- Perform trapping, overprinting, knockouts, and other prepress adjustments.
- Carry out step-and-repeat/imposition as per cylinder, plate, press, and production requirements.
- Apply appropriate distortion compensation for gravure/flexographic printing where required.
- Prepare files according to substrate, printing process, number of colors, and machine specifications.
2. Preflight & Quality Checking
- Conduct detailed preflight checks before releasing artwork for production.
- Identify technical issues that may affect printing quality or production efficiency.
- Verify artwork against approved customer specifications and previous versions.
- Check text, barcodes, images, registration, color separations, and other critical elements.
- Ensure proper version control and avoid unauthorized artwork changes.
- Prepare proofs and coordinate approvals before final production release.
3. Production Coordination
- Coordinate closely withDesign, Sales, Customer Service, Production, Printing, QC, and Cylinder/Plate Makingteams.
- Clarify technical artwork requirements with relevant departments.
- Provide necessary files and information for cylinder engraving or plate making.
- Support production teams in resolving artwork and prepress-related issues.
- Investigate and troubleshoot printing issues related to artwork, trapping, separation, distortion, or file preparation.
- Support press trials and make necessary prepress corrections when required.
4. File Management & Documentation
- Maintain organized artwork files, job folders, revisions, approvals, and production records.
- Follow proper file naming and version-control procedures.
- Maintain accurate records of customer approvals and artwork changes.
- Archive completed artwork and ensure files are easily traceable for repeat orders.
- Follow company SOPs, quality standards, and document-control procedures.
5. Continuous Improvement
- Identify opportunities to reduce artwork errors, rework, and production delays.
- Support improvements in prepress workflow and file-management systems.
- Stay updated on developments in packaging prepress, color management, software, and printing technologies.
- Ensure compliance with company quality and safety procedures.
Required Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge offlexible packaging prepress processes.
- Good understanding ofrotogravure and flexographic printing.
- Knowledge of color separation, trapping, overprinting, and distortion.
- Understanding of substrates, inks, printing cylinders/plates, and printing specifications.
- Knowledge of barcode, registration marks, bleed, dieline, and printability requirements.
- Hands-on experience withAdobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Acrobat.
- Knowledge ofEsko / ArtPro / Packz / RIP workflowwill be an advantage.
- Good understanding of CMYK, spot colors, Pantone, and color-management principles.
- Good troubleshooting and file-preflight skills.
Qualifications & Experience
- Diploma / Bachelor's degree inGraphic Design, Printing Technology, Prepress, Packaging Technology, or a related field.
- 2–5 years of relevant experiencein prepress, preferably within theflexible packaging industry.
- Experience with rotogravure or flexographic packaging will be strongly preferred.
- Candidates from general commercial printing without flexible-packaging experience may not be suitable.