Prepress Workflow Decisions in Uncertain Times: A Veteran’s Perspective

In an era of rising subscription costs and vendor uncertainty, Xitron’s K2 workflow gives printers full software ownership, broad platesetter compatibility, and long-term vendor stability — helping protect production and control costs.

In today’s print industry, the stability of your prepress workflow is no longer just a matter of efficiency — it’s a critical risk management issue. So too is the stability of the organization developing and supporting your workflow. Recent news from Kodak may give Prinergy users pause when considering subscription renewals, and from a business perspective, that’s probably wise. After all, dependency on a vendor’s financial health can create real operational risk.

In that light, it’s completely fair to apply the same evaluation to Xitron and K2, which was developed specifically to take the place of aged systems like Prinergy. Xitron has been providing prepress solutions for nearly 50 years. We’re also debt-free and stand as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hybrid Software, which means we have over 100 developers backing up our K2 team. Plus, the product management team have actual prepress production experience and backgrounds, which means they know the difference between feature hype and crucial functionality. 

The Subscription Dilemma

Many Prinergy customers are now on subscription-based pricing. While predictable in the short term, subscriptions carry long-term uncertainty: costs rise, ownership is lost, and customers are vulnerable to shifts in vendor strategy or financial pressures. For printers and packaging operations, these are not minor inconveniences — they are potential production risks.

K2: A Strategic Alternative

Perpetual Licensing & Ownership

Unlike subscription models, Xitron’s K2 workflow allows printers to own the software outright, with optional annual support. Your workflow continues running even if you pause support renewal — giving true control and cost predictability.

Feature-Rich & Modern, K2 offers:

• PDF-first processing for fast late-stage edits

• Enfocus preflight, dynamic, integrated imposition, PDF-based trapping, and ink remapping

• Harlequin Core for reliable output

• Browser-based job submission and intuitive UI for Macs and PCs

Hardware Compatibility

K2 works with virtually any platesetter — protecting your existing investments and avoiding expensive hardware replacement.

Stable Vendor Backing

Backed by Hybrid Software Group, a profitable and growing prepress technology provider, K2 delivers long-term reliability and support — critical in a market where vendor instability can create workflow disruption.

The Strategic Takeaway

For print shops, the choice today is clear:

• Stay tied to workflows with rising subscription costs and financial uncertainty, or

• Invest in a solution that offers ownership, stability, and long-term predictability.

K2 isn’t just a technical upgrade — it’s a strategic safeguard against production risk. In uncertain times, printers who prioritize control and resilience will be the ones who continue running smoothly, no matter what headlines appear in the financial press.

Check out www.xitron.com/k2 to learn more.