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India is primary publishing outsourcing destination

India is the most popular outsourcing location in the world for all pre-press publishing work, it has been revealed

That is according to a survey by research firm Valuenotes Database, which found that 66 per cent of publishers in the US and UK placed India at the top of their list for pre-press work, reports the Business Standard. 

The US placed in second with 30 per cent of the vote, and the Philippines third with 18 per cent. Other notables include the UK and China with 16 per cent, Vietnam with eight per cent and Australia, which took five per cent of the vote.

The remaining 18 per cent is made up of a bracket of countries deemed to be up-and-coming.

Rakhi Vig, manager of product sales at Valuenotes Database, said that outsourcing has become slightly more complicated of late as publishing houses looked to address the effects of the recession and changing market conditions.

She told the news provider: "Over the past few months, we have seen publishers trying a variety of approaches - going digital, reducing print publishing, and cutting costs.

"In spite of these measures, one thing comes across very strongly - the industry is yet to find that one formula that addresses all its problems."

Regardless of potential shifts in the publishing landscape, 64 per cent of businesses within the sector continue to outsource a variety of work and plan to continue doing so.

By contrast, only 15 per cent of companies are not outsourcing – and do not plan to outsource – at all.

Of those in between, eight per cent are not currently outsourcing but are considering the possibility, a further eight per cent do outsource work but intend to put an end to the practice, while five per cent are undecided on whether to do so.

Satisfaction rates among outsourcers are relatively balanced, with 19 per cent expressing their pleasure at the service received, 62 per cent revealing their outsourcing company is satisfactory and a further 19 per cent voicing dissatisfaction.

Overall, the report reveals that the publishing industry is set to place more faith in the pre-press outsourcing sector.

It states: "Even though 16 per cent of the companies surveyed did not approve of outsourcing, the overall publishing outsourcing market is still set to increase 15 to 20 per cent."