PDF Solutions has launched what it claims is the worlds first free online PDF pre-flighting service.


Director Stuart Slaney said the firm would pre-flight and correct files and send them back to submitters with a report of what products it had used.


He hopes that users will eventually order pre-flighting products from PDF Solutions to carry out checks themselves.


The firm is handling between 200 and 300 files per day. Customers from as far away as Israel and Croatia are using the system, said Slaney.


It can be accessed by logging onto the website, www.pdfsolutions.co.uk.


PDF Solutions is also expanding globally. It opened an office in New York just before Christmas and will start its Australian operations by opening its Sydney office at the end of this month. A Belgian office will follow in March and Slaney also plans to move into Egypt.


The company is also offering a free price search service. The system will search for the lowest global price for a particular product.


And it plans to launch a digital magazine tackling PDF-related issues and digital workflows.


PDF Solutions offers many of the leading PDF tools, including products from Markzware, Enfocus and Pixelis. The firm has been going for about 18 months.


Story by Gordon Carson