Quark announced that it has acquired A Lowly Apprentice Production Inc (ALAP) on Wednesday. ALAP produces add-on software that enhances the functionality of page layout applications, like Quarkis QuarkXPress. The sale of ALAP gives Quark the companyis full product line, including plug-ins for Adobe InDesign, Quarkis biggest competitor.
Quark plans on developing a closer collaboration between its products, and the XTensions ALAP makes for them. It also will use ALAP technologies to enhance QuarkXPress 7, which is still in development.
ALAP President, Paul Schmitt, will become Quarkis Vice President of Product Development, and eventually the ALAP offices in California will be relocated to Quarkis Denver, Colorado, headquarters.
There is no word yet on the fate of ALAPis plug-ins for InDesign and Acrobat. Quarkis statement in its FAQ regarding the acquisition states "We are finalizing the transition plan and we are evaluating product roadmap and the integration of ALAPis products into the Quark family."