Has Proofing Gone ‘Soft’?

Sweeney—The difference between packaging workflows and commercial workflows is that there usually are more people involved in the approval process. In addition, when you get into food, tobacco, and pharma, there’s a legal aspect that isn’t present in other areas. With all these considerations, the question from the time you get creative signoff on the images and so forth is, ‘How long before it’s on the shelf?’ It’s usually 6-8 weeks or longer because the number of people and print disciplines needed to produce a package dictates the longer cycle time. Virtual proofing can dramatically reduce that cycle time and the costs associated with it.