X-Rite and Pantone Help Eliminate Surprises in Color

When it comes to color, surprises cost money, and consistency reduces waste. Addressing this challenge head-on, X-Rite Inc. has updated its Pantone Certified Printer Program for commercial printers and packaging converters to address new industry standards. The Pantone Certified Printer Program reviews and analyzes every aspect of color operations—from preflight, file preparation and proofing, to ink formulation and mixing, and process control in the pressroom. This creates total quality management based on industry best practices and procedures that drive consistent and repeatable color.

The process begins with a Pantone Certified Printer Audit conducted by an X-Rite specialist. The audit process isolates issues that compromise color accuracy and is the basis for the implementation of standards-based procedures so that operators on all shifts can consistently produce the best color the same way. The program is unique because it ties all areas of production together: from prepress and ink formulation to the press room with a focus on both process color and spot color reproduction. This applies to digital, flexo, litho and even grand format print production.

“Good printers can produce great color but it may not be consistent over time,” says Mark Gundlach, training development manager at X-Rite. This program, which includes a quarterly color check based on a standard set of files, results in more consistent quality with less rework using existing investments and people.” The Pantone Certified Printer Program closes the gap that exists between the many other certification programs available today that cover only part of the workflow, or only a press or a proofer.

Proofing and printing to standards helps print and converting operations set and meet customer expectations. Pantone Certified Printers are able to follow standard operating procedures throughout the production operation when specifying CMYK colors based on their print standards. Pantone colors are specified and formulated using spectral data from the PantoneLIVE digital libraries.

Packaging converters and printers interested in pursuing this certification to bring additional color consistency, quality and efficiency to their operations not only benefit from the certification process but are also able to use the Pantone Certified Printer logo to add even more credibility to their sales and marketing efforts.

Source: X-Rite.