Australia signs on for AS/ISO printing

Printing to a national and international standard is on the way following the admission of Australia to observer status with the Technical Committee (TC) 130 in Germany.

A committee formed between Printing Industries and the LIA will facilitate the implementation of an Australian version of the international graphic arts standard. Chaired by Bob Lamont, LIA with Robert Fuller Printing Industries as deputy, the 12-strong committee has been granted observer status in the ongoing development of international standards for the printing industry.
The goal is to promote and encourage the local industry to adopt the Australian standard – AS/ISO12647/2 – which will be identical to the accepted international standard being developed in Germany. The committee is working with Standards Australia, which has recognized it to be the appropriate technical body for the industry.
Printing to ISO standards is rapidly becoming a requirement for many multi-national corporations that want to ensure conformity of marketing materials around the globe. Companies that undertake to print to the standard usually need to become certified and be able to prove they conform to quite complex number of conditions.
The establishment of the committee was announced lat Friday at both the Victorian and NSW awards. Ray Keen, president of Printing Industries in Victoria, said that Australia was at least three to four years behind the rest of the world in adopting printing standards. “This new standard will provide clear, consistent standards for colour management across the country and bring us up to international benchmarks.”

The committee will be seeking input and comment from the industry, before the final adoption. Interested parties should contact Bob Lamont.