Australian standard puts local printers on the map

Australian printing enters the global arena with this week's launch of AS/ISO 12647-2.

The first ever Australian standard for colour management for lithographic offset printing and its accompanying website, Colour Standards will take the quality of Australian print to new levels according to each of the guest speakers.

"It is a significant step forward in the demonstration of the professionalism of the industry," said Robert Fuller, general manager of Printing Industries NSW.

"Now we can claw back and compress Australia's four-year gap behind Europe."

Fuller, who in conjunction with the LIA's Bob Lamont, formed the TC130 Technical Advisory Group, with members across Australia, worked for over a year to establish an Australian standard. (See Print 21's April magazine article for further background).

Pictured: Robert Fuller (left) with Scott Telfer (right) holding the package containing the first copy of the Australian Colour Standard which will become available in September.

Lamont noted that there are no differences between the Australian standard and those used overseas, which will ensure continuity for local printers.

"We are not changing or modifying anything contained in the international standard," he said. "We are simply telling the world that Australia embraces the ISO standard as its standard."

For all members of the TC130 Technical Advisory Group, the launch of AS/ISO 12647-2 promises a number of opportunities for the industry.

"This is a pathway to world quality," Fuller said.

There is no legislation forcing printers to comply, but according to David Crowther of DES, adoption of the Australian standard is vital to the longevity of all print businesses in the country.

"Printers that demonstrate good quality procedures will get new business. Those that cannot will become an endangered species," he said.

A cross section from the industry attended the launch and were all enthusiastic about the news. As one source remarked: "It's not too often the Australian printing industry come together and agree on something."

The event was sponsored by National Print Awards Australia and IPMG (Hannan Print, Offset Alpine and Craft Inprint). Scott Telfer, chairman of the NPA and Gary Bender of IPMG believe that the Australian standard will enhance the quality of entries and their businesses respectively.

"This is a step forward in driving us towards an international competitiveness," Telfer said. "We can meet the world and global community."

Pictured (left to right): Gary Bender, Scot Telfer, Yves Roussange, Robert Fuller and David Crowther.