Colour proofing blues for PMA in Craft Printing stoush

Citing the lack of an Australian standard of proofing, the judge found the DL brochure produced by Craft Printing for the Cancer Council’s promotion, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, was of acceptable commercial quality even though it varied from the proof. He found that the job should be paid for. The 475,000 print run was placed by PMA Solutions, one of the largest print management companies in the country. Costs have yet to be awarded.

See original court report:
www.print21.com.au

Evidence given by the print room personnel indicated that during the early morning production run at the company’s Alexandria site, the original Iris proof produced by Craft Printing could not be matched on the press. In accordance with common industry practice the printers then concentrated on achieving acceptable skin tones for the subject of the image – people in the foreground – at the expense of the blue sky background.

The customer maintained the blue sky was the key colour across the different printed products of its annual fund-raiser and refused to accept the result. Craft Printing sued for payment.

“We’re flabbergasted at the result. The precedent it sets is very dangerous for our industry,” said Kumaresh Pasupati of PMA Solutions. “The bottom line is that because there is no Australian standard, it has to be decided on acceptable commercial quality.

“The judge found that while the proof is part of the contract it depends on how close the result is. It means that from now on only press checks will be able to guarantee accurate colour.”

The findings represent a setback in the push towards standardised printing, reinforcing the key role of the press operator in deciding what is an acceptable printed result. It highlights the need for an industry-wide proofing standard similar to the 3DAPv2 guidelines for commercial web printing, as well as emphasizing the imperative of only producing a proof that can be matched on the press.

For PMA Solutions, according to Pasupati, it means the company will further restrict the range of companies it accredits and places work with, relying on close cooperation and communication to guarantee accurate colour reproduction.

No one from Craft Printing would comment on the decision.