David Crowther of Colour Graphic Services is making use of his PacPrint exposure to showcase his broadening his range of precision colour management tools, which now includes the new RabbitScanner and software, a press control strip reader that provides excellent charts and reports to enable printers to keep their critical colour within specification, whether that is corporate colours or ISO.
The new products are on display at the company's stand at PacPrint this week, where Crowther is accompanied at by Alan Dresch (pictured), the globe-trotting chief of Mellow Colour, UK .
In the past few weeks Dresch has been in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand and China visiting textile suppliers packaging printers who supply the mighty Marks & Spencer retail chain. Like so many mass merchandisers, M&S source their fashion products increasingly from Asia, from a variety of mills and manufacturers.
The problem is, with so many countries involved and different printers producing the boxes, sleeve wraps, tags and labels – how can colour be controlled so every branded product is presented in consistent livery when they are on the shelves?
“Marks and Spencer insists on very high standards, not just for the production of its branded goods, but for the appearance and packaging too. A row of products with varying colour consistency presents the wrong impression to shoppers. By measuring and printing to known standards, printers can not only keep the customer happy but also save money on ink, remakes and waste. I have seen instances where up to $100,000 has been saved in a year,” says Dresch.
Mellow Colour’s new RabbitScanner uses a standard X-Rite Eye-One spectrophotometer, but attached to a motorized cradle that traverses the length of the control bar for B3, B2 or B1 press sheets. The measured spectral data is then transferred to PrintSpec software where individual colours, spot, special and Pantone colours can be mathematically assessed and compared for accuracy. Variance is given in universally accepted Delta E numbers and reports on performance for every ink key are clearly displayed.
“RabbitScanner complements our X-Rite Intellitrax and EasyTrax perfectly,” says Crowther. “These press-side scanners is not for everyone; RabbitScanner at around 40 per cent lower cost, opens up advanced colour management to many more printers and we provide the training and certification to keep press colour under control and within spec.”
Dresch adds that the ideal type of customer for RabbittScanner with Print Spec and the allied ImpressionProof online proofing, is a printer producing premium-brand packaging where there is no room for compromise on colour accuracy. Standards for packaging worldwide are rising and even home-brand and private label goods are now expected to look perfect on the shelf with vibrant, consistent colour to attract shoppers to the product.
Colour Graphics Services offers a range of products used in the control and maintenance of accurate colour to ISO and other standards. These include those from Mellow Colour, Just Normlicht, X-Rite, Pantone and Eizo. The company also has training programs called CHROMAtrain to help instill the culture of colour standards into all departments involved in the reproduction process.
Check out CGS on stand 2344 at PacPrint, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, from May 21-25. Website: www.colourgraphicservices.com