Pyroll Packages Becomes First Flexographic Printer to Achieve PANTONE Certified Printer Status

Following pilot, the program will be extended for other Pyroll facilities in Finland

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., January 17, 2018 – X-Rite Incorporated, a global leader in color science and technology, and its subsidiary Pantone LLC, today reported that Finnish company Pyroll Packages is the first flexographic printer worldwide to achieve PANTONE Certified Printer status. The initial certification audit was conducted at the company’s location at Joensuu, one of ten locations across the country. Pyroll plans to continue this program in 2018. The certification was carried out by X-Rite Solutions Architect Mark Gundlach and International Technical Support and Application Expert Maxim Siniak together with Certified Pantone Partner and packaging repro house Flexolahti Oy and X-Rite dealer KTA Oy.

The PANTONE Certified Printer Program reviews and analyzes every aspect of a printer’s color operations – from preflight, to file preparation and proofing, to ink formulation and mixing, and to process control in the pressroom. Pyroll’s certification confirms the company’s ability to consistently achieve the most stringent customer color requirements, efficiently and cost effectively. PANTONE Certified Printer Program requires annual recertification to ensure continued performance at peak levels.

 “Our goal was to establish a more stringent color management program, expanding beyond visual evaluation to using instruments and digital standards,” said Mikael Svennas, Pyroll Packages’ CEO. “The PANTONE Certified Printer process was very thorough, and we learned a great deal. In addition to the process improvements we will achieve as a result of the audit, we will also be able to leverage Pantone’s brand recognition adding even more credibility to our market position.”

Flexolahti Oy, an active member of the Finnish Flexographic Association, has raised awareness in Finland about the value of X-Rite solutions as a solid foundation for color management standardization. “We’ve seen X-Rite and Pantone solutions become the de facto standard in Finland with great results,” commented Kai Tornikoski, Managing Director. “We were pleased to work with X-Rite color experts to help Pyroll achieve this prestigious status and to further elevate awareness of the importance of a formalized color management program. In an environment where supply chains are complex, deadlines are tight, and errors and rework are not acceptable, PANTONE Certified Printer status gives Pyroll’s customers peace of mind that their packages will be produced as expected, giving them faster time to market and improved shelf appeal.”

To boost its overall performance and meet certification criteria, Pyroll has added the following X-Rite products to the Joensuu site:

• ColorCert Suite, including ColorCert Master, Pressroom and ScoreCard Server. The ColorCert Suite enables the packaging industry to better manage the complexities of CMYK, Expanded Gamut, and Spot Color workflows, regardless of the printing process, substrate, or industry standard. Its modular set of tools streamline communications, provide actionable data and enable better utilization of existing people, processes and technologies.
• X-Rite eXact, a handheld spectrophotometer combining industry-leading functionality with an easy-to-use interface for controlling, managing, and communicating color across the entire color workflow with embedded PantoneLIVE access.
• InkFormulation Software, a fast, accurate, consistent ink formulation, formula creation, storage, approval and retrieval solution for offset, flexo, gravure and screen-printing inks. InkFormulation Software is PantoneLIVE compatible.
• NetProfiler, a cloud-based blend of software and color standards for verifying and optimizing performance of color measurement devices, reducing variance among instruments. As Pyroll rolls out the PANTONE Certified Printer Program to additional locations, this capability becomes even more critical.
• PantoneLIVE, a cloud-based architecture that enables digital specification and communication of Pantone standards to all stakeholders in the global supply chain. With centralized digital color standards and spectral values, everyone accesses and utilizes the same Pantone color libraries creating unsurpassed color consistency and a new way to manage, and communicate color.

On-site training and help with the creation of Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) was provided to Pyroll staff to ensure smooth implementation of all recommended new processes.

“In addition to an improved ability to better communicate with brands and standardize color processes, this certification also provides a way for printers and converters to transform their entire production process, from file reception to ink formulation and final output,” added Maxim Siniak, “It offers a distinct sales and marketing advantage. The PANTONE Certified Printer Program is the one certification program that can fundamentally change how a printer or converter does business, improving quality, productivity and very important profitability.”

To learn more about the PANTONE Certified Printer Program visit http://www.xrite.com/pantone-certified-printer-program.

About PantoneLIVE

PantoneLIVE is a cloud-based solution that enables the universal PANTONE Color language to be accurately communicated across the entire packaging workflow – from design concept to retail store shelves. PantoneLIVE extends the PANTONE PLUS SERIES Color Library, mapping critical color information to packaging-specific substrates. The PantoneLIVE ecosystem is supported by licensed hardware and software that enables each area of a packaging supply chain to access the same PantoneLIVE Colors, in addition to brand specific palettes. This results in consistent and repeatable color across product families, regardless of media or print technology, providing a cohesive brand approach. For more information, please see www.pantone.com/live.

About X-Rite

Founded in 1958, X-Rite Incorporated is a global leader in the science and technology of color and appearance.  With its wholly owned subsidiary Pantone, X-Rite employs more than 800 people in 11 countries. The company’s corporate headquarters are located in Grand Rapids, Mich., with regional headquarters in Europe and Asia and service centers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. X-Rite Pantone offers a full range of solutions used by manufacturers, retailers, printers, photographers and graphic design houses to achieve precise management and communication of color and appearance throughout their processes. X-Rite Pantone products and services are recognized standards in the printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles and medical industries. For further information, please visit www.xrite.com. For the latest news, information and conversations, connect with X-Rite on LinkedIn, Vimeo, Twitter, and Facebook.

About Pantone

Pantone, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, enables color-critical decisions, from inspiration to realization, for brands and manufacturers. Over 10 million designers and producers around the world employ Pantone Products and Services to communicate through color, and control consistency across various materials and finishes. Pantone offers designers, brands and consumers, products and services through three unique business divisions: Pantone Standards, which includes digital and physical workflow tools and the quintessential Pantone Color Language; the Pantone Color Institute™, which provides trend, brand identity, and color assurance consulting services; and Pantone Lifestyle, the consumer products division that brings color and design together across apparel, home, and accessories. More information is available at www.pantone.com.

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©2018 X-Rite, Inc. All rights reserved. X-Rite is a registered trademark of X-Rite, Inc. PANTONE®, PantoneLIVE and other Pantone trademarks are the property of Pantone LLC. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Pantone is a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated. Licensed under Sun Chemical Corporation. Sun Chemical’s patented technology enables the communication of a consistent, digital description of the desired appearance of a product. – [U.S. Patent Nos. 7,034,960; 7,202,976; 7,268,918; 7,417,764 and their foreign equivalents]. © Pantone LLC, 2018. All rights reserved.