FESPA 2019: ColorGATE announces cooperation with X-Rite Pantone in Brand Color Management

PantoneLIVE™ will be offered in ColorGATE’s new Spectral Spot Module.

Spectral characterization of spot colors is necessary for both commercial and industrial printing applications to ensure brand color consistency across the entire process chain. Without spectral data, the sharing of spot colors through the supply chain can be ambiguous leading to color inconsistencies, rework and added waste. This is especially true when producing digitally-printed packaging or digital proofs for conventionally manufactured packaging, as brand owners are demanding a higher level of color accuracy and repeatability.

ColorGATE & PantoneLIVE™: Cloud-based spot color management across substrates and printing processes

ColorGATE will support X-Rite’s PantoneLIVE cloud-based digital color standard ecosystem in its upcoming release. ColorGATE is offering the benefits of PantoneLIVE to proofing systems as well as digital production environments to help streamline color communication and improve production. With PantoneLIVE, brand owners and producers have the option to receive relevant spot color definitions for non-standardized processes and substrates on the base of spectral data descriptions. This enables brands and designers to communicate color palettes across substrates and printing processes. 

By using ColorGATE´s implementation of PantoneLIVE, producers and brand owners gain access to a wide range of digital industrial print devices for label printing, direct-to-object decoration as well as digital printing presses for corrugated packaging. In addition to the wide range of derived Pantone color definitions, it is also possible for brands to create and define custom color palettes and share those with everyone involved in the production process, from the design concept to finishing, via the cloud.

With ColorGATE´s driver range, control of digital printing systems is effectively provided and brand color management has now arrived even in non-standardized printing environments, such as digital packaging printing. The entire production workflow, from the designer to prepress and production to finishing, benefits from effective color management, consistent reproduction and innovative workflow solutions.

In addition to the PantoneLIVE support, ColorGATE will release the new Spectral Spot Module that enables spectral characterization of spot colors both for commercial and industrial printing applications and thus improves reproduction accuracy, especially when reproduced using digital printing. The module supports spot color descriptions in CxF/X4 format according to ISO 179972-4. 

ColorGATE’s new Spectral Spot Module will be presented for the first time at FESPA 2019, May 14 - 17 in Munich. At booth K26 in hall B4 attendees can meet ColorGATE´s application specialists, who will be pleased to consult on all challenges in the field of commercial and industrial printing.

“We are happy to present ColorGATE´s unique implementation of X-Rite’s leading cloud solution PantoneLIVE for global brand color management and help the growing number of ColorGATE users produce accurate spot colors using the numerous digital production presses that we drive with our commercial and industrial Productionserver,” says Thomas Kirschner, ColorGATE´s CEO and co-Founder.

“We are excited to further expand the PantoneLIVE partner ecosystem to meet the evolving needs of digital and industrial printers,” says Iain Pike, Director of Partner Business Development at Pantone. “With ColorGATE’s support of 1600 different digital printing systems, users will appreciate the flexibility in digital production applications and direct-to-object printing when reproducing PantoneLIVE colors.”

About ColorGATE

For more than 20 years, ColorGATE’s color competence has been supporting the graphic arts industry with its printing equipment manufacturers as well as producers, operators and technology users for Sign & Display, decor, ceramic, textile and packaging. The market for large format printing with its applications in LFP and Wide Format also benefits from ColorGATE’s solution competence on the way from analogue to digital printing and into the future of Print 4.0. 

Since the beginning in 2000, ColorGATE has been successful on the up-and-coming market of Industrial Printing and the revolution of inkjet technology. 

ColorGATE delivers an innovative, tailor-made and modular portfolio of software and hardware solutions in the specific application areas for industrial printing and decoration processes along the entire process chain. Effective color management always ensures optimal color rendering and consistent reproduction, while standardization and automation of the production processes maximize productivity with flexible configuration, as needed.

ColorGATE Digital Output Solutions GmbH is managed by co-founder Thomas Kirschner as CEO since 1997 and is an independent subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd. since 2018.

More info – www.colorgate.com.

About PantoneLIVE 

PantoneLIVE is a cloud-based solution that enables the Pantone Color language to be communicated and targeted for accurate color production across the entire supply chain – from design concept to final color production. The PantoneLIVE family includes PantoneLIVE Design, PantoneLIVE Production – Print & Packaging and PantoneLIVE Production – Plastic, Coatings, and Textile. The different offerings are tailored to meet the specific needs of designers, color material suppliers, and manufacturers working with paper, film, plastics, coatings and textiles. The PantoneLIVE family is supported by licensed hardware and software that enables each area of the packaging, plastic, coatings, and textile supply chains to access spectral data for matching Pantone Colors, in addition to specific brand palettes. This results in consistent and repeatable color across product families, regardless of material, 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 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 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 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.

About Pantone

Pantone provides the universal language of color that enables color-critical decisions through every stage of the workflow for brands and manufacturers. More than 10 million designers and producers around the world rely on Pantone products and services to help define, communicate and control color from inspiration to realization – leveraging advanced X-Rite technology to achieve color consistency across various materials and finishes for graphics, fashion and product design. Pantone Standards feature digital and physical color specification and workflow tools. The Pantone Color Institute™ provides customized color standards, brand identity and product color consulting as well as trend forecasting inclusive of Pantone Color of the Year, Fashion Runway Color Trend Reports, color psychology and more. Pantone B2B Licensing incorporates the Pantone Color System into different products and services, enabling licensees to communicate and reproduce certified Pantone values and improve efficiencies for their users. Pantone Lifestyle brings color and design together across apparel, home, and accessories. Learn more at www.pantone.com.