SGIA formed the working group in early 2019 to address the lack of common color targets in digital printing. “The offset world has SWOP and GRACoL specifications, but digital printing is the Wild West, with substrates and ink sets varying tremendously,” said SGIA’s Ray Weiss, Director of Digital Print Programs. “Color targets and specifications will ultimately lead to greater customer satisfaction and less waste.”

“Color Concepts’ donation completes an important piece of the puzzle needed for the Sonoco Institute to effectively measure the submissions that have already begun to roll in,” said Chip Tonkin, Sonoco Institute Director and Chair of Clemson’s Graphic Communications department.

The state-of-the-art spectrophotometer will be put in use at the Sonoco Institute at Clemson University, which is conducting the measurements the working group requires. This project is one of several on which SGIA and the Sonoco Institute are collaborating.

The first area of concentration is dye sublimation printing. “To measure dye sub properly, you need the right instruments,” said Weiss. “This Barbieri spectrophotometer is on the cutting edge in the dye sublimation market. We’re grateful to Barbieri and Color Concepts for providing it.”

Barbieri and Color Concepts are happy to support the Digital Specifications Working Group with their initiative. Color Concepts is actively contributing to multiple standardization and specification committees around the world and believes this initiative could help move our industry to a next level in professionalism and quality."

Marco Roos, CEO, Color Concepts.