HYBRID Software, now the fastest growing software company in the graphic arts sector, has announced one of the most exciting new software products to be launched at drupa2016, following the development of PACKZ RoundTrip™. PACKZ is HYBRID’s native PDF editing software, compatible with PDFs created in any application or with Adobe Illustrator files which are saved with PDF compatibility. PACKZ has been widely accepted in the packaging industry, with more than 400 licenses sold during the first two years after its introduction.  

“PACKZ was designed as a fully-featured editor for packaging production, not as a design tool, while Adobe Illustrator is the design software of choice for most packaging designers worldwide,” says Guido Van der Schueren, chairman of HYBRID Software. “Turning a design concept into a print-ready package can be achieved much more efficiently using specialized tools such as PACKZ. 

“However, what has long been problematic for the trade shops servicing the packaging industry is that many brand owners and their designers require production artwork to be returned to them in Adobe Illustrator format so that it can be readily modified for package revisions in the future.”

PACKZ RoundTrip provides a complete solution to this problem by creating a two-way link between native Adobe Illustrator files and the industry-standard native PDF format. Using PACKZ RoundTrip, even Illustrator files that are not saved with PDF compatibility can be opened and edited in PACKZ, then returned to the brand owner as a native Illustrator file containing all of the production features added using PACKZ e.g. trapping, extended gamut color mapping, step & repeat, barcodes, live or vectorized text etc. The resulting file retains the key features of Illustrator, including layers, groups and styles, for easy archiving and reworking of package revisions.

“PACKZ RoundTrip is the best example yet of the innovation that the packaging industry so desperately needs,” says Guido Van der Schueren. “The requirement to return final production files in Adobe Illustrator has been a burden on trade shops for years. Some of our customers have to edit their files twice in parallel, in a production editor as well as in Adobe Illustrator, in order to satisfy their clients. 

“Our industry requires more efficient solutions and we are proud to be announcing this groundbreaking product development. We look forward to demonstrating PACKZ RoundTrip, along with several other industry-leading products, on our stand at drupa2016.”

PACKZ RoundTrip reads design files created in any version of Adobe Illustrator and outputs the latest Illustrator CC format. RoundTrip does not require any Illustrator plug-ins in order to function, making it much easier for large organizations to administer their Adobe software licenses. It is an optional module for PACKZ users and is compatible with HYBRID Software’s license server, allowing a single RoundTrip license to be shared amongst multiple PACKZ users.