Randolph, MA (June 29, 2004) – GMG USA, the US office of GMG, the Germany-based company specializing in high-end color management and proofing solutions, announces that it received high color management marks at the IPA 04 Color Proofing Roundup during the IPA Technical Seminar, held June 8-10 in Chicago. Fifteen vendors participated with 27 submissions for evaluation. GMG scored first in the colorimetric test, fourth in a spot color colorimetric match test and, in a visual matching test, second among solutions costing less than $40,000 (sixth overall). Proofs were evaluated by independent industry experts, overseen by Mike Rodriquez, Technical Director of RR Donnelley, and David Zwang, of Zwang & Company. The intent of the Color Proofing Roundup was to provide IPA Technical Seminar attendees a comprehensive understanding of the available color proofing solutions as well as key issues that affect color proofing. A team of Color Proofing RoundUP experts evaluated the visual correlation of proofs to images on GRACoL (General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography) Press Sheets and, separately, on colorimetric measurement (Lab delta-E) correlation to CGATS-DTR004 reference characterization. This year’s roundup examined a range of proofing system characteristics including: 1. Colorimetric color matching, GMG rank: 1; A colorimetric match (Lab Delta-E) to the reference characterization in CGATS-DTR004 was conducted. Measurements were made on proofs of the IT8 test file and compared (CIELab Delta-E) to CGATS-DTR004. Evaluation measurements were made with an iCColor or DTP-41 device. GMG achieved a color match of 0.83 average and 3.52 maximum Delta-E, the best match in both average and maximum Delta-E versus all proofs submitted both prior to and during the event. 2. Spot color matching, GMG rank 4 (2nd excluding colors outside the inkjet printer’s printing gamut): Simulation of selected colors with specified Lab values. Colorimetric Lab measurements were made before the conference on a page containing solids and tints of several colors with defined CIELab values. Judges assessed the capability to simulate spot color solids. Subjective visual assessment of the test page at the conference assessed the ability to maintain tint hues that were consistent with the solids. 3. Subjective visual match of hard proofs, GMG rank: 6 (2nd among systems costing less than $40,000): At the conference, subjective visual matches were assessed on a 1-10 rating scale between proofs of the visual test file and a GRACoL Certified Press Sheet. The configuration used for this test, with about a $15,000 purchase price, is considerably less expensive than the highest ranked systems. GMG entry-level software starts at $2,750. The complete test results, including the above areas and others such as RIP performance, overprints, spot-colors, color management and PDF/X support, will be released by the IPA shortly. The evaluations are based on performance to defined standards such as GRACoL, specific spot colors, and the Altona_Visual_1v2_x3.pdf and Altona_Technical_1v2_x3.pdf from the Altona Test Suite Version 1.2 as well as other tests. “We are very pleased with our IPA Color Proofing Roundup II test results and thank the association for an excellent event. The IPA is providing an incredibly useful forum for member companies to evaluate proofing solutions. The event results are similar to those reported by third parties and by other proofing roundup events around the world. GMG ColorProof consistently scores either number one, or among the top few solutions based on colorimetric and/or visual tests. This demonstrates why our customers rely on GMG ColorProof for contract-quality digital proofs,” remarks Jim Summers, GMG USA General Manager. “We are also confident that our solution will score well on the Altona test suites, as we excel at PDF interpretation and have scored very well in other, similar tests.”