CARLSTADT, N.J.--Jan. 24, 2005-- Pantone, Inc., the leading provider of professional color standards for the graphic communications industry worldwide, today announced the most substantial redesign of its flagship product, the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM(R) formula guide, in more than 30 years. The reproduction of color to exact standards is vitally important to designers, printers and their clients. The 2005 formula guide sets a new benchmark for color and includes color swatches that are nearly 25 percent larger for increased accuracy and visual reference when specifying and matching colors. The PANTONE solid chips book, also published in this new format, provides designers with larger tear-out chips. The new color guides are the first produced on the company's unique new printing press, which has been precision-engineered for improved color consistency. The press uses state-of-the-art printing technology with integrated color measurement controls to reproduce colors with even greater consistency and tighter tolerances. Pantone color experts are responsible for quality-controlling almost 1 billion color swatches on an annual basis. This new technology greatly improves this critical process. As with any printed piece, the appearance of colors in PANTONE Guides and publications will change over time from light exposure and the natural yellowing of paper. It is important that designers and printers not only keep their color publications current, but also work from the same editions to avoid potentially costly mistakes in the production process. The increased visual reference of the larger swatches and the brighter, whiter paper used to print the guides make it even more desirable for designers to consider updating their guides. "For over four decades, PANTONE Products have evolved to serve the ever-changing needs of the industry. Customers expressed a preference for larger swatches to improve the color selection and specification process," said Richard Herbert, president of Pantone, Inc. "With our new customized press, we continue to evolve our products to better reflect the demands of our customers. The 2005 edition color guides raise the bar for color communication with a new format that offers improved ease-of-use and unprecedented print and color quality." PANTONE Formula Guide and Solid Chips The PANTONE formula guide has been an essential tool for graphic designers, pre-press professionals and printers for four decades. Today's converging workflows make color management more challenging than ever. The formula guide provides a consistent method for selecting and matching solid PANTONE Colors. Its simple fan deck design now includes 20 percent larger swatches and, as always, serves as a convenient and portable color reference library that can accompany the designer to client presentations or on press runs. The guides are available in two-book (coated and uncoated) and three-book (coated, uncoated and matte) sets. The PANTONE Colors are also available in two-book and three-book sets that include six perforated chips for each solid PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM Color, making it easy to select, specify and communicate color on coated, uncoated and matte stock. Designers can now attach color reference chips that are 25 percent larger to artwork and digital files to ensure they get a perfect match every time. To make sure designers and printers are using the same edition of the formula guide and chips, a chip should be sent to the printer to ensure exact color reproduction. Individual loose-leaf style pages are available and can be easily added to the books to replenish frequently used colors. Pricing and Availability The PANTONE formula guide is available for $89 for the two-book set (coated and uncoated) and $120 for the three-book set (coated, uncoated and matte). PANTONE solid chips is available for $249 for the two-book set (coated and uncoated) and $299 for the three-book set (coated, uncoated and matte). Both can be purchased from Pantone's Web site at www.pantone.com.