Gent (Belgium), March 2005 – Esko-Graphics, the market leader in packaging pre-production solutions, announces it has implemented Certified PDF file creation and preflighting as available options in its Scope workflow. The format is designed to meet the preflight requirements of modern prepress workflows, based on the Enfocus PitStop profiles as defined by the Ghent PDF Workgroup (GWG). The Ghent PDF Workgroup is an international assembly of industry associations whose goal is to establish and distribute process specifications for best practices in graphic arts workflows. Esko-Graphics is an active member of the GWG. Adobe PDF is a file-format that may contain many different types of objects and constructs; not all of them equally suited for print production. The Ghent PDF Workgroup’s primary activity is to build sets of guidelines for the creation, exchange and quality control of PDF files between document creators and document receivers. Such guidelines or profiles are created for a number of specific market sub-segments, including packaging. To assure an acceptable PDF file is sent to a print provider, a PDF file must be created and verified (preflighted). Both these tasks can be automated in Scope with error-free results. As further benefit to users, Esko-Graphics provides instructions to create a Certified PDF file that complies with the preflight profiles of the Gent PDF Workgroup. PDF creation through the Scope OutRight engine is identical in all Scope applications. Jan De Roeck, Marketing Director Packaging Software at Esko-Graphics, comments: “Preflighting incoming PDF jobs is a necessary task in print workflows – and even more so in modern packaging. Many preflight applications accomplish this task efficiently. Esko-Graphics integrates the most common preflight tools in its Scope packaging workflows to assure error-free file generation.” Using the Enfocus PitStop Server within an automated ticket based Scope workflow, a file can be verified using any given PitStop profile to verify compatibility of the resulting PDF file with the requirements of the document receiver, usually the printer/converter. Combined with proper file generation, this process allows users to immediately – and automatically – create “Certified PDF” files.” If preferred, Scope also supports the Callas pdfInspektor2 Plug-In, which is able to check PDF characteristics and display the results in different file formats. For more information, including a white paper about the integration of Certified PDF Technology in the SCOPE workflow, visit Esko-Graphics’ website at www.esko-graphics.com.