GHENT BELGIUM – July 21, 2008 – Access to the comprehensive, best practice workflow specifications and resources are now easier than ever for printers, prepress professionals and designers as The Ghent Workgroup (GWG) unveils its newly streamlined, fast website, www.gwg.org.

In addition the GWG, the international cross-section of PDF and print experts known for creating, testing, and releasing specifications and best practices that have been proven to make it easier for users to ensure PDF document quality across workflows around the world; announces newly elected officers to its executive committee.

The www.gwg.org Website
The latest version of the website has been completely revamped to address the expanding population of GWG specification users and adopters.  Since its inception over 6 years ago, the GWG has been successful in designing, testing and publishing a number of specifications and best practice resources to benefit the graphic arts community.

David Zwang, GWG Chairman, says, "Now that we've successfully developed and published a fuller spectrum of free best practice resources, we recognize the need to ensure that users have easy and quick access to these valuable resources.  We also are entering more of an education phase of GWG; where we want to spread the word even further to all those who can benefit.  One of the best ways to accomplish this is to deliver that information through our website.  As we continue to progress as a group, developing this full range of resources; we want to ensure that our website reflects our progress and becomes the "go to" site for all stakeholders in the workflow process."

Zwang says that the GWG has also added an education component to its marketing subcommittee, to reflect the need and planned efforts in making the graphic arts community aware of important GWG findings.

The redesigned site's web structure is more user-friendly and graphically appealing than the previous site format. "One of the most important results of the redesign," says Zwang, "is that it will allow visitors to find what they need in a matter of seconds." 

New Discussion Forum
Additionally, the GWG site features a new Forum where members and visitors alike can participate in discussions about current specifications, resources, needs, and developments.  Visitors simply sign up and can join in general GWG discussions as well as specific subcommittee topics ranging from Specifications, Job Ticketing, Color Management, Packaging, Office Document, Process Control, to Compliancy.

New Website Mirrors Organization's Expanded Activities
GWG's specifications have become the international benchmark for PDF quality assurance. Now, using the new website, users will be able to quickly obtain the free specifications, free Ghent Workflow Test Suites, and access to the new XMP job tickets. In the Technical Specification section, you can find more information on the Universal Proof of Preflight ticket, and in the Downloadable Education section, you can find white papers and other easy-to-understand, important information from the GWG, and more.

New GWG Officers
The GWG website was previewed at the organization's general meeting in Paris, where additional highlights included the election of new executive committee members. The newly elected officers joining current GWG Chair, David Zwang, of Zwang & Co. and representing IPA are:

•    Vice Chair: David van Driessche, Enfocus
•    Executive Director: Vicki Blake, Integrated Color Solutions (re-elected)
•    Marketing Officer: Pascale Ginguené, Screen Angel (re-elected)
•    Technical Officer: Stephan Jaeggi, PDFX-ready (re-elected)
•    Documentation Officer:  Peter Kleinheider, Callas Software
•    Treasurer:  Andy Psarianos from PPA (re-elected)

About the GWG
The GWG, formed in June 2002, is an international assembly of industry associations and suppliers from across Europe and the United States.  The GWG's objective is to establish and disseminate process specifications for best practices in graphic arts workflows.

Members are comprised of graphic arts associations including: AIDO (Spain), BPIF (UK)
BVDM (Germany), CMBO (the Netherlands), DDPFF (Denmark), Digital AdLab UK, ERA (Germany), Febelgra (Belgium), FESPA (UK), FTA (USA), IDP Group (The Netherlands), IPA (USA), Idealliance (USA), Madrid Graphic Arts Cluster (Spain), Medibel+ (Belgium), Nederlands Uitgeversverbond (The Netherlands), PDFX-ready (Switzerland), PPA (UK), rotasjon (Norway), SICOGIF (France), TAGA Italia (Italy), VFG (Austria), VIGC (Belgium), and VSD (Switzerland).

Vendor members are: Adobe, Adstream, Agfa, Callas, CGS, Dalim Software, Enfocus, EskoArtwork, Global Graphics, GMG Color, Heidelberg, HP, ICS, Kodak, OneVision, Quark, Screen Europe, & Specle.

Industry members are: Associated Newspapers, Bleuprocess, Four Pees, Hearst Publishing, Medit Consult, Sanoma Magazines Belgium, Screen Angel, Square & QuebecorWorld.

For more information about the GWG, including a full list of its members and objectives, visit www.gwg.org.