Konica Minolta's Flagship Color Digital Press becomes First in the Industry to Meet Production Requirements of GRACoL Color Specifications
 
Ramsey, N.J. – Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, today announced that the bizhub PRESS C8000 is the first digital press to receive the IDEAlliance Digital Press Certification.
 
The IDEAlliance Digital Press Certification program validates that digital presses can consistently meet the production requirements of IDEAlliance's GRACoL color reproduction specifications. Other aspects validated in the certification process include uniformity, rub resistance, color gradations, text quality and color registration. Additionally, designated Konica Minolta production print technicians earned G7 Expert status, thereby permitting the bizhub PRESS C8000 to earn Digital Press Certification.
 
A program that verifies a digital production press' ability to meet print specifications based on internationally recognized ISO standards, the IDEAlliance Digital Press Certification testing was produced by a team G7 Experts from two separate divisions of the Konica Minolta Group including Russell Doucette from Konica Minolta Sensing Americas and Jeff Collins from Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A.  Dawn Nye, Product Marketing Manager for Production Print at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., provided leadership and support on the Konica Minolta Team.
 
Due to the Konica Minolta Team's successful efforts, the Customer Engagement Center at the Konica Minolta Headquarters in Ramsey, N.J. has also earned G7 Master Status.
 
"Our industry benefits greatly from independent system verification and certification. Digital press technologies that meet industry specifications and standards have crossed a new milestone and we thank Konica Minolta for their leadership in supporting this exciting program," said David Steinhardt, President and CEO, IDEAlliance.  "Konica Minolta's participation in obtaining a Digital Press System Certification will go a long way in helping the industry enhance its understanding and application of digital printing."
 
"By being the first in the industry to earn Digital Press Certification from IDEAlliance, the bizhub PRESS C8000 is setting the standard for excellence that will come to be expected by customers looking for the highest quality and superior performance from their digital presses," said Kevin Kern, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. "Having G7 Experts in house and certifying our industry-leading digital presses is just another reason print professionals can count on Konica Minolta to ensure that our technology is not only innovative, but also leading the industry in superior performance certification."
 
IDEAlliance certifies that Digital Press Certified systems meet or exceed established industry tolerances for excellence in the areas of Colorimetric Accuracy, Uniformity, Repeatability, Durability, and Registration.  The certification program is similar to what GRACoL and SWOP is for inkjet proofing, and the framework is based on upcoming international standards ISO 12647-8, 15311, and 15339.
 
Witness firsthand the bizhub PRESS C8000 at GRAPH EXPO 2011, the year's largest graphic communications exhibition and educational conference, which runs September 11-14 at McCormick Place South in Chicago.  To schedule a personal tour of the Konica Minolta Booth (#2227) and/or an executive interview, please contact Alicia Libucha at [email protected].