Following pilot, the program will be extended for other Pyroll facilities in Finland

Grand Rapids, Mich. – X-Rite Incorporated, a global leader in color science and technology, and its subsidiary Pantone LLC, today reported that Finnish company Pyroll Packages is the first flexographic printer worldwide to achieve PANTONE Certified Printer status. The initial certification audit was conducted at the company’s location at Joensuu, one of ten locations across the country. Pyroll plans to continue this program in 2018. The certification was carried out by X-Rite Solutions Architect Mark Gundlach and International Technical Support and Application Expert Maxim Siniak together with Certified Pantone Partner and packaging repro house Flexolahti Oy and X-Rite dealer KTA Oy.

The PANTONE Certified Printer Program reviews and analyzes every aspect of a printer’s color operations – from preflight, to file preparation and proofing, to ink formulation and mixing, and to process control in the pressroom. Pyroll’s certification confirms the company’s ability to consistently achieve the most stringent customer color requirements, efficiently and cost effectively. PANTONE Certified Printer Program requires annual recertification to ensure continued performance at peak levels.

“Our goal was to establish a more stringent color management program, expanding beyond visual evaluation to using instruments and digital standards,” said Mikael Svennas, Pyroll Packages’ CEO. “The PANTONE Certified Printer process was very thorough, and we learned a great deal. In addition to the process improvements we will achieve as a result of the audit, we will also be able to leverage Pantone’s brand recognition adding even more credibility to our market position.”

Flexolahti Oy, an active member of the Finnish Flexographic Association, has raised awareness in Finland about the value of X-Rite solutions as a solid foundation for color management standardization. “We’ve seen X-Rite and Pantone solutions become the de facto standard in Finland with great results,” commented Kai Tornikoski, Managing Director. “We were pleased to work with X-Rite color experts to help Pyroll achieve this prestigious status and to further elevate awareness of the importance of a formalized color management program. In an environment where supply chains are complex, deadlines are tight, and errors and rework are not acceptable, PANTONE Certified Printer status gives Pyroll’s customers peace of mind that their packages will be produced as expected, giving them faster time to market and improved shelf appeal.”

To boost its overall performance and meet certification criteria, Pyroll has added the following X-Rite products to the Joensuu site:

• ColorCert Suite, including ColorCert Master, Pressroom and ScoreCard Server. The ColorCert Suite enables the packaging industry to better manage the complexities of CMYK, Expanded Gamut, and Spot Color workflows, regardless of the printing process, substrate, or industry standard. Its modular set of tools streamline communications, provide actionable data and enable better utilization of existing people, processes and technologies.
• X-Rite eXact, a handheld spectrophotometer combining industry-leading functionality with an easy-to-use interface for controlling, managing, and communicating color across the entire color workflow with embedded PantoneLIVE access.
• InkFormulation Software, a fast, accurate, consistent ink formulation, formula creation, storage, approval and retrieval solution for offset, flexo, gravure and screen-printing inks. InkFormulation Software is PantoneLIVE compatible.
• NetProfiler, a cloud-based blend of software and color standards for verifying and optimizing performance of color measurement devices, reducing variance among instruments. As Pyroll rolls out the PANTONE Certified Printer Program to additional locations, this capability becomes even more critical.
• PantoneLIVE, a cloud-based architecture that enables digital specification and communication of Pantone standards to all stakeholders in the global supply chain. With centralized digital color standards and spectral values, everyone accesses and utilizes the same Pantone color libraries creating unsurpassed color consistency and a new way to manage, and communicate color.

On-site training and help with the creation of Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) was provided to Pyroll staff to ensure smooth implementation of all recommended new processes.

“In addition to an improved ability to better communicate with brands and standardize color processes, this certification also provides a way for printers and converters to transform their entire production process, from file reception to ink formulation and final output,” added Maxim Siniak, “It offers a distinct sales and marketing advantage. The PANTONE Certified Printer Program is the one certification program that can fundamentally change how a printer or converter does business, improving quality, productivity and very important profitability.”

To learn more about the PANTONE Certified Printer Program visit http://www.xrite.com/pantone-certified-printer-program.