Easier Access to PantoneLIVE Libraries

GRAND RAPIDS, MI—September 23, 2013—X-Rite Pantone and Sun Chemical Corporation have made it easier for smaller printers and converters to access PantoneLIVE libraries that cover the majority of substrates used in the packaging industry, including corrugated brown kraft, transparent film, carton board and labels.

X-Rite Pantone now offers several turnkey solution packages including PantoneLIVE licenses so that any printer or converter can access the 22 PantoneLIVE libraries to meet the needs of customers that want to harness the efficiency of cloud-based, spectral color data. The new turnkey solution will also be available through Sun Chemical, PantoneLIVE’s preferred ink supplier.

Sun Chemical’s global color platform allows every ink color to match exactly with PantoneLIVE and is fully integrated with PantoneLIVE. This system enables the user to operate seamlessly in a fully digital workflow to produce real colors on real substrates with real printing processes.

Printers and converters have sought access to the PantoneLIVE system because the cloud-based repository of spectral data allows them to reliably produce PANTONE spot colors across various packaging substrates, which reduces time at prepress, saves money in production, and creates a better customer experience. Using the PantoneLIVE system, international packaging giant Chesapeake, based in Leicester, UK, said it was able to reduce the number of issues with customers by 80 percent, along with reducing the total number of wet ink drawdowns for projects and shortening the time involved in a drawdown from 4 hours to as little as an hour.

As the preferred ink supplier of PantoneLIVE ecosystem for the packaging market, Sun Chemical will be able to share the digital targets of spot colors efficiently within its global network.

“Precise color management is critical to brand owners, especially those with leading brands that are associated closely with specific colors," said Patrice Aurenty, business leader, color management, Sun Chemical. "Sun Chemical has endorsed PantoneLIVE as the only quality system to achieve brand color consistency in the packaging workflow, and we are pleased to work with X-Rite to offer libraries that now cover more than 80 percent of substrates commonly used in the packaging industry."

Francesco Tomasello, vice president of European sales channels for X-Rite, said the company has launched PantoneLIVE Turnkey Solutions to advise customers on the most cost-effective packages of hardware, software, licenses and color services that will accomplish their goals.

"PantoneLIVE has shown its success and value with brand owners and converters, both in Europe and the U.S., and we are excited to offer these turnkey solutions," Tomasello said. "We want to help customers get to a PantoneLIVE ready state quickly and easily."

Printers and converters that want to learn more about PantoneLIVE Turnkey Solutions can contact their X-Rite Pantone or Sun Chemical representatives, due to the special relationship between the companies, Tomasello said. The new PantoneLIVE libraries and turnkey solutions are available immediately in Europe and North America.

About X-Rite
X-Rite, Incorporated with its wholly owned subsidiary Pantone LLC is the global leader in color science and technology. The company develops, manufactures, markets and supports color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services. With main headquarters in Grand Rapids, Mich. and regional headquarters in Regensdorf, Switzerland and Hong Kong, China, X-Rite helps customers with a full range of color management systems and solutions offered through dealers and more than 20 company-owned manufacturing facilities, sales and service offices in the Americas, Europe and Asia. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, plastics, paint, textiles, dental and medical.
 
About Pantone
Pantone, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, has been the world’s color authority for nearly 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers paint and designer-inspired products and services for consumers.

About Sun Chemical
Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC group, is the world's largest producer of printing inks and pigments and a leading provider of materials to packaging, publication, coatings, plastics, cosmetics and other industrial markets. With annual sales of more than $3.5 billion, Sun Chemical has over 8,000 employees supporting customers around the world. Sun Chemical Corporation is a subsidiary of Sun Chemical Group Coöperatief U.A., the Netherlands, and is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ.

About PantoneLIVE
The PantoneLIVE ecosystem is supported by licensed hardware and software that enables each area of a packaging supply chain to access the same PantoneLIVE Colors, in addition to brand specific palettes. While users of any manufacturer’s ink are able to take advantage of PantoneLIVE, Sun Chemical is the preferred ink partner. Esko, a global supplier of integrated solutions for packaging, sign and display finishing, commercial printing and professional publishing, is also a preferred partner supporting PantoneLIVE. Both companies worked closely with Pantone and X-Rite to develop PantoneLIVE.

Source: X-Rite.