Accurate brand colors with fixed ink set
Expanded gamut printing technologies aim to widen the range of reproducible colors, by adding one or more inks (orange, green, blue or purple) to the conventional process inks (CMYK). By using the same set of inks for all print jobs, most spot colors are matched without the production overheads of spot color printing.
Why invest in expanded gamut printing ?
A French packaging and label printing operation, Statim, was challenged with an increasing demand for printing spot colors, and shorter production deadlines. Job ganging became gradually more complicated, and press downtime by color changes compromised their profitability. The need to invest in an expanded gamut printing technology was obvious.
80% of spot colors, with 7 conventional inks
Statim chose to work with Esko’s Equinox, an expanded gamut printing solution specifically designed for packaging professionals. Statim uses the same set of seven inks, leaving one print unit available for particular spot colors that are difficult to reproduce.
Only relevant for a small number of spot colors the system requires a certain level of compromise. By implementing Equinox, Statim simplified gang printing, reduced press downtime significantly and maximised their productivity. Now producing about 30% of the work using Equinox, their goal is to reach about 80% by the end of 2013.
Equinox increases revenue
Reducing the number of daily change-overs by 20%, and make-ready times by 20 to 40%, Equinox allows Statim to approach new customers with a very strong pricing structure. Statim is looking at an increased revenue of 10% within one year.
Customers endorse Equinox with their printing suppliers
Most of Statim’s customers would not even have noticed the changed printing method if they hadn't been informed of the Equinox initiative.
Statim’s most important client, a major French brand owner in the food industry, even took part in the decision making. They already knew Equinox for almost two years, through several other printing partners. The client’s practical benefits were clear: shorter production deadlines, simplified ordering processes, increased efficiency and reduced costs without compromising accurate colors.
Learn more about Equinox
By focusing on packaging professionals and label converters, Esko provides clear and factual benefits for packaging specialists, such as Statim.
Find out more about Equinox.
About Statim
Founded in 2005, Statim is located in Periers, in Normandy (France). The packaging and label printing operation addresses a customer base of major food producers, including French household names like Frial, Lustucru, Matines and Le Gaulois. The company employs 35 people and generates €6 million of annual revenue. Statim uses an 8-color Komori 72 x 103 offset press, that accommodates every required combination of conventional and spot colors.
