Roveco, a flexo pre-press service company based in Monza, Italy, known for its strong focus on innovation and continuous technological renewal, has recently installed around twenty PACKZ editors by Hybrid Software. Although Roveco had been familiar with the company for some time, Hybrid Software has now proven to be the right partner to create a secure, stable, and fast workflow that enables cutting-edge services

In recent years, Roveco has undertaken a journey that brought it back to the roots of its identity. As a historic service provider in the flexographic market, the first to focus exclusively on this sector, the company was founded by Renato Vergnano in 1964. Today, it is a key player in flexographic pre-press, employing 50 people and serving clients across various market segments.

“We’ve known Hybrid Software for many years, even before it was known with this name, and we’ve now decided to fully transition to the Hybrid Software ecosystem. In fact, by 2025 all our graphic operators will be using PACKZ. Training is being carried out gradually and with full support from our supplier”, says Andrea Vergnano, managing director and president of Roveco.

Much has changed over the past sixty years, technologies, work approaches, corporate organization, and procedures, but now more than ever, Roveco wants to reaffirm its commitment to being an innovative company with a strong focus on people. A company creates value only if it also values people and their work. Technology helps, but it’s not everything.

This technological and human value was precisely what Roveco found in Hybrid Software: “we chose this partner for our workflow because we saw great flexibility in them. They showed strong attention to our needs. Whatever issues or specific requests arose, Hybrid Software’s technicians always did their best to accommodate us, even modifying software capabilities. I also realized that Hybrid Software constantly brings new ideas and remains flexible in order to best satisfy the customer. Their great ability to listen is the foundation of any relationship: with Hybrid Software we were able to find alternative solutions that fit us perfectly”, says Andrea.

Tailor-made services

Roveco also supplies elastomer and photopolymer sleeves, which are particularly suitable when image continuity on the printed substrate is required. “PACKZ allows us to quickly and easily adapt a file created for one format or repeat length to another, almost automatically. By leveraging the capabilities of the software, the adaptation process happens automatically. Another service we offer is the production of flexo plates with special, shaped, and even very peculiar cuts. With PACKZ, we can fully automate the definition of the cutting path, eliminating the long preparation times usually required for cutting masks”, explains Andrea.

How does this work? PACKZ automates the entire process of defining the cutting path for flexographic plate production using programmable automation tools called Pactions. This digital automation not only saves time but also improves operator safety by reducing the risk of injury associated with manual plate cutting. The Pactions, which have recently been enhanced with even more customizable actions, allow repetitive tasks to be recorded and replayed at any time on single- or multi-page artwork, further improving both productivity and profitability. Pactions is truly a revolutionary automation tool that enables PACKZ to record and modify a series of routine tasks and save them as action lists.

With PACKZ, technology and automation deliver time-saving advantages by eliminating repetitive tasks from workflows

PACKZ is a high-quality editing application designed for all professionals in the sector, regardless of their production volume, small, medium, or large. With PACKZ, even users with limited design and production tools can easily and quickly manipulate native PDF content, achieving excellent levels of productivity, as all processing steps remain within the native PDF format. PACKZ allows users to control every aspect of the imported design and output layout. Moreover, thanks to its 64-bit multi-core architecture running on both macOS and Windows, the native PDF editor ensures optimal performance and ease of use.

“These were the features that convinced us. We’ve been using PACKZ for just a few months and I can confirm that everything is going according to plan. We are absolutely satisfied with the choice we made, another step in our journey of continuous innovation and growth. For us, it’s also important to let the market know that we are constantly seeking the best technologies that enable us to work efficiently, be productive, and ensure safety and speed for our clients. Our experience with PACKZ has been positive on all fronts, both in terms of the value of PACKZ and the support received from Hybrid Software”, concludes Andrea Vergnano.

Innovation is in E-magen’s DNA. With more than 20 years of tradition as a family-run company, E-magen has become a standout in Argentina’s flexographic printing industry—renowned for its commitment to quality and setting new standards in advancing cutting-edge technology.

Its success is no coincidence. Damián Petrola, Vice President of E-magen reflects, “Our solid organizational structure, combined with our highly skilled team, has earned us the trust of leading clients who recognize and support our commitment to excellence and innovation. Professionalism, a customer-focused mindset, and our relentless drive for continuous improvement have been key to our growth and leadership in the flexographic market.”

Petrola highlights the company’s evolution: “Since the beginning, we’ve consistently upgraded our machinery, refined our processes, and embraced new technologies. Now, we see the need to take a bold step forward in software innovation—specifically to optimize our internal workflows, reduce repetitive tasks, and minimize human error through automation.”

Through the continuous integration of cutting-edge equipment and software, E-magen has consistently worked to optimize its processes—enhancing agility and precision at every stage, accelerating production, and ensuring maximum accuracy in every job. It was this motivation to offer a true competitive edge to clients and brand owners that led the company to invest in solutions from Hybrid Software.

“Several factors tipped the scales in favor of Hybrid Software,” Damián Petrola explained. “First, the company’s eagerness and adaptability to meet our specific needs—a level of flexibility that competing solutions simply could not match. This level of customer service, combined with the suite’s powerful features, positions us to achieve new levels of efficiency and precision at E-magen.”

Hybrid Software was chosen by E-magen not for a single application, but for a comprehensive software suite to yield greater transparency and precision at every stage of the printing process: from creation and editing to review, approval, and final output.

The suite includes PACKZ, native, open-standard PDF editor tailored for the label and packaging market with the PACKZ Connector for GMG Color; CLOUDFLOW, a secure, cloud-based platform that streamlines editing and approval processes for print shops, converters, and clients; Packzflow, designed to optimize workflow across all PACKZ-related tasks; and Proofscope, a comprehensive and secure HTML-based solution for creating digital proofs and enabling collaborative review.

But that’s not all. E-magen also acquired Roundtrip, a powerful tool that enables deeper integration with original Adobe Illustrator (.ai) files. These files can now be opened directly in PACKZ while preserving their complete structure—including metadata and object hierarchies—ensuring seamless editing and workflow continuity.

In addition, the company announced strategic investments in Intelligent Flexo and Velvet Screening for flexo, two innovative Hybrid Software technologies designed to optimize screening patterns. These solutions reduce ink consumption while maintaining exceptional color fidelity and image quality. Specifically, Hybrid Software’s new Velvet screening pattern allows E-magen to configure parameters such as minimum dot size, resolution, and screen ruling directly within the prepress workflow—without limitations and in any combination.

“We have acquired a comprehensive licensing package with the primary goal of optimizing internal communication, workflow tracking, and our prepress and approval processes,” says Damián Petrola. “In addition, Hybrid Software helps us to elevate our flexographic plate technology through Velvet Screening and the microtexturing capabilities of Intelligent Flexo. With the investment in these technologies, we’re strengthening our commitment to innovation and continuous improvement—delivering greater efficiency, precision, and performance in all our processes.”

“This suite of tools will enhance our flexo plate technologies with the new Velvet Screening and the microtexturing capabilities of Intelligent Flexo. With these technologies, we are reinforcing our commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, delivering more efficient and precise performance across all operations.”

END

About E-magen

https://www.flexoemagen.com.ar/index.php

Download the press release here.

Global Graphics Software, a leading developer of core technologies for digital printing and the OEM business unit of Hybrid Software, has been awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise. The company has received the honor for its excellence in innovation for SmartDFE™—the intelligent digital front end that drives high-speed label & packaging and industrial inkjet presses. Global Graphics Software is one of 197 organizations in the UK to be recognized.

The company developed SmartDFE in response to growing demands of their customers, who increasingly needed to build inkjet presses that could handle extremely large files while printing at high speed. Global Graphics leveraged artificial intelligence to develop software that analyzes the files and then optimizes the system configuration to process them in real time as the press operates, enabling faster, more flexible production, reducing delays and enabling immediate adjustments. It ensures that press operators can confidently submit a job to the printer and maintain continuous, efficient production and minimize waste. Much of the drive for innovation has also been fuelled by a global shortage of skilled operators in the markets served by digital inkjet printer manufacturers. As a result, the ‘Smarts’ —the print domain expertise once held by operators—needed to be embedded directly into SmartDFE.

Justin Bailey, Managing Director, Global Graphics Software, explained: “We are immensely proud to be honored with this most prestigious award from His Majesty King Charles III. Developing SmartDFE has been a journey that has seen our company transition from supplying software development kits to a complete platform that our customers can develop into their own customized digital front ends to be sold with their digital inkjet printers. Developing SmartDFE has brought a fresh and innovative culture to what was a mature business. It has helped us attract new talent and enabled us to create new patented technology. We are very grateful to our customers and partners who drove our innovation for their trust and support.”

SmartDFE has the potential to transform digital printing: it enables traditional printer manufacturers to more easily diversify into the digital press market by offering their own fully integrated products built on the SmartDFE platform. With its built-in intelligence, SmartDFE empowers press manufacturers to consistently deliver first-class products without the need for specialized knowledge, and to do so quickly in a constantly evolving market.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed in 2023 to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognizing outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 59th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country.

This is the second time Global Graphics Software has been honored with this award, having received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation in 2020 for its ScreenPro™ screening software.

The company will attend a royal reception for King’s Award winners at Windsor Castle and will celebrate with all employees at its head office.

Ends

About the King’s Award for Enterprise
The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed in 2023 to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognizing outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 59^th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Award Emblem for the next five years. Applications for King’s Awards for Enterprise 2026 open on 6^th May 2025. For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise.

About Global Graphics Software
Global Graphics Software, www.globalgraphics.com, is a leading developer of smart software components for print OEMs and ISVs. Technologies include SmartDFE™, Harlequin Core™, ScreenPro Core™, PrintFlat™ and Mako Core™. Customers include HP, Canon, Durst, Roland, Kodak and Agfa. The roots of the company go back to 1986 and to the iconic university town of Cambridge, and today the majority of the R&D team is still based near here. Global Graphics Software owns 100% of its Intellectual Property and is independent of any printer manufacturer. Global Graphics Software is the OEM Software business unit of Hybrid Software Group PLC (Euronext: HYSG).

Media Contact
Paula Halpin, PR & Marketing Manager, Global Graphics Software

Paula.halpin@globalgraphics.com  | Tel: +44 (0)1223 926017

The Fusion Packaging Summit featured 22 technical sessions, as well as informative factory visits to three local customer partners, AV Flexologic, Geostick, and Intergrafipak.

The summit was sponsored by a strong group of industry leaders, including ABG, Arden Software, AV Flexologic, Bobst, CERM, Conics, Eco3/Agfa, Global Vision, HELL Gravure, HP, Infigo, Koenig & Bauer, XSYS, and Zünd.

A highlight of the event was the unveiling of a new standard to extend the CF2 file format for folding carton packaging. CF2 is a venerable industry standard for exchanging structural design data between CAD systems and prepress software, but it does not contain certain features needed for automated packaging production. Jointly developed by Hybrid Software and Arden Software, and supported by partners Zünd, Kongsberg, and EngView Systems, the extended CF2 format will contain folding angles for crease lines and folding order for 3D viewing while retaining backward compatibility for software that cannot support the new extended CF2 features. Future extensions to embed substrate information, grain direction, and other features are planned, while sticking to our open systems philosophy that industry standards should be open to all customers and vendors who want to participate.

“With a long gap between Drupa and Labelexpo Europe, 2025 was the perfect year to introduce the Fusion Packaging Summit—a real ‘fusion’ of global brands, trade shops, packaging converters, a large group of partners who serve them, and our own product experts from Hybrid Software,” said Mike Rottenborn, CEO of Hybrid Software Group. “The results far exceeded my expectations, and we will make Fusion an annual event, alternating between Europe and North America. I look forward to next year’s event.”

Download the press release

MATCHES enables fast, intuitive searches for visually similar or identical image content—eliminating the need for manual keywording. Thanks to its integration into CLOUDFLOW, the AI image search is now seamlessly embedded into existing production workflows, creating new opportunities for process optimization in prepress and packaging design.

“By integrating MATCHES into CLOUDFLOW, we are making our technology available directly within the prepress production workflow for the first time,” explains Ingo Beutler, Product Owner of MATCHES at SAUERESSIG. “Our partnership with Hybrid Software significantly expands the reach of our solution and impressively demonstrates how modern AI applications deliver real, practical value.”

The MATCHES component available within CLOUDFLOW includes all the core functions of the current version, such as text-based content search, intelligent region-of-interest recognition, and optimized visual search tailored specifically for the label, packaging, and decor industries. Users thus benefit from an end-to-end solution that intelligently connects creative and technical processes.

Nick De Roeck, CTO of Hybrid Software Group, emphasizes the importance of the collaboration: “The integration of MATCHES significantly enhances CLOUDFLOW’s capabilities, delivering substantial value to our users. AI-supported image search and analysis is becoming a cornerstone of modern, automated workflows. 

“Together, SAUERESSIG and Hybrid Software bring MATCHES to market—a high-performance solution that reflects our core values: innovation that’s practical, and always on the pulse of print.”

“MATCHES will become an integral part of the digital workflow—from the initial design draft through to production,” adds Beutler. “This integration brings greater efficiency, transparency, and speed to customers worldwide.

“The integration of MATCHES into CLOUDFLOW offers customers a tangible increase in efficiency and future-ready access to advanced AI technology. SAUERESSIG and Hybrid Software are jointly paving the way for intelligent, next-generation production—enhancing competitiveness, strengthening innovation, and securing long-term success.”

The solution is immediately available as a module within the CLOUDFLOW platform.

Download the press release

The new Copy Management module offers a structured, intelligent approach to managing marketing and legal text. It enables centralized copy sheets, AI based multi-language translation and validation, and GS1-compliant copy tracking. Teams can efficiently reuse approved copy for variants or updates, ensuring consistency while accelerating time-to-market. The module also enhances collaboration between editors and validators, reducing errors and approval cycles.

Proofscope, Artflow’s integrated annotation tool, now supports strike-through, replacement, and note statuses, with direct export to Adobe® InDesign and Acrobat. Plus, with note status management in PDF reports, teams stay aligned and revisions stay on track.

Artflow features a redesigned dual-dock interface for a reference view workspace, and an enhanced asset library with mid-project storage, versioning capabilities, and better external library integration.

“With this Artflow release, it’s really about helping teams cut through the usual chaos—whether that’s version control, translations, or just trying to meet deadlines with multiple suppliers in the mix,” states Igor Vandromme, VP/GM at Hybrid BrandZ. “We’ve made things a bit simpler, a lot smarter, and ultimately more usable for the people who rely on it every day.”

Additional improvements include multilingual support available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German, custom branding options, advanced participant filtering, metadata-driven workflows, and enhanced reporting.

This update helps global creative teams accelerate time-to-market, reduce revisions, and maintain copy consistency across products and regions.

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About Hybrid BrandZ: Hybrid BrandZ, a dedicated business unit of Hybrid Software (Euronext: HYSG), is transforming the packaging industry with innovative solutions. Our core offerings, Artflow—a comprehensive artwork management solution—and iC3D, a 3D packaging design software, streamline concept generation and visualization. Our products are committed to managing complex projects with ease and efficiency for brands and consumer packaged goods companies.

Rask, a prepress specialist based in Wommelgem and part of the international Korozo Group, has been working with Hybrid Software tools for ten years. The Rask team uses the PACKZ PDF editor, the CLOUDFLOW automation platform and has standardized on Hybrid Software solutions for a decade. Their latest evolution? Implementing CLOUDFLOW Colorspace – the new gold standard in automated color management powered by ColorLogic’s color technology.

(From left to right:) Marc Van Passen, co-CEO of Rask, and Neal Inghelbrecht, Hybrid Benelux Sales Manager

Rask is a leading player in the prepress industry. The company was founded in 1996 as an internal division of the packaging printer Vitrapack, owned by the Laeremans family in Wommelgem. What started as an in-house service has grown into an independent company with a strong identity and specialized expertise.

Today, Rask provides high-quality prepress services to Vitrapack and external clients. This independence allows the company to respond flexibly and innovatively to changing market demands, contributing to its continuous growth and success.

Since 2019, Rask and Vitrapack have been part of the Korozo Group, an international packaging group with 1,800 employees and a projected turnover of €255 million for 2024. Vitrapack has a 17,000-square-meter production facility specializing in gravure and flexographic printing. The company produces flexible packaging for well-known clients such as Cartamundi, Lotus, Perfetti Van Melle, Puratos, and Vondelmolen.

Rask employs 16 specialist staff and is an essential link in the packaging process.

Practical experience and digital tools

“Seventy-five percent of our revenue comes from prepress activities for Vitrapack,” says Marc Van Passen, co-CEO of Rask. A quarter of the revenue comes from external clients such as label printers, carton manufacturers, and brands. “We are involved in all processes and segments of the packaging industry. We are increasingly leveraging our expertise to serve other clients, which is why we have experienced such growth in recent years,” Van Passen emphasizes.

Processes, from digital design to print-ready files, are automated as much as possible. “Our added value lies in delivering files that printers can use without any issues. We have mastered all the technical aspects so that any printer can work very efficiently with our files,” says Van Passen.

Rask has been working with Hybrid Software’s digital tools for ten years.

Rask’s expertise is built on a team with years of hands-on experience at Vitrapack and other printing companies, combined with Hybrid Software’s digital tools. This collaboration with the software developer has lasted for ten years. “We have a very pragmatic relationship with Hybrid. They listen to our questions and concerns and respond quickly with solutions,” says Van Passen.

For all prepress activities, Rask uses PACKZ. Automation is managed with CLOUDFLOW. Conics, a software consultancy from Ypres (Belgium), has developed customized interfaces with Rask’s web portal.

Automate, accelerate and improve

“What’s important to us is that processes run in the same way every time, as efficiently and predictably as possible. We aim for zero errors – everything has to be perfect. To achieve this, we need a platform like CLOUDFLOW. Especially when you start to automate in a broader context and have to communicate with customers. All these processes are developed and take shape in CLOUDFLOW”, explains Marc Van Passen. A new investment project is the implementation of Hybrid Software’s Colorspace in CLOUDFLOW and PACKZ, with which Rask aims to further automate, accelerate and improve color management.

“There are several color management systems on the market, but few are as tightly integrated with prepress software as ColorLogic’s color technology in CLOUDFLOW Colorspace,’ says Van Passen. ‘This integration into our existing workflows is extremely important for streamlining production and increasing efficiency.”

A new investment project is the implementation of Hybrid Software’s CLOUDFLOW Colorspace

The next technological step for Rask will be the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workflow. Marc Van Passen sees opportunities in training, customer communication, pricing, invoicing and quality control. “We are champions at controlling every stage of the production process. All these checks are now carried out by people, aided by software. We want to go further down this road by making these controls automatic. An AI-based workflow can certainly help us,” explains Van Passen.

Rask uses PACKZ for all prepress operations

Hybrid Software is organizing the ‘Hybrid Fusion Packaging Summit’ in Amsterdam from 22 to 25 April 2025, at which the company will also be making announcements about the integration of AI into its solutions.

Established in 1972, Kirk Group is known throughout the industry as an innovation leader. The reprographics company, headquartered in Sydney, works with global brands and major printing companies across the ANZ region and into Asia, supplying graphic services and image carrier solutions for packaging production. Manufacturing sites are located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Auckland, and sales offices in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Mumbai, India, all focused on the company’s stated mission “to bring inspiration and innovation to marketers and brands.”

With decades of experience in delivering flexo excellence, Kirk Group understands that close collaboration with technology suppliers and customers is key to success. When long-term customer RollsPack Group challenged the team to find a more cost-effective and sustainable way to print high value flexible packaging, they knew exactly where to turn.

Ben Prout, Group Technical Manager, shares: “Kirk Group has worked with RollsPack for over 20 years, so we appreciate and understand their ambitions, requirements and workflow. For this project, we also drew on the technical expertise and experience of XSYS and Hybrid Software, as well as RollsPack collaborating closely to create a customized solution that not only meets or exceeds the quality of competitors but also offers a more competitive price point.”

To meet RollsPack´s specific criteria, the team carefully considered the combination of plate and specialized screening technologies necessary to achieve the desired outcome. They were able to leverage the versatility of the ThermoFlexX imaging system and Catena+ automated processing line to implement these solutions:

• nyloflex® NEF D – a high durometer printing plate for flexible packaging developed by XSYS for the efficient creation of flat-top dots and reproduction of surface screenings with UV LED exposure.
• Velvet Screening – a new screening type from Hybrid Software created to meet flexo requirements. As the successor to hybrid XM screening, it uses an advanced dot removal algorithm to reduce harsh edges, leading to smoother and higher-quality prints.
• ThermoFlexX Woodpecker Nano – the finest surface micro pattern available for LAMS plates, suitable for platemakers and printers who need high frequency surface screens to increase quality and efficiency while reducing costs.

Pushing the boundaries of flexo printing

The nyloflex® plates with Velvet Screening and Woodpecker micro surface patterns provided by Kirk Group ticked all the boxes for RollsPack Group, meeting its demands for quality, sustainability and costs. A family-owned company founded in 1985, it specializes in flexible packaging production, including e-commerce, food, retail, and tamper-evident solutions.

“This solution offers a lot of potential. Set up times have been reduced significantly due to precise color profiles, and longevity on press is comparable to other major players on the market,” said Print Manager Thanh Huynh. Commenting on the print quality, he added, “There’s a marked difference in the ink laydown on surface print; it’s one of the best I’ve seen in flexibles. Even when printing colors on a white ink base layer, where we typically experience a drop in density – the results with Woodpecker are impressive. In addition, Velvet Screening holds the dots really well, ensuring that there are minimum hard edges.”

As well as delivering top quality at great cost, RollsPack is also firmly committed to sustainability, developing environmentally friendly products for its customers. “We are dedicated to elevating the market by supplying innovations that benefit our customers and meet their sustainability goals. We successfully achieved the same high-quality print with water-based inks as with solvent-based inks. This drives a constant need to explore new avenues and Kirk Group plays a fundamental role in this endeavor. Together we are pushing the boundaries of brilliant flexo,” concluded Thanh Huynh.

Easy implementation in any workflow

In this scenario, advanced screening technology and dedicated plate surface structures simplified the challenging task of controlling the dots and the ink behavior on press. ThermoFlexX Woodpecker and Velvet Screening proved their individual strengths, to deliver a successful outcome for RollsPack. Both software solutions are truly open without any extra steps needed, meaning they can be implemented into any workflow.

Brenton King, Hybrid Software’s Sales Manager for Australasia, expanded on the flexibility of Velvet Screening, “The beauty of Velvet is that the software doesn’t require any proprietary information or special equipment, it just slots into the existing setup. Used at any resolution or ruling, it can be imaged onto the plate of your choice on any CTP device and then processed through your existing exposure frame.” He added, “In this collaboration, Kirk Group simply applied Velvet Screening and then added the Woodpecker surface patterns during imaging. It’s a very clever combination.”

Maximizing opportunities and potential

On the hardware side, Kirk Group relied on ThermoFlexX technology from XSYS, including a Catena+ automated plate processing line installed at the Melbourne site in 2021. Kirk’s Chief Operating Officer Robert Selvaggio commented, “The investment in Catena+ has been a great success story for us. We were among the first in the market to realize the potential of this high performance, one-touch technology which tripled our capacity and elevated plate quality.” He revealed the company’s’ future strategy, “We’re now in the process of installing a Catena+ line in Brisbane and a third one is already planned for Sydney.”

“Kirk Group has been reaping the exceptional benefits of Catena+ for a few years, and we have witnessed the innovative solutions it enables, such as this special project for RollsPack Group,” said Roy Schoettle, VP, XSYS Asia Pacific. “We are delighted that this partnership has been so successful and look forward to taking the next steps with the team, as they equip all their manufacturing sites with full Catena+ lines.”

Robert Selvaggio concluded, “Flexo is still the largest printing technology for packaging, both in terms of volume and value, but we must maximize the market opportunities and the potential of each technology on offer. This is why collaboration is crucial for the future of our industry and for our customers.”

Matching brand colours is a fundamental task for most flexo printers, and there are tools and approaches that can take the subjectivity out of colour management.

How do you manage colour at your flexo facility? For some flexo companies, it seems, the question itself might engender something of a feeling of discomfort. There is a diplomatic response provided by X-Rite’s director of print & packaging, Jon-Michael McCartney, when asked about the industry picture.

“The level of advancement in colour management varies quite a bit among flexo printers,” he tells FlexoTech. “Some are already using advanced digital tools and following ISO standards, while others still rely on more traditional and subjective methods. However, as demand for colour consistency continues to grow, especially in packaging and branding, more flexo printers are recognising the need for digital process control and colour measurement tools to remain competitive.”

There is a slightly more straightforward response from Niall Coady, the owner of colour consultancy MPXColour, who points out that there is no standard way to communicate colours in the flexographic printing industry, even though there is a standard for controlling the printing process (ISO 12647-6:2020). This lack of a standard makes it hard for brands and printers to control the results and make sure their products are of the best quality.

Mr Coady explains: “Many printers buy their plates and separations from independent repro organisations who have limited printing experience and rely heavily on proofs printed on different materials than the final product for the client. I’m often puzzled by the number of businesses using 1990s methods in 2025 software and expecting better results. To get the results we want, we need to change how we do things; that’s a fact.”

MPXColour helps its clients, including printers, agencies, and brands, develop a colour communication strategy. It uses science to make a process that is often too subjective, more objective. Mr Coady says: “What can be measured can be managed.”

“That’s the ethos behind the way I have been doing my business for the last 10 years,” he continued. “One of the key things I get involved with is when a brand wants to understand what they are asking a printer to do.”

Colour strategy

For printers, managing colour expectations for different brands is a complex process that can easily result in them having to work with lots of different colour management software and tools.

“It’s a huge job for them to keep up with this. I ask brands: what are you trying to control, what’s the goal and how would you describe that to your printer? If you ask that very specific question to five different brands you will get five different answers. There has to be a common denominator and that’s what I do. I act as a communications man between what a client wants to achieve, what a printer can actually achieve and what the process can achieve, given the materials and components designated for the job.”

Data-driven

Hybrid Software also sees the process as beginning with brand owners, creating artwork and specifying colour in an unambiguous way.

Joris Verbouwe, product manager for colour technology at Hybrid, comments that “if colour is well specified then we have a very good starting point”. He adds: “It’s an essential thing to make colour an integrated part of a production process, in our case with CLOUDFLOW. It’s very much data-driven, it’s colour-by-numbers. But it’s also about staffing; the people you have interacting with CLOUDFLOW. You cannot expect everyone to be very colour-savvy, and for printers to have skilled people focusing on colour is great but this can lead to production bottlenecks, but with CLOUDFLOW workflow everyone in the production process can make colour production decisions and evaluate the outcome without being a colour expert.

“So, it is data-driven, logical, intuitive. In the workflow, you can prepare the artwork for output, but you can reroute to whichever press you want it to go to. You can use the flexibility in the workflow to do that and you can do it very late in the process – what is called ‘late binding’.”

Removing subjectivity

There is a key point here about rerouting print jobs to a different press. The “colour-by-numbers” approach theoretically enables this to happen, by taking any subjectivity out of colour matching.

Jon-Michael McCartney of X-Rite explains: “The most effective way to remove subjectivity from the colour management process is by using digital colour standards based on spectral data. This approach helps designers share colour intent and specifications while setting clear requirements across the entire print supply chain. With digital colour communication, everyone is speaking the same language and working off the same specifications, which eliminates subjective interpretation.

“By implementing a digital colour workflow, brands and their print suppliers benefit from faster make-ready times, improved productivity, and reduced waste. By measuring and verifying spectral colour data, flexo printers can maintain colour accuracy throughout production and share results with brands as part of a print quality control program. This process not only minimises costly rework but also reduces the need for onsite press approvals, accelerating production timelines and supporting sustainability initiatives through reduced waste and resource consumption.”

It is certainly not an easy process to implement. Each flexo press must be fingerprinted, while profile information on different substrates must be compiled. Colours on samples can be measured with a spectrophotometer and stored as a CXF file, which allows the data contained within to travel the world over, and be applied to a specific printing press, specific printing conditions, and specific substrate, to provide a realistic expectation of the colour that can be produced.

“By digitising colour standards, printers can store and access spectral data for precise colour reproduction across different presses and substrates. These tools allow printers to work within predefined tolerances, eliminating guesswork and ensuring colour accuracy from proof to production – no matter the material or printing conditions,” said Mr McCartney.

He concludes: “If there’s one key takeaway, it’s this: strong process control is the foundation of colour consistency. Invest in the right tools, maintain your equipment, and carefully manage environmental conditions in the pressroom. Adopting a digital colour workflow provides a path to streamlined colour communication, waste reduction, and increased efficiency.”

The availability of GlobalVision’s VerifyAPI in Hybrid Software’s workflow software, CLOUDFLOW, embeds quality checks directly within your prepress workflow, automating tedious tasks like artwork verification, barcode and QR code checks, spell check, and braille inspection—providing print-ready files at any scale.

VerifyAPI delivers Verify’s AI-powered quality inspection tools through easy-to-integrate APIs, making them available wherever you need them inside CLOUDFLOW, from job creation to preflight and imposition.

Seamless API integration built for prepress workflows

VerifyAPI is provided as a workflow solution that integrates directly into CLOUDFLOW, allowing administrators to sculpt inspection logic into existing quality control processes. The result is a frictionless prepress workflow. The configuration of inspection parameters in CLOUDFLOW allows prepress operators to set consistent quality standards across all files, with the guarantee that all teams are using the same inspection criteria.

Reducing quality bottlenecks through automated QC

Review cycles move quicker with annotation-based approvals, allowing teams to fix issues without slowing down production, and the inspection dashboard provides full visibility and traceability. Through automatic flagging of errors, files are press-ready in record time and workflows are streamlined so that operators can focus on higher-level tasks.

Scalable, secure & future-ready

From small teams to enterprise, VerifyAPIusers will enjoy the cloud-based infrastructure and modular, scalable design of CLOUDFLOW. Prepress operations are flexible to expand in alignment with business growth or seasonal peak periods and is available as SaaS with Hybrid Software IT management.

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About GlobalVision

GlobalVision, founded in 1990, is the market leader in automated quality inspection and proofreading solutions for regulated industries. Trusted by organizations across pharmaceuticals, CPG, agencies, and the print & packaging space, GlobalVision’s technology empowers companies to save time, eliminate errors, and easily deliver flawless content from brand to print.

www.globalvision.co/partners/hybrid

Press Contact:
Communications Manager:  Rojarra Armbrister
Email: rarmbrister@globalvision.co
Tel: +1 438 350 0991