GoodPDFWorkflows ComeinGWG-TestedPackages!GhentPDFWorkgroup A Special Informational Supplement 4 PackageDesignMag.com In a continued effort, a job ticket for proof submission (both

GoodPDFWorkflowsCome inGWG-Tested Packages!The GhentWorkgroup Shares Its Vision for Package Production

A special supplement to Package Design Magazine

www.gwg.org

INSIDE:

GWG Chairman David Zwang

Ghent Specifications in Practice

Recent Real-World Case Studies

Are you in the loupe?www.rollwithasn.com/gwg

www.gwg.org

3A Supplement to Package Design Magazine

Five years ago, a group of Graphic Arts User Associationsfrom various Benelux countries decided that it would be intheir combined interest to develop a single, consensus-driv-en set of PDF preflight profiles, instead of each having indi-vidual country or association centric versions. They recog-nized that the realities of Globalization were affecting all oftheir members and needed to be addressed in the produc-tion processes. This was the beginning of the Ghent PDFWorkgroup (GWG).

Since then the group has grown from a handful ofregional user associations to include over 40 membergroups, including many international user associations andpremier vendors of graphic arts solutions and tools – and itis still growing. Recently, the non-profit GWG opened itsmembership up to individual industry members in order toallow some of the larger “end user” companies and indus-try consultants to participate in this valuable enterprise.Additionally, the group opened up its membership to cer-tain educational institutions. The feeling is that if there is abroad base of users participating, there is a greater oppor-tunity to address a broader range of issues.

The main reason for the success of the GWG is thatthe development of each of the specifications and bestpractices all continue to be consensus-driven and addressthe key problems being felt in the field. This is possiblebecause the working members in each of the focused sub-committees include many of the top industry experts fromaround the globe.

Working with standardsWorking closely with the international standards

community, the GWG develops practical solutions to buildon – and enhance – the work done by these standardsgroups. In fact, many of the working participants of theGWG are also active members of those international stan-dards groups. Once these solutions are developed, tested,and agreed upon, the membership of users and vendorswork together to bring these solutions to the entire glob-al user community.

While the GWG initially created PDF preflight profiles,the work of the group has grown to include many otherareas of interest. These areas of interest and developmentall stem from the mission statement: “To establish and dis-seminate process specifications for best practices in graph-

ic arts workflows.” To date, the GWG has released PDFprofiles (currently at version 3) to address a wide range ofprint production processes. These include preflight specifi-cations and best practices for magazine and newspaper pro-duction, print advertising, commercial printing, silkscreen,wide-format printing, office document printing, and pack-aging. These specifications have been tested, and vendorswho want to create their own implementations to supporttheir solutions can easily do so. Then they have the optionof having their implementations of these specifications cer-tified by the GWG.

Tools for a range of workflowsDuring the process of developing these specifications,

the GWG found that many of the prepress systems andtools in the marketplace either were not compliant or werenot up to date with the GWG specifications or the currentversions of layout and design software. As a result, theGWG Output Suite was developed.

The Output Suite is a set of individual files that can beused to test the design and print production workflowprocesses from layout packages through proofing andplatemaking. These tests have been used successfully bymany vendors to test software and utilities and to identify thecorrect settings to be used. More importantly, they havebeen used by “end users” to quickly identify problems intheir workflow processes before they find out that one jobwon’t process correctly.

One of the more recent areas of work has been thedevelopment of electronic job ticketing specifications. Thefirst job ticket released by the GWG was for ad submission.Working in conjunction with CIP4 and AdsML, an XMP adticket was released and is currently being used with greatsuccess by many large agencies and publishers in Europe.

GhentWorkgroup Has a Mission:Real Users and Real Experts Building Real ToolsBy David L. Zwang, Chairman, Ghent Workgroup

The main reason for the success of the

GWG is that the development of each of the

specifications and best practices all continue

to be consensus-driven and address the

key problems being felt in the field.

Ghent PDF Workgroup A Special Informational Supplement

PackageDesignMag.com4

In a continued effort, a job ticket for proof submission (bothmonitor-based and paper) is the next ticket scheduled forrelease. More job tickets will be released to address otherspecific needs.

It’s all about making the people and processes smarterWhile most of the work product offered by the GWG is

available in the form of easily installable settings files, it wasfelt that there was a need for additional educational materi-als for those who wanted to dig deeper into what really goeson behind their processes. The message and the educationare spreading in the form of white papers and live eventsoffered at member venues.

While everything the GWG produces is absolutely freeand available from the GWG website, getting the messageout to the masses has been the biggest challenge. Thegroup has employed a variety of means including articles,white papers, events, and the inclusion of the GWG workproduct in software releases. With these initiatives, theadoption rate will continue to grow. Of course, word-of-mouth testimonials from those who have enjoyed the suc-cesses of using these specifications and best practices willprobably be the primary driver of adoption over time.

It is often said that “the best things in life are free.” Weat the GWG strongly believe in this statement, and it is anintegral part of our DNA. Please review the exciting andeducating information in this publication, and visit theGWG website so that you too can benefit from all of thiswork, and as many others have already done.

GhentWorkgroup Missioncontinued from page 3

VENDOR MEMBERS LINKAdobe Systems Incorporated www.adobe.comAdstream www.adstream.comAgfa www.agfa.comArtwork Systems www.artwork-systems.comCallas www.callas.deCGS Publishing Technologies www.cgs.deDalim Software www.dalim.comDevZeroG www.devzerog.comEnfocus www.enfocus.comEsko www.esko.comGlobal Graphics www.globalgraphics.comGMG Color www.gmgcolor.comGradual Software www.gradual.comHeidelberg www.heidelberg.comHP www.hp.comICS www.icscolor.comKodak www.kodak.comOneVision www.onevision.comQuark www.quark.comScreen Europe www.screeneurope.comSpecle www.specle.net

ASSOCIATION MEMBERS COUNTRY LINKBVDM Germany www.bvdm.orgCITAGM Spain www.cit-agm.comCMBO The Netherlands www.cebuco.nlDDPFF Denmark www.ddpff.dkERA Europe www.era.eu.orgFebelgra Belgium www.febelgra.beFESPA UK www.fespa.comFTA USA www.flexography.orgIDEAlliance USA www.idealliance.orgIDP Group The Netherlands www.idp-group.nlIPA USA www.ipa.orgMedibel+ Belgium www.medibelplus.beNederlands Uitgeversverbond The Netherlands www.nuv.nlPDF/X-ready Switzerland www.pdfx-ready.chPPA UK www.ppa.co.ukSICOGIF France www.sicogif.comTaga Italia Italy www.taga.itVFG Austria www.vfg.xaron.comVIGC Belgium www.vigc.beVISKOM Norway www.viskom.netVSD Switzerland www.druckindustrie.ch

Vendor andAssociationMembershipRoster

www.gwg.org



Avoid costly mistakes. Cut time in the production cycle.Exchange files without rancor and finger pointing. All theseand more are benefits that flow from PDF/X-Plus. Packagedesigners who are interested in these benefits of adheringto the GWG Packaging Specification, presently known asPDF-Plus, will have some work and research ahead, butnothing too difficult.

Designers will also have to become conversant withthe PDF/X standard, and tech savvy enough to understandand preflight a file or buy preflight services. Basically thespecifications are instructions on how a file should be setup, and what is allowed and not allowed in the file. Anotherway to put it is that it’s a set of creation and preflight param-eters. The first step, of course, is to download the free newspecifications at www.gwg.org.

Getting to know PDF/XPDF is one of the most familiar and widely used file for-

mats. It can be created through the ‘export’ function inAdobe’s Creative Suite programs, Microsoft Office pro-grams (ideally not for documents that will print profession-ally) with Adobe Acrobat installed, and also by vendorsother than Adobe who have licensed the technology, includ-ing Quark. That’s one reason why PDF is designated PDF1.3, 1.4, and so on. Currently, Adobe’s CS 3 creates PDF 1.7,CS2 generates PDF 1.6, and CS makes PDF 1.5.

PDF/X is not a PDF level or an alternative to the fileformat. Rather, it’s a focused subset of PDF that clearlydefines what can or cannot be included in the file. TheInternational Organization for Standardization in Geneva,Switzerland, has ratified several versions of PDF/X as stan-dards for different purposes. The GWG specifications arebased on these standards. Today, PDF/X is used principal-ly for reliable prepress file exchange for commercial print-ing as well as for submitting magazine and newspaperadvertising to publications around the world. One of theeasiest ways to try it out is to save a PDF as a PDF/X inAcrobat, and then preflight it with the Acrobat preflightfunction.

The GWG Packaging Specifications, presently knownas PDF-Plus, are based on PDF/X-1a:2001 but have a lim-ited number of exceptions allowed, the most important ofwhich are transparency, layers, and colors beyond CMYK.Steven Carter, Director of Technology for SouthernGraphic Systems (SGS) in St. Louis and co-chair of the GWG

Packaging Subcommittee, says, “A big thing to remember isthat currently the specification doesn’t adhere strictly toPDF/X. However, the ISO recognizes this and is workingon PDF/X 4 and PDF/X 5, which will allow transparencyand support special inks, respectively. These should bereleased sometime this summer.”

GWG packaging specificationsCarter also explains the reasoning behind the five

specification categories. “Package Design LR and HR areuseful. Some designersdon’t like to embed high-resolution images intheir PDFs because thatincreases the file size.There are a lot of emailswith the file attachedgoing around for com-ments and approvals. It’salways better to send asmall file to the CEOwho just uses Acrobat Reader. Some designers will embedthe high-resolution files when they submit the file to theprepress house. Others still prefer to send those files sepa-rately,” he says.

The downstream specifications are process specific –offset, gravure, and flexography. For reproduction, aprocess specific file will be created from the original designfile. The changes needed to make these print ready fileshave chiefly to do with image and text resolution and lineweights. For example, PDF-Plus requires that text with twoor more printing colors be large enough – 8 pt. for DesignLR and HR and Offset, no smaller than 6 pt. for gravure, andno smaller than 14 pt. for flexo. These and other differencescan be significant.

GhentWorkgroup Packaging Specifications:Some ‘How-Tos’ to Put into Practice

UpstreamSpecifications:• Packaging Design LR (low res)• Packaging Design HR (hi res)

DownstreamSpecifications:• Packaging Offset• Packaging Gravure• Packaging Flexo

GWG CATEGORIES


www.gwg.org

Carter says that GWG specifications for digital printingon label presses like those from HP Indigo or Xeikon havenot yet been addressed although some initial testing isgoing on. At this point, the offset specifications would bethe closest to consider.

He explains that in the packaging industry, some designfirms have in-house art production teams who prepare theprint ready files. Others send their files to prepress houseslike SGS. Still others work directly with their printers. “Mostof the larger design firms that specialize in packaging areaware of the different requirements for the printing process-es. It’s typically the smaller design firms that do mostly com-

mercial work that are surprised by things like the traps forflexo and that they have to account for distortion. This knowl-edge is not prevalent among the wider design community.”

Therefore, although designers themselves may not bepreparing the process-specific file, the specification require-ments should be helpful for information on how a designmight work (or not) given the printing process to be used.

Talk to vendors about compatibilityIf a design firm is taking the lead in using PDF-Plus,

checking with their vendors on compatibility of PDF levelsand the ability of their RIPs and workflow to handle trans-

PDF File

PostScriptFile

PDFPreflighting& Corrections

PDF/X-Plus File

Advice and Best Practices:• object creation• object editing• color management• file formats

Advice and Best Practices:• illustration, text,and image placement• object editing• color management• flattening• file formats

Settings:• PostScript creation settings• Print styles presets

Settings:• PDF creation settings

Settings:• PDF preflight settings• PDF corrections

Steps influencing final results Ghent Workgroup

PDF/X-Plus General Workflow

1) Draw Picture

2) Page Layout

3) PostScript File

4) PDF File

5) Preflight andCorrection



parency is important. For example, when creating a PDFdirectly from Adobe Illustrator CS2, the program defaultsettings will allow the user to open the file again, inIllustrator, for further editing. A handy screen with instruc-tions pops up in Illustrator when the Save As a PDF optionis selected. Changing any of these basic settings with theexception of the PDF level will disable Illustrator editingfunctions if it is reopened. The default PDF level is 1.4 butCS2 allows saving the PDF at 1.5 and 1.6. The level chosendepends on the PDF level vendors are using.

Carter says the intent of the GWG is to always supportthe highest PDF level possible without “causing a bunch ofproblems.” He says, “In the past, there were huge differ-ences between PDF levels. The differences between 1.5and 1.6 and between 1.6 and 1.7 are not nearly as dramatic.”

Flattening the live transparency will also destroyeditability in the original file. Chris Michiels, TechnicalSpecialist Packaging, De Schutter’Neroc n.v., who alsoserved as head of the group working on the GWGPackaging Specification for Offset, says that his companycurrently works with PDF 1.5 and completely with livetransparency. This is because their Artwork Systems work-flow applications now accept live transparency.

Carter says that SGS has packaging workflow systemsfrom primary vendors Esko Graphics, Artwork Systems,Kodak, and Dalim because some of their customers ask fora specific workflow. Most of these systems, he says, can

now accept native PDF with live transparency. “Designershave to check with their vendors to see if they can do it,”Carter says. “It’s the biggest barrier to adoption.”

The power of preflightIn the end, preflight is what it’s all about – checking to

make sure that all those built in parameters have been met.For in-house file preflight, designers can use programsfrom a variety of solution providers that have been foundGWG compliant (see the GWG website, www.gwg.org, forcompliant applications). Solutions provided by GWG vendormembers who worked collaboratively on the GWGPackaging Specifications, Artwork Systems, Enfocus, Esko,Kodak or even Adobe’s own preflight function in Acrobat,can be used to set up PDF-Plus for Packaging requirementsand then check these files. For those who use outside pre-flight services, there are a host of online preflight productofferings that can handle PDF-Plus. Whatever method thefile creator chooses, preflight is an essential step.

To get started with PDF-Plus, designers need to:• Download the specification setup files (available

free at gwg.org)• Set up preflight parameters in their preflight

program or have this done for them.• Check with their vendors about application

versions, ability to RIP transparency, and PDFlevels currently in use.

• Preflight their files or buy out the service.• If you want further background information you

can also download the written specifications.

Specificationscontinued from page 7

Terri McConnell, Director of Brand and Business Strategy atCincinnati-headquartered Gravity and Phototype, says thatGravity first started using the GWG Packaging baselinespecification (issued in 2005) for file exchange betweenits design and production art departments. Gravity(www.gravityisgood.com) is the creative armof this companyspecializing inpackagedesign andproduction art. Phototypehandles the premedia work.“We first beta-tested our own internal workflow and deter-

mined thebenefits andproblems,”McConnell says.“Weworkedthrough the concrete problems before production took PDFfiles fromoutsidedesign firms.”Shepoints out that PDFhas cer-tain practical limitations such as the logistics of making sureeveryone is using the right versions of Illustrator or Acrobat andthe right equipment that canaccept transparency.“In the long run, starting with Illustrator and then keeping

the file in PDF throughout the entire workflow is the endgame,”McConnell says.“In the shorter term,we find the PDF-

Plus Upstream specification optimal to transfer the filebetween design andproduction art. Internally,we also use theDownstream specifications, and we also use them selectivelyclient by client.”McConnell says the biggest benefit upstream is that PDF-

Plus has allowed Gravity and Phototype to discover costlydisconnects – like the transfer of design to production art –in the production process.“ A client may think they’vebought art but it can’t be used to make printing tools,” sheexplains.“That’s theugly stepchild noonewants to talk about– is that the time andmoney spent on rework is not acknowl-edged. The PDF specifications bring that out in the open in aneutral and objective way.”McConnell concludes: “The last thing we want to do is

hamstring designers but in the end, there has to be at leastan objective assessment of the artwork based on a set ofstandards. That’s what the GWG Packaging Specificationsgive us.”

Specification Testimonial: Step by Step PDF-Plus Adoption at Gravity/Phototype



Both U.S. and European production companies workedwith designers, brand owners, and printers to test theGhent Workgroup’s PDF Specification for Packaging,presently known as PDF-Plus. In close to a four-yearprocess, these companies – household names in theirrespective countries – assessed the viability, challenges andbenefits of a PDF workflow for packaging. Nestlé andSquare, in France; De Schutter’Neroc, headquartered inBelgium, with offices in The Netherlands and Germany;and Southern Graphics and Kraft Foods in the U.S., usedreal production files in real-world environments in a collab-orative effort to develop these “best practices” specifica-tions for packaging.

Brand owners and production facilities, or “repro hous-es,” were the logical places to test possible parameters forprint ready files. A brand owner can influence its designagencies. Preparing the actual print ready files is a prepresshouse’s core competency. Interestingly, the three produc-tion companies reporting here also offer long lists of ancil-lary services to their customers.

Early AdoptersChristian Blaise, owner of bleuprocess, a consultancy

dedicated to brand owners that specializes in the graphicarts for packaging (www.bleuprocess.com), was GraphicChain Manager at Nestlé France during the initial testing in2003 to develop the GWG Packaging Specification. He alsoserves as co-chair of the GWG Packaging Subcommittee.

“We used the fact that a brand owner was in the loop towork on the upstream part of the workflow as the agencieswere difficult to address directly,” Blaise recalls. “The proj-ect was difficult to start, as the agencies were not convincedabout the benefits and were expecting the process to bemore complex for them and to be a constraint on their cre-ativity.

“After two months of tests, McCann-Erickson SiteComtook the lead on the project and were so convinced thatthey wanted to extend the process to other activities. Theyunderstood that the benefits were not only for Nestlé but forthem as well. Thanks to the profile, they were finally able togather information on things they used to do incorrectly,which the repro house always complained about but neverexplained. Validating their files before sending them to thenext stage was also good because they knew they wouldn’tbe getting calls asking for corrections or more informa-tion,” he says. Blaise estimates that prior to testing what

was then a “baseline” specification, the repro housereturned more than 20% of all the files from the agency forcorrections. With the new PDF workflow, the numberdropped to less than 5% with this agency.

Blaise also observes that clean, workable files that helplead to PDF-Plus as a specification were not the only bene-ficial outcome. He points out, “The fact that the agencybecame a real qualified partner in the chain (instead of justbeing the ‘artist’), improved the relationship between thedesigners and the repro house. They started to exchangeinformation and started to work in the same directioninstead of just criticizing one another.”

Square, the other French company involved in testing,was founded in 1979. Headquartered in Lyon, it is a graph-ic production company specializing in publishing, packag-ing, brand design, digital asset management, and crossmedia (www.square.com). The company works with cus-tomers all over Europe (France, Belgium, Italy, Germany,Spain), and the U.S. CEO Roland Donzelle says, “We pro-duce all kinds of packaging, mostly for the food industry,but the heart of our trade is Graphic Production, whateverthe branch of the industry.”

“Indeed, we at Square were involved from the verybeginning in the initial testing for PDF file exchange inpackaging applications. Our field of expertise and testingapplied mostly to the offset process. Within the GWGCommittee, we worked on the definition of ‘best practices’ toinclude settings, rules, guidelines, workflows, and a frame-work to define PDF as the ultimate exchangeable file for-mat for the packaging industry, based on industry standardsand market requirements,” Donzelle explains. “Theseguidelines and settings are ‘generic’ and suitable for theentire process from design through output. And they coverall printing processes such as flexo, offset, and gravure.”

Donzelle also notes that Square has been made up ofconvinced Acrobat users for a long time. Since the releaseof Acrobat 3 (1996), Square has been using PDF as the fileformat they send to their printers. Since there were nopackaging standards, Square developed its own control pro-files and moved toward the GWG “as soon as we heardabout their projects relating to packaging.” Now, he saysthat they are also “convinced early users” of Adobe’sCreative Suite, particularly InDesign for page and packag-ing layouts.

“The main advantage of using PDF files within the GWGPackaging Specifications is that we can rely on a safe standard.

FROMTHE TRENCHES:Powerhouse Users Put PDF-Plus Specifications to the Test

www.gwg.org


As for our clients, they can count on improved exchange ofgraphic files. In addition, they benefit from a very high levelof security through traceability, as well as improved time tomarket,” Donzelle says. “The main goal in packaging pro-duction is to reduce both time-to-market and cost by findingthe way to get the job done correctly the first time.”

Getting it right the first time means that the first timebecomes the only time the job is processed, resulting in theenormous efficiencies that Square, and others, can attest to.In fact, during the short period from January to June lastyear, Square calculates that 350 production files were pre-flighted using the GWG PDF-Plus Packaging Offset v2specification. They sent these files to 60 different printerswho all printed these files without a single problem.

Donzelle also says, “The production side of the pack-aging industry was lacking in workflow standards, in con-trast to its business (administrative and operational) side in

which economic and regulatory issue are very importantand have been addressed. Any solution that leads to fasterfile exchanges while making them more reliable is a signif-icant breakthrough.”

He cites the main challenge to the wider adoption ofPDF Packaging Specifications for file exchange as “theglobal lack of information among professional users includ-ing printers, designers, and decision makers.”

Chris Michiels, Technical Specialist Packaging, DeSchutter’Neroc n.v., who also served as head of the groupworking on the GWG Packaging Specification for Offset,agrees that lack of information is a challenge. A true evan-gelist for PDF workflow, Michiels says, “Lack of informa-tion is a big problem. People know what PDF is but theydon’t know what it can do for them. The workflow is there,the software and hardware are there, it’s that people are notinformed. But this is a train that cannot be stopped.”

Steve Carter, Co-Chair of the GWG packaging subcommmittee, created this PDF file to test almost all of the problems thatmay be encountered when printing from a PDF.This file helps printers troubleshoot printing issues such as transparencies,indexed colors, blend modes, and more.



Technical BenefitsDe Schutter’Neroc (www.deschutterneroc.com) employs

some 300 people at its various offices and serves clientsglobally. According to Michiels, the company originated asa “tool maker” for packaging printers. One product wasgravure cylinders. Several years ago the business changedto concentrate on production. It has grown into an interna-tional packaging and marketing services provider whoseclients are principally brand owners. Services offeredinclude packaging management, packaging and corporatedesign, artwork and prepress for packaging and marketingcommunications, photography, color management, andintegrated workflow systems. Therefore, although Michielsworked on the offset specification for GWG, the companyhas the expertise and produces files for flexo and gravureas well as offset.

“As a repro (production) house, we send out files forclients all over the world,” Michiels says. “We work withprinters globally, as well, including companies in EasternEurope and China. PDF is not widely used for file delivery tomany of these printers. In fact, some of the Chinese printerswant files in Illustrator 5. I believe we’re now on Illustrator13. But these are challenges only for the moment.”

According to Michiels, the greatest advantage of PDF asa file format is that you can put everything in it – even videosand music. He notes that capability is also the downside to thefile. “That’s why you have to profile PDF to certain specifica-tions. You have to make sure there are no extra things in it.”

Currently, De Schutter’Neroc uses PDF 1.5 (producedby Adobe CS) in its workflow. This is also the PDF levelsupported in PDF-Plus for Packaging. They keep trans-parency created in Illustrator files live as allowed by thisspecification. Michiels says that the packaging workflowapplications ArtPro and Nexus from Artwork Systems cannow import “almost” all of the forms of transparency thatare created in Adobe products. “We work in PDF frombeginning to end,” he says. “In addition, if a design agencymakes the PDF, they have to be able to open the same infor-mation from beginning to end.”

That’s one reason live transparency is significant in thepackaging world. As an example, if a file has been flattenedto make the PDF, then has to be returned and opened inIllustrator for corrections, Illustrator functions can’t beused. Michiels does note, however, that at this stage design-ers still need to include original files with their submissionseven though the PDFs are created according to PDF-Plusfor Packaging, which allows layers. That’s in case files thatlinked to Illustrator, or layered Photoshop files, for example,have to be edited.

From the Trenchescontinued from page 11

The French graphic production company Squarehas been committed to PDF printing for brandsand packaging for over ten years. Square wasinstrumental in developing best practices forpackaging in the early days of the GhentWorkgroup.

Packs a flexible punch.

•

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match all locations worldwide

ensure 100% file integrity

have highly accurate spot colors

duplicate the dots and screens of the print process

Your package concepts, mock-upsand proofs should be knock-outs, butit’s only possible when they...

GMG Americas35 Pond Park Road Suite 17Hingham, MA 02043-4366

781.740.4077www.gmgamericas.com

[email protected]



Testing moves to the U.S. with Brand Owner ObjectivesSteven Carter, Director of Technology, St. Louis, for

Southern Graphic Systems (SGS), and Christian Blaiseagree with Square’s Donzelle. They cite a shorter cycletime and reduced cost as a brand owner’s primary objectivein asking their vendors to adopt a PDF workflow based onPDF-Plus. Carter and Blaise co-chair the GWG PackagingSubcommittee.

SGS (www.sgsintl.com) is the world’s largest packaging-specific prepress service company and continues to groworganically and through acquisitions. This year alone, thecompany has acquired three package design/production firms.Like De Schutter'Neroc in Europe, the company started asa gravure cylinder engraver, albeit in 1946 in the U.S.

SGS labels its client services as “Design-2-Print” solu-tions that enhance brand identity and improve its clients’“Speed-to-Market” demands. Today SGS offers on site proj-ect management and consulting, conceptual design andproduction art development, and digital asset management,all of which increase involvement with its consumer prod-ucts partners.

Given that list, it’s not surprising that some of theworld’s largest and most recognized consumer productscompanies partner with SGS. Nor is it surprising that SGSand its customers, like Kraft Foods, would be interested ina common file format with agreed-on specifications. KraftFoods, with its 61 brands, has over 159 facilities worldwideand last year had net revenues of over $34.3 billion.

Kraft worked with SGS on the specification for the PDFfile exchange between designers and brand owners. Kraft’sAssociate Director for Prepress & Print Technology, GaryVogt, says that Kraft tends to use and receive highly com-plex files. Therefore, for the testing process, they used filesfrom eight of the company’s design partners. SGSprocessed all the files for output. “The GWG is deliveringon PDF’s promise of truly portable, reliable, file exchange,even for the most complex application,” he says.

Carter points out that Kraft and other brand ownershave no interest in being arbitrators for their vendors. Theywant their designers, prepress houses, and printers toagree on a standard file format and use it. He says that Kraftintends to eventually require that all their vendors use PDF-Plus from design to print, possibly before the end of thisyear. However, at this stage, the company is a little reluctantto dictate to printers when it might involve expensiveupgrades, and believes the market needs more education.

Kraft is not the only U.S. consumer giant consideringthis workflow. Carter says that a Nestlé division in the U.S.,Purina, and the Sara Lee Food Group are all in the earlystages of testing PDF-Plus.

“Until recently, the infrastructure has not been there touse in the packaging industry,” Carter says. “For example,at drupa 2004, Kodak, Esko Graphics, and other big equip-ment and workflow vendors announced that they wereswitching to an internal file format based on PDF for theirpackaging workflows, but it took until last year to ship theseproducts. Much of the installed base still needs to upgrade.”One consequence is that many RIPs still in the field cannotprocess live transparency, although with the introduction ofnewer RIP technology this can be addressed withupgrades.

In addition to infrastructure, Carter also notes that thecost of design and prepress is sometimes insignificant tolarge brand owners in comparison to the cost of substratesfor their packages. “If Anheuser-Busch, for example, cansave $1 million by redesigning their Budweiser box, theywill. A $2,000 extra charge because of a design mistake isnot as much of a big deal when they could save a milliondollars elsewhere. However to a catalog company, $2,000could make or break their postage. That will change as themarket moves to PDF and adopts the new standards. It willbleed over quickly.

“The writing is on the wall, that’s where everything isgoing,” Carter says. “Packaging is a lot like commercialprinting was regarding the Internet and collaboration tenyears ago. Now it’s all Internet and PDF. Packaging is goingthrough a Renaissance.”

From the Trenchescontinued from page 12

IN THIS SUPPLEMENT:TheGhentWorkgroupHas aMission by David L. Zwang ........................................................................................ 3The growth of the GWG has resulted from a spirit of volunteerism in creating best practices workflows.

GhentWorkgroupPackaging Specifications – Some“How-Tos”Put into Practice .......................................... 6What sets the PDF-Plus output file apart is themore restrictive set of specifications that producemore predictable results.

PowerhouseUsersArePuttingPDF-Plus Specifications to theTest .................................................................... 10Major consumer goods companies have been testing out the GWG specifications on packaging production lines.

Consistent color makes customers stopand take notice. And Kodak Software andTechnology help you deliver consistentcolor with confidence. Commonarchitecture and advanced technologiesenable communication, control andconfirmation of accurate color throughoutyour workflow.

Kodak PrinergyWorkflow System helpsbridge the gap between graphic designersand printers by being one of the mostreliable PDF-based workflows withsuperior PDF handling.

Now the Prinergy System’s version 4preserves transparencies in the files yousend printers and saves you time by usinginnovative production tools such as PDFMerge, all while maintaining the peakprint quality and preserving the integrityof your work.

This system as well as the followingAdobe Acrobat PDF plug-ins enablesyou to more quickly perform the prepressfunctions you do on a daily basis toprepare PDF files for print, and managelast-minute changes.

Kodak Prinergy PDF Compare Softwareprovides you or the printer with the abilityto compare two production-ready filesand instantly identify changes, resulting infewer headaches for you and less manualrework.

Kodak Prinergy PDF Plate BuilderSoftware saves you time previously spentidentifying and grouping elements thatrequire a white underlay, by automaticallycreating the separation.

Kodak InSite CreativeWorkflow Systemprovides collaboration and proofingtools that help designers manage theentire content creation cycle. This Web-based system allows you to work withcustomers over a broader geographicalarea; increase the eLciency of jobcreation; and keep a clear history andaudit trail of each job.

This system provides a new level ofcontrol to the creative process. Its onlineproofing and approval tools track theactivity of all stakeholders. Tasks canbe defined, such as the review of copy,images, layout and legal. You can inviteteammembers to participate in each task,increasing project organization resultingin faster completion.

In addition, the built-in Kodak SmartReview Proofing Client allows multiplestakeholders to simultaneously reviewimages and files. It can be used to proofa variety of native file formats and utilizespixel-streaming technology so even thevery large files can be accessed via theInternet instantly, thereby eliminatingbottlenecks.

Using KodakMatchprint Technologywith the InSite CreativeWorkflow Systemenables color-accurate monitor proofing.With this optional feature, color will beconsistent and accurate when viewedat diTerent locations using calibratedmonitors and controlled lighting.

Kodak InSite Asset Library is a powerfuland easy solution for managing digitalassets used in a print productionenvironment. Designed as a web portaland hosted by your printer, it eTectivelyorganizes and stores assets such asphotographs, illustrations, editorialcontent and job specifications;designed for use both in a printproduction environment and contentcreation environments.

The System can be accessed by allcreative stakeholders such as adagencies, creative staT, and publishersvia aWeb portal during the contentcreation process. Images can be uploadedand downloaded as high resolution orthumbnail elements at any time, withina totally flexible folder structure usingsimple drag and drop.

From concept to consumer, exclusive Kodak Technologiesprovide the right solutions for every application

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To learn more, call 1-866-563-2533 (reference code 4429)or visit graphics.kodak.com/go/packaging.

©Kodak, 2007. Kodak, Prinergy, InSite, and Matchprint are trademarks of Kodak.

Adobe Acrobat is a trademark of Adobe, Inc.

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GoodPDFWorkflows ComeinGWG-TestedPackages!GhentPDFWorkgroup A Special Informational Supplement 4 PackageDesignMag.com In a continued effort, a job ticket for proof submission (both