German software developer for global wide format and industrial printing markets announced three new solutions and services that are available this month: Productionserver 20, Custom Create and Professional Color Management Services. ColorGATE, acquired by Ricoh in 2018, is distributed in Australia by Starleaton and Celmac.
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'Technology that is needed right now
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“In the beginning of the current economic situation, we decided to focus our energy on growing as an organization and on refining and finalizing the solutions that we were originally planning to announce during Drupa 2020,” said Thomas Kirschner, CEO and founder of ColorGATE. “We are now coming out of the starting blocks quickly in order to support our users with the technology that is needed right now for seizing the opportunities in the online economy, mass customization, digital, decentralized production and back shoring. ColorGATE will continue to set the pace in the industry, combining real-life application know-how with expertise in software development and inkjet printing technology.”
Productionserver 20
ColorGATE Productionserver is the company’s core product, the company says in a press release. This RIP and colour management solution is available in a commercial version for large-format printing and graphic arts, as well as in industrial versions for packaging, ceramics, décor, and textile printing.
The industrial versions have exclusive features for their respective markets, such as ColorGATE’s Fingerprint Technology for ceramics and décor printing or a white underbase creation for textile printing on dark substrates. ColorGATE’s Productionserver has been installed more than 15,000 times globally and is the backbone of many industrial print operations.
The new version 20 has been updated to Adobe’s PDF Print Engine 5, supports spectral spot colour definitions, and brings compatibility with PantoneLIVE. It features improved spot colour support for PANTONE and Freie Farbe spot colour libraries and now includes additional settings for the Ink Saver feature to allow for greater ink savings. Industrial users will also benefit from the new Retouch Module, allowing last-minute colour corrections before going to print while staying consistent with a colour-managed workflow, and from the Color Correction Loop Module which is a prerequisite for iterative colour correction processes in décor production.
For the industrial versions of Productionserver, ColorGATE will offer a subscription-based pricing from version 20 onwards. For an annual fee, users will receive the right to use the software, free updates and upgrades, and access to ColorGATE’s technical support. This new subscription license combines all costs related to the use and maintenance of ColorGATE’s software into one annual fee and helps production managers to keep their software solution up-to-date and productive.
Productionserver 20 will be available from July 2020. ColorGATE’s products Proofgate and Filmgate have also been upgraded to version 20. All ColorGATE users with an active Value Pack will receive the new version free of charge. New customers can purchase the Productionserver from a global network of authorized Sales partners.
ColorGATE Custom Create
Also available from July 2020, ColorGATE launches Custom Create, a new end-to-end workflow solution that connects print buyers, print service providers and brand owners. The core of Custom Create is a powerful, Magento-based e-Commerce engine with advanced features such as product creators with advanced customization features and 3D product previews, as well as a pricing engine that can be individually configured and supports all leading payment methods.
Other modules that ColorGATE is going to make available over the next quarters include online marketing support, connectors to creative applications, job ticketing and fulfilment functions such as inventory and shipment management. The workflow solution integrates seamlessly with ColorGATE’s Productionserver. ColorGATE Custom Create targets the business community of digital decorators, print service providers, brand owners, designers, fulfillers as well as all kinds of print buyers with business or personal demands that are looking to monetize their brand equity by producing merchandize and other branded products. ColorGATE’s Custom Create is available from ColorGATE directly.
Professional Color Management Services
ColorGATE’s professional services team has a reputation for colour management and application expertise, covering all process steps from digital content creation through to production printing. ColorGATE is now launching a Professional Color Management Services offering where users of any printing and colour management technology can pick a standardized service from a menu. Among the choices are:
A Color Gap Analysis, including an in-depth evaluation of an existing colour management workflow for accuracy and compliance with established standards. Customers will receive a detailed evaluation report with suggestions for improvements
Colour management bundles for designers, including training, a spectrophotometer, a swatch book and, optionally, a license for ColorGATE Productionserver
Colour management bundles for soft proofing, including training, a spectrophotometer, a light booth, profiling software and, optionally, a quarterly check-up
Colour management bundles for production proofing, including training, an inkjet printer, proofing media, proofing software, a light booth, and a spectrophotometer and, optionally, quarterly assistance
Colour managements for professional print bundle, including ColorGATE’s DFE Profiler, training, a spectrophotometer and, optionally, a quarterly assistance service, an inkjet printer, proofing media, a light booth, and a quarterly assistance
A flexible consulting service for customers whose requirements are not covered by the menu items.
The company offers a range of proofing and colour management solutions for graphic arts and large format printing and is also growing in the industrial printing market. ColorGATE offers digital expertise and solutions for printing system manufacturers, as well as print service providers and technology users in décor, ceramics, textile, and packaging printing.
ColorGATE Digital Output Solutions GmbH is an independent subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd.
