Employee-ownership offers a new paradigm for securing the legacy of companies
12 The polarizing power of QR codes
These boxy barcodes are a common addition to printed products, but tricky to use in all campaigns
16 A colourful revolution
A new generation of phone-based spectros are disrupting measurement processes
DEPARTMENTS
6 CALENDAR
GAMUT
20 Installs
SPOTLIGHT
22 Romy Hahn, president, Acorn Print Production
COLUMNS FROM THE EDITOR
4 Nithya Caleb Play to innovate CHRONICLE
5 Nick Howard Where have all the workers gone?
INSIDER
6 Bob Dale
Understand the ‘why’& ‘how’ TECH REPORT
14 Angus Pady
An innovative mindset
Creativity, intuition, curiosity, imagination will be the most employable skills in the next century, as they can’t be programmed into AI-empowered bots/robots, said Duncan Wardle, former head of innovation and creativity at Disney.
Wardle was offering a keynote presentation on “Embedding Innovation into Everyone’s DNA” at a trade show that I attended recently.
US $1.3B
Disney earned US$1.3 billion in incremental revenue by introducing RFID-enabled tags for visitors..
Wardle was funny, and from the start, inspired the audience with his playful, idiosyncratic role plays and situations to think ingeniously.
Given the myriad of challenges we’re all facing currently, from climate change to wars, we need to think innovatively to build a sustainable, resilient future. The pandemic revealed the critical gaps in governance, capitalistic-centric business models and existing social structures.
As we all know, the printing industry has been struggling to find its mojo ever since digital communications exploded on the scene. The path forward hasn’t been clear for several companies. Many have exited the business while others are diversifying to remain competitive in the current economic climate.
As Wardle stressed, perhaps now is the time for print service providers to embed a culture of innovation in every employee’s DNA. It might sound herculean, but a good starting point would be to recognize the barriers to innovation. Some of the reasons that were shared at the presentation were lack of time to think; rules that have become constrictive over time; and an aversion to change.
Playfulness
Inherently, companies with their rules and protocols and the western education system that trains children to colour within the lines have killed creativity, said Wardle.Therefore, he recommended companies allow employees to actively take breaks to rejuvenate and hone their innovative thinking skills. This will help employees become more creative, which Wardle defined as, “the habit of continually doing things in new ways to make a positive contribution to work.”
He encouraged businesses to nurture the playful, creative sides of employees, which is crucial for innovation. He highlighted Google’s 20-per cent rule. The rule allows employees to take off one day a week to work on side projects and learn
new skills. This has empowered Google employees to be more creative and innovative. Google News and Adsense grew out of these ‘work breaks,’ if one may call it that.
Wardle also asked managers and company heads to always respond positively to employee ideas and new suggestions with ‘yes and’ instead of the innovative-killing phrase, ‘no because.’ He urged managers to not focus on systemic barriers to ideas, but rather encourage employees to sharpen, expand and build on their suggestions.
Diversity
Wardle said it’s crucial to bring in new experts or people with different skills sets to foster innovation. “Diversity is innovation,” he said.
We must get out of our rivers of thinking and think differently. He suggested companies use “naive experts,” people who aren’t part of the establishment, when brainstorming new initiatives, as they can offer a perspective that’s often missed by the ‘same-old experts.’
Challenge the challenge
Wardle urged companies to challenge perceived business challenges. ‘What if’ they were not really a challenge? “The time to ask, ‘what if,’ is now as the world is changing fast,” he said. Another suggestion was to ask, ‘how else,’ can this issue be addressed. He highlighted a U.K. glass company that ended up hiring persons with visual impairments to improve productivity.
His final recommendation was to stop asking, ‘how do I make more money,’ and instead ask, ‘how do I solve the biggest consumer pain point’. Wardle highlighted how this customer-centric approach helped Disney. The biggest pain point in Disney theme parks was long queues. Disney eliminated this by giving all visitors an RFID-enabled tag that can be used everywhere, from rides and tickets to hotels. This ended lines, gave consumers more time at the theme parks, and resulted in Disney earning US$1.3 billion in incremental revenue.
I found Wardle’s talk very inspiring, and I hope you find it useful too.
NITHYA CALEB Editor ncaleb@annexbusinessmedia.com
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Where have all the workers gone?
Altering
the poor perception young adults have of our industry may help address the talent crisis
By Nick Howard
We all know the print sector is undergoing significant changes as society transitions to alternative forms of communication. Market declines have led to shortages of materials. Many mills are shuttering or transitioning to more lucrative materials like paperboard. We no longer have a vast array of paper types to choose from. This lack of choice and the inevitable higher costs are inhibiting growth.
Since Henry Ford’s time, companies have argued over how best to attract young people, but with meagre results. Once powerful organizations, such as trade unions and the Craftsman, are distant memories.We are too busy trying to keep our ships afloat, so we don’t have time to agree and fund a plan. Apprenticeships may have worked decades ago, certainly in Europe, but in North America, we graduated employees from sweeping floors to running presses.
‘Let the cream rise to the top’ was our form of labour capture. This may have worked in the past, but better incentives are needed now.
Different skillsets
Today, skill levels differ with new print technologies.The in-depth knowledge and experience needed in 1960 aren’t required in the digital age.With recent changes, along with the general public’s opinions of what we do, we often find hiring people to become nonskilled servants of a large inkjet printer—heaving large sheets onto a table and taking them off. This drives them away to seek something with more of a future in an industry offering better prospects. Still, we have positions to fill, and although remuneration has
An operator runs an offset press.
increased, we can’t seem to attract talented people.
1990s
During the mid-1990s, a printer in Los Angeles, who had a battery of similar offset presses, initiated a program of rotating his press crews so each member, from feeder to first pressman, took turns to be in charge. This simple idea brought skill levels up quickly and gave the feeder hands-on training in real-time.
Previously, governments attempted to build proper apprenticeship programs. Those failed because schools tended to look forward to the needs of printers by looking back in time. Secondary schools and trade colleges that should have kept current ran antiquated courses on print. Students ended up graduating with the same knowledge Gutenberg used to print his 1450 Bible. Isn’t it ironic an industry that owned the ability to communicate finds it hard to benefit from its own tools?
Some post-secondary colleges and universities may have taken an equally misguided approach, giving up on essential, practical machine skills and instead focusing on print management. All exciting, perhaps, but what is needed now is more practical skill learning. Look at most inkjet production equipment; only some are well cared for. In almost all cases, the piezo heads are poorly maintained, as it’s better to replace a head than clean it. The same holds for offset presses. How often do we see poor-quality, washed-out colour and incorrect densities on relatively new machines equipped with in-press tools to correct and maintain colour? Isn’t it ironic how we complain about finding talent, yet accept the costs of re-running a lousy job?
Better marketing
The solution may reside in us marketing what we do as exciting, relevant and financially rewarding. We can start by removing negative obstacles, particularly the perception that print has no future. If some ‘printers’ and industry pundits spent the effort used on promoting themselves on encouraging workers and new hires, perhaps more quality applicants would take notice. Pay the key people better. Focus on engaging a company’s most important asset: people. With print technologies changing, we must attract more workers to join our ranks. It’s never been as easy as it is now for a young person without print skills to enter the workforce. Methods and machinery have never been as simple to learn or as effortless to operate. Institutions and private enterprises must help rally support for logical training plans and foster much-needed encouragement for young people who thought printing was what their grandfather did.
NICK HOWARD, a partner in Howard Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment.
nick@howardgraphicequipment.com
July 17-19, 2023
Think Ahead 2023
Boca Raton, Fla.
July 24-26, 2023
Wide-format Summit Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
September 11-13, 2023
Pack Expo Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nev.
September 14, 2023
OPIA Golf Classic Milton, Ont.
October 9-11, 2023
FTA 2023 Fall Technical Conference Louisville, Ky.
October 18-20, 2023
Printing United Expo
Atlanta, Ga.
October 25-27, 2023
Paperboard Packaging Council 2023 Fall Meeting & Leadership Conference
San Diego, Calif.
November 9, 2023
Canadian Printing Awards
Toronto
Understand why & how Industry leaders offer insights into changing client needs
By Bob Dale
At the Graphics Canada show in May, one panel discussion involved customers sharing their views on how they are using printed products and how their needs have evolved.
Speakers from RBC Royal Bank, Staples Canada, Canada Post and Flash Reproductions shared valuable insights that would help print leaders develop successful strategies.
Retail merchandising
Cloud printing has increased due to changes in the workplace and reduced in-office time for employees.
Successful salespeople understand and advise clients on what will work best for their needs.
Grace Chan, vice-president from RBC, shared insights from a financial services merchandising perspective. One purpose of printed material and display graphics is to start conversations between customers and staff. This is intended to lead to a discussion on available solutions. Exterior graphics can be used to attract and engage consumers from the community. This can include socially conscious and/or seasonal themes, or product and solution themes that are co-ordinated with messaging from other media.
Once inside the branch, there are other types of materials with different messaging intended to create client interest in products or services. All this printed material are only components of a sophisticated messaging system designed to inform and assist clients to engage and benefit from financial services and available solutions.
Direct mail
Sylwia Plawinski from Canada Post shared many insights on
how marketers can use data and visualization to deliver results. After all, if clients conduct direct mail programs, and do not achieve results, then they will not continue. We must always be mindful that our clients are not buying printed products from us but are investing in the benefits of the printed products.
Plawinski shared six key purposes of direct mail initiatives to emphasize the importance of using data to identify and target your priority customers. Canada Post tools providing measurements and data analytics that can be used to prove and improve results were also shared during the discussion.
Digital printed products
Brendan Ireland from Staples Canada provided positive news that the trend for digital product demand has grown consistently over the past five years, while some areas of industry are in decline. Another interesting observation is the increase in cloud printing due to changes in the workplace and reduced in-office time for employees.
Customer expectations have changed. Whether they are end-consumers or businesses, they expect on-demand delivery. The impact of reduced volumes has resulted in more frequent printing of smaller quantities. However, pricing pressure re-
mains from all customer segments. There was a brief period when demand exceeded supply due to supply chain issues. Pricing pressure was not severe then but has now returned.
Packaging products
Rich Pauptit, president of Flash Reproductions, showed samples of their products. Flash works closely with the design community to bring unique ideas to life. Their clients require products that stand out and leave an impression on the end-user. It is often intended to provide a positive opinion of the customer and/or item enclosed. Their goal is to be remembered and stand out from competition—‘impress, engage and be remembered.’
This event was a great opportunity to gain an understanding and a reminder to continue to focus on customer needs and ask clients key questions that go beyond, ‘what do you need?’ Explore why do they need it and how are they going to use the printed piece. Successful salespeople understand and advise clients on what will work best for their needs.
Bob Dale is co-founder of Connecting for Results. He can be reached at b.dale@cfrincorporated.com.
A large-scale vinyl cling in a Toronto RBC branch.
Employeeownership fosters sustainable ownership, improves a company’s financial performance, and helps close the wealth gap in society.
SECURE YOUR FIRM’S FUTURE
Employee-ownership offers a new paradigm for securing the legacy of businesses
By Nithya Caleb
At this year’s Graphics Canada Expo, I attended the presentation on “Employee-Ownership as a Succession Option” by Chad Friesen, CEO, Friesens Corp., Altona, Man., one of Canada’s largest book printing companies. Friesens is fully employee owned. Chad made a compelling case for employee-ownerships. In the ensuing paragraphs, I’ll highlight some of the reasons for PSPs to consider employee-ownerships, based on Chad’s presentation. As a business model, employee-ownership “fosters sustainable
ownership, improves financial performance, and provides a host of benefits to both the company and the country,” said Chad, who is a member of the Canadian Employee Ownership Coalition’s (CEOC’s) steering committee. He believes employee-ownership offers a promising alternative to the negative impacts of capitalism that are becoming more visible these days.
Need for change
According to a 2020 survey by Edelman Data & Intelligence, 57 per cent of people believe capitalism, as it exists today, does more harm than good. There is a stark wealth gap be-
tween owners and workers. According to Stats Canada, most wealth is held by relatively few households in Canada. The wealthiest households (top 20 per cent) accounted for more than two-thirds (67.9 per cent) of net worth at the end of 2022, while the least wealthy households (bottom 40 per cent) accounted for 2.6 per cent.
We are also seeing market consolidations in monolithic companies like Amazon as well as the rise of faceless private equity ownerships. Employee-ownership presents an opportunity to address these concerns and create a more equitable economy.
Benefits to the company
Employee-ownership offers several advantages to the company. Firstly, it establishes a sustainable ownership structure, ensuring continuity and long-term commitment from employees. Secondly, employee-owned businesses tend to exhibit better financial performance, driven by a shared sense of responsibility and dedication among workers. Moreover, being part of a company with an empowering ownership model attracts talented individuals who want to be part of a great story and contribute to its success.
Benefits to the country
Beyond the benefits to individual companies, employee-ownership is beneficial to Canada. It contributes to economic resilience by diversifying ownership and reducing dependency on select companies. By encouraging broader distribution of wealth, employee-ownership helps address income inequality, thereby fostering a more inclusive society.
According to a survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 76 per cent of owners plan to exit within the next 10 years. But, 43 per cent of these businesses lack a succession plan, leaving them vulnerable to being sold to consolidators or private equity firms, most likely from outside the community, province, or Canada. With approx. 140,000 businesses in Canada employing between 20 and 500 workers, the implications are significant for roughly 5 million individuals.
Markets is the largest privately held ESOP in the U.S. with more than 200,000 employee-owners.
In the U.K., EOT was established in 2014. Profit-sharing is the focus in the U.K. where 800 companies with 100,000 employee-owners have EOTs. Most of these companies employ around 20 to 250 employees, and are in varied industries, such as manufacturing; professional, scientific, and technical; and IT services.
Employee-ownership models attract talented individuals who want to be part of a great story and contribute to the company’s success.
As we all know, in the printing industry, many company owners are looking to retire. Employee-ownership would be an attractive option for these owners. A CFIB survey indicates 53 per cent of existing owners would be more inclined to sell to their employees if viable options were available. A majority of the surveyed business owners (61 per cent) said they’ll prioritize “protecting employees” during a business sale over attaining the highest possible price.
Employee-ownership ensures a smooth transition, and the local economy can continue to sustain itself. Canada will also benefit from the reduction in foreign ownership.
Role of EOTs
$10k
In 2022, $10,000 was the average employee ownership trust payment at Friesens Corp.
Employee ownership trusts (EOTs) provide a framework for implementing employee-ownership. EOTs hold shares on behalf of employees, allowing them to benefit from shared ownership without requiring upfront payment. These trusts often borrow money to acquire shares, and employees receive the benefits of ownership based on formulas tied to their tenure and pay. EOTs offer a simple, cost-effective solution to transition ownership and empower employees, said Chad.
Canada’s opportunity
In the U.S. and U.K., employee-ownerships have been successful for years. In the U.S., the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) was established in 1974. Equity growth is the focus in the U.S. where 6,000 companies with 2 million employee owners have ESOPs. Most of these companies employ around 20 to 250 employees, and are in varied industries, such as manufacturing; professional, scientific, and technical; and financial services. Publix Super
In Canada, we have around 30 EOTs with profit-sharing as the focus. In 2010, Friesens adopted the EOT business model. Today, it has more 650 employee-owners. In 2022, $10,000 was the average EOT payment at Friesens.
Brett House, former deputy economist of Scotiabank, predicts Canada could have up to 750 EOTs by 2030 if appropriate policies and incentives are adopted. Per an analysis shared by Chad, the level of adoption would result in 50,000 to 114,000 new employee-owners; $4.3 to $9.6 billion in wealth generated for employee-owners; and over 100 new employee-owned companies formed per year, creating over 10,000 new employee-owners annually.
Stumbling blocks
The federal government committed to creating an EOT framework by January 2024 in the 2023 budget. A draft legislation was also published for feedback. While the legislation proposes providing benefits to all employees at no additional cost, CEOC argues it lacks key measures that are needed to make Canada’s employee-ownership as successful as in the U.S. and U.K.
CEOC is asking the federal government to increase eligibility for EOTs; introduce clear and simple rules for an EOT; adopt a governance structure that promotes smooth and gradual transition of privately owned businesses to an EOT; and incentivize employee-ownerships for about-to-be sold businesses by providing capital gains tax exemption to owners who sell a majority of their company to an EOT.
Employee-ownership has the potential to shape a more equitable and resilient economy. If you’re struggling to draft a succession plan for your company, consider an employee ownership trust.
Chad Friesen
New QR codes have traceability, brand protection, and anti-forgery measures for added security.
THE POLARIZING POWER OF QRS
These
boxy barcodes
have become a common addition to many printed
products,
but choosing when and how to use one is tricky
By Olivia Parker
QR (quick response) codes have been trying to find their place in North American design since the early 2010s. QR codes were invented by Mashahiro Hara, an engineer at the Japanese company Denso Wave, in 1994. Hara was tasked with finding a solution for barcodes to store more information and scan faster. Standard barcodes are one dimensional (transverse), which means they can only be scanned in one direction. Consequently, they can store a small amount of information; only about 20 alphanumeric characters.
QR codes are a type of two-dimensional barcode that store information as a series of pixels in a square-shaped grid. They can store over 7000 characters. They can be scanned in either direction (transverse or longitudinal), making them more versatile and easier to use for supply chain and inventory management purposes. While their use in Asia is near ubiquitous, as they are a popular method for payments, their acceptance in North America has been more fraught. When they were first introduced in the 2010s, these boxy barcodes were seen as a hassle because you needed a smartphone, access to the internet, and a separate
app to scan them. The lack of education in their use and versatility was a misstep in their implementation.
The renaissance QR codes experienced a renaissance during the pandemic. In the pandemic-induced touchless reality, these little boxes, as mobile-first technologies, became lifesavers.They appeared on menus, posters, and stored our health information. They easily integrated into our everyday lives because, as of 2017, QR code scanners had been incorporated into most smartphone cameras. Plus, according to Pew Research, 84 per cent of Canadians own a smartphone. Our desire to experience a world outside our bubbles increased their mainstream acceptance in design and communication, thereby creating a meaningful way for organizations to connect with customers.
However, three years later we still have a complex relationship with these unsexy boxes. As our society adjusts to a post-COVID-19 world, the QR code’s use continues to be polarizing.With increased familiarity, QR code scams have become more common. Some uses, such as on menus, have become less popular. For example, in the span of two years, the New York Times published several articles praising QR codes only to spell their doom in May 2023.
We have come full circle. Society knows what and how to use QR codes but cracking the right use-case scenario is still unclear. Since Denso Wave does not enforce their patent, QR codes are being developed to solve unique problems like NaviLens for the visually impaired. However, for marketing purposes, the primary thing to remember is they can store information and, therefore, do a lot of different things. Unlike their one-dimensional counterparts, they can:
• direct consumers to a website, redeem a discount, or subscribe to your marketing communications;
• post on social media;
• link directly to download an app on the Apple App Store or Google Play;
• authenticate online accounts and verify login details;
• access wi-fi by storing encryption details such as SSID, password, and encryption type;
• send and receive payment information; and
• build augmented reality experiences, etc.
Any one of these could be a great addition to marketing strategies, as QR codes can amplify every stage of the consumer journey, from initial awareness to brand advocacy. Their popularity has indeed grown. According to Statista, in 2022, approximately 89 million U.S. smartphone users scanned a QR code on their mobile devices, up by 26 per cent from 2020.
Here are some considerations if a client wants to use a QR code.
Purpose
What value will the QR code be adding to the customer journey? Is it practical? QR codes on subway cars or billboards can be problematic if there is no internet access or a risk to public safety. QR code menus have fallen out of favour, as restaurants and meals have the societal expectation of non-technology zones. Choose applications that are appropriate and add value.
Design
Put yourself in your customers’ shoes when considering placement and size. Ensure your code is easily accessible and big enough for phones to scan (and leads to a mobile-friendly landing page). As a barcode, contrast is important; inverse or low contrast colours can make it unscannable. Simplicity is also key. For long URLs, consider using a link shortener so fewer characters need to be encoded. One of the unique properties of QR codes is some generators will build in redundancy so that even if part of the code is damaged or removed (such as placing a logo in the centre) they will still scan. However, the more complex the QR code the bigger it will need to be for the pixel pattern to read.
Dynamic vs. static
There are multiple methods to create a QR code from online paid or free generators to application-based solutions like InDesign or XMPie. Consider though that many of these options create static QR codes. The problem with this form of QR code is that when a link changes, the barcode becomes obsolete. When pos-
89M
According to Statista, in 2022, approximately 89 million U.S. smartphone users scanned a QR code on their mobile devices, up by 26 per cent from 2020.
sible, use a service providing dynamic QR codes. A dynamic QR code has an editable final destination URL, thus continuing the longevity of the media on which it is printed.
Security
Humans cannot read QR codes, so it is easy for hackers to alter a QR code. Attackers can embed malicious URLs containing custom malware or direct a user to a phishing site. In 2020, Denso Wave improved the original design. Their new QR codes include traceability, brand protection, and anti-forgery measures. Also consider using a secure QR code platform as well as a custom domain and SSL.
Data collection
1994
QR codes were invented by Mashahiro Hara, an engineer at the Japanese company Denso Wave in 1994.
QR code generating software can offer analytics. The data collected can include location, the number of times the code has been scanned and at what times, plus the device which scanned the code. More tech-savvy users can add UTM parameters to website URLs to track and perform in-depth analysis of campaign performance. Understanding which communication channels are reaching customers is invaluable in marketing campaigns.
Future of QR codes
In 2013, marketing experts Scott Stratten and Alison Kramer wrote the book, QR Codes Kill Kittens: How to Alienate Customers, Dishearten Employees, and DriveYour Business into the Ground, where they said, “we are using QR codes to show that we’re using QR codes.” Some may say we are doing the same again. However, according to a study by the Drum and YouGov, 75 per cent of consumers have said they plan to use QR codes going forward.
The widespread adoption of QR codes provides businesses with information to help grow and enhance customer satisfaction. Educating your customers on the versatility of QR codes and how they are quick and simple to implement could be just what they need to help ease their concerns and build value-added user experiences.
Olivia Parker teaches visual communication and media production. She can be reached at olivia.ovp@gmail.com.
The power of colour profiles
A single RIP software platform for all devices improves accuracy
By Angus Pady
Iwant to share a case study about the benefits of colour management in daily production. I had the opportunity to collaborate with a fully digital reproduction company that operates two flatbed printers and two roll printers. Their goal was to maintain colour consistency across all devices and reduce the time and effort spent on adjusting colours to match Pantone colours. Additionally, they had specific brand colours that needed to be accurately reproduced.
Previously, they utilized profiles downloaded from the RIP vendor on one machine, while on the other flatbed, they relied on custom profiles created years ago for a specific media. For roll devices, they utilized profiles included from a different RIP.
During our discussion, I suggested utilizing a single RIP software platform across all devices to maintain consistent colour output. This approach ensures the same underlying colour management process is applied to all printers, resulting in improved colour accuracy. Additionally, using a single RIP software can simplify spot colour reproduction.
Initially, I worked with flatbed printers that utilize UV-cured ink. Through my experience with UV and LED curing systems, I have come to realize that it is unnecessary to develop a profile for each individual type of media. Instead, I opt for a media with a neutral white point, which serves as my profile for all media. This is because on UV and
It is advantageous to have a single master colour profile.
LED curing printers, the ink adheres to the surface of the media and is bonded with the LED/UV lights. The sole difference in colour lies in the media’s white point.
I have measured various batches of styrene and coroplast and the white point varies from batch to batch. One can be blue while another can be neutral. The same is true for coroplast and other media.
A master profile
1.1
The primary and secondary colours (CMYKRGB) in the two flatbeds were within 1.1 DE00 average to each other.
Printing and colour management become easier with a single master profile. There is no need to guess which profile to use, and managing your spot colour library becomes simpler. Most importantly, if you need to re-profile due to a change in colour, you can do so within an hour to bring the machine back to its baseline. I have come across systems with six to eight profiles created at different times, and redoing all those profiles in case of colour drifts can be a daunting task.
Some have argued against my theory, claiming that I am not taking into account the media’s white point. While this may be true, it’s important to note the white point is constantly shifting. Although profiling the bluer styrene may provide a slight advantage, there’s no guarantee the next batch will be the same colour. Additionally, some argue different media types require separate profiles due to their unique characteristics. However, this is not the case with UV and LED-cured inks, as they do not behave like aqueous or solvent inks.
Getting back to my customer. I created one master profile for each machine. I then tested the colour on three different media. I measured the
colour between the two flatbeds. The primary and secondary colours (CMYKRGB) were within 1.1 DE00 average to each other. Visually you could not see a difference between them. They did share the same ink set. I then compared the roll printers to the flatbed and the variation in the same colours was an average of 2.3 DE00. Still a very close match but there was a slight saturation difference. However, the colour was really close.
Lastly, I measured the Lab values for the custom brand colours and created new spot colours in the RIP. We printed and optimized the brand colours for each printer. The brand colours now matched so that if they colour print a job on any of the four printers, they would be visually very similar.
I wanted to share this experience because this customer had been doing a great job with printing but spent too much time every day making colour adjustments. I revisited the customer after a few months, and they said that now they are able to print, and they don’t have to think about colour. If they get a new custom brand colour they know how to measure it and load that colour into the RIP, print the swatches and choose the best version. This becomes the brand colour for that printer. That process takes 30 minutes. The operator said, “Now the greys are grey.”Yes, the foundation of colour that you may recall from my last article.
Angus Pady is a G7-certified expert that has helped customers resolve colour management challenges for over 30 years. He can be reached at angus. pady@fujifilm.com.
The Nix Sensor connects to your phone and allows matching of colour samples to Pantone colours or Sherwin Williams and other paint companies.
A COLOURFUL REVOLUTION
A new generation of phonebased spectros are disrupting measurement processes
By Abhay Sharma
Started by a group of McMaster graduates, Nix Sensor in Hamilton is a 25-employee organization that designs, fabricates, assembles, tests, and ships colour measurement devices to customers ranging from paint companies to cosmetics. Nix recently launched the Spectro 2, a fully functional low-cost spectrophotometer. Matthew Sheridan is the founder and CEO. He has assembled a team that has created game-changing, phone-based instruments; you’ll get the picture if you watched the recent Blackberry movie.
Measuring devices
In my Colour 101 class, I describe three categories of colour instrument: densitometer, colorimeter, and spectrophotometer (the names are indicative of what they measure). In printing, traditionally density measurements are used to monitor ink amounts on press. Recently, instruments and press consoles have migrated to better, more visually relevant metrics, primarily L*a*b*. A spectrophotometer (spectro) measures the spectrum of a printed colour which allows us to compute L*a*b* (and any other desired metric). A spectro is “backward compatible,” as
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it can report L*a*b* while also allowing readout of old-fashioned print density.
Spectral data is the uber data type, and the holy grail of colour measurement. It enables us to do many colour calculations, such as predict metamerism to see if the colour of a product on a supermarket shelf will change when exposed to outdoor natural light. Spectral data allows for efficient spot colour matching. The spectrum allows us to take into account different light sources such as daylight D50, fluorescent lights (F Illuminants), or LEDs.
Until recently, to get spectral data, a user had to buy a $10,00+ handheld or scanning spectro.
Phone-based spectros
An exciting development in colour measurement is a new generation of lightweight, low-cost, durable spectros that tether to smartphones. At
Toronto Metropolitan University, we studied two new-generation smartphone spectros, the Nix Spectro 2 (CD$1339) from Hamilton and Variable Spectro 1 (CD$400) from the U.S. The Nix and Variable spectros were simple and easy to use; they have apps that were effortlessly downloaded from the app store. Measurement data was a one-click export via text or email. Data was plotted within minutes.
Colour difference is technically described in terms of Delta E. Typically, a value between 1-2 Delta E is acceptable in printing. In our testing, we noted around a 1 Delta E colour difference between the low-cost instruments and the $10K+ handheld model.
Phone spectros are a great idea as they rely on your phone for display. The app can be easily updated, and computation is done using your phone’s processing power. Every -
Nix Toolkit (left) and Variable Spectro (right) represent a new generation of phone-based colour instruments. Measurements can be easily shared via text or email or used within an app to match paint or Pantone colours.
body owns a phone these days. Apps can take the measured colour and assist a designer in finding complementary, analogous, opposite colours, shades, harmonies, trends, palettes, etc. The spectros have licenses for spot colour libraries and are therefore able to measure a colour and give you the nearest Pantone match. App developers can go wild with data from these devices.
Further, colours are displayed on a tablet or smartphone in much better fidelity compared to the LCD panel of a hand-held instrument. Connection to the device via Bluetooth, and from the phone to the internet, makes two-way communication a breeze.
The Nix sensor has found huge success in helping customers choose and match paint. In a real-world application, when a burst pipe in the author’s home needed dry wall repair and painting, a Nix Spectro 2 was used to measure the colour of the wall and the app showed the nearest Dulux paint colours with one, two or three stars to indicate best matches. With the user-selected preference, all that was needed was for the painter to estimate the amount of paint needed and a quick bike ride to the local Dulux store with the SKU to get ready for a colour accurate repair job.
M1 and M2 measurement modes
The whole colour measurement industry (both handheld and phone spectros) have contended with two major changes in colour measurement: UV-excited optical brighteners as well as measurement of textiles and fabrics.
UV-excited optical brighteners are widely used in printing papers. To deal with colour measurement of optically brightened papers and to reduce inter-instrument differences, there are standard measurement modes: M1 (UV included) and M2 (UV excluded). M1 is equivalent to D50 lighting and is the preferred measurement mode in the graphic
Nix Sensor in Hamilton is a 25-employee organization that manufactures colour measurement devices.
arts. The Variable Spectro 1 only measures in M2 mode, which is a limitation if intended for use in the printing industry.
The other change in instruments is due to the need to measure colour on textiles and fabrics. The weave or thread count is very coarse compared to a halftone printed dot or tiny inkjet droplet. Instrument manufacturers were forced to create larger measuring apertures, 2 mm for print samples but often 5 mm for colours printed on cloth. Some instruments have interchangeable apertures. The Nix Spectro 2 comes in 2 mm and 5 mm sizes while the Variable Spectro 1 is only available in an 8-mm aperture size.
Colorful applications
The low price of phone spectros means that we don’t mind their use in a range of dirty situations, such as measuring the colour of
raw meat in meat processing plants, wastewater liquids, or nicer liquids such as wine. The consumer can measure and match paint for home decor.
Abhay Sharma is a Professor in the School of Graphic Communications Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, and author of Understanding Color Management, Wiley, 2018. An exciting development in colour measurement is a new generation of lightweight, low-cost, durable spectros that
The development of low-cost spectros, linked to our smartphone, has created an infinite range of opportunities to advance the use and integration of colour into design and equally exciting technical and scientific applications.
Acknowledgement:
The author is grateful to Nix Sensor for review devices provided for testing and evaluation and to Sasha Blay for proofreading and copy editing.
When a burst pipe in the author’s home needed dry wall repair and painting, the Nix Spectro 2 was used to find the closest Dulux paint colour.
Battlefield Press in Burlington, Ont., recently purchased a second Koenig & Bauer die cutter—an Ipress 106 K PRO—to boost its postpress production capacity.
Proprint, Scarborough, Ont., recently installed a new Speedmaster CX 104-6+L from Heidelberg to complement its current six-colour Speedmaster CD 102.
Tempo Flexible
Packaging expanded its facility in Innisfil, Ont., by 10,000 sf. It also installed new equipment, such as a new CI flexo press from Germany and the Catena-E 48 exposure unit from XSYS.
Romy Hahn / president / Acorn Print Production
Romy Hahn is the president of Acorn Print Production in Toronto. A print industry veteran, Hahn was fortunate to learn from some the best in the industry. She started her career in 1987 with Duncan McGregor and the Arthurs Jones team, first in production and then in sales. In 2001, Hahn joined Annan and Sons as senior print production manager. She helped the company re-brand itself from a trade plant to a trade/ commercial plant. When the company was sold in 2017, Hahn was the sales and marketing director at Annan and Sons.
Hahn’s clients wanted to stay with her and have her manage their print needs. So, the 56-year-old started Acorn Print Production.
Hahn managed to adjust and pivot quickly as well as to offer work that certain print plants excelled at. It was important for Hahn to spread the work around to both commercial and trade plants. Over the last six years, Hahn found that each plant and company excelled more in certain areas than others and that allowed her to diversify her print offerings.
Acorn has customers in the Greater Toronto Area as well as in southern Ontario. It specializes in short run UV digital, large format UV digital and signage, roll up banners, floor graphics, vinyl, window cling, sheetfed printing, web printing, custom die-line packaging, and direct mail.
“We have had our best year ever this past year and have been very busy with all things print. It has been a wonderful experience and I am very grateful for the type of work we have been producing,” says Hahn.
As someone who is living through the tectonic change underway in the printing world, Hahn’s perspective on the industry in invaluable.
What is the state of the print industry today?
RH: The state of the print industry is ever-changing. The production timelines are shorter than they have been in the past, and as a print provider,
we have evolved and adjusted to this ever-changing landscape. I do believe there is a return to print, as people are constantly bombarded with digital online messaging and people welcome a printed product in their hand to interact and engage with. There is a perceived higher value and effective messaging with a beautifully printed piece.
What attracted you to the print industry?
it is all about assessing where the need is, then creating a solution that effectively meets that need. It is about providing a service and meeting a need with integrity.
What are some of the biggest opportunities in the print industry?
Romy
Hahn started Acorn Print Production in 2017.
RH: In 1991, I graduated from the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Graphic Communications Management program. I have always loved the manufacturing component of all things print, from magazines, small digital runs, large web runs, packaging, and direct mail to large format. It has been interesting and exciting to see the industry evolve.
How can the industry attract more young people?
RH: To attract more young people, the industry could form partnerships with high schools and post-secondary school programs as well as help students entering the print industry find a satisfying career path.
RH: The biggest opportunities in the print industry today are in packaging and short-run digital work. The AI component is also new and interesting, but overall, the human factor and people are vital to our industry. Experience, technical knowledge, a willingness to help, grow and learn, are to me equally as important as any technology.
What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?
RH: I genuinely love what I do, and l love this industry. I’m grateful to my loyal, longstanding clients and suppliers who I have built strong partnerships with. Integrity goes a long way in our industry. The most exciting thing about print today is that it is ever-changing and not boring. The changes in technology and the strong technical aspects of the industry always keep it interesting.
Winning sales is about building and maintaining relationships and solving problems.
In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?
RH: Winning sales is about building and maintaining relationships and solving problems. As a print provider,
Romy Hahn’s response was edited for length. For more Q&A Spotlight interviews, please visit www.printaction.com/profile.
Awards Gala November 9, 2023 MORE THAN 50 CATEGORIES UNDER FOUR PROGRAM SECTIONS: Print Production, Printing, Technology and Environmental
