Brand Solutions – Packaging

• Inconsistent targets and poor color  Calibration between printers. The current color difference tolerance for printers  for the manufacturers DE 2.5 and 3.5 CMC
• The color approval processes are slow and costly. On average, manufacturers need about 7 draw downs to obtain the approval from the brand
• Environmental traceability is not consistently managed which might result in the usage of restricted ink.

Sun Chemical / CSI Packaging Module

Together with Sun Chemical we provide a brand color management solutions that increases speed, accuracy and efficiency of the packaging production and reduces the costs and the environmental footprint.

The Sun Chemical / CSI Packaging Module solves these problems for the packaging industry. The cooperation combines the expertise of CSI in color communication and color standards implementation with the experience of Sun Chemical in the development of packaging colors using high quality, environmentally-friendly, “fit for use” inks. The result is a reliable, consistent and efficient color communication process that saves the brand costs and effort and leads to a perfect end-product.

Selection of the Color Palette and Design

The process starts with the selection of the color palette and the design of the logo / package. The design and the color of the package have strong influence on the assumptions made about the brand and product and on the buying decision. Therefore, it is important to pick the right, unique color.

Matching

CSI and Sun Chemical will match any color of the design as close as possible on the selected substrate and provide a printed sample for approval. As every substrate has a different gamut, it is important to see the design color printed on the target substrate rather than on a computer screen where the color may vary.

Color Standard Production

Once a color is approved, a certified standard is produced. It consists of a visual reference that is printed on the selected substrate, using robust formulas with globally available, environmentally-friendly, “fit for use” inks from Sun Chemical. The color standard is tested under different light sources (according to the brand’s requirements) for minimal metamerism.

The certified standard also includes an electronic standard, which is a “thumbprint” of the color, generated with a calibrated spectrophotometer. The electronic standard can be used in the quality control process to quickly compare the sample of the manufacturer and the color standard.

Color Standard Distribution

A web based platform is available for the manufacturers to order the certified standards they need. The electronic standard can be E-mailed so that the packaging production process can start immediately and no time is lost. The brand can monitor the distribution of the standard in the system and control the manufacturing process.

Ink Distribution and Support

Sun Chemical is the largest distributor of inks and their products are globally available.

If there are problems in matching the color, the experts at Color Solutions International and Sun Chemical are available to advise how to achieve the desired brand color.

Benefits

Using the packaging module offers various advantages for brands, designers and packaging manufacturers:

More Options for Designers – Designers are free to choose any colors that are reproducible on the intended substrates. Colors will be created with all required fastness properties. Having a reliable reference with the required characteristics at the beginning of the process enables the printer to produce exactly the designed color.

One-Stop-Shopping – Once the design is finished, the entire process of color matching, production and the distribution of color standards and distribution of ink is managed by one team of specialists. The brand can hand it off and receive the perfect result in the end.

Traceability – Since standards are serialized, the usage and quality of the standards can be easily traced and monitored.

Consistent Colors – CSI provides standards with a DE of maximum 0.75 CMC between the master digital standards and the physical standard. Using a harmonized standard like this is an easy and exact way to communicate the brand’s color to the manufacturer and enables them to match exactly (with a tolerance of max. 1.5 CMC)  the designed brand color.

Color Matching – As Sun Chemical colors are globally available, the manufacturer can use the same colors and match the brand color without a large number of draw downs. This provides a more efficient production process, saves costs and reduces waste.

Quality Control – The standard is provided as a physical standard and an electronic standard. This makes it easy for the manufacturer to control the color consistency of the manufactured packaging and provides a fast and efficient approval process.

Environment – Sun Chemical and CSI are strongly committed to provide sustainable solutions. The inks of Sun Chemical that are used to produce the standards are “fit for use” and environmentally friendly. Also, the waste can be reduced as less draw downs are needed to produce the exact color.

Together, the two strong companies provide a process that increases speed, accuracy and efficiency of the packaging production and reduces the costs and the environmental footprint. This leads to a superior end result that helps the brands maintain their identity and image.

Please contact us if you have any questions or suggestions.