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Alder Color Assurance Program enhances color processes

Helping a large-format print company dial in their processes to improve control and profiles, reduce costs of printing proofs, and verify their colors and abilities.

Category 5 Portfolio Image
Interior print project created by Category 5 for Icon Contract space.

Meet the client.

category 5

Category 5 was founded in 2006, with the goal to provide faster and more efficient options to print buyers. Producing all types of large format print materials including billboards, banners, murals, posters, vehicle wraps, and more, Category 5 proudly represents some of the most iconic brands across North America. 

www.category5.ca

The challenge.

Working with high end brands, maintaining consistent color efficiently was becoming increasingly important at Category 5. After their lead pressman, Tim Forbes, participated in one of our Color Management Bootcamps (sponsored by EFI), their team decided to get connected, and continue their journey to world-class color management. 

After getting connected, Alder’s very own Certified G7 Expert and PRINTING United Alliance Digital Color Professional Instructors evaluated Category 5’s workflow.  It became Alder Color Solution’s goal to help Category 5 enhance their workflow processes and color management systems, so that they could produce world-class results for their clients more efficiently and cost-effectively. 

“We had procedures in place to check our colors against digital proofs, but noticed we were making more changes than we think should have been. We needed a better process to control and manage our profiles on press.”

Ben Richardson 
Manager of Operational Planning

The solution.

Category 5 elected to join our Alder Color Assurance Program, where we came up with a multi-phase approach to help Category 5 achieve great color management. Through this program, we implemented the premier ChromaChecker Color Conformance Platform,  which enables printers to establish their own capabilities and assess if output devices can meet expectations.

“We connected with Dan, who brought the ChromaChecker platform to our attention… We [considered] other products to help with our color management, but after seeing ChromaChecker in action, we decided to go with that. The form, function, and ease of integration were big sellers…”

Along with the Color Conformance Platform, Alder provided onsite expert support, to ensure that the platform was properly setup, as well as to further help develop Category 5’s color management processes and procedures.

Print Inspector

The results.

Through the Alder Color Assurance Program, Category 5 was able to better define and track their colors and profiles on press, and reduce their costs of printing proofs. Externally, working with high-end brands and customers, Category 5 is now able to verify their colors and abilities, ensuring they provide exceptional print material, with world-class color standards. 

ChromaChecker was a great addition to our process, whereas we can check the daily status of our color with [the platform], and ensure we are always printing the best color we can.

Since implementing ChromaChecker as a part of our procedures, we are now more confident in our abilities to match color and communicate to customers our abilities.

The onsite and remote expert support provided through the program further helped ensure that Category 5’s new processes were working efficiently and effectively, and provided their team with a greater knowledge base on color management. 

“After having [Alder Color Solutions] come in, we can now verify our colors and ability BEFORE going to press, which has reduced costs printing proofs on press to verify color. It helped with our knowledge base and creating a better process for our company with regards to color management and profiling.”

Category 5 conclusion.

“If you currently have, or are developing, your press-profiles, the tools and knowledge supplied from Alder Color Solutions will help take your company to the next level. The knowledge base at Alder is exceptional.

The Alder Color Assurance Program

Learn more about how you can dial in on your color management and profiling processes.