New PDF Specifications For Printed Packaging

Edited by the Printingtalk editorial team Jan 5, 2007

The Ghent PDF Workgroup (GWG), has launched its new GWG Packaging Specifications for PDF file exchange in printed packaging applications.

The Ghent PDF Workgroup (GWG), has launched its new GWG Packaging Specifications for PDF file exchange in printed packaging applications.

The specifications developed by the GWG's packaging team were tested in North America by Kraft Foods and in Europe by France's Square.

The new specifications are downloadable for free at the GWG website.

According to GWG packaging sub-committee co- chairs, Steve Carter, director of technology at the St Louis division of Southern Graphics Systems and Christian Blaise, international sales account manager for Enfocus, the main goal in packaging production is to reduce time-to-market and cost by finding the way to get the job done correctly the first time.

Blaise explained: "The GWG packaging specification sub-committee has worked extremely hard over the past two years to develop packaging specifications in to meet the very specific needs of this segment." The GWG specifications were tested using real production files in operational environments, by organisations in North America and in Europe.

It was a collaborative effort that has resulted in a set of best practice specifications for packaging that are designed to help ensure more reliable and consistent PDF file exchange for all the stakeholders involved in packaging, said the organisation.

The packaging sub-committee - representing more than 30 companies in Europe and the USA, from pre-press, printing, converting and repro organisations, to associations, brand owners, vendors, consultants and educational institutions - worked together and evaluated the best practice implementation of PDF workflows in the packaging industry around the world.

The committee said it worked on the definition of best practices to include settings, rules, guidelines, workflows and a framework to define PDF as the ultimate exchangeable file format for the packaging industry, based on industry standards and market requirements.

The guidelines and settings are said to be generic for the packaging industry and suitable for the entire process from design through to output and covering all printing processes, including flexo, offset and gravure, for example.