DIGITAL PROOFING -- Bouncing a Process Check

The question of whether or not to print to standards comes down to economics, says Jim Sewell, vice president of technology at LP Thebault. "Is nailing down these standards going to make us any more successful?," he asks rhetorically.

A proof is seen as a tool for assigning blame, so customers don't want to sign a contract proof because that makes them responsible for the final product, Sewell asserts. "We do more press proofs today than we did five years ago. In pushing to make our printing more distinctive, we're using coatings and stock alternatives that proofers can't match," he says.