Finch Announces Industry-First FIT Color Management and Workflow Services

GLENS FALLS, NY—Nov. 19, 2012—Following the success of its innovative Digital Paper Program and the introduction of high-performance inkjet web papers, it is with great excitement that Finch Paper announces a solution for businesses seeking better, more consistent printed color.

FIT (Fluid + Ink + Toner) Color Management and Workflow Services leverages the company’s technical knowledge surrounding color-managed workflows and ICC color profiles across printing platforms. “Fluid” refers to inkjet presses using aqueous inks, “ink” refers to traditional offset presses, and “toner” refers to digital production printing presses. The ultimate challenge is to have consistent, predictable color results across all three platforms.

Through on-site consultations, the technical experts at Finch look at the entire process—from design to finishing—adjusting color settings and workflow to hit the color mark from run to run and machine to machine while lowering the total cost of print.

Leading Finch’s Color Management Team with more than 20 years of industry experience is Finch Digital Applications Manager and G7® Certified Color Management Expert Mary Schilling. Mary said FIT “bridges the knowledge gap” that exists within the fast-growing transpromo and on-demand book segments.

“There are many variables that aren’t factored in that can affect color and print quality—paper is just one of them,” Mary said. “The prepress, or ‘working’ color space and the printed color space need to be properly calibrated in order to produce consistent, repeatable color. FIT connects the dots and pulls it all together to help our customers with a solution.”

Xplor International President and CEO Skip Henk says, “In the rapidly changing world of digital print, effective color management and workflow is critical in producing consistent, high quality color. Finch’s new FIT Color Management & Workflow Service solution leverages their knowledge in the science of fluids, inks and substrates, offering printers an effective program to achieve consistent, high quality digital color print.”

Finch Director of Digital Sales Sheldon Spicer said offering a value-added service like FIT is an exciting step forward for Finch. “For more than a century, Finch has been known for one thing: making paper. FIT is another example that Finch is thinking beyond paper, with innovative ideas, customized products and value-added service solutions,” Sheldon explained.

To learn more about FIT Color Management and to set up a consultation, contact Finch Director of Digital Sales Sheldon Spicer at 312-576-0269 or your Finch sales representative.

Color Management Education

Finch Digital Applications Manager Mary Schilling was a featured speaker at the industry’s leading print and color management conferences in 2012, including Xplor International Conference and Vendor Forum, Consolidated Graphics (CGX) Emerge Conference, and the IMI Digital Printing World Conference. She will be speaking at upcoming color management conferences as well, including Printing Industries of America (PIA) 2012 Color Management Conference, Dec. 1-4, in Scottsdale, AZ (www.color.printing.org); and the Xplor International Conference and Vendor Forum, April 16-18, 2013, in St. Pete Beach, FL (www.xplor.org).

About Finch
Finch Paper LLC operates a single, fully-integrated pulp and paper manufacturing facility in Glens Falls, at which it produces more than 255,000 tons per year of high-quality uncoated printing papers for marketing, book publishing and business office purposes. The company also continues a 100-year-old tradition of responsible forest management by offering consulting forestry services to public and private landowners, utilizing the Finch team of professional foresters. Finch Paper employs approximately 700 people.

Source: Finch.