In the workshops, colorimetric standardization is gaining momentum with the arrival of new standards such as ISO 19302. Convened in France by the Union nationale des industries de l'impression et de la communication (UNIIC), with the support of Ambition Graphique and the Commission de normalisation des technologies et de la communication graphique (CNTCG), the international technical committee ISO TC 130 brought together some sixty experts to discuss the evolution of graphic industry standards, from April 20 to 24.
Chaired by Pengfei Zhao, the ISO TC 130 committee works to harmonize printing practices worldwide. On April 22, Uniic extended the discussions beyond the circle of experts, by bringing together printers and customers at conferences and round tables. The aim was to approach standardization from a pragmatic angle, not as a regulatory constraint, but as a lever for industrial management.
Data at the heart of the process
Standardization is profoundly changing production methods. Bruno Barbier, President of the Jénome Group and Uniic, sums up this evolution in a LinkedIn post: "Standardization puts an end to subjectivity and relies on factual data".
This changeover reinforces the industrialization of the workshops. Presses no longer adapt to individual files, but operate according to common references. Bruno Barbier underlines this reversal: " It's no longer the file that dictates press settings [...] It's up to the file to meet industrial requirements".
This logic favors repeatability of print runs, a central issue in a context of fragmented volumes and multiplication of processes, from offset to inkjet.
Color as a shared industrial constraint
For brands, standardization responds to an operational constraint: to produce consistent printed products, whatever the site or technology used. Publications, packaging and marketing materials must be consistent, regardless of production conditions.
This harmonization is accompanied by productivity gains. Process control reduces set-up times and wastage, while minimizing disputes. According to a Unicâeuros KEE ConsultantsâeurosIDEAlliance study, the implementation of standardized processes generates an average 5% margin gain.
Christophe Villar, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Technicien de plateforme prépresse 2015 and French representative on ISO TC 130, quoted by Uniic, reminds us that "printing is an industrial process, not an intuitive or artistic process".
Dominant but not exclusive standards
The increasing power of standards has raised questions, notably about the risk of standardizing rendering. The players involved in TC 130's work refute this view.
Standardized production covers the majority of routine jobs. Specific projects, linked to particular substrates, inks or requirements, are still possible and can be integrated more efficiently into a controlled chain. Christophe Villar explains: "products that do not fall within the scope of the standardized production chain [...] will be better managed in a standardized and controlled chain".
Standardization as a tool for enhancing skills
Beyond the technical, standardization influences the way companies are organized. For Bruno Barbier, standards " transforms tacit know-how into recognized competence" and helps to promote the printing professions.
For creative and marketing teams, the existence of common frames of reference offers " less back and forth, less uncertainty" notes Bruno Barbier, who sees this as a factor in the fluidity of exchanges between printers and principals.
In an environment where media are multiplying, color standardization reinforces the reliability of print, guaranteeing consistent reproduction of visual identities. "Standardization is not just a technical constraint, it's a powerful lever for creating value and differentiation" sums up the president of Uniic.
