X-Rite Incorporated and Pantone LLC, global leaders in color science and technology, today announced that Asda renewed its multi-year ColorCert contract for packaging quality control. As one of the largest British supermarket retailers, Asda uses the ColorCert Suite to manage packaging color and consistency across its 12,000 SKUs and multiple print suppliers. Asda print specialists are able to monitor print quality and see data for each and every press run in an easy-to-understand dashboard with objective and consistent metrics. As a result, Asda has increased packaging quality performance scores by 200 percent.
Asda brand packaging is printed globally across a variety of suppliers, print processes and substrates. With a small team of print specialists, it was impossible for Asda to attend every press pass across all suppliers to validate print quality. Five years ago, Asda adopted the ColorCert Suite across primary and secondary packaging printers. Following a successful implementation and significant increase in print scores, Asda also implemented ColorCert with their POS print provider.
Today, a majority of Asda’s approved printers have installed pressroom tools and report data directly into the ColorCert Scorecard Server. Asda sets tolerances for process colors, brand colors, overprints and grey balance to ensure process control. Printers are able to evaluate and monitor their own print quality. According to Asda, ColorCert improves printer performance, reduces rejects, and significantly saves time and costs.
“Implementing ColorCert has given us the tools to focus on color and consistency,” Jason Gilmartin, Senior Print Manager, Asda. “As brand owners, we can now measure print quality based on agreed criteria and measurable data rather than subjective opinions, which helped to further improve relationships with our approved printers as we clearly define and agree our expectations. We even offer Q&A sessions to interested printers and Brand owners to share the benefits of ColorCert as a quality assurance solution, as we continue to champion smart working.”
“Asda was the first UK retailer to implement a print quality program, and their results have driven a change throughout the UK packaging market,” said Cindy Cooperman, Vice President, Brand Global Strategic Accounts, X-Rite. “Asda’s continued investment and commitment in the ColorCert Suite is a testament to the success of the program. We are very pleased to renew our contract and build upon this long-standing partnership.”
The cloud-based ColorCert Suite enables digital communication of brand color and print requirements across a complex supply chain. ColorCert software supports today’s digital workflows and integrates with X-Rite Color iQC, IntelliTrax2, PantoneLIVE, XRGA-based pressroom spectrophotometers, and qualified third-party quality control software.
