Why Color Management Still Matters in Digital Print

By John Panton, Technical Director – ColorFlow Solutions and Digital Distributors

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced digital print environment, color accuracy is no longer a “nice-to-have” — it’s a non-negotiable. With rising client expectations, tighter turnaround times, and increasingly complex production environments, the need for robust color management has never been more critical. And this is evident by the growing amount of enquiries we get from digital printers today.

At ColorFlow Solutions, we’ve collaborated with print businesses of all sizes — from boutique packaging specialists to high-volume commercial printers — and one consistent challenge emerges: maintaining reliable, predictable color across different substrates and output devices. That’s precisely where effective color management along with understanding and appreciation for standards based aims and tolerance proves its value.

What Has Changed — and What Hasn’t

Digital presses have evolved dramatically in recent years, featuring improved built-in calibration, sophisticated inline measurement tools, and more intelligent RIPs. However, these advancements sometimes create the misleading impression that color management is “automatically handled.”

At best device calibration is handled and in most cases even that is not as effective as you might believe. 

The reality remains that regardless of press sophistication, if the incoming color data is flawed — whether through unprofiled files, inappropriate rendering intents, or inconsistent device conditions — the result will inevitably be costly reprints, dissatisfied clients, and wasted resources.

Furthermore a typical customer might have a number of devices of different generations or even different manufacturers installed. This often means different calibration methodologies and different measurement conditions are being used across the fleet of devices.

Why It Still Matters

Here’s why color management continues to be fundamental to a modern digital workflow:

• Brand Consistency: Clients expect their corporate colors to appear identical whether printed on business cards, packaging, or large-format materials.
• Device Neutrality: In hybrid workflows utilizing multiple output devices, properly color-managed files transfer more reliably and print more predictably.
• Waste Reduction: Accurate color translates to fewer proofs, fewer reprints, and a more efficient operation. Stop using  production devices as proofing devices
• Faster Turnaround: Getting color right the first time eliminates delays caused by mid-job color corrections.
• Client Trust: Consistent, professional color reproduction builds your reputation and enhances your profit margins.

A Practical Approach

At CFS, our approach to color management is standards based and workflow centered. We don’t simply provide profiles — we help teams integrate color management principles into their daily production processes. This typically includes:

• Standardizing measurement conditions (e.g., M1 or M0)
• Setup standardizing reference printing conditions from design applications through to print, 
• Implementing color-managed proofing systems with production material simulations.
• Developing profiles not just for devices, but for specific substrates and spot colors simulations
• Implementing standards based device check and Quality control solutions.
• Standards based viewing conditions.
• Training both operators and designers on how color decisions impact final outcomes
• Most importantly we focus on knowledge transfer and to this end we are aware of the high demand and lack of knowledge within the industry. We are working hard to address this need and look forward to sharing some exciting news with you in the coming months.

Color Is Business-Critical

Effective color management reduces costs, saves time, and minimizes stress — but perhaps more importantly, it positions your business as reliable and professional. In competitive markets like packaging and digital commercial printing, this reputation often becomes the decisive factor in winning projects.

If you’re uncertain about your workflow’s color management status, we offer a complimentary color health assessment to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.

Let’s ensure your print quality matches the excellence of your service promise.

About the Author

John Panton serves as the Technical Director for both ColorFlow Solutions and Digital Distributors, bringing over two decades of expertise in color science and print technology. A recognized authority in the digital print industry, John has guided numerous companies and premium print providers through complex color management transformations. He has contributed to several technical publications on color standardization and workflow optimization. John’s hands-on approach and deep technical knowledge have established him as a trusted advisor to print professionals worldwide.