The new GMG ColorServer Multicolour system, plus proofing options, was rolled out at the Brentwood, Essex-based trade label printer this month.
The company said that one of its main challenges had been achieving a standardisation across the three different print processes used within its production facility over four HP Indigo digital presses, two Screen Truepress inkjet printers, and a Nilpeter flexo press.
It has installed the GMG system to "confidently complete any colour matching element as early on in the production curve as possible” and to maximise internal production efficiencies at all times.
Baker Labels technical manager Jamie Godson said: “I am responsible for the smooth transition of work through every stage of our print production workflow. I was confident that GMG offered us a solution that would complement our existing Hybrid workflow software.
“The solution is user friendly and, in a nutshell, does what it says on the tin. No doubt there are many good colour management products out there, but the GMG brand is synonymous with colour management.
“In terms of business, it has helped reduce colour related issues. Using the GMG system, we are accurately and confidently simulating press output within the studio/planning environment, helping make our production workflow more efficient whilst simplifying the decision-making process with regards to colour.”
He added: “The installation went very well. The GMG members on the install team were very helpful in not only giving us a starting point with the system but also explaining to us the background of how it works to further our knowledge with the product.”
With many longstanding accounts and customers, the company said one of the considerations when making the purchase was around how any legacy jobs would be managed through a new system and how difficult it would be to change from one system to another.
Godson said the software has so far been successful in producing such jobs correctly.
“The GMG installation gives the ability to match historic jobs, even if they were originally printed incorrectly for whatever reason. The spot colours are scanned in, verified by outputting an Epson proof and then sent to press.
“This technique has proved very reliable with us pretty much matching all spot colours first time when we eventually get to running them up on press.”
GMG Color sales manager Paul Williams said the company was privileged to partner with Baker Labels on the investment.
“Bakers are using GMG ColorServer Multicolour to consistently convert customer-supplied files into the desired output colour space of the various printing technologies, through the integration of GMG OpenColor profiling technology.
“As the whole process is automated, we’ve been able to achieve significant time savings in data processing for Baker.”
In January, Baker Labels’ trade digital flexible packaging division BakPac was given certification for the BRC Global Standard for Packaging Materials.
The BakPac facility was purpose built within one of the factory units at Baker Labels during 2019. With an investment of £2.5m, the business created a sealed food safe area that runs equipment from HP, Karlville, AB Graphic, and Enprom. The flexible packaging division was formally launched in February 2020.
A family business established by Roy and Marian Baker in 1973 and now headed up by managing director Steve Baker, Baker Labels employs 99 staff and has a turnover of £9.3m.
