The move is a reaction to the needs of digital printers, in both small and large formats, to produce consistent results across different machines and technologies.

"GMG is not common in wide-format at the moment, but with these developments, watch this space," said GMG UK sales executive Simon Landau. "It's not that the RIPs can't reproduce colour accurately, although some can't, it's that there is a lot of variability across different devices and a centralised ColorServer can produce a more harmonious result."

ColorServer was previously tied to one output device, but with version 4.6 it is now able to calibrate multiple printers and to impose a standardised colour space across them.

The new version also includes the Adobe PDF libraries, including spot colour libraries.

"This simplifies matching brand colours on digital devices, which is invaluable in the display graphics workflow," said Landau.

Landau added that the use of the Adobe PDF library also meant that ColorServer could handle transparency and flattening of PDFs ensuring consistent output from non Adobe-based RIPs, which are widespread in wide-format workflows.

GMG also announced a wizard-based calibration and profiling tool SmartProfiler, to make it easier for printers to implement standard colour themselves without relying on a consultant or integrator.

"It stupid-proofs superior colour management," he said "It makes creating profiles a very easy process without having to go into the profile editor."