Rutherford Journal
Our Articles
News, case studies, product releases, testimonials and practical insights from the print floor.
59 articles
G7 for European exportersNorth American buyers ask for G7 calibration. How European printers already on ISO 12647-2 add G7 and hold it on press through every production run.
Offset press retrofit, not replacementKomori is buying a semiconductor chiller maker. When press builders diversify, an offset press retrofit becomes the realistic route to better color.
PPWR: new inks, same color targetPPWR substance limits applied on 12 August 2026 and they cover inks and coatings, so reformulated ink sets are reaching the press with new color behavior.
Shorter runs, higher makeready costEuropean print capacity keeps consolidating, and the presses still running take shorter jobs, which pushes makeready cost per thousand sheets up.
Closed loop at Cartonajes PansFive IntelliTrax2 and Rutherford systems with MeasureColor, in production on Manroland Sheetfed presses of different generations at a Spanish packaging printer.
When extended gamut pays offExtended gamut printing removes the ink change between jobs, but it only pays above a certain job mix. Where the break-even actually sits for a converter.
New press, same color bottleneckThree new offset press investments in two weeks, all promising 35 to 40 percent more capacity. The color approval loop decides how much of it you actually get.
Three things printers get wrong about PPWR recyclabilityThe PPWR has applied since 12 August 2026, yet recyclability has its own later dates, the grades are A, B and C only, and EN 18120 is not a presumption of conformity. What the regulation actually says.
What makes a press console closed-loop readyClosed-loop color control retrofits onto presses that are already running. What the console actually needs to provide, brand by brand, and how to find out without a site visit.
Why brand colors are harder to hold than process colorsA brand color on a large flat area is the least forgiving thing on a packaging job. Why spot color tolerances are tighter, and what actually keeps them in range across a run.
Paper prices up: what waste really costs nowPaper price increases in 2026 make every makeready sheet more expensive. Here is what that does to job cost, and the one lever printers still control.
Multi-site color standardizationMulti-site color standardization keeps a brand color identical from plant to plant. Here is how closed loop turns one reference into the same result in five factories.
Pressroom automation and closed loop2026 print surveys agree pressroom automation is now the baseline. On offset, the last manual loop is color, and closed loop is what closes it.
PPWR: what changed for printers on August 12, 2026The EU PPWR has applied since August 12, 2026. What packaging printers worldwide must now have in place, and why clean production data makes it easier.
G7 vs ISO 12647G7 and ISO 12647 both standardize offset color, but they take different routes. Here is how they differ and how to choose, or combine, them.
M0, M1, M2, M3 explainedWhat M0, M1, M2 and M3 measurement conditions mean for print color, how optical brighteners and UV change your readings, and which to use.
Closed-loop color control for offsetWhat closed-loop color control is, how it works on an offset press, and how it cuts makeready waste while holding color stable, shift after shift.
Reduce makeready waste: 10 leversTen concrete levers to cut makeready waste on offset, from CIP3 presetting to closed-loop color control, and how to measure the savings.
ISO 12647-2, explainedA plain-language guide to ISO 12647-2 for offset: what it standardizes (substrates, primaries, tone value increase, tolerances) and why it makes color repeatable.
DeltaE: what tolerance is acceptable?What DeltaE and DeltaE00 mean in printing, what tolerances are realistic for process and brand colors, and how to hold them in production.
PPWR & DPP: printer checklistWhat the EU PPWR and Digital Product Passport mean for packaging printers, and a practical checklist to get color, data and traceability ready.
CIP3/CIP4 ink presettingWhat CIP3/CIP4 (PPF, JDF) ink presetting is, how it opens ink keys from prepress data, and how it pairs with closed-loop color to shorten makeready.
Offset360The X-Rite + Rutherford closed-loop bundle for sheetfed offset. Discover the dedicated page.
PPWR & DPPA practical guide to PPWR and DPP readiness for packaging, labels, and offset printing operations serving the European market.
Paper crisisHow offset printers can respond to substrate volatility by reducing waste, stabilizing makeready, and protecting margin.
The Shelby CompanyThe Shelby Company case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Obeikan GroupObeikan Group case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Measure Color 21.1A product update focused on stronger integrations, better quality reporting, and improved data flow across the print workflow.
Yazawa Printing 矢沢印刷Yazawa Printing 矢沢印刷 case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Extended Gamut from LEFRANCQExtended Gamut from LEFRANCQ case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Offset machinistOffset press expertise in offset printing: why people, skills, and operational culture still matter.
LEFRANCQ PACKAGING TestimonialLEFRANCQ PACKAGING case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Pantone 2021Why color trends still matter in packaging, branding, and premium print production.
Girl PowerWomen in print in offset printing: why people, skills, and operational culture still matter.
LEFRANCQ PACKAGINGLEFRANCQ PACKAGING case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
WestRock AguascalientesWestRock Aguascalientes case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Wauters - Bpack VideoWauters - Bpack case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Keep Your Production UNDER CONTROLHow connected presetting, closed-loop color control, and quality reporting create a more predictable offset workflow.
ASK ADVERTISINGASK ADVERTISING case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
IntelliLoop v.1.20A workflow update focused on strengthening closed-loop color control and production consistency.
GS MONACOGS MONACO case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
StopplayingpianoWhy printers should replace manual ink-key correction with a more stable, data-driven workflow.
Seb. Wolf GmbHSeb. Wolf GmbH case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
ColorconsultingColorconsulting case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
LA GALIOTE PRENANTLA GALIOTE PRENANT case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Wauters BPackWauters BPack case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
AR PACKAGING MajujayaAR PACKAGING Majujaya case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
YAMADA PHOTO PROCESS CO.LTDYAMADA PHOTO PROCESS CO.LTD case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
ROIWhy return on investment in offset print automation should be measured through waste reduction, time savings, and repeatability.
GRUPO LAPPÍ ETIQUETASGRUPO LAPPÍ ETIQUETAS case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
YUTOYUTO case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Worldwide SupportWhy remote support and structured service matter for fast-moving print plants.
WestRock MPSWestRock MPS case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Moderna PrintingModerna Printing case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
self-financed Rutherford systemHow waste reduction and faster makeready can help automation projects pay for themselves.
Glossop CartonsGlossop Cartons case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Heidelberg XL 75Heidelberg XL 75 case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Printwell Inc.Printwell Inc. case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.
Koenig & BauerKoenig & Bauer case study for offset printing standardization, quality control, and faster makeready.