Mark Andy standardizes pressroom color management with mixed-fleet program

The packaging printing sector has long relied on the seasoned eyes of veteran press operators to hit exact brand colors. But as that generation continues to age out of the workforce in 2026, converters face a critical skills gap. To address this operational vulnerability, Mark Andy has rolled out its Color Smart program through its Mark Andy Print Products (MAPP) division. Debuting at Loupe Americas 2026, this initiative shifts color management from an individual art form to a documented, repeatable science.

Replacing tribal knowledge with documented standards

For decades, achieving color consistency across different shifts and operators has been a persistent bottleneck in label and flexible packaging production. Buyers are demanding tighter color tolerances and faster turnarounds, leaving no room for trial-and-error on the press. Dave Telken, senior vice president at MAPP, accurately diagnosed the core issue by noting that color consistency is rarely about a single component. It is the complex, physical interplay of plates, mounting tape, anilox rolls, doctor blades, ink, and press settings.

Color Smart tackles this by stripping away the guesswork and establishing a definitive production standard. Instead of relying on the "tribal knowledge" of a single master operator, the program creates a framework that less-experienced technicians can follow to achieve established color targets reliably.

The five-stage calibration framework

The initiative is not merely a software patch; it is a comprehensive pressroom audit and optimization process. MAPP specialists guide converters through a structured five-step methodology:

• Listen: Understanding the converter’s specific production goals, color challenges, and current operating environment.
• Evaluate: Reviewing prepress, plate room, and pressroom workflows to identify sources of variability and material waste.
• Recommend: Selecting the optimal combination of pressroom components tailored to the specific applications.
• Calibrate: Fingerprinting the press under controlled conditions to establish a performance baseline and confirm necessary operating parameters.
• Document: Developing a standardized color specification and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for consistent reproduction.

The fingerprinting phase is the linchpin of the entire operation. By establishing exactly how a press performs under optimized variables, plant managers can lock in the settings that work and document them permanently.

A pragmatic approach to mixed press fleets

What makes Color Smart particularly relevant for the global converting market in 2026 is its agnostic nature. Mark Andy has designed the program to be deployed not only on its own equipment but also on presses supplied by rival manufacturers. For plant managers juggling multiple facilities and diverse machinery, this cross-platform compatibility is a highly practical solution to a universal headache.

Furthermore, this standardization directly supports the industry's broader sustainability goals. By reducing the number of color-matching iterations required during make-ready, converters significantly cut down on substrate and ink waste, improving both their environmental footprint and their bottom line.

Mark Andy’s pragmatic approach to standardizing color variables is exactly the kind of operational maturity the packaging sector needs to survive the current labor shortage. Will other major press manufacturers follow suit and open their optimization protocols to mixed-fleet environments? Follow The Paper for daily news, market signals and key updates from the global paper, corrugated and packaging industry. — Sigue toda la actualidad del sector en www.thepaper.ai