Twenty years ago at the Seybold Conference in San Francisco, a consortium was announced that officially united six leading companies that had been working together informally in the color management sector of the industry. This affiliation created a color management “dream team” known as the Color Management Group (CMG). The original group’s founding members consisted of West Coast consultant-based resellers Alder Technology, Left Dakota, Piccus 4 Color, RP Imaging, and Rods and Cones, together with their Silicon Valley distributor, Color Management [Distribution] that was established in 1998.
The original alliance joined a strong team of industry leaders with expansive experience and technical expertise. The group started to grow by peer nomination and approval vote, adding new members across North America and then worldwide.
In 2022, CMG’s roster is international and consists of Consultant, VAR, Reseller, Affiliate, Honorary, and Founding Members and touts an enviable color management community including customers and followers of over 67,000.
Leading brand consultant, Ron Ellis of Ron Ellis Consulting, says, “Color Management Group has always provided the best solutions for brands, suppliers and industry. In addition to leading the way, CMG has always provided the best support, logistics, and resources to help customers get the most from their color management needs. The group provides knowledge, training, support and a wide range of resources. I count on support from CMG on a daily basis.”
The Color Management Group’s model assesses client needs and offers a custom mix of printers, measurement devices, RIP and workflow software, consulting and/or training, and consumable products to provide color management based solutions quickly and effectively for all printing methods across many applications—both digital and analog. Color Management [Distribution] aggregates best in class products so that member companies have one point of access to a growing portfolio of graphic arts solutions.
Roger Gould, President, #1 Network, remarks, “Color Management Group has been an integral supplier to #1 Network for over a decade. We truly appreciate the support they provide.”
The group’s alliance companies bring copious years of experience supporting high-end clients and direct relationships with premier color management vendors and industry associations.
CMG Members have worked together over the past twenty-five years at certification/re-certification courses and vendor trainings; industry trade associations programs (such as Brand Q, Digital Color Professional, G7, first, and, Process Control Expert); roadshows, seminars, and special events; technical symposiums and tradeshows/expositions; standards-related meetings and committees (such as Print Properties and TAGA); plus the notorious bi-annual meetings. In doing so, members have developed strong relationships with each other and shared a wealth of technical information—resulting in their ability to harness exponential results in support of client solutions and provide support to a diverse and technical client base.
Joe Marin, Senior Vice President, Education and Training reflects, “Our partnership has been tremendous over the past 20 years. CMG members have willingly collaborated on technical content and participation with PRINTING United Alliance (formerly SGIA and Printing Industries of America), NAPCO, and IDEAlliance. We look forward to even more collaboration in the future!”
The Color Management Group boasts members who are accomplished early adopters of new technologies, technical integrators, teachers, seminar leaders, writers, beta testers, and software developers who directly impact and shape the products available today and in the future.
The members’ understanding of current and future technology is continually sharpened by the combined analysis of the best minds in color management. As a group, they offer an unsurpassed level of expertise in each area of color management—enabling the alliance to quickly provide comprehensive solutions towards installing, troubleshooting and managing sensitive color workflows.
Ray Weiss, Printing United Alliance’s VP, eLearning and Certifications comments, ”Working with the many experts from the Color Management Group over my eight years with SGIA, now PRINTING United Alliance, has been my pleasure. Their knowledge of all things color is impressive.”
At Printing United Expo booth #C6947, CMG will debut new products, demonstrate color proofing and sublimation workflows, and announce new relationships. Educational seminars will be provided daily, on the hour between 11am and 4pm, by Ron Ellis on topics including:
- Brand standards and Certification Programs;
- Color servers – Transform Your Workflow with Super Powers;
- Color Tips for Sublimation CMS;
- Packaging Updates – What’s New in Color Management;
- Standards for Print – What They Are and Why They Matter; and
- Wide Format Color Management – Tips for Getting the Most from your Process.
In addition, Consultant Members from CMG alliance companies will be available for one on one, ask the expert discussions.
Erica Aitken, President, Rods and Cones, states, “We rely on Color Management Group and Color Management Distribution for a high percentage of the products we sell and for the top notch service they provide. Their technicians are vital to our company and their knowledge of the products they sell—unparalleled.
“Working together at Printing United is always stimulating and full of technical and creative exchanges that make us all better at what we do.”
—Press Release
