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DigitaldruckForum (DDF), located in the Gutenberg town of Mainz, is an independent organization and industry initiative to discuss and promote “digital printing and interactive marketing with print media”. For more information, go to the organization’s web site, at www.digitaldruck-forum.org.

The European Color Initiative (ECI), founded in 1996, is dedicated to advancing media-neutral color data-processing in digital publishing systems. The group’s ECI2002 color target is used by ORIS Color Tuner for automatic color matching and calibration. The ECI also provides the Altona suite of PDF/X test files. For more information, go to the organization’s web site, at www.eci.org.

The FOGRA Graphic Technology Research Association promotes the research and development of applied printing technology, making the results available to the printing industry. The association has its own institute with a staff of about 50 engineers, chemists, physicists and other experts. Recently, FOGRA certified ORIS Color Tuner, on both Canon and Epson devices, as having met or exceeded its requirements for proof accuracy, repeatability and consistency over time. For more information about FOGRA, go to the organization’s web site, at www.fogra.org.

The Ghent PDF Workgroup (GWG), founded in June 2002, is an international assembly of industry association, experts and vendor members whose goal is to establish and disseminate process specifications and best practices in graphic arts workflows. For more information, go to te organization's we site at, www.gwg.org.

CGS is a very active member of the International Color Consortium (ICC), which exists to promote open, cross-platform color management systems and components. The current specification for ICC color profiles (Version 4) provide many improvements in translating color space information between different systems. The latest version of ORIS Color Tuner (5.1) handles ICCv4 profiles. For more information, go to the organization’s web site, at www.color.org.

The International Digital Enterprise Alliance (IDEAlliance) is concerned with developing and promoting standards for publishers and other information-driven enterprises. Formerly known as the Graphic Communications Association (GCA), IDEAlliance has promoted the development and adoption of GRACoL (DTR004) specification for commercial printing, SWOP (Specifications for Web Offset Publications) color reproduction specifications for magazines and their advertisers, as well as numerous XML-based initiatives. For more information, go to the organization’s web site, at www.idealliance.org.

IPA, The Association of Graphic Solutions Providers, tracks, evaluates and promotes technology and management innovations in the graphic communications industry. Its business and technical seminars (and, more recently, webinars) are designed to help all members of the imaging community, from marketers, designers and agencies to prepress and print service providers. For more information, go to the organization’s web site, at www.ipa.org.

The Printing Industries of America (PIA) and the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) deliver products and services to enhance the growth, efficiency and profitability of its members and the industry through advocacy, education, research and technical information. For more information, go to the organizations’ web site, at www.gain.net.

PrintTools is an alliance of several industry organizations, including GRACoL, SWOP and others, providing web access to digital calibration kits, certified press sheets, publications and other resources for printers and publishers. For more information, go to www.printtools.org.