Role: Product Specialist – FLEX PACK & COLOR TUNER

At CGS ORIS since: August 1st, 2024

Focus areas: Sales & support, installation, training, pre-sales, testing, demos

Meet Thomas Chiron, our Product Specialist, color enthusiast, and someone who’s always out for the perfect print. Based in France and working across Europe, Thomas is known for his hands-on support and deep understanding of color workflows. We sat down with him to talk about what drives him, where he’s headed, and how it’s going after one year at CGS ORIS.

Thomas, what’s the best part of your job?
Being right at the center of color.
I got into color management early in my career—starting out at a print shop in Alsace (France) that specialized in wine labels. That’s where I developed a strong point of view on color consistency, and it really stuck with me. Even though I moved around a bit professionally, I kept coming back to the topic. For me, understanding color and the logic behind color management is still one of the most fascinating parts of the graphics industry.

Now at CGS ORIS, being so close to our customers and helping them navigate all the complexities of color—especially when they face challenges—is a kind of personal milestone. It feels like I’ve reached the “top layer” of the topic, and I’m excited to keep going.

What’s been your most exciting project so far?
From a CGS ORIS perspective: Setting up a full workflow for a well-known global video streaming company in Europe. It was fascinating to get a look behind the curtain and introduce them to an RGB-based workflow instead of CMYK. That change gave them more contrast, wider color possibilities, and better alignment with their primary media—screens and billboards. It was a great example of how color management can have a real impact.

From my career as a whole: Years ago, I had the chance to manage a world premiere—printing and calibrating chocolate using a digital printer and edible inks. Yes, really! It was a wild idea that we made work, and I enjoyed every bit of it. What made it even more fun was rediscovering those same printed chocolates at a company party eight years later—at my current job! That’s still one of my most satisfying professional moments.

But there’s a new highlight on the horizon for me now: becoming Fogra certified. That’s one goal I’m really looking forward to achieving.

What are some challenges you face in your role?
I enjoy solving tricky situations, what we in French call a “Mouton à 5 pattes” (a rare bird). I like getting to the root of a problem and explaining clearly what’s possible (and what’s not), whether it’s to a customer or during a pre-sales meeting.

What keeps it exciting is the direct contact with real-world production environments and the constant learning that comes with it. The industry keeps evolving, and our customers often teach us just as much as we teach them.

Why CGS ORIS?

I’ve had a long and varied career in the graphics industry—graphic designer, sales rep, trainer, field tech, even owner of a print workshop (which I opened two months before the pandemic... great timing!).

All those roles gave me a broad view of the industry, but now I feel like I’ve found the right place—back in software, focused on color management. I’m curious to see how I’ll continue growing here, and how CGS ORIS will evolve alongside the industry.

What kinds of projects are you most excited about?

Extended color gamut printing is something I’m particularly interested in—especially 7-color workflows that help bridge the gap between analog and digital. It’s an exciting area where print is getting closer to digital standards and screen expectations.

At the same time, I’ve noticed a bit of knowledge loss in the industry—especially among the newer generation. With everything becoming more intuitive and automated (plus AI entering the mix), it feels important to pass on what we know.

That’s why I spend time creating training materials and trying to make things more accessible. Who knows—maybe I’ll even stream something on Twitch one day to show how our industry really works! In the end, it's all about keeping the flame alive for the next generation.

How was your first year at CGS ORIS?

To be honest, it was a real personal challenge. First, I had to shake off some rust when it came to speaking English all the time. Second, stepping into a company with such a high standard in color management was a bit intimidating—I didn’t want to mess anything up.

But I received a lot of support—from both colleagues and managers. That made a big difference. Now I feel much more confident in my role, and I’ve even started learning German.