DES will consolidate the previously fractured supply chain of the Gretag MacBeth products while providing a larger inventory of all products in the range. It will deliver enhanced colour training through its close association with Chromaticity and David Crowther, as well as providing enhanced instrument calibration and repairs services.

Growing the market

For the first time the X-Rite products, when combined with the DES range of colour solutions, will deliver the complete colour management technology from originating monitor calibration, through colour servers to spectrophotometers and densitometers in the pressroom.

“Our target is the non-buying customer, the people in the colour production chain who are as yet unaware of the benefits of end-to-end colour management,” said Tom Juntarawatt, technical sales director, X-Rite SE Asia. “While Australia and New Zealand are very advanced markets, ranking third in Asia after Japan and China, there are still many who have not recognised how important it is.”

The X-Rite products will be available through a wide range of graphic arts dealers as well as consumer outlets for such products as the ‘huey’ monitor calibration device. For some of the more sophisticated solutions where training and back up is required DES will provide direct sales service.

According to Tom Juntarawatt, the merger between X-Rite and Gretag MacBeth last year did not produce the expected number of product rationalisations. “As it turned out there was around 10 per cent product overlap, that’s all.”

Among the profiling products that have been superseded are the Optics and Pulse in favour of Gretag Macbeth’s iOne, but the X-Rite 500 series of densitometers remains as the preferred high-end print colour measurement devices.
“We look forward to working with DES as master distributor. They are a strong innovative organization with unmatched strength in the application of colour management technology. DES shares our commitment to expand the Australasian market and drive the X-Rite brand,” said Juntarawatt