Fogra's 10th colour management symposium in Munich

The Fogra CMS has solidified its position as a pivotal event in the industry calendar, attracting leading colour management professionals worldwide. Its enduring importance lies in its ability to unite experts and users from diverse backgrounds to tackle the complexities of colour and the challenges inherent in various printing processes. A central theme remains customer expectations, as these ultimately dictate the success of any print job.

Experts spanning offset, digital, decorative, and industrial printing will share their experiences and insights, focusing on achieving colour consistency that consistently meets customer demands. The symposium's agenda is broad and impactful, covering topics from packaging printing and proofing to the intricacies of special colours in CMYK+X and Multicolor, and ensuring colour consistency for complex materials in industrial printing.

One highlight of the symposium is the AI battle. This session will feature practitioners reporting on their current applications of AI tools in colour management and image retouching, shedding light on the technology's strengths and areas ripe for improvement. The excitement culminates in a live Human vs. AI competition, where two participants will receive an identical creative brief and utilise either traditional or AI-based tools. After 90 minutes, the audience will cast their votes to determine the most convincing outcome.

Several distinguished speakers have already been confirmed, promising an inspiring and informative programme. Key discussions will include digital printing on steel and how FOGRA59 can provide a significant competitive advantage. Additionally, sessions will delve into "image-based measurements," ink saving strategies, and the practical implementation of AI.

The curated selection of topics is a primary draw for professionals from various countries. Dr Abhay Sharma from Toronto Metropolitan University expressed particular interest in the latest developments in Expanded Colour Gamut (ECG) printing. Miguel Avellaneda from Giesecke + Devrient Mobile ePayments Iberia finds the practical use cases especially compelling: "The programme promises to discover solutions implemented in real-life cases from which we can learn. The symposium allows us to enrich these solutions by sharing our experiences to address new industry challenges." Susanne Nester from GMG echoes this sentiment: "For me, the Fogra Colour Management Symposium is the perfect platform for gaining new inspiration and making valuable contacts."

Networking is also a significant aspect of the symposium, a point emphasized by Dr. Sharma, who values the exhibition area for direct engagement with company representatives. Ample time is dedicated to fostering connections with industry experts. Beyond the breaks for exhibition visits, a social evening on 25 February will provide further opportunities for informal exchange and conversation. This event will feature a keynote address by Alexandra Gerhardy of MusterSchmid, who will explore the art and science behind colour card creation.