Enfocus Software established the Ghent PDF Workgroup, an international assembly of industry associations whose goal will be to develop and maintain certified PDF quality standards for the publishing and print production industry. Peter Camps, founder and chief executive officer of Enfocus Software, will chair the Ghent, Belgium PDF Workgroup.

Representatives of seven industry associations from Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Switzerland are participating in the Ghent PDF Workgroup. They include:

• Medibel — unites all the Belgian companies active in advertising, such as the media exchange, advertising agencies, lithographers, publishers and printers.

• Febelgra — the Federation of the Belgian Graphics Industry.

• Cebuco — the marketing services organization of Dutch Newspapers. Cebuco represents regional and national newspapers.

• DAL TC — the Dutch technical commission governing digital supply of data files.

• KVGO — the Royal Dutch Association for the Printing and Allied Industries.

• Sicogif — the French National Association of Graphical Communication and Printing Industries.

• VSD — the “Verband der Schweizer Druckindustrie” (Swiss Printing Industries Federation), which represents the interests of its members primarily in the prepress, printing and carton and paper processing industries.

Over the past 18 months, each of these associations has defined quality standards for PDF files exchanged in a print production process. Specific quality standards have been set for digital ad exchange and for commercial print work for sheet offset. A willingness to collaborate resulted in common standards in the different countries. These standards are based on Enfocus Certified PDF technology.

The idea for the Ghent PDF Workgroup originated earlier this year during the process of setting the quality standards for 2002. As more and more industry associations became involved in defining these, a more coordinated approach was needed to guarantee the efficiency of the process and the quality of the results.

The founding Members agree to collaborate on the standards while maintaining independent authority to adopt and promote the quality standards advanced by the Workgroup.

Each founding member will name up to two representatives. Other industry associations will send representatives to Ghent as observers.

Two other members of the Enfocus team will be active on the Workgroup. David van Driessche, director of software development and support is the group’s technical officer. Saskia Desmet, sales account manager, will act as the communications officer.

The Ghent Workgroup, which will meet four times per year, has put a two-year limit on its operation. This will allow it enough time to develop, publish and adopt a full set of quality standards for 2003 and 2004. The continuing need for such a workgroup, as well as its structure and membership, will be further evaluated in March 2004.