The Daily Press in Victorville, Calif., is using an ink optimization app to cut its ink consumption and reduce its carbon footprint. The Freedom Communications Inc. newspaper last summer began using ProImage’s OnColor Eco ink optimization software, according to Harry C.  Pontius, director of operations.

OnColor Eco uses GCR to reduce the quantity of cyan, magenta and yellow inks and increase the portion of black ink used. Color reproduction isn’t affected, ProImage said.



Photo: ProImage
The Daily Press’ Director of Operations Harry Pontius and Production Director Mike Sipe (front) using ProImage’s OnColor Eco ink optimization app. The daily installed the software in August 2007.
 

OnColor Eco is able to maintain identical reproduction by leveraging smart input space recognition technology, which performs the ink optimization calculation and color transformations.

“The obvious reason for choosing the OnColor Eco is ink savings, however it was not the only reason for our interest,” Pontius said.

“The other is the fact that the black plate becomes more dominant and the details are more pronounced. This in turn tends to hide some color registration issues.”

Although the Daily Press is still testing the app, Pontius said he is happy with the results so far. The daily runs an average of 94 pages between its various products, with more than 2.1 million impressions daily. Like other publishers, the Daily Press in 2007 saw a drop in circulation and advertising that resulted in a 4 percent decrease in impressions compared to 2006.

“Taking these decreases into consideration and having the OnColor Eco software in operation for only the last five months of 2007, we were still able to see a 15 percent savings in ink consumption,” Pontius said. Increased familiarity with the app and some recent tweaks will result in additional color ink savings — 30 to 45 percent, Pontius anticipates.

The daily estimates ink expense savings of roughly $17,000 since January, and expects to see “at least a $50,000 savings in ink expenses for 2008,” according to Pontius.

OnColor Eco meshes with the Daily Press’ existing NewsWay workflow software.