Pantone, Inc., the world–renowned authority on color and provider of color systems, has announced the appointment of Grapheast Middle East, a leading graphics solutions provider and software distributor, as the master distributor of Pantone products in the Middle East. Grapheast will carry Pantone’s entire product portfolio of industry-leading technologies that help users select and accurately communicate colors across a variety of industries. The distributor has also announced plans to launch Pantone’s huey, a universal monitor calibrator, and the internationally accepted FORMULA GUIDE, a color reference set carrying more than 1,114 colors, in addition to other Pantone products, targeting the region’s booming digital photography, graphics, printing, and fashion industries.
Pantone, Inc. is the world’s leading producer of traditional and electronic products for color communication and technology and is considered to be the global authority in color design. With over 40 years of experience, its extensive product portfolio caters to the graphics design, printing, publishing, textile, plastics and fashion industries. The company is renowned all over the world for developing the Pantone Color System and its products have revolutionized color management including its award-winning monitor calibrator and exhaustive color reference.
“For over 40 years, Pantone has developed revolutionary tools that help professionals and amateurs understand and communicate color in a variety of industries across the globe. We have been present in the Middle East for quite some time; however, our representation in this market in the past was at best fragmented. Consumers could not easily avail of technical assistance to understand how our tools could help them and those who did understand could not access our solutions readily and had to go to trade shows outside the region,” said Fabio Venturotti, Regional Sales Manager, Pantone.
“With the appointment of Grapheast Middle East as our master distributor, consumers in the region will now have access to the technical resources to better understand and use our tools. Grapheast’s carefully selected dealers and retail outlets across the region will also ensure that our entire product portfolio is easily available,” added Venturotti.
A breakthrough product for digital photography enthusiasts, gamers and any computer user, Pantone’s Huey is a monitor calibrator that optimizes brightness and color in all types of monitors - LCD, CRT and laptop displays. It eliminates the problem encountered by cross-media users with different devices such as computers and digital cameras interpreting colors differently. The product’s ambient emission only colorimeter continually adapts to room lighting and viewing preferences so that users can be sure of color accuracy regardless of lighting conditions whether they are viewing photos, playing games, creating graphics or Web browsing. Further, the product, unlike other monitor calibrators, does not require color management knowledge and can be used right out of the box.
Commenting on the partnership, John Boutros, General Manager, Grapheast Middle East, said: “Grapheast has always led the way in presenting pioneering solutions to a customer base that encompasses several industries through its extensive dealer network. Our partnership with Pantone follows an extremely successful 2006, which saw an expansion in our product range and market coverage. We entered the Saudi Arabian market and over 800 new resellers joined our network, further strengthening our position as the region’s leading graphics solutions provider.”
Pantone’s FORMULA GUIDE, which eliminates guesswork in color selection and verification, is an indispensable tool for graphic designers and pre-press professionals. The latest edition carries the RGB icon, which together with the CMYK is ideal for cross-media designs. The three-set color reference shows the effect of coated, uncoated and matte stocks on 1,114 chromatic and neutral colors and identifies colors through names and numbers.
“The Middle East market, which recorded an advertising spend of over US$1 billion in 2006, represents a significant region for Pantone globally and with the timely launch of huey and the updated FORMULA GUIDE, we are upbeat of our prospects in this market. Our partnership with Pantone will focus on increased customer care by providing better graphics and color solutions and educating them about Pantone’s color tools. Grapheast has a history of success in distributing graphics and pre-press related products with leading graphics solutions brands including Adobe, Corel and Exensis, and we are confident of our capacity to turn the fortunes of a globally recognised brand that was not achieving its full potential in the region,” concluded Boutros.
