Blair Labeling Systems Inc. Selects RIPit’s OpenRIP Flexo

“We are so impressed with the easy transition we’ve had to RIPit’s OpenRIP Flexo label system.”
Christine Petersen, Prepress Art Director, Blair Labeling Systems –

Blair Labeling Systems, Inc. Selects RIPit’s OpenRIP Flexo, Intelligent Digital Workflow Designed Specifically For Label Prepress

July 19, 2005 – CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA – RIPit Computer Corp., a leading developer of graphic arts hardware and software including flexographic print workflow applications, today announces the recent successful installation of the company’s OpenRIP Flexo solution at Blair Labeling Systems, Inc., a wholesale label and tag printing company in Colorado.

OpenRIP Flexo is an Adobe PostScript 3 Workflow designed for use in label prepress environments of all sizes, and by service bureaus catering to the flexographic and offset printing markets. OpenRIP Flexo makes prepress for labels easy by handling all the repetitive and tedious work of preparing files for output: The SmartDieTM feature automatically applies the correct step and repeat, distortion, bearer bars and registration marks; and using In-RIP trapping, enables users to trap files at the RIP instantly. Prepress operators can prepare artwork in a simple one-up workflow. And, it guarantees consistency in how all jobs are processed, minimizing costly human errors.

“The OpenRIP interface embodies our straightforward workflow philosophy, which is to add the advanced features that our customers need, and make them easy to use. With OpenRIP Flexo, we have eliminated confusing and unnecessary steps that frustrate a prepress operator, while keeping the system completely customizable to meet any workflow needs,” says Lenny Mizusaka, North America Flexo Division Sales Manager for RIPit. “We’re pleased that Blair Labeling Systems has chosen OpenRIP Flexo to meet its demanding production requirements.”

Blair Labeling Systems’ Prepress Art Director, Christine Petersen, says, “We are so impressed with the easy transition we’ve had to RIPit’s OpenRIP Flexo label system. The most attractive feature is that it automatically traps, which is a huge benefit that saves us a lot of time.

“We run many 5 or 6-color jelly label orders here. The labels come separately in batches of 5 to 10, which would previously have taken us an entire day to complete. Now, after the initial setup, it takes no longer than 5 minutes. This is just one example of the time- savings OpenRIP Flexo has passed on to us.”

Petersen also enjoys having the short or long print feature with OpenRIP Flexo: “The option of being able to print short or long is a fabulous feature because otherwise, we waste a lot of film,” she says. “Ninety-nine percent of the time, the film is only used on the left and it wastes so much film because it is 12 or 13 inches wide. Now when we do labels with more than one color plate in them, we can print short, side by side and fill that sheet and then go to the next row to utilize more film.”

Blair Labeling Systems, Inc.

Blair Labeling Systems, Inc., founded in 1986 and located in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, is a wholesale label and tag printing company committed to providing top quality printed products at competitive prices. Blair Labeling can help with all of your flexo, hot stamp, thermal and bar coding needs.

RIPit’s Long Record of Success in Flexo

Founded in 1989, RIPit was one of the first companies to offer third-party RIP solutions to the printing industry. In 1992, RIPit developed for AlanRIP Graphics the “AlanRIP”: a full function die database, with full distortion in a flexographic software Raster Image Processor. Several hundred of these RIPit-based flexo solutions were installed over the years. In 2001, RIPit acquired the product and integrated it into the RIPit portfolio, adding many new features requested by flexo customers. The result is today’s very powerful OpenRIP Flexo solution. This superior workflow solution is now the choice of many flexographic printers and trade shops around the world.