Rick Gray Email & Phone Number

Memphis, Tn, Us

Cyber Graphics provides creative, prepress and plate media services for flexographic printing and beyond, taking your packaging from concept to plate.My role is to facilitate and support print trials that enable Cyber Graphics to build accurate color profiles for flexographic presses in North America. Our investment of time and materials has been designed to cut down on costly remakes and print rejections. I engage printers to gather myriad details of all print conditions prior to implementing plans for the trials. This aids decision making between printers and Cyber Graphics that results in optimizing print results for end user consumer goods manufacturers.At press-side for a series of trials, I observe and document that agreed upon conditions are in place, or document any deviations. Working with printers and other suppliers (ink, anilox representatives and the like) I guide printers toward success. Using color management tools I monitor press performance and collaborate with the press team to establish day-to-day repeatable print parameters. Along with printed samples from the trial runs, I provide reports to the color management team at our sourcing facilities. When they have analyzed the results and prepared an in depth report, recommending the optimum printing plate imaging technology, I lead a review with the printer to share our findings and finalize agreements.With this process completed, Cyber Graphics is able to provide color accurate predictive proofs of packaging graphics to consumer goods manufacturer and printer clients for approval ahead of making the printing plates. In addition to this in-loading process I will represent Cyber Graphics at live job press runs for key projects. Occasionally I get involved in trouble shooting of particular projects but our in-loading color profile process makes this a rare need.

Freelance consultant relevant to graphics for packaging

"JV Imaging Solutions is a group of highly motivated individuals dedicated to the art and science of flexography. We provide start-to-finish support that ties together the innovations of our industry with the business of our customers. JV Imaging is committed to seek out and exploit new technologies that raise the "quality ceiling" of flexography."As Territory Manager based in Ohio, my responsibilities included maintaining and growing business for this Flexo Graphic Arts distributor of MacDermid flexo plate materials, LuX flat-top-dot technology, DeGraf and Vianord plate exposure and processing equipment, Esko CDI plate imagers and software, Lohmann and Tesa mounting tapes and other technologies used in Flexo converting operations. I facilitated plate demos/flexo press characterizations (aka fingerprints) in customer plants and trained clients in use of materials and technology. Performed plate processing audits for key accounts. Additionally I provided some first line equipment troubleshooting, minor maintenance and repair.

I owned responsibility for developing new business as well as project management from estimating through production, (including process color coaching), invoicing and customer satisfaction. I consulted with clients regarding photopolymer plate selection, prepress techniques, color management, FIRST implementation and anything related to process improvement. I built press characterization graphics, analyzed the resulting data and implemented subsequent color management strategy for each client. I frequently attended press runs and consulted with clients in preplanning sessions through post print review. I have made client and industry at large presentations (including the FTA Annual Forum, Mark Andy/Comco seminars and the 2008 AWA International Shrink Sleeve Conference) on subjects such as color theory and perception, press characterization, flexo prepress made friendly and graphics preparation for shrink sleeves. Authored an article on shrink sleeve graphics preparation published in FLEXO magazine in 2008.

Daily functions included gathering information from customers, recommending graphics solutions best suited to their unique capabilities, clarifying graphics details and delivery dates. I processed orders, managed multiple projects simultaneously and approved final proofs for shipment. Additionally I retained management responsibility of photopolymer plate making operations. In response to customer need, I calculated my own way to estimate projects on behalf of frequently unavailable owners, earning another promotion to sales.

Management responsibilities: supervision, scheduling, and training the production staff in image assembly, process color separation, color proofing and photopolymer plate making.

Began in 1981 as a photomechanical image assembly craftsman. Produced plate ready negatives and color contract proofs – primarily for flexo and litho packaging and labeling applications. Created film negative and plate filing system to bring much needed order to the operation.

Art Director, established in-house art and prepress operations from the ground up for this flexographic label producer. Early adopter of Photopolymer Platemaking. Supervised small but diverse staff.

Cfa, Fine Arts Painting, Photography

Evening College, Marketing, Economics

Flexo Proces Color Printing Seminar

Education record