The automotive industry depends on consistency and predictability. From the color of the paint to the stiffness of the brake, car manufacturers devote significant amounts of time and money into making sure their products look immaculate and feel safe to drive.

Uniformity has long been associated with quality perception, and color can be one of the most striking visual giveaways if products are inconsistent. As a result, consumers are more likely to associate these color flaws with inferior, low-quality products or brands.

Regardless of your industry, manufacturers face similar challenges—increasing costs of raw materials, labor and talent shortages, global competition, and other factors limiting profitability. More than ever, manufacturers must create products more quickly and efficiently while maintaining the highest quality standards.

The exact color shade affects the value and identity of the product and the brand. Therefore, it is crucial to match the correct color shade in the production process and to produce it homogeneously throughout numerous batches.

Easy ain’t easy. Sounds like something said by cultural catchphrase artist and legendary baseball player Yogi Berra, but it sums up a conversation I had at a recent tradeshow in Atlanta.

Color is the first thing we see and the first thing we connect to. Color influences up to 85% of product purchasing decisions and more importantly, our reactions to color are 95% emotional, therefore the first impression or reaction is critical. 

Luminator Technology Group is a family of brands that manufacture passenger information signs, lighting, and display solutions for bus, rail, and aerospace industries. Based in Plano, Texas, Luminator serves a broad customer base in North America and throughout the world.

Human visual perception is the ultimate standard of quality for any lighting or display product that’s intended to be viewed by humans. From flat screen TVs to smart phones, light bulbs to traffic signals, stadium jumbotrons to VR goggles, the GPS in your car to the cockpit instruments of a jet plane, what human users perceive—and any defects they notice—is the defining factor in device quality.

Special effect finishes and other appearance-enhancing materials, long a staple in the automotive industry, are now making their way into everything from appliances and consumer electronics to toys, cosmetics, and containers for personal care products such as shampoo.

Kruk will lead the continued expansion of Pantone and X-Rite’s product and solution portfolio beyond color to material appearance.