Kehl, Germany – Today Dalim Software, a global leader in the design and development of innovative and automated professional production workflow software for the prepress, print, packaging, advertising and publishing industries, announces that its technology has been tested by the Ghent PDF Workgroup (GWG) as 100% compliant with all nine GWG PDF/X-1a PLUS output specifications.

The GWG dictates a uniform standard of excellence in the production and pre-flighting of PDF files for a variety of specialist applications. The specifications are sets of guidelines based on, and compliant with, ISO PDF/X standards and enhanced with additional guidelines to support different market segments, different output processes or different workflows (today) i.e. magazine advertising, newspaper advertising, , commercial sheet offset, web offset and (near future) packaging, silkscreen, large format digital, and gravure printing. Enhancing the existing (PDF/X) standards with practical, vertical market specifications and best practices allows for more secure and productive digital workflows. The specifications are a compilation of best practices achieved in the publishing industry.

The PDF creation functionality of Dalim Software products (DALIM TWiST, DALiM SWiNG, DALiM LiTHO, DALiM PRiNTEMPO and DALiM MiSTRAL) were validated after extensive tests by the GWG specification subcommittee, chaired by Peter Maes.  The DALiM TWiST automated production workflow, for example, has a high-level of functionality including: database-driven workflow, web-based job tracking and administration, advanced auto-trapping, etc. Including more than 150 standard workflow tools, DALiM TWiST permits precise configurations for most workflow requirements quickly and easily. These can be simple, such as automating file conversions (PostScript to PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3, for example) or applying ICC colour profiles, to very complex specific workflows such as those required for complete magazine production.


Incoming PDF, EPS, PostScript files can also be adapted to confirm to specific GWG specifications if required.

“The work carried out by the Ghent PDF Workgroup to standardise and simplify PDF production and delivery is very important,” says Carol Werlé, CEO of Dalim Software. “We are committed to the development of standards and GWG compliance is another significant milestone for the company.”