What Rutherford Graphic Products does

Rutherford Graphic Products (RGP), LLC was a Dayton, Ohio-based provider of closed-loop press automation solutions serving the offset printing and packaging converter market. Founded in 2000 and operating with 1-10 employees, the company specialized in two interlocking technologies: a Preset system that prepares ink settings prior to production runs, and a Closed-Loop color measurement system that enables real-time ink key adjustments during press operation. These technologies were designed to integrate with X-Rite's IntelliTrax2 scanning system and MeasureColor quality control software, supporting industry standards including G7, ISO, and Pantone color libraries.

The company's commercial offering combined hardware and software components sold directly to packaging converters facing inefficiency from lengthy make-ready times, color inconsistency, and material waste. RGP claimed quantifiable outcomes including up to 60% reduction in make-ready times, density accuracy of up to 0.001, and a 2mm color bar height for optimized imposition. Its distribution model relied on enterprise field sales targeting packaging converter operations, supplemented by participation in print and packaging industry trade shows. The technology was positioned as compatible with both new and legacy presses, broadening its addressable install base.

On November 7, 2025, X-Rite announced the acquisition of select assets of RGP, framing the transaction as a strategic expansion of press-side automation capabilities for the print and packaging industry. The deal combined RGP's closed-loop control technologies with X-Rite's broader color management portfolio, with RGP's revenue generated primarily through hardware sales to enterprise-scale converter customers. Post-acquisition, RGP's go-to-market is integrated into X-Rite's global direct sales and partner network, extending the reach of its automation technologies beyond the previously U.S.-focused operations.

Name

Rutherford Graphic Products

Legal name

Rutherford Graphic Products (RGP), LLC

Website

https://rgproducts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rutherford Graphic Products (RGP), LLC was a Dayton, Ohio-based provider of closed-loop press automation solutions for offset printing, serving packaging converters with preset and real-time color measurement technologies. Select assets were acquired by X-Rite in November 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Print and Packaging Press Automation

NAICS

Support Activities for Printing (323120)

SIC

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)

akta.pro primary industry

Color Matching, Tinting & Colorant Systems (IMAEAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Label Application Systems & Print-and-Apply (Equipment) (IMALAKAO)

Keywords

• Closed-loop press automation
• Color measurement technology
• Offset printing solutions
• Packaging converter equipment
• Print automation hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Press Automation Solutions: Rutherford Graphic Products generated revenue through the sale and deployment of closed-loop press automation solutions, including hardware and software components for packaging converters and offset printers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Rutherford Graphic Products designed and sold closed-loop press automation solutions for offset printing operations, including preset and closed-loop color measurement hardware and software used by packaging converters. Its systems enabled real-time ink key adjustments and continuous color control during press runs, integrating with X-Rite's IntelliTrax2 scanning platform and MeasureColor quality control software.

Product overview

Rutherford Graphic Products (RGP) offers a suite of closed-loop press automation solutions for offset printing operations. The company's core offerings include preset color measurement technology and closed-loop color measurement technologies, which have been integrated into X-Rite's automated color management ecosystem. These solutions combine with X-Rite's IntelliTrax2 scanning system and MeasureColor quality control software to deliver real-time ink key adjustments, reduce make-ready times by up to 60%, and achieve density accuracy of up to 0.001. The company was acquired by X-Rite in November 2025 as part of a strategic expansion into press automation for packaging converters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Closed-Loop Press Automation Solutions Automated color management hardware and software that enable real-time ink key adjustments and closed-loop control of offset press operations, reducing waste and improving color consistency for packaging converters and offset printers.
• Rutherford Preset Color Measurement Technology Press preset technology that prepares ink settings before production runs, designed to work in conjunction with X-Rite's IntelliTrax2 scanning system for automated color control.
• Rutherford Closed-Loop Color Measurement Technology Technology that continuously monitors and adjusts color during press operation, providing real-time feedback for precision color control across offset printing production runs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce make-ready times by up to 60%
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• X-RiteflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025X-Rite acquired select assets of Rutherford Graphic Products in a strategic expansion to enhance press automation offerings for packaging converters. The acquisition combines RGP's closed-loop press automation technologies with X-Rite's automated color management solutions to deliver integrated solutions that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and meet market demands driven by eCommerce and shorter production runs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Koenig & Bauer (KBA): Manufacturer of offset presses and pressroom automation including color control systems for packaging and commercial print. Comparable to RGP for delivering automation and color quality solutions on offset presses serving converters.
• Esko (Danaher): Provider of prepress, color management, and workflow automation for packaging converters. Highly comparable because Esko serves the same packaging converter customer base with adjacent color and automation tooling, including Pantone and press-side workflow.
• Quadient (Opale / GMC): Provider of customer communications and print workflow solutions including color and document automation for commercial and packaging print operations. Adjacent peer to RGP given overlap in print production automation.
• manroland Goss: Supplier of web and sheetfed offset presses with integrated automation, color measurement, and control systems. Comparable to RGP as a provider of closed-loop and color automation capabilities on offset presses.
• Heidelberger Druckmaschinen: Major manufacturer of offset printing presses and integrated press automation/control systems. Comparable as a provider of automation, color control, and makeready-reduction technology embedded in offset pressroom workflows.
• X-Rite: Global leader in color science and measurement, now the acquirer of RGP. X-Rite provides spectrophotometers, scanning systems, and color management software that overlap with RGP's press-side color measurement and automation technology.
• Komori: Global offset press manufacturer offering its own press-side color management and automation suites (e.g., KHS-AI). Comparable to RGP as an integrated supplier of color control and makeready optimization for offset packaging converters.

Direct peers

• Global Vision: Specialist in print inspection, proofreading, and quality control software for the print and packaging industry. Comparable to RGP for serving packaging converters with technology that ensures color and content consistency during production runs.
• Esko AVT (Advanced Vision Technology): Provider of automated print inspection and color/quality control solutions for packaging converters. Highly comparable to RGP as a directly adjacent supplier of inline color measurement and closed-loop quality control on offset and packaging presses.

Emerging players

• ColorConsulting: Specialist color management consultancy and tooling provider serving offset and packaging printers. Comparable to RGP as a niche color measurement/management services provider targeting similar pressroom workflows.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RutherfordGraphicProducts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rutherford-graphic-products-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rutherford Graphic Products