Colourtools.com sells software, measuring instruments, test charts and ancillaries including products from Gretag Macbeth, Pantone and X-Rite.

Marks has agreements with UK dealers and distributors including Bodoni Systems and NCS Integrated Solutions to sell their products on his website.

He said that the availability of easier-to-use products for monitor and proofer profiling had led to renewed interest in colour management, especially from people who want to implement it themselves without using a consultant.

This view is also held by TypeMaker, which has its own e-commerce site selling colour management tools, colourconfidence.com.

Marks also runs Digital Graphics and Colour, a colour management consultancy that specialises in Pantone Hexachrome.

He said that CTP was making the market for Hexachrome interesting again. But despite that, it still remains a niche market.

The key areas are spot colour substitution for packaging and producing bright colours for greetings cards.

Story by Barney Cox