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Color-change technology creates “wow” moments for consumers,
but it also drives social media engagement for brands
Press Release (Merit Media Relations, LLC)
Specialty inks that are popular among consumers for driving interest on packaging for beer, soda and candy are now feasible for fountain cups as a result of Chromatic Technologies’ invention of solvent-specialty inks.
Colorado Springs company, CTI invented a new suite of color-change technologies using solvent inks, including thermochromic (temperature-activated), photochromic (sunlight-activated), glow-in-the-dark and reveal technology (wherein CTI’s magic reveals a message after product consumption). Previously, solvent-ink printers were forced to use water-based inks that slowed down manufacturing operations. The new solvent-specialty inks eliminate the operational hurdles of water-based inks.
CTI’s consumer research has found that the color-change technology is a tool for brands to drive content on their social media platforms. When brands do a great job of creating “wow” experiences on their packaging, consumers turn and share that story with their friends on social media. This quickly results in increased sales as friends try the new technology and share their experiences.
“Consumers have their phone in their right hand and a Starbucks, Coke or Coors Light in their left hand,” explained Patrick Edson, former vice-president of consumer insights for Coors Brewing Company and, since 2012, the chief marketing officer for CTI. “In brand mapping exercises, we call this challenge ‘getting the right hand to talk to the left hand.’ If you can create an experience or start a story with your product in the consumer’s left hand; they in turn will share that experience on their phone in the right hand.
“Brands realize that the color-change technology is more than just creating an experience on a cup, it’s a new form of content for digital marketing,” Edson added.
Lyle Small, founder of CTI, weighs in: “Color-change technology is now affordable for cup printers and they offer a tremendous innovation tool for printers to help drive new margin for their customers in quick-serve restaurants and convenience stores.”
For over a decade, brands such as Coors Light have used thermochromic inks to turn their mountains blue to deliver on the promise of Rocky Mountain Cold Refreshment. Coca-Cola ensured a cold promise for 7-Eleven consumers with its “Ice Cube” 16-oz. can. Cheetos used photochromic technology in Mexico for their “Where’s Chester?” promotion on chip bags. Oreo supported the 50th anniversary of the moon landing with Glow-in-the-Dark packaging.
Owing to the considerable growth of CTI, the company now offers in-house design services to help cup printers and brand owners develop concepts that can be quickly tested with consumers.
About Chromatic Technologies Inc.
CTI is the world’s largest manufacturer of specialty inks that are REACH, EuPia, ISO9000:2015 compliant and offers third-party validated, safety migration testing. CTI, founded in 1993, exports to 55 countries where its ink technology is found on many of the world’s most recognizable brands in the consumer marketplace. www.ctiinks.com
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Safelite Auto Glass had temporarily closed its Widefield location due to nCovid19. But the shop is now open for business again.
You'll find them at 11 Widefield Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80911. You can reach them at 877-465-5224 or visit them on the web at www.safelite.com/stores/colorado-springs-widefield
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Press Release El Paso County, CO
El Paso County Public Health presented a variance request for restaurants to the El Paso County Board of Commissioners today. Commissioners voted to approve the request, which proposes reopening restaurants in El Paso County with common sense safety precautions for patrons, staff, and business owners. Upon final approval by hospitals, the carefully thought out plan will be sent to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for further review and approval.
Public Health collaborated with hospitals and medical experts to create a plan that would allow restaurants to offer in-person dining services, while putting in place processes that will limit the potential for COVID-19 to spread.
“We recognize that economic health is a vital part of any community, and we know that local restaurants play a critical role in that,” said Susan Wheelan, director of El Paso County Public Health. “We thank our residents for their patience while Public Health worked with closely with hospitals, community leaders, the business partners and other experts to create a detailed and medically sound plan that aims to help reopen our local restaurants.”
“I am excited to support this resolution and get people back to work,” said Board Chair Mark Waller. “Each day that goes by without a variance is another day that many small business owners and their employees step closer to financial disaster.”
Commissioners heard from several other experts at this morning’s meeting. “This is going to be a step for us to start figuring out how we’re going to operate our restaurants, and moving forward in a healthy fashion” said Greg Howard, president of the Pikes Peak Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association.
“Most counties don’t have the strong relationships with health departments that our local chapter does. We are grateful for the relationship with El Paso County Public Health.”
Key takeaways from the variance request include:
Seating capacity
· All seating shall be structured so as to ensure a minimum of six feet between occupied seats at different tables.
· Groups seated together shall be limited to 10 people and must be from the same household or consistent social group.
Seating processes
· Facilities are required to take reservations. Walk-in reservations are also accepted.
· Restaurants are encouraged to record and maintain the following information for each table seated for twenty-one (21) days:
o Name and phone number of one adult in the party
o Table assignment
o Seating and departure times
· If maintained, such information shall be provided to Public Health only upon request if Public Health needs to notify others of a new COVID-19 outbreak.
· Seating at bar areas is not permitted unless a minimum of six-foot distancing between staff and customers can be maintained.
Common-use items and areas
· Multiple-use condiment containers are prohibited. Only single-use items may be provided.
· Buffets may not be self-serve by customers; only plated or carry-out delivery meals provided to customers by staff are allowed. Buffets must be at least six feet from any dining tables.
· Doorknobs, counter tops, bathrooms, handles, railings, and other high-touch areas shall be cleaned and disinfected every 2 hours.
Masks
· Employees who routinely or consistently come within six feet of other employees or customers must wear a cloth face covering over their noses and mouths, unless doing so would inhibit the employee’s health.
· Facilities must make every effort to provide employees with cloth face coverings.
“I would echo the words of Mr. Howard about the constructive relationship with Public Health,” added Dirk Draper, CEO of the Chamber & EDC. “We have been meeting for last three weeks with Public Health, and fostering a collaborative cross-industry effort where we’ve gotten to share perspectives from business organizations and industries. We appreciate the open lines of communication with Public Health.”
Public Health will continue to assess the local environment and the data and make changes as needed. With this in mind, the requirements set forth above may require revision as Public Health learns more from ongoing COVID-19 data produced by changes in restrictions. Allowing people to gather in a closed space over time carries inherent risk that must be acknowledged by those choosing to participate, despite the protection inferred from the preventive measures above.
“This is a perfect example of our community coming together and finding a compromise that moves the ball forward for our citizens and our businesses,” Commissioner Cami Bremer stated. “I believe this is where the community wants us to be: working together to get our economy and our way of life back on track.”
Public Health remains dedicated to exploring innovative yet safe ways to gradually ease restrictions and help our community continue to thrive.
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Press Release (Merit Media Relations)
As the world’s supply chain for pharmaceutical drugs comes under increasing scrutiny for safety and quality, Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI) has introduced printable thermochromic technology that is free of Bisphenol A, F and S. The development meets the stringent regulatory standards for pharma packaging.
The spread of the coronavirus has refocused the world’s attention on proper care of the supply chain for vaccines and drugs. Additionally, interest has surged in low-cost technology that monitors the cold chain, identifies temperature abuse and tampering and provides authentication.
Bisphenol A (BPA) has been labeled “an endocrine disruptor,” though it is found in many plastics, the lining of food and beverage cans and carbonless paper. Several companies have attempted to limit Bisphenol A, F and S in order to be more cautious. CTI recognized that effort and has responded with its latest innovation now available to pharmaceutical packaging companies.
CTI’s BlindSpotz™ technology is a portfolio of patented technology that created low-cost printable sensors for drugs that detects freezing, thawing, gradual warming, tampering and authentication.
Pharmaceutical printers, as well as food and beverage printers, are requiring CTI’s innovative thermochromic inks to be free of Bisphenol A, F and S. Heretofore, printers have rejected traditional thermochromics for not meeting strict internal and external regulatory standards.
“We undertook the challenge of reinventing thermochromic technology to meet the high standards of pharmaceutical customers,” said Lyle Small, CTI’s chief executive officer. “Not only did we create CTI’s products free of BPA, F and S, but we also installed a 21-step checklist to validate quality and performance.” For full compliance information, visit www.ctiinks.com.
About Chromatic Technologies Inc.
CTI is the world’s largest supplier of smart, specialty, color-changing technology that responds to temperature, light and pressure. CTI, founded in 1993, exports to 55 countries and is an ISO9001/2015 production facility. CTI’s ink technology is found worldwide on many of the most recognizable brands in the consumer marketplace.
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Press Release (CO State Forest Service)
This week, the Colorado State Forest Service launched a new website for landowners, land managers and others to access data about Colorado’s forests.
The CSFS gathers and analyzes data about wildfire risk, priority areas for forestry work, on-the-ground projects and more related to forestlands and natural resources in the state. The Colorado Forest Atlas is the one-stop shop for the public, partners and CSFS staff to access this geospatial data and information when developing new projects, writing forestry plans or assessing wildfire risk for communities.
“As a service and outreach agency, the Colorado State Forest Service is committed to ensuring our data is available and easily accessible to all Coloradans, including our partners in forestry and wildfire risk reduction,” said Amanda West Fordham, Manager of Science Information for the CSFS. “The Colorado Forest Atlas offers a user-friendly interface for access to web applications that can be used to make informed decisions and develop plans that will make the greatest, positive impact on the health of our forests.”
Wildfire Risk Apps
The first two apps included in the launch of the Colorado Forest Atlas are the Wildfire Risk Viewer and the Risk Reduction Planner. The CSFS developed these apps several years ago to offer access to data and reports concerning wildland fire risk in Colorado. The agency previously offered these apps on a stand-alone website called the Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (CO-WRAP), but with new apps in development, it opted to develop a sole website for all its apps that do or will provide access to its data, Fordham said.
The Wildfire Risk Viewer (formerly called the Public Viewer on the CO-WRAP website) is an app that anyone can use to learn more about wildfire risk, local fire history and additional resources that can be accessed to reduce risk. With more than half of all Coloradans living in the wildland-urban interface – about 3 million people – the CSFS is urging homeowners to visit the Colorado Forest Atlas and use the Wildfire Risk Viewer to assess their neighborhood’s risk during Wildfire Awareness Month in May.
The Risk Reduction Planner (formerly called the Professional Viewer on the CO-WRAP website) is an app for partners and professional users to generate reports that they can use in planning efforts. With its move to the Colorado Forest Atlas website from the CO-WRAP website, the Risk Reduction Planner has a new design and is now compatible with mobile devices.
More Apps in the Works
Eventually, the Colorado Forest Atlas will include additional apps and some are in development. Later this year, the CSFS will add an app for the 2020 Forest Action Plan, where users can explore and use data from the plan. In addition, the CSFS will add an app called GeoTracks, slated for release next year, to plan and track its projects and activities.
“With these new apps coming onboard, the Colorado Forest Atlas will help us and our partners to plan, implement and monitor projects over the long term,” said Wilfred Previant, Acting Associate Director of Science and Data at the CSFS. “It will ensure we are as effective as possible in improving the health of our forests in the locations of greatest need in our state, using the best available science and data.”
The CSFS developed the Colorado Forest Atlas with Technosylva, a company with expertise in creating software for wildfire risk planning. The CSFS received funding for the Colorado Forest Atlas from the State of Colorado and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Colorado Forest Atlas is available at coloradoforestatlas.org. For more information, please contact Fordham at (970) 491-8443.
