Beyond CMYK is Xerox’s term for printing with a fifth color station in addition to the standard four inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). On the Xerox Proficio production press, that fifth station holds clear, low-gloss clear, or fluorescent pink, enabling spot gloss, coatings, watermark effects, and an extended color gamut. It lets businesses produce premium, specialty print effects in-house that would otherwise require an outside specialty printer.
For most of print history, specialty finishes meant a separate vendor and a separate invoice. Beyond CMYK folds those effects into a single in-house device.
THE FIFTH STATION: CLEAR AND FLUORESCENT
The Proficio’s fifth station runs one of three specialty options. Clear and low-gloss clear add spot gloss, full coatings, and subtle watermark or texture effects, like a shiny logo on a matte cover, for example. Fluorescent pink extends the color gamut, letting reds, oranges, purples, and skin tones render brighter and more accurately than standard CMYK can reach. These capabilities make Production Print a powerful option for businesses looking to bring premium specialty effects in-house.
WHAT YOU CAN PRODUCE WITH BEYOND CMYK
Premium covers and folders with spot-gloss branding. Direct mail that stands out in the stack. Event and retail collateral with vivid, accurate color. Packaging prototypes and short-run packaging. Proposals and pitch materials that simply look more expensive and often win because of it.
Beyond traditional print applications, many organizations also extend their brand presence through custom promotional items such as stickers. As an example, companies looking to strengthen their marketing initiatives often incorporate custom stickers into campaigns alongside brochures, direct mail, event materials, packaging, and other branded assets. Our team recently explored custom sticker solutions through a collaboration with StickerCanada, whose personalized sticker products demonstrate how simple branded materials can help reinforce a company’s visual identity and customer engagement.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Specialty color isn’t decoration; it’s leverage. A spot-gloss proposal wins more often than a plain one. A fluorescent mailer gets opened. Premium-looking packaging supports premium pricing. Producing those effects in-house means same-day turnaround, full control, and margin you keep instead of paying an outside shop.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What colors can a fifth station print?
On the Proficio, the fifth station holds clear, low-gloss clear, or fluorescent pink. Clear enables spot gloss and coatings; fluorescent pink extends the color gamut for brighter, truer color.
Is Beyond CMYK only for commercial printers?
No. While print-for-pay shops benefit, so do marketing teams, in-plant departments, retail and consumer brands, and any business whose proposals, mailers, or packaging need to stand out.
Do specialty effects slow down production?
The fifth station runs inline on the Proficio at production speed, so specialty jobs are produced on the same device, in the same pass, with no separate outside step.
NEXT STEPS
hubTGI helps businesses across Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan, and the GTA bring specialty color in-house with the Xerox Proficio. Start with a consult; we’ll show you Beyond CMYK on the pieces you produce.
Book your specialty color printing consultation at hubtgi.com/contact.
