Graphic Arts Technical Foundation
Encyclopedia
Graphic Arts Technical Foundation is a nonprofit, scientific, technical, and educational organization which promotes the technological advancement of the printing
industry worldwide.
The Foundation fulfills its missions through its five divisions: research, training, consulting, quality controls, and publications.
Its headquarters in Sewickley, Pennsylvania
, a suburb of Pittsburgh
, includes state-of-the-art prepress, pressrooms, testing laboratories, libraries, and classrooms that provide a platform for sheetfed and web printing research. GATF's research activities include waste control, environmental studies, press and prepress research, and quality control. Educational activities include a large graphic arts library, a publication program, career and curricular consultation for schools and universities, and seminars, workshops, and conferences for the graphic arts community.
In 1999 GATF consolidated with the Printing Industries of America
becoming Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF)utilizing a logo that was a combination of the two independent organizations logos. In 2009 after an extensive re-branding initiative, the association changed its name to Printing Industries of America and unveiled a new logo. The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation has subsequently become a division of Printing Industries of America known as the Center for Technology and Research.
GATF was established in 1924 as the Lithographic Technical Foundation, when lithography
was a relatively new commercial printing process. It was headquartered in New York
and Chicago
for many years until the 1960s, when it was renamed GATF and moved near to Carnegie Mellon University
, with whom it often partnered.
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
industry worldwide.
The Foundation fulfills its missions through its five divisions: research, training, consulting, quality controls, and publications.
Its headquarters in Sewickley, Pennsylvania
Sewickley, Pennsylvania
Sewickley is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, west northwest of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. It is a residential suburb of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,827 at the 2010 census...
, a suburb of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, includes state-of-the-art prepress, pressrooms, testing laboratories, libraries, and classrooms that provide a platform for sheetfed and web printing research. GATF's research activities include waste control, environmental studies, press and prepress research, and quality control. Educational activities include a large graphic arts library, a publication program, career and curricular consultation for schools and universities, and seminars, workshops, and conferences for the graphic arts community.
In 1999 GATF consolidated with the Printing Industries of America
Printing Industries of America
Printing Industries of America is a nonprofit trade association which advocates for the United States printing industry.It is the world’s largest graphic arts trade association, representing more than 10,000 member companies and an industry with more than $174.4 billion in revenue and 1 million...
becoming Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF)utilizing a logo that was a combination of the two independent organizations logos. In 2009 after an extensive re-branding initiative, the association changed its name to Printing Industries of America and unveiled a new logo. The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation has subsequently become a division of Printing Industries of America known as the Center for Technology and Research.
GATF was established in 1924 as the Lithographic Technical Foundation, when lithography
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
was a relatively new commercial printing process. It was headquartered in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
for many years until the 1960s, when it was renamed GATF and moved near to Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, with whom it often partnered.