Kodak Preparing Non Process Plate Technology for Newspapers

Kodak Preparing Non Process Plate Technology for Newspapers

Kodak is currently running tests at several locations in the United States and Canada of non process plate technology for newspapers that will shorten the prepress time required for newspapers and reduce costs. The company made the announcement during NEXPO 2007 in Orlando, Fla., the largest North American gathering of newspaper technology and operations professionals.

“Kodak’s non process thermal plates remove steps from the platemaking cycle, save floor space and money required for plate processors, and eliminate the need to buy, store, handle and dispose of chemistry,” said Jack Knadjian, Vice President Market Segment, Publishing, Kodak. “Kodak is driving innovation to help newspaper printers increase productivity and reduce costs. We adapted the already successful KODAK THERMAL DIRECT Non Process Plate technology used in the commercial printing segment and are testing it with several newspaper printers in North America.”

Kodak’s non process plates for newspapers provide high quality, consistent imaging performance and easy handling. The plates develop on press, shortening the platemaking cycle and getting jobs to press more quickly. The technology eliminates purchase and maintenance costs associated with plate processors and developer chemistry, while also reducing water usage.

“Kodak’s non process plate definitely saves us time and money. We put the plates directly on the press after they come off the KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS Platesetter and away we go,” said Curt Garrison, Press Room Manager for the Dover Post in Dover, Del. “I’ve observed no differences in the quality between our standard thermal digital plates and the KODAK non process plates. We’ve done blind tests with our publishers and quality control people, and they have not detected any differences.”

The press room at the Dover Post operates three shifts a day, five days a week, turning out the 30,000 circulation weekly, as well as other publications and commercial jobs. Garrison says the KODAK non process plate technology has eliminated down time and costs associated with having to change developer chemistry and clean the processor unit, which they had to do every 3,000 conventional plates produced.

Read the complete Press Release