Georgia-based Newspaper the Albany Herald Becomes 100th Customer for KODAK PF-N Non Process Plates
January 10 2012 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
To improve prepress efficiency, the Albany Herald selected KODAK
PF-N Non Process Plates for its location in Albany, Ga., where,
under the umbrella of Gray Publishing, it prints a daily newspaper.
The publisher chose the KODAK PF-N Non Process Plates for their
exceptional imaging quality, productivity enhancements, potential
cost savings and added environmental attributes. With the
installation, the Albany Herald became Kodak’s 100th PF-N Non
Process Plate customer.
According to Todd Bigger, Global Current Marketing Director of
Offset Solutions at Kodak, the customer base for PF-N Plates has
grown tremendously as more newspapers, like the Albany Herald, opt
for prepress solutions that not only improve productivity and image
quality, but also their environmental footprint. “With the use of
process-free technology, companies are able to reach higher levels
of both sustainability and efficiency. With this latest
installation milestone, it is clear that the movement towards
process-free technology is truly gaining momentum in the newspaper
publishing industry,” said Bigger.
KODAK PF-N Non Process Plates can reduce costs by completely
eliminating the need for processors, related maintenance, and
processing chemistry expenses. PF-N Plates use a write-the-image,
non-ablative technology, where final print preparation occurs on
press as part of the standard makeready process without any press
contamination. By removing the traditional processing step, KODAK
PF-N Plates shorten the platemaking cycle and eliminate the need
for any special handling of processing chemicals. This simplified
platemaking process enables PF-N Plates to deliver more jobs per
shift with faster turnaround times, and can ultimately save
companies both time and money.
“We made the decision to go with KODAK PF-N Non Process Plates
based on what we wanted and what we expected from the plates. I
liked that it was a thermal system and really, what I liked best
was the fact that they didn’t need any chemicals at all,” said Lynn
Ridder, Operations Director at the Albany Herald. “We are pretty
cost efficient now. We no longer have to use film or chemicals, and
those savings have outweighed any additional expenses we incurred
from choosing thermal plates. Even better, the image quality is
really improved.
“The plates are everything we thought they would be. The quality
is excellent and the longevity of the plates is also really good.
They are exceeding our expectations,” said Ridder. “When you make
the transition over to new equipment, you expect to encounter
problems, but we haven’t had any. We are very happy with the
equipment we have so far from Kodak, and who knows what KODAK
Equipment we’ll decide to invest in next. We are always looking
towards the future.”
At the Albany Herald, the PF-N Plates are used on the KODAK
TRENDSETTER NEWS Platesetter, which is known for its stability and
outstanding image quality. The TRENDSETTER NEWS Platesetter allows
the Albany Herald to generate high-quality prints with reliability
job after job. The Albany Herald also relies on KODAK PRINERGY
Workflow System and KODAK PREPS Imposition Software for enhanced
workflow productivity and improved automation.
For more background on Kodak’s ongoing commitment to
process-free technology, see this video from Doug Edwards, General
Manager of Kodak’s Prepress Solutions.
About Kodak
As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps
consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power
of images, information, and printing to enrich their lives.
For more information, visit graphics.kodak.com. Follow us on
Twitter at twitter.com/kodakidigprint and visit our blog at
growyourbiz.kodak.com
(Kodak, Trendsetter News, and Prinergy are trademarks of Eastman
Kodak Company.)