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Printing equipment supplier Screen Australia says it is seeing a surge in new PlateRite computer-to-plate (CtP) sales across Australia and New Zealand, with nine orders and installations over five months since the PacPrint show in May.
The company says CtP upgrades are happening across the printing industry, from commercial general printing to packaging.
A Screen Australia PlateRite HD8900 automated CTP line, at Sydney’s Megacolor
Among the purchases, Ferag has facilitated a CtP upgrade for the Border Watch newspaper in Mount Gambier, Fujifilm lately sold a VLF PlateRite 24000 system to a packaging company and Jet Technologies is supplying a PlateRite FX870 MkII flexo CtP to Signature Labels in South Australia.
Peter Scott, managing director of Screen Australia, says the main driver of sales appears to be printers’ need to improve their platemaking speed to match automated presses, along with a desire for lower energy and chemical use.
Scott says, “Since PacPrint we have taken orders or commenced installation on nine new CtP systems, covering all formats from B2 to B1 and even a VLF unit. Most of these new sales are through our plate partners Fujifilm and Xingraphics distributor Ferag, who are able to incorporate plate supply contracts with the hardware and workflow.”
New Zealand is also pitching in to the reported raft of CtP upgrades.
Peter Scott, managing director of Screen Australia
Scott says, “We have shipped four PlateRite 4300s in the B2 format to Fujifilm New Zealand for their plate customers, with more to come. Another 4300 went to Foote & Playstead of Launceston, Tasmania – this was a direct sale from Screen.
“We have quoted on other CtP solutions, notably the new PlateRite HD8900 range which are fast for B1 plates – 67 plates an hour for the Z model – and the most energy-efficient CtP setters available.”
He adds that the new installations show that confidence is returning to the industry, and technology developments are continuing to respond to tight customer demands.
Scott says, “Prepress times have to be short these days and five-year old CtP technology does not cut it in a busy print shop where short runs on multi-colour perfecting presses place high demands on plate production.”
He adds, “It has been a great year for CtP sales and we have also seen some movement of our digital press solutions, which we intend to focus on more in 2014.”
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