It’s a Brave New World

Lingering resistance based on the cost of equipment might be an obstacle for smaller trade shops that lack the capital to make the transition, Norton says; however, the larger issue is volume. “If you don’t have the volume, it doesn’t make sense.”

Between a rock and a hard place

Both flexographers and trade shops justify the investment in digital platemaking because the competition is investing in it or because their customers are demanding the improved quality print results made possible by digital flexo technology. Trade shops benefit from CTP because it eliminates film and all associated chemistry. Printers benefit in terms of improved reproduction quality, consistency, and repeatability, in addition to the ability to produce fine vignettes because color loss and makeready are “built into” the way the digital plate is made. Consumer product companies increasingly specify CTP to resolve legitimate production issues or to avail themselves of the newest technology in the belief that newer = better.