Consumables-General - Plates

At prepress trade shop Southern Graphic Systems, "to measure is to know." by Terri McConnell, Prepress Editor Last December, I was tickled to see Denny McGee—a man named one of the 1990s' "ten most influential people in the packaging industry"—address a room full of his peers with a giant piece of cheese on his head. McGee, hosting the Educator Seminar Series, was playfully hammering home the point that someone has been messing around with the printing food chain. Markets are moving, demands are changing, and we can't expect to find our profits in the same place we found them yesterday. No single group of

Part one of a two-part series exploring how some of the largest prepress companies achieve major-league technology initiatives. by Terri McConnell, Prepress Editor Here we are again. At the point in the grand American economic cycle where it seems that big companies just keep getting bigger, while small companies battle for survival among the giants. As consumers languishing on the other end of perpetual hold, we might wonder just what's so great about the race towards consolidation. Frustrated with the complicated, sometimes dehumanizing experience of doing business with a corporate Goliath, it's easy to believe that mega-companies are endless, faceless entities where nothing

by Michael Paeth, President, FlexoGrafix The one thing consistent in the world of prepress is change ... daily! If keeping up with new software, proofing, screening technology, plate exposure technology, direct-to-plate, and the myriad of other ever-changing facets of prepress isn't for you, you are not alone. But before you put your work into the hands of a trade shop, you should evaluate your needs, and then evaluate the trade shop that will be getting your work. Here are the "Top 10" criteria (in ascending order) to keep in mind when deciding on a trade shop to handle your work. Since everyone's needs

Packaging's path to PDF has most commonly involved software add-ons. Will new all-in-one workflows change that? by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor THOUGH COMMERCIAL printers have jumped wholeheartedly on the PDF bandwagon, their packaging brethren have been less enthusiastic. Concerns regarding PDF's suitability for packaging prepress have thus far encouraged hopefuls to add on PDF elements, rather than invest in "one-stop shopping" products. Packaging-specific capabilities bundled within new all-in-one systems, however, should enlist a legion of PDF converts. "When it comes to software solutions, the packaging market has been the orphan of the printing industry," laments Bert van Hoof, VP/engineering, ScenicSoft. Unfortunately, the

Improved spot color capabilities render digital halftone proofing a viable choice for package printers. by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor The brand-heralding nature of today's packaging mandates the use of signature colors and spot-color savvy in its proofers. Historically, this has been the rub in digital halftone technology's relationship with package printing. But with a new supplier commitment to R&D for the packaging market, halftone proofing's presence is definitely on the rise. In with insiders Suppliers in general report a greater percentage of sales to tradeshops than printers. CreoScitex Marketing Director, Digital Proofing Mark Vanover notes his company's sales split "[is] somewhat dominated by sales

While some suppliers continue to pursue digital platemaking, others remain focused on conventional exposure and processing. by Kate Tomlinson, Assistant Editor THE WORLD IS digital. Digital phones, digital cable, and DVDs (digital video discs) are today's reality—will digital plates make way into every pressroom next? More and more suppliers are working to make digital plates commonplace. But how long will it be before every printer has adopted this approach? The future of digital plates "Without a doubt, once digital platemaking systems come full circle, they will be able to offer printers something they can always use more of—time," says Paul Zeinert, manager of

Today's improved ink jet technology offers an impressive mix of color accuracy, media versatility, and affordability. by Jessica Millward, Associate Editor ALL PROOFS ARE not created equal. Nor should they be. The range of proof requisites varies from printer to printer, and from production stage to production stage. While newly developed digital halftone systems get closer to ultimate color matching (see next month's PrePress article for more details), ink jet-based digital proofing comprises the all-round best solution for many prepress programs. Suppliers' keen interest in developing both drop-on-demand and continuous ink jet devices testifies to contone's strong foothold within the packaging market. On the

Advanced Prepress Graphics Flexo prepress tradeshop producing Cyrel high-definition flexo plates and film. Announcing two new formats: 42 in. x 80 in. plates and 36 in. x 44 in. film output. E-mail flexoplates@aol.com. Visit www.flexoprepress.com Agfa Lithostar Ultra plates are high-resolution aluminum plates that can be handled in yellow safelight conditions. The Thermostar P970 is the ideal choice for VLF applications, while the Thermostar P971 thermal imaging plate is optimized for internal drum infrared systems. For high-quality, fine screen work, Agfa offers the Howson Primera. Robust coating and substrate structure make the Howson Super Marathon perfect for long runs. Visit www.agfa.com

Flexo plate sleeves are rounding out the process for higher quality, faster turnaround packaging. by Terri McConnell, PrePress Editor IN A MARKETING study recently conducted by the High Definition Flexo Consortium, end users across several consumer product industries were asked to identify the most important printing technology advancements over the past three to five years. The respondents were senior packaging engineers, packaging procurement managers, and senior designers from the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and health and beauty segments. These professionals, key to influencing and specifying packaging print methods, overwhelmingly agreed computer-to-plate imaging has made a substantial positive impact on print quality. They also consistently

Preparation and experience determine which printers and trade shops most readily reap Digital Asset Management's benefits. by Terri McConnell, PrePress Editor Digital Asset Management (DAM) has been described as an emerging billion-dollar industry. Estimates from the California-based market research firm GISTICS suggest revenues from DAM software development could reach $3.2 billion by the end of 2001. That's an enticement certain to create frenzy within today's opportunistic investment community. But, in this case, the buzz surrounding DAM is both legitimate and well deserved. It really is an important issue for every business to address, and what both large corporations and small businesses alike will find