In-house platemaking for smaller print shops

"This innovative and affordable direct to plate solution is for South Africa's smaller print shops," explains John Panton, technical director at Digital Distributors. "Traditionally, CTP systems have been too expensive for these smaller users, many of whom have to rely on outsourcing to plate bureaus. Now using a special aluminium plate, heat curing unit and easy to fit plate guide developed by Israeli company VIM, together with a standard Epson 7900 printer and EFI CTP Express Rip, you have a complete direct to inkjet CTP system."

"High return on investment"

Speed is not the only benefit of this plate making solution. Excellent print quality (up to 175 lines per inch) and up to 20 000 impressions can be delivered by this CTP solution, which not only has a small footprint but is also chemical free and requires no processing. Original Epson ink is used at low cost, making it possible to also print high-quality press proofs, imposition proofs and even high quality short-run posters on the very same system.

Panton adds, "This CTP solution will not present any expensive maintenance costs and will deliver a high return on investment for smaller print shops, producing true aluminium press plates at a significantly lower total cost of ownership than other solutions currently available.

"This solution is specifically aimed at those print shops running one, two or four colour presses. The set-up cost of this solution, which can easily be accommodated in the smallest print shop, is now available at below R150 000," he concludes.