Screen Launches Largest Format Thermal CTP System

The new Platerite Ultima 48000 thermal VLF CTP system is claimed by Screen to provide the largest format output in the world.

Screen claimed that the Platerite Ultima 48000 can output on to larger plates than before to make it possible for companies to get the most productivity available out of the new large-format web offset presses, which the company expects will spread throughout the industry in the near future.

Those presses will require plates of up to 2,900mm x 1,350mm plates, or up to 96 A4-size pages.

In addition to the ultra-large-format Platerite Ultima 48000, Screen has also developed the Platerite Ultima 40000, which is said to require less space than the 48000 and supports output on to 2,280mm x 1,600mm plates, or up to 80 A4-size pages.

The Platerite Ultima 48000 and Platerite Ultima 40000 will be introduced at the Drupa 2008 exhibition and the company added that sales of both models will start simultaneously.

The Platerite Ultima 48000 will be available on a production by order basis.

With the addition of the Platerite Ultima 48000 and Platerite Ultima 40000, Screen said that it expects total sales of over 100 units for its Ultima series of large-format CTP recorders this year.

The new thermal plate recorders will not only expand Screen's share in the thermal CTP sector but they will also help it to meet a wider range of CTP needs worldwide, it believes.

Screen said that in recent years there has been a trend of expansion for a variety of printed products with shorter life cycles.

Advertising has continuously diversified with further developments in mail order catalogues, periodicals and newspapers, whilst the time lines are shorter with more frequent publishing release dates.

Therefore, there is an increased focus in Europe and North America on developing production equipment that makes it possible to produce a variety of printed materials whilst meeting tight deadlines and increasing production efficiency at the same time.

Printing companies are examining the benefits of incorporating large-format web offset presses in to their expanding production lines that will enable the simultaneous large volume printing of a variety of printed products in multiple impositions.

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