Massive Savings From Newspaper CTP System

ECRM Imaging Systems has installed the first of two Newsmatic 250 CTP system in the production facilities of The Korea Times' Los Angeles headquarters for southern California (USA).

ECRM Imaging Systems has installed the first of two Newsmatic 250 CTP system in the production facilities of The Korea Times' Los Angeles headquarters for southern California (USA).

Established in the United States by its Korean parent newspaper in 1971, The Korea Times is the largest Korean newspaper in the USA, producing three separate products - a daily newspaper, as well as weekly and monthly magazines, all in English and Korean language versions.

Since making the move to violet CTP, the paper has reported chemistry and plate savings and a 50 per cent reduction in pre-press staffing, as well as improved imaging leading to increased advertising revenue.

Overall savings are estimated at 10 per cent annually and an unexpected bonus has been the positive environmental impact with the elimination of an odour resulting from plate processing that had previously led some staff to resign and resulted in worker compensation issues.

The new system eliminated that problem and the company has also reported a reduction in the amount of paper waste.

The Los Angeles branch's conversion to CTP is just step one in a much broader vision, said ECRM, which belongs to Korea Times chief executive officer and publisher, Jae Min Chang.

With the LA branch exhibiting such positive results, Chang is beginning to focus upon news outlets in New York, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Hawaii, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and Vancouver.

The goal is convert all 11 Korea Times news branches to operate with digital CTP workflow systems.

Brian Jun, director of operations and production for the Los Angeles branch of The Korea Times, said: "We had worked with ECRM imagesetters for several years and I've always been happy with the service I've received.

My familiarity with ECRM increased my comfort level with our transition to CTP.

I knew the Newsmatic 250 would help me with a number of the challenges my team had been facing, but it's gone above and beyond my expectations." He added: "Not only have we seen significant cost savings and improved efficiencies on a number of fronts, but I'm able to control the workflow 100 per cent.

Special editions have become much easier and we're able to create any product, any time we receive a request from our parent company." The LA branch of The Korea Times currently has two Maxworkflow News systems (a pre-press production system designed specifically for newspapers and publishing) being fed by 30 composition stations.

The Maxworkflow News workstations output pages to two Nwesmatic 250 CTP platesetters.

The newspaper's workload is a minimum of 170-190 pages per day, 50 per cent colour, with a daily production minimum of 300-400 plates over two shifts.

With three to four daily deadlines, the increased efficiency the newspaper has seen since installing CTP has been vital with at least two hours saved per section, said ECRM.

The Newsmatic 250 includes a claimed performance of 60 broadsheet plates per hour at 1,270 dots per inch (dpi) and it is said to accommodate web widths of up to a maximum format of 635mm x 927mm (25" x 36.5").

At the same time, ECRM's patented Flexarm slip sheet removal system makes automation a realistic possibility for smaller and medium-sized printers, added the company.

ECRM added that the system's sensors track slip-sheets through pick-up, removal and disposal to ensure fast throughput and reliability.

To provide added flexibility, the optical configuration includes eight resolutions from 1,016dpi to 2,540dpi and three anamorphic resolution sets (1,016dpi x 2,032dpi, 1,200dpi x 2,400dpi, and 1,270dpi x 2,540dpi).

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