Rotocean installs Kodak Versamark inkjet printer

The French island of Reunion is to receive daily newspapers on the same day they are published thanks to Rotocean's investment in Kodak digital printing technology.

The printing house will print local, national and international newspapers using a Kodak Versamark VL4200 printing system.

The installation of the inkjet system marks Rotocean's latest investment in Kodak systems - the company is already equipped with a Magnus Platesetter, Thermal Direct plates and a Nexpress digital colour press.

Before Rotocean's installation of the Versamark VL4200 the island received its national and international newspapers by air, at least one day after their publication.

Hubert Pedurand, director and joint manager of Rotocean, said: 'Our investment in the high-speed, high-output Versamark VL4200 means the island's residents and visitors can enjoy newspapers on the day they're published.

'The titles will be distributed by ARDP, a subsidiary of Presstalis, in the same or almost identical format to those printed in mainland France,' he added.

Rotocean said that it opted for the Versamark because it is a cost-effective method for producing short print runs and is a flexible way to compete with new media.

Rotocean installed a Versamark VL4200 with two finishing lines, one for newspapers and the other for books.

Offering variable cut dimensions, the system is capable of four-colour printing on paper weights from 45gsm-160gsm at a rate of 128m/min.

In addition to the Versamark VL4200's performance, Kodak said that Pedurand is pleased with the support Rotocean is receiving.

'The quality of the after-sales service provided by Kodak and its local partner, Papeco, were significant factors in our decision to purchase the VL4200 as it will be in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so maximising uptime is crucial,' said Pedurand.

Besides the VL4200, Rotocean also has a downstream Hunkeler double line and Heidelberg folder, which are used for daily newspapers and print-on-demand books, respectively.

Following its increase in capacity, Rotocean is also targeting the marketing and promotional documents sector, including retail catalogues with variable data.

To guarantee controlled and consistent print quality, the line is equipped with an Axode 1080 system, incorporating functions to control head registration and a full-page document view at high speed.

The on-board Datamatrix system allows 2D coding using identification and correction algorithms.

This opens a wide range of new opportunities, including transactional mail, transpromotional and direct marketing applications, and ensures the front-to-back registration of printed documents, added Kodak.

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