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News Release from: Presstek Inc | Subject: Vector TX52, Freedom plates
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 November 2006
First Print Franchise To Use Thermal
Platesetter
PDC in Horsham (UK) is the first franchise operation in the UK to install a Presstek Vector TX52 thermal platesetter using Presstek's chemistry-free Freedom plates.
PDC in Horsham (UK) is the first franchise operation in the UK to install a Presstek Vector TX52 thermal platesetter using Presstek's chemistry-free Freedom plates According to Presstek, PDC has always set itself apart from the typical retail copy printer
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 18 Mar 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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PDC's proprietors, David Want and David Meadham, explained: "We purchased JR Print five and a half years ago, which was a small jobbing printer with two staff operating a Heidelberg GTO press and a single colour Kord machine.
Although we were both experienced in the printing industry, it was on the supplier side and because we had never run a business before, we decided to join PDC." Over the last few years, the company has invested in upgrading the offset and digital side of the business.
A B3 Heidelberg Speedmaster 52 offset press has been installed and the Oce digital copiers have been replaced by Xerox.
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The company now has six employees.
"Offset litho represents 60 per cent of our turnover and four colour process work is a fast a growing part of our business.
We pride ourselves on the high quality of our printing, which has enabled us to win work from a wide range of customers, including advertising and marketing agencies, as well as local businesses, education, churches and the public sector.
We also take in litho printing from other printers, including PDC franchisees," David Want explained.
He added: "Our portfolio comprises leaflets, booklets, corporate stationery, folders, packaging labels, overprinting, mailing services and a lot more bedsides." PDC Horsham has always used metal plates, outsourcing the film to an outside bureau and then making the plates themselves.
Want commented: "I used to spend half my time making plates and as we were dependent upon the bureau, we could never turn jobs round in less than four or five days.
We also had to file the film as well as the metal plates, which added to our storage and retrieval problem." The proprietors realised that they had to invest in technology to grow the business and improve their turn-around times to meet their customers' changing expectations.
The company went to a number of computer-to-plate suppliers and the decision quickly came down to the Presstek Vector TX52.
Want said: "Firstly we wanted metal plates, although we did look at a polyester system before we discounted it.
We both feel very strongly that although we are a relatively small business, we want to do as much as we can for the environment.
We didn't want to dispose of polyester plates in landfill sites or use chemistry at all for that matter.
The Presstek Vector TX52 is the only platesetter we saw that is chemistry-free and light insensitive, so it doesn't require its own room.
It has a very small footprint with an integrated plate washer, which is essential as we have little spare space." David Meadham pointed out that most importantly, it is affordable for the type of business PDC is.
In his opinion, there is very little difference in the cost of the Freedom plate compared with a polyester plate when taking in to consideration the additional cost of using chemistry and chemistry recovery.
It is also more productive to archive metal plates than running out polyester plates each time.
Using Presstek's Surefire laser technology, the two-up 52cm Vector TX52 offers the superior quality and consistency of internal drum technology, believes the company.
The Freedom plate is inserted at the front, imaged and water-washed inside the unit before being discharged as a press-ready plate.
The plate is designed for run lengths up to 25,000 impressions, added Presstek.
Meadham added: "It allows us to have a set of four colour plates run out and running on press very quickly.
Although our quality has always been very high, the registration is better, with no spotting.
As well as being able to turn the jobs round far more quickly, we can be much more competitive.
We are convinced that 'green' is the way forward and we hope that other businesses will follow suit." Ben Donald, franchise support manager at PDC International is very supportive and commented: "PDC Horsham has always been strong in offset litho with its JR Print background.
We are encouraged that they will now be able to grow their business even faster on the back of Presstek's chemistry-free CTP technology.".
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