International Publication

35 for the Media Arts

INNOVATION Feature
Power of Print

Empowering Print.
4 One Printer’s Strategy to Be the Best in his Region.

Material Difference.
9 What You Get When You Merge Sales with Marketing.

Putting Innovation to the Test.

12 Development-Free Plate Performs in Busy,
High-Volume Workflow.

Distrimapas Cartografía.
14 Putting Customer Service on the Map.
Photography© 2005 Douglas Dubler 3
 2

By Gareth Ward.

Gareth Ward is a well known

UK journalist who has written about
printing for more than 20 years and
has edited monthly and weekly
magazines. He is currently Editorial
Director of The Print Business, a new
magazine taking a different slant on
the industry. Away from the keyboard,
he enjoys participating in local drama
products and plays the very English
game of cricket.

Those predicting the death of print just a few years

ago have been proved wrong. Despite the proliferation
of television, radio, cinema and the internet,
all expected to kill off the oldest mass communication
medium there is, print has continued to survive,
partly because it shows a continuing ability to adapt
to new circumstances.

INNOVATION Feature
Power of Print

The Power of Print.

This is the fundamental error that
the pundits made when the internet
seemed unstoppable. None realised
that print could change and that
the effectiveness of their internet
strategy would depend on print.
Thus commerce-driven websites
work best where the consumer has
a printed catalogue to help decide
the choice of the product to be
ordered on line. Many other
websites provide the opportunity
Technology to order a printed brochure or
catalogue. One of the best known
Marketing websites, Amazon, has encouraged
q Points of View the consumption of printed books
to the extent that it has bought its
User Profile own printing company to produce
Trends books that its customers want to
read, but which are currently out
Highlights of print.
Print’s power is more than just its
resilience however. New digital
printing technology is being
harnessed to provide direct
communication with a company’s
customer base. Many more
companies are beginning to
realise that managing existing
customers to provide increased
revenues may be more efficient
than constantly trying to find
new customers.
This is in any case becoming
harder as the proliferation of
television channels and magazines
makes it more difficult to reach
new audiences. The leading
television shows no longer
command viewing figures
indicating more than half the
population may be watching.
Likewise, the sheer numbers of
websites makes it difficult to
predict audience reach in the
way that marketers and decision
makers would like. Instead, it is
trusted newspapers, magazine
and even printed directory brands
that are proving to be the most
powerful ways to reach large
audiences, with all the advantages
of print in terms of portability
and access.
This is not to say that print has
been immune to electronic media,
but print providers are adapting to
the changes using technological
advances to help them do so.
Such advances are ensuring that
newspapers can carry colour for
both advertising and editorial from
end to end. Computer-to-plate
technology, fast start-up presses
and sophisticated workflow
management systems provide the
scope for creating local editions.
This makes the paper more relevant
to geographic audiences and more
appealing to advertisers.
The proof of this lies with the
growth in product-led advertising
that newspapers carry, both as
3 Continuation on page 8.

Marc Verbiest
marcverbiest@agfapress.com
For your own copy of :Interface
by email or in the post, go to
www.agfa.com/interface
Production Notes.
All prepress using Agfa systems.
:Thermostar plates imaged on
:Xcalibur 45 using :Sublima
screening technology.
Imposition and contract proofing
with :SherpaProof.
Editorial Committee:
Agfa France: Sylvie Gibout
Agfa Germany: Rudolf Tippner
Agfa UK: Tim Light
Agfa U.S.: Claudia Barbiero
Editor: Rosemarie Monaco
Managing editor: Marc Verbiest
Associate Editors:
Anne-Mie Vansteelant
Bart Verduyn
Credits:
Design, Production and
co-ordination: Living Stone N.V.
For more info on Agfa products:
http://www.agfa.com
3
Editorial.
INNOVATION Feature According to a recent trend report
(Reed Elsevier) “The printing
Power of Print industry is gradually becoming
less about mass production and more about exploiting niche markets.
For many shops, the best success has come by focusing on a small
core of speciality products rather than a wide array of general
purpose print products.”
We agree that the print product is shifting. Great benefit accompanies
this shift as print transitions from a low-margin commodity to a more
lucrative speciality.
We also believe that diversifying your offerings with niche products
is a logical step toward keeping pace with the evolution of printing.
Many of our customers have added wide-format inkjet capabilities
to capture the display and poster markets. Others are using inkjet
for short-run printing and packaging. And some are offering asset
management as part of a value-added bundle.
When we examine the shift even closer, we see International Publication
for the Media Arts
35
that what everyone feared, i.e. electronic
marketing, is becoming print’s best friend.
E-zines and Web catalogues are giving rise to INNOVATION Feature
print editions. Marketers are finding that print Power of Print
catalogues are a powerful tool for driving 4 Empowering Print.
One Printer’s Strategy to Be the Best in his Region.
customers to their websites. In fact, many cata-
9 Material Difference.
What You Get When You Merge Sales with Marketing.
logues that began online have added print versions.
Putting Innovation to the Test.
Amazon.com and RugsUSA.com are two examples. 12 Development-Free Plate Performs in Busy,
High-Volume Workflow.
14 Distrimapas Cartografía. Putting Customer Service on the Map.
As we lament over the magazines that are shut-
ting down, we are encouraged over the rise in
catalogue printing across the board. In the U.S.
alone, over the past ten years the number of
Photography© 2005 Douglas Dubler 3
automotive catalogues grew from 270 to 542 titles.
Education grew from 334 to 513 and apparel
and accessories rose from 677 to 750 (stats from
www.emarketer.com). The stunning cover image is a powerful
example of the power of print. It is from White
Magic, a jewellery exhibit co-ordinated by the
The conclusion is that print remains one of the South Sea Pearl Consortium. Photographs of
most powerful media in graphic communication. the artwork, taken by leading New York
photographer Douglas Dubler, were printed by
In the pages that follow, you will learn what some Ramsey Press (NJ, U.S.A.) using :Sublima
printers are doing to stay at the top of their game, screening to capture the intricate detail and
delicate flesh tones.
extend their offerings and promote the power
of print.
Your own observations and comments are always welcome.
Contact marcverbiest@agfapress.com.
Next Feature:
q Workflow Optimisation
 4

INNOVATION Feature
Power of Print

The Finlay people know that an increase in media usage and a growing demand for
differentiation will have definite impact on the continued growth of print. They also know that
the graphic arts industry continues to change as technologies evolve, and that putting ink on
paper is becoming both more complex and more efficient at the same time. Finlay, which is
involved in everything from design and database management to printing, warehousing and
distribution, is one of its biggest proponents of the overall and far-reaching power of print.

Empowering Print.
ON E PR I NTER ’ S S T R AT E G Y T O B E T H E B E ST IN HIS REG IO N.

When James and William Finlay
founded Finlay Brothers Printing
in 1876, terms such as multimedia,
digital, and 24/7 were still almost
a century away. But if the brothers
were here today they might not be
too surprised to learn that those are
terms used to describe a company
as motivated, perceptive and
customer-focused as the one they
started 130 years ago. After all,
Finlay is still family owned,
and those who run it today never
forget their roots.
While precious pieces of heritage
may be hard to let go, current
management knows a great
opportunity when they see it,
and they grabbed a very important
one a couple of years ago.
Kevin Kalagher, CEO.
Strategic Thinking.
“It was at that time that we dropped
the word ‘Printing’ from our
company name,” explains CEO
Kevin Kalagher from the company’s
Bloomfield, CT, U.S.A. headquarters.
“This has given us a strategic
advantage when approaching new
prospects with a solution. We don’t
get pegged as just a printer.”
Nevertheless, customers in the
know still understand that print
is its rock-solid foundation and
is at the heart of its long list of
capabilities. “But instead of being
just a traditional print vendor,”
Kalagher adds, “we actually get
involved with our clients’ business
objectives and truly become
strategic partners.”
Today, Finlay is one of the largest
commercial print service providers
in Connecticut, with an extensive
65,000 square foot facility,
95 employees, and a marketing
reach throughout the northeast.
Its niche market comprises organi-
sations that have a variety of high-
visibility printing needs, such as
Ivy League universities, eminent
museums, multi-million dollar
beverage companies and lucrative
retail chains. Kevin’s brother Todd,
president of Finlay, recently stated
that the company sells more on
quality and service than on price—
and that it is the quality and service
that gives them the competitive
advantage. Their clients, almost
all of which are nationally known,
would undoubtedly agree.
Client Collaboration.
As part of Finlay’s formula for
success, the principals say they ask
a lot of questions of their clients,
and make collaboration an essential
part of their operational plan.
Their goals are to help boost their
clients’ profits, reduce their costs,
fortify their brands, grow their
businesses, and move their
products.
“Over the past five years we have
transitioned all our major clients,
the top fifty, to our one-stop-shop
approach,” Kevin Kalagher says.
“In addition to our sheet-fed
printing, most of them also use
two or more of our other prepress,
asset management, finishing,
fulfilment or delivery offerings.”
Finlay prides itself on handling
virtually any kind of print design,
prepress and printing need, from
short-run specialities to sophisti-
cated packaging to colour-critical
advertising campaigns.
The Kalaghers acknowledge that
one of the reasons they are able
to maintain a firm grip on their
formidable capabilities is because

of the continually expanding
relationship they have with Agfa.
They currently operate two :Galileo
CtP systems with :ApogeeX
workflow automation and :Sublima
screening. “It has been our goal
to achieve the highest level of
automation in prepress with the
best production interfacing tools
available to us for our high-end
clients,” Kalagher says, “and that’s
where we are now.”
“The company
sells more
on quality and
service than
on price.”
:Galileo, which can image up to
30 plates per hour, effectively helps
Finlay shorten its busy production
schedule. It is a proven winner for
high-volume commercial, packaging
and prepress companies like Finlay
—those companies that require fast,
consistent plate production.
In addition, :ApogeeX helps Finlay
achieve new performance and
quality standards for workflow
automation and productivity, while
:Sublima, Agfa’s most advanced
screening option (with cross-
modulated XM technology) enables
them to dramatically improve
print quality with no extra effort
on press.
5
All in all, it is a hardware and standardises the language for Technology
software package specifically exchange of information between
Marketing
designed to provide printing graphic applications and systems.
solutions as productive and The industry-wide vision for CIM Points of View
efficient as Finlay requires, giving and JDF is a total production User Profile
a value-added, ground-up approach workflow solution for graphic
t
to project management and communication that embraces Trends
prepress workflow infrastructure. every facet of production. Highlights
Employee Dedication. “In three to five years, all the
remaining print service providers
Finlay also relies on the skills will be those that achieve this
of its workforce. The Kalagher vision,” Kalagher says. “And we’ll
brothers depend on their people be there, too. We’ll definitely be
to weather rapid and complex one of those players. That’s one
changes in technology, shifting thing that James and William
client needs, and unpredictable Finlay can count on.” 쐍
economic conditions. It is often
said around the Bloomfield plant
that there is virtually no separation
at all between management and
employees.
“We have a team that is very
versatile,” Kalagher says. “Every Kit Prewett,
one of our clients has specific prepress manager.
needs, and our teams can adapt :ApogeeX helps
Finlay achieve new
quickly to changing circumstances performance and
to meet the needs of each one. quality standards for
workflow automation
and productivity.
Eye on the Future.
Kalagher says that the key to
Finlay’s future, as well as the future
:Delano project
of the industry, is the ability to management system
streamline via automation by using provides time-
the latest CIM [Computer Integrated saving project
control and
Manufacturing] and JDF [Job facilitates client
Description Format] technologies. collaboration.
CIM automates various functions
by combining hardware and
software technologies through
databases and networks, and JDF
Kit Prewett enables
colour-accurate
duplex proofing.
James Hnata,
pressman.
Tim Nutt,
:Galileo operator.
 6
Attention-Grabbing
Newsprint.
AUT O MATI O N AN D H I G H E R Q U A L I T Y P U T S N EWSPA PER O N T HE RO A D T O PRO F ITA BILIT Y.
As the oldest daily newspaper in the southern United States, the Charleston Post and Courier
(South Carolina) has a lot of history behind it—not just in the news it has reported, but in the
technology that has been used to print the news 365 days a year.
INNOVATION Feature
Power of Print
From left to right: When the paper recently embarked
Daniel G. Enfinger Jr. on a mission to increase automa-
– prepress manager,
Rick Rockwell – tion, streamline its business, and
production manager make significant quality improve-
and Michael Bella –
director of
ments, product and technology
production at the decisions were made with the
Evening Post greatest deliberation. The paper,
Publishing Company.
along with its corporate parent, the
Evening Post Publishing Company,
looked at all the options currently
Daniel G. Enfinger Jr.:
“We are running two available in the marketplace.
:Advantage DL 160
platesetters, which “We saw a lot of good ones out
are so simple to use.”
there,” says Michael Bella, director
of production at the Evening Post
Publishing Company, “but we knew
we wanted a vendor who was going
to be here for the long haul.”
Intuitive Workflow System.
The technology “We felt that :Arkitex made the
implementation most sense for us because it is a
team (from left to
right): Dennis very intuitive system and works
Anderson, Wayne just like production people think,”
Glenn, Mike Flowers, says Dan Enfinger, prepress
Henry Bierfisher,
Tom Harmon. manager. “We understand the
production steps behind it, which is
one reason why it was so easy to
learn. We use soft-proofing in
:Arkitex as a quality control tool
and routinely catch errors in pages,
thereby reducing plate waste and
press down time in the process.”
:Arkitex provides automatic
feedback on the status and actions
required for the entire workflow
process. It allows operators to track
details, obtain proofs, and receive
approvals before making plates or
transmitting data to other print
sites (when that is required). It is
also scalable, which allows the Post
and Courier and other papers in the
Evening Post corporate family to
accommodate future needs.
“We are running two :Advantage
DL 160 platesetters, which are so
simple to use,” Enfinger continues.
“We can easily troubleshoot
anything we need due to the
simplicity of the entire system.”
As Bella notes, the combination of
automation and quality improve-
ment is known industry-wide as a
straight road to profitability.
:Sublima fit right into his plan.
“:Sublima has given us wonderful
results,” Bella said. “The images
really pop, and it works especially
well in conjunction with
:IntelliTune.”
:IntelliTune is a fully automated
system that assists the paper in
creating the often striking and
attention-grabbing images that
help in many ways define it.
:IntelliTune uses Multi-Dimensional
Processing (MDP) to analyse
the tone, colour and spatial
characteristics of each image
 7

The Post and Courier

newspaper has a
circulation of more than
100,000, a solid
advertiser base, and a
dedicated readership.

and automatically applies the

necessary corrections for best
on-press conditions.

Enfinger also noted that :Sublima

is particularly useful for the
newspaper’s image-intensive
‘Feature’ and ‘Zone’ sections.

“:Arkitex works
just like
production
people think...
We see savings in
the Charleston
operation well
beyond what we
even anticipated.”
“:Sublima really comes into play
when we have a photo with a lot
of detail,” he explained. “We plan
on moving forward with printing
the entire paper using :Sublima,”
he added.
(editorial and advertising) that That edge has helped the Post and
:Sublima is specifically designed are automatically output directly Courier and its parent company
to improve print quality with no in the plate pickup area. The proofs reach levels of success that keep
extra effort on press. Its patented reflect the actual content of the it secure in a sometimes volatile
technology, XM (Cross Modulated), plates and are regarded by the mass media business environment.
achieves line-screen rulings of prepress staff as a more-than- The flagship paper has a circulation
up to 180 lpi when printing at sufficient final check in quality of more than 100,000, a solid
typical newspaper resolution of control. “We are not wasting any advertiser base, and a dedicated Technology
1270 dpi. time or resources tracking down readership. In conjunction with the Marketing
proofs in Ad Production or in parent company, they are involved
Saving Time. Editorial to send to the pressroom,” in some very exciting projects Points of View
Enfinger said. today, such as free WiFi Internet User Profile t
One other significant change is access for users on the Charleston
Trends
that the Post and Courier now “We see savings in the Charleston peninsula.
produces PDF files that reflect the operation well beyond what we Highlights
actual content of the newspaper. even anticipated. When you To be sure, the Evening Post
They create web and print PDFs add the cost efficiencies to Publishing Company is a healthy
on output from the same postscript better dots, better registration, enterprise, now owning newspapers
files that produce their plates. less water usage, and less press in three states as well as Argentina,
They also produce two colour waste, it truly gives us the edge in addition to television stations in
proofs of each colour page we need,” Bella says. six states. 쐍
 8

3 Continuation from page 2.

run-of-press (ROP) colour and as all
types of inserts. The power of this
channel can be literally weighed in
terms of the dozens of inserts that
spill from US publications each
weekend. The money-off coupon, a
simple form of interactivity that TV
cannot match, is direct proof that
print can drive consumers to shop.
At the other end of the scale from
the shotgun approach is the preci-
sion marketing that personalised
digital printing allows. There can
be few more powerful objects than
one produced to suit an individual,
whether a custom produced car or
bespoke suit. Personalised print
falls into this category.
The early days of digital print
were marred by crude applications
of the technology, but today
a better understanding of
consumer behaviour and the
print technology is providing
spectacular proof that this is a
very effective medium.
In the UK the Sainsbury’s super-
market chain is using information
gathered through its loyalty card
scheme to send customers targeted
mailings to suit different customers.
This might mean an invitation to
try a sample product in a particular
store, it might mean a Christmas
promotion tied into the purchasing
profile the customer has built up.
It also means sending a simple
birthday greeting, at the right time,
with the customer’s name picked
out in birthday cake candles and
offering a gift on the next visit to
the store.
The response figures are specta-
cular. On the birthday campaign,
the return on investment was up
25% and the incremental spend
in store was up 110%. On another
gift redemption campaign, redemp-
tion levels were 39% higher and
incremental spend up 35%.
This is not old style print, this is a
new way of thinking where print
plays a vital role in a sophisticated
media mix. Holiday company TUI
now provides customers with a
single digital booklet containing
all tickets, luggage tags and offers
tailored to the individual holiday
being taken. The saving in time
and cost is enormous, more than
justifying the cost of print. For that
is the crux of the matter. Printers
the world over face huge pressure
to cut their prices. What they need
to remember is that print can have
a value and a power well beyond
its price. 쐍

Dotcoms Discover the Power of Print.

Despite the way it seems at times, not everyone sits in front of
a monitor all day long, and not everyone has been sufficiently
enticed to make online purchases. So it makes sense for firms like
Amazon, eBay and even Google to want to reach out through the
one communications medium that keeps marching diligently
along through all the industry changes. If ink on paper can do
the trick, more and more web-based digital companies may soon
embrace it, almost as if it’s something entirely new.
While there are few solid commitments to long-term print
programmes by e-commerce firms, there are certainly loud
whispers out there about their potential. That could signal
good news both for catalogue, newspaper and other
publication printers.
full colour, Sunday newspaper insert that went into 55 major U.S.
papers in 44 markets, reaching 23 million people. eBay called
it a way to close the gap between the offline and online
experiences, and used it to target key categories for the
winter holidays.
Last winter, Google, the mammoth Internet search engine,
purchased advertising space in special interest publications such
as PC Magazine and Budget Living, and then re-sold portions to
their own advertisers. They reasoned that many of its online
advertisers could not afford ads in magazines, and this was a
good way to bring them in on a major programme that would
promote not only their own wares, but Google itself.
(Google also ran ads in the Chicago Sun-Times.)

Like conventional retail catalogues, Amazon’s glossy, full-colour,
highly-illustrated entry, sent directly to consumers, promotes
products from dozens of manufacturers with a unified look that
makes it seem as if there’s an Amazon store in the shopping
centre downtown. The inclusion of coupons and special offers
furthers that illusion.
From day one, popular dotcom Red Envelope, which sells unique
gift items, has been purchasing mailing lists and putting glossy
catalogues in the post to coincide with every gift-giving holiday.
The high-quality catalogue lures its readers online to purchase
those special must-have items.
eBay, the online auction leader, started experimenting with
print a few years ago. The first foray was an eight-page,
According to one industry figure, magazine ads generate in
excess of $20 billion in the U.S. each year, whereas online
ads generate about $13 billion. That’s another
reason why digital companies are taking a
hard look at ink. While there are some
indications that the Google programme
didn’t work as well as was expected, there
are other indications that the giant
search engine is committed to forging
ahead with it because of its potential.
In fact, Google has put together a
council of advertising leaders to help
make the programme more effective.
Like many other dotcoms, Google is
recognising the power of print.

Marketing experts will tell you the importance of differentiating your
company, its products or services from the competition. But differentiation
only works when it demonstrates a material difference—one that will make
the prospect sign on the dotted line.
Material
Difference.
WHAT Y O U GET W H E N Y O U M E R G E SA L E S W IT H M A RKET ING .
It is marketing’s job to identify the
critical needs of the target audience
and to put together a campaign
that communicates the company’s
ability to meet those needs. Unless
you have the necessary funds to
conduct market research, no one is
better equipped than your sales reps
to identify “critical needs,” or what
we prefer to call material differ-
ence—a difference strong enough
to command action. To make this
work, the marketer needs to work
closely with sales and sales people
need to think a little bit more like
marketers.
Material Difference.
Most companies attempt to
differentiate themselves. They look
for the advantages they have over
the competition. For example,
RX Printing has just installed a
new thermal CtP system. All of
RX’s competitors are still using
film or older visible-light systems.
In a sales campaign targeting
corporate print buyers, RX pro-
motes the differentiating factor—
thermal CtP. But what if this
market doesn’t care about
the technology? What if this
audience is more interested in
fast turnaround? In that case
the differentiating factor won’t
attract any new sales. Rather
than focusing on what makes
your company different from
the competition, you need
to find a material difference—
a difference strong enough to
motivate a change in behaviour.
An example is the difference
between a mobile phone and a land
line. The advantages of mobility
provide a compelling reason to
switch. The material difference
needs to be measured and quanti-
fied. The ability to make calls from
any location increases productivity
by 60%, for example. Now you
have made the material difference
obvious. I call this a breakthrough
move. If you now add urgency
–everyday you go without mobile
phones, your productivity stagnates
while your competitor’s increases
60%– you’ll motivate an immediate
change in behaviour.
Refining Material
Difference.
Commitment to material difference
necessitates non-stop innovation
and interaction between sales
and marketing. First, marketing
frames a material-difference
statement, then sales tests it,
and then the two use the feedback
to refine the material-difference
statement.
The prospect also aids in the
search for material difference.
When salespeople offer a partial
idea for a material difference,
then let the customer complete
the idea, they learn how to refine
the material difference.
9
By Andy Gole.
Former university professor Andy Gole is
a sales consultant who now puts his
revolutionary ideas into play in the
marketplace. His breakthrough selling
programmes have re-shaped dozens of
organisations effecting increases
in sales of more than 25%. Contact
andy@bombadilllc.com for more information.
Let’s suppose that RX’s new thermal
platesetter was an :Azura chemical-
free system. RX knows that prospect
E-Star buys only the highest quality
printing and specifies recycled
stock exclusively. So RX says it is
the only printer in the area with
technology that can improve print
quality on recycled paper. During
the discussion RX learns that E-Star
uses its eco-friendly policy to win
new business. Not only can RX
improve the quality of the printing, Technology
but with a chem.-free system, it can
give E-Star another means for
Marketing t
promoting its policy and winning Points of View
new business. This is the material
User Profile
difference that will make this
prospect switch printers. Trends
Highlights
Providing proof of the material
difference is also key. When
salespeople assert benefits
without proving them, they
arouse scepticism. Here is where
the marketing effort can really
benefit sales. “Proving” materials
create credibility up front and
avoid the perception that sales is
making self-serving statements.
Proving materials might include
case studies, white papers and
published articles which present
your statement as fact.
The search and refinement of
material difference, proving,
breakthrough moves and urgency
are defining characteristics of an
entrepreneurial, growth-oriented
firm. 쐍
 10

The team behind the CtP-Workflow

(from left to right): Agfa key account manager
Andreas Noack, prepress manager Olaf Hopf,
production manager Claus Pengel,
CtP manager Rüdiger Detjens and Rainer
Kirschke, manager Newspapers at Agfa
Graphics Germany.

Achieving
Digital Success.
MA J O R N E W S PA P E R P R I N T E R M EET S HIG HEST DEM A NDS
AN D M O S T ST R I N G E N T Q U A L IT Y C O NT RO L.

At the close of the 20th century Germany’s Druckhaus Spandau decided to

concentrate on three major areas: the highest capacity possible with low remake
costs, significantly greater production reliability, and more improvements in the
quality of its newspaper printing.

Axel Springer AG is one of In addition, Spandau prints explains production manager

Germany’s biggest, busiest and
Technology most prominent publishers,
and its printing arm, Druckhaus
Marketing Spandau, one of the most indus-
Points of View trious. That’s because Spandau
currently produces and prints
q User Profile eight of the nation’s top daily
Trends newspapers, including Die Welt,
Bild, BZ and Berliner Morgenpost;
Highlights
full or partial editions of four
other newspapers; and a substantial
amount of other commercial work.
newspapers for various other
publishers.
High Volume, Big Numbers.
To outside observers, it would
appear that Spandau’s daily output
requires an enormous amount of
prepress work—and they’d be right.
“Our plate volume has nearly
doubled in the past few years,
to around 1.1 million plates,”
Claus Pengel. “That’s about 3,000
plates used every day. At peak
periods we print up to 3.6 million
items per day, including news-
papers and commercial work.
And there’s also a continual
increase in the amount of colour
in our newspapers.”
How does it all get done—on time
and with the quality they demand?
By the proven combination of

Spandau employee skills and
major technological advances.
The Spandau prepress department
currently has six Agfa :Polaris CtP
systems, including a :Polaris XTV
violet-laser system, all driven by
:Arkitex NewsDrive.
“The modular design
and flatbed construction
were important elements
in favour of our selection of
the : Polaris platesetter.”
“This gives us a capacity of around
720 plates per hour,” says Rüdiger
Detjens, head of plate production at
Spandau. “The modular design and
flatbed construction were important
elements in favour of our selection
of this CtP system. We heard from
various newspaper publishers
that the :Polaris platesetter was
particularly robust and reliable
in operation. The fact that the
:Polaris platesetters play a leading
role in the newspaper market
around the world was another
clear indication that they were
our best choice.”
Spandau has achieved the
ISO 12647-3 standard for all its
printing sites, and part of its quality
pursuit involved the complete
replacement of monitors and the
installation of digital proofing
systems for each printing site.
It had always been a quality
objective to implement CtP at
The Spandau prepress department currently has six :Polaris CtP systems,
including a :Polaris XTV violet-laser system, all driven by :Arkitex NewsDrive.
every printing site throughout
the company.
Standardising Image Quality.
:IntelliTune image enhancement
software also contributes to higher
quality at Spandau. Using Agfa’s
patented Multi-Dimensional
Processing (MDP) technology,
:IntelliTune automatically analyses
the quality of the images received
from different sources and converts
them on the basis of predefined
parameters. The :Intellitune system
at Spandau can process six to ten
images per minute. It can even
process images embedded in PDF
files. The result is that all the
newspapers and commercial work
produced by Spandau provide a
consistent level of quality, which
readers, advertisers and customers
recognise on a daily basis.
Recently, Spandau began testing
:Sublima XM (cross-modulated)
screening technology. This innova-
tive screening technique offers
previously unobtainable quality
for newspaper printing without
any special adjustments on press.
Since :Sublima combines the
advantages of conventional (AM)
and frequency modulated (FM)
screening techniques, it permits
stable transfer of the highlight
and shadow areas, and significantly
improves reproduction of the
details in flat tones and smooth
gradations.
“The key to quality assurance
in plate production is to work to
certain standards,” Detjens explains.
11
For instance, every part of the CtP
systems at Spandau are given a
general inspection once every week.
Also, employees are made aware
of the importance of quality
assurance, and there is very
close collaboration between all
departments, from production
to finishing.
The People Factor.
“The most important aspect of
automating and digitising the
processes in modern newspaper
production is using highly skilled,
intelligent people to see it through,”
Pengel says. “All of our people in
prepress share responsibility for
keeping their processes in peak
operating condition at all times.
They are all an asset to our
company, and a major part of
why we are as big, as important,
as busy, and as successful as
we are.”
Druckhaus Spandau, as its name
suggests, is located in the Spandau
district of the city, and it is through
this printing arm that Axel Springer
operates other printing sites in the
towns of Ahrensburg and Essen-
Kettwig. The Ahrensburg centre
recently installed a :Polaris XTV S
system and will soon bring in
five :Arkitex NewsDrive workflow
suites. Plant management expects
to have a capacity of more than
200 plates per hour.
If the future of newspaper printing
is all digital, then Druckhaus
Spandau is already working in
the future—and on a daily basis. 쐍
12

DEV ELO PMENT-FRE E P L AT E P E R F O R M S I N BUSY, HIG H-VO LUM E WO RKF LO W.

Putting Innovation
to the Test.
Innovation is the name of the game at Zollikofer, which is why it
enthusiastically became the first company in the world to put the
developer-free :Amigo thermal CtP printing plate to use in a high-volume
environment. The new plate quickly proved its benefits in quality and
workflow at the busy company, whose products include many popular
magazines, catalogues, calendars and high-end marketing materials.

Zollikofer AG opened its doors in
St. Gallen more than 200 years
ago—in 1789, to be exact. So it
comes as no surprise that it is very
well known in Switzerland. But it
Alex Zahner, is known equally well outside its
managing director borders due to its reputation as a
of Zollikofer.
pioneer in new technology and
customer satisfaction.
As part of its pioneering spirit,
Zollikofer was eager to gauge
the benefits of development-free
:Amigo. The company has a
well-placed sense of pride in
helping many new technologies
and systems solutions reach
market maturity in a short amount
of time through testing and
evaluation.
“Thanks to :Amigo, we have
eliminated the need for developer
in the plate-making process,”
says Alex Zahner, managing
director of Zollikofer. “The result
is a stability that not everyone at
first knew was possible. But it is.
That’s the main advantage of
this innovative technology.”
Similar to :Azura, which was
already being used worldwide
at more than 600 companies by
the time :Amigo was ready for
testing, the new plate is based
on Agfa’s patented ThermoFuse
technology. :Amigo has remarkable
latitude because the image is
formed physically during imaging
rather than chemically during
plate processing. The result is a
simple and clean process and
a plate that can tolerate wide
variations.
Endurance and Ecology.
:Amigo achieves runs of
about 200,000 without baking,
and 600,000 with baking.

“We recently produced a job with a
print run of 580,000 without any
difficulty at all. What’s more, there
was no need to change plates even
at the end of the run,” Zahner says.
“Thanks to
:Amigo, we have
eliminated the
need for developer
in the plate-
making process.”
“The way :Amigo is processed and
cleaned makes it ecological and
significantly less harmful from a
environmental standpoint than the
chemical developer we used to use.”
No adjustments had to be made to
the presses during the plate-making
changeover. “There were no
negative effects as a result of our
change,” explains Bruno Hanimann,
head of prepress, who adds that
soon the company plans to test the
:Amigo with even larger print runs
and different papers.
The :Amigo plates are imaged
using two :Avalon LF thermal
CtP systems, which have new HD
(high-definition) imaging heads
that produce top quality at high
imaging speeds and with slower
drum rotation. This, too, offers the
advantage of simplified operation
and long-term reliability.
Productivity and
Performance.
Both :Avalon imagers are equipped
with Agfa’s PlateManager for faster
plate loading. Four cassettes hold
up to 500 printing plates.
A substantially higher resolution
is possible in combination with
:Sublima screen technology.
“From the outset we printed with
:Sublima on a web press with a
resolution of 240 lpi, and on sheet-
fed with 280 lpi,” Zahner explains.
Printed promotional materials for
such items as watches, jewellery
and fashion benefit from the new
:Amigo has remarkable latitude because the image is formed physically
during imaging rather than chemically during plate processing.
13
“It was our goal to install a total solution for
printing-plate production which guarantees
reliable, high-value production at the lowest
possible costs.”
systems in place at Zollikofer,
he says.
In short, the company’s pioneering
spirit has once again paid off.
“Thanks to the elimination of
chemicals we now have much
smoother plate production. We also
save the costs typically associated
with purchasing and disposing of
the chemicals,” says Zahner. “It was
our goal to install a total solution
for printing plate production which
guarantees reliable, high-value
production at the lowest possible
costs, and we achieved this goal,
among many others.”
Zollikofer, still located in the town Technology
where it was founded two centuries
ago, now has a workforce of Marketing
approximately 260 employees and Points of View
enough pioneering spirit to assure
the people in Switzerland and User Profile t
beyond that they will continue to Trends
recognise its proud name for many
years to come. 쐍
Highlights
14
PUT T ING C UST O M ER SERVIC E O N T HE M A P.
A top cartographer in Spain adds value
to its client offerings with wide-format
printing. Customised, short-run printing
keeps the company at the leading edge
in a highly competitive market.
Distrimapas
Cartografía.
Distrimapas Cartografía has been a
leading mapmaker in Spain for a
quarter of a century. Headquartered
in Barcelona, the company designs
and edits many different kinds of
maps –from city guides to educa-
tional tools to decorative pieces–
and then prepares all the prepress
materials to send out for printing.
But it was their strategic decision
to install a wide-format printing
system that gives them a competi-
tive edge that not every cartogra-
pher has.
With the :Grand Sherpa Universal,
Distrimapas Cartografía is able to
update and print any of its maps
for customers who need updates or
revisions immediately. The com-
pany also provides short-runs of
maps customised with company
names or logos.
Business manager Felip García (right)
alongside production manager
Francisco Valor (left).
“Our cartography services are for
purposes of tourism rather than
for geography,” says Business
Manager Felip García Acón.
“On our maps we include only
what a tourist or driver needs
to find a location, in addition to
certain other significant details.”
Maintaining the
Leading Edge.
Distrimapas Cartografía are known
throughout the region as experts
in both original creations and
crucial updates. They have a small,
dedicated team of professionals,
all of whom have degrees in
cartography. “It takes time to make
a map. It’s a laborious job. It takes
skill,” says Production Manager
Francisco Valor, indicating the
amount of proficiency and
precision needed to make every
map as accurate as possible.
Without that accuracy –and the
aesthetics to go along with it–

Distrimapas Cartografía has a small, dedicated team of professionals on staff, all of whom have degrees in cartography.
Production Manager Francisco Valor: “It takes time to make a map. It’s a laborious job. It takes skill.”
the company would not have the
reputation it enjoys. And with more
than a dozen companies in Spain
(three of them in the Catalonia
region alone) providing the same
kind of service, they have to
do all they can to maintain the
leading edge.
“The geographic basis for all our
maps is Spain, and our goal is to
provide full cartography coverage
for all cities, regions and provinces
in the country,” García explains.
In addition, they produce European
maps and world maps, and many
customised projects for large
companies like Michelin.
Distrimapas Cartografía gets its
cartographic data from a variety of
sources, including older maps and
updates from provincial councils,
city councils, ministries of public
works, the ICC-Catalonia
Cartographic Institute, and
sometimes even Spain’s IGN-
National Geographic Institute.
But they also have their own
comprehensive database from
which they draw quite a lot of
cartographic information.
“The Sevilla City Council is
one organisation that sends us
information every single month
with changes in street names,
new streets that have been built,
and any other changes that have
been made,” García says.
Tourist Friendly.
The challenge, he adds, is taking
cartographic information and
making it pleasant to look at and
easy to decipher, yet keeping it
cartographically sound. “A street
map where the names of the streets
are unreadable because the streets
are so small is not useful at all,”
he says, requiring the experts at
Distrimapas Cartografía to use all
their skills to refurbish the data into
a tourist-friendly product.
The staff uses PCs and Macs to
prepare CDs, which in turn are sent
to other companies that output CtP
plates. “We deliver files that can’t
be manipulated, so if there are
any errors, they’re our errors,”
Valor says. And that is why they
have the teams and the teamwork
they have –to avoid those errors–
and it’s why the results, which are
sold in markets, malls, variety
shops and speciality stores all over
Spain, have such a solid reputation.
Distrimapas Cartografía’s :Grand
Sherpa Universal further extends
their customer service reputation.
As García points out, if a new
portion of a route or a tunnel is
opened that changes the driving
landscape, they can produce an
entirely new map of the area for
any company or organisation that
needs it, and they can do it almost
instantly. It is a high-quality, high-
speed, short-run alternative for any
job. The company also uses the
:Grand Sherpa for all its proofing.
Value-Added Service.
“The installation of our :Grand
Sherpa Universal allows us to
provide more services in parallel
with our standard mapmaking
responsibilities,” García says.
“Companies, provinces and even
individuals may ask for a framed
map at a specific size, and we are
able to provide that.”
The :Grand Sherpa Universal has
a high-powered engine for fast
printing speed and uses piezo-
15
electric technology for precise
placement of ink on the page.
Its specialised eco-solvent inks
are UV and weather resistant for
extra durability, and non-toxic
for cleaner, more cost-effective
operation.
“We had been using Agfa products
several years ago when we were
still working with film separations.
When we saw the need for a
‘plotter,’ we knew that Agfa
was one of the first suppliers to
consider,” García says.
“The installation of our
:Grand Sherpa Universal
allows us to provide more
services in parallel with our
standard mapmaking
responsibilities.”
Much of their competition provides
Technology
the kind of complex maps that are
synonymous with the scientifically- Marketing
and geographically-oriented world Points of View
of professional cartography. That,
however, is not what everyone User Profile t
wants, and Distrimapas Cartografía Trends
has always been a savvy enough
marketer to know it. Recently the Highlights
newspaper El Periodico wanted to
do a promotion that involved a
Catalonian map. “They could
easily have gone directly to the
Cartography Institute for a map
to use in the promotion, but they
knew it would be too complicated,”
García says. “They preferred our
version.” 쐍
 16

Improving Performance
On Press.
WHEN PLATES AN D P R E S SR O O M C H E M I C A LS M EET.

Pressroom chemicals allow the press to perform with higher quality results and less downtime.
Poorly formulated chemicals can cause delays in the printing process and reduce the quality
of the finished product. Agfa’s pressroom chemicals expert Frank Van Damme explains the
benefits of using chemicals and plates that are a made for one another.

As prepress and pressroom
technology continues to forge
ahead, pressroom chemicals need
to keep pace with the changes.
“The challenge is to give printers a
choice of reliable solutions that will
work in the demanding, modern
pressroom,” says Frank Van
Damme. “The printer is looking for
q Technology dependable products that increase
Marketing print quality and press productivity
without any compromise on press.
Points of View
User Profile “We’re always looking for ways
to improve plate performance.
Trends And when you think about it,
Highlights who is in a better position to make
high-performance chemicals than
the company that makes the plate.
By optimising chemicals for
specific Agfa plates, we can
improve performance significantly.”
Fountain Solutions.
Fountain solutions are carefully
formulated to provide optimum
damping of the plate. By helping
to maintain a stable and consistent
ink/water balance, a well formu-
lated fount solution contributes to
a stable and predictable press run.
Different presses require different
solutions. Plates respond differently
as well. By using the solution for a
specific press and a specific plate,
you are doubling the performance
capabilities.
Plate Care Products.
Plate Cleaners remove ink from
the image area and desensitise the
non-image area to allow clean
start-up. Plate cleaners also
remove oxidation and scratches
and correct other plate defects.
Widespread adoption of CtP has
shown the value of using plate
cleaners formulated for a particular
plate technology. “We manufacture
analogue, digital thermal, visible
light, silver and photopolymer
plates. Because we understand
the demands of each technology,
we create care products that work
best with each—for Agfa as well as
non-Agfa plates,” says Van Damme.
Agfa also offers other chemicals
designed to keep the press room in
optimal condition.
Press Washes.
A good press wash maintains
press cleanliness and print quality
while minimising press downtime.
Water and non-water formulations
are used, depending on the
application.
Standard press washes are used on
a daily basis for the removal of wet
ink and paper lint. Special washes
are used for press maintenance to
restore the rubber surface of rollers
and blankets and to remove dried
ink, varnish, gum glaze, etc.
These washes can also be used for
difficult ink colour changes.
Speciality Chemicals.
These include anti-foams,
special press cleaners, ink strippers
and other chemicals for special
purposes. 쐍

:ApogeeX Upgrades to Support
Adobe’s PDF Print Engine.
:ApogeeX prepress production software will
support Adobe’s PDF Print Engine technology.
Agfa Graphics has worked with Adobe since the
conception of the new technology to ensure that
it can be seamlessly integrated into :ApogeeX,
thereby protecting the investments of customers.
The Adobe PDF Print Engine is a component that
fits perfectly into the modular :ApogeeX architec-
ture. After the process of integration with other
:ApogeeX components and third-party software
packages, the system will be subjected to an
extensive beta programme before final release.
:ApogeeX customers will be offered a software
upgrade programme to benefit from the PDF Print
Engine when available.
Facilities Management Worth
110 Million Euro with News
International Ltd.
Agfa Graphics signed a strategic ten-year
partnership with News International Ltd. in the UK.
News International will adopt a brand new
production model whereby Agfa Graphics ensures
full facilities management from file intake to press-
ready plates. The deal includes CtP equipment,
enterprise-wide software, violet digital printing
plate materials as well as 24/7 staffing, support,
maintenance and technical service for The Times,
The Sunday Times, The Sun and News of the World.
El País Invests 1.2 Million € in
Total Digital Solution.
Agfa Graphics has signed a major contract
with Spain’s leading newspaper El País. The deal
includes three violet-laser, high-speed :Polaris
platesetters for :N91v digital plates, each with
:Arkitex NewsDrive and Pre-Ink automation
software, plate processing and punch and bending
equipment. Including the two-year service con-
tract, the value of the deal is 1.2 million €.
El País cites high-level quality and reliability
as one of the reasons it chose to partner with Agfa
Graphics. Agfa Graphics’ newspaper solutions have
earned an excellent reputation for professional
service and responsiveness, as well as best-in-class
expertise in the integration of equipment, software
and consumables.
Agfa Users Sweep America East
Competition.
The majority of awards won at the America East
Printing Quality Awards are users of Agfa’s visible
light CtP systems and/or plates.
17
Technology
The Journal Register Company, publisher of Marketing
more than 60 newspapers walked away with top Points of View
honours for the second straight year at America
East (Hershey PA, U.S.A.) in 2006. The Journal User Profile
Register Company uses Agfa’s :N91 plate, designed Trends
specifically to provide superior results in long-run
newspaper production, as well as :IntelliTune Highlights t
image-enhancement software, which analyses the
tone, colour and spatial characteristics of each
image and automatically applies the necessary
corrections for the best and most efficient
reproduction on press.
In addition, the Journal Register was recently
accepted into the 2006-2008 International
Newspaper Color Quality Club, the printing quality
competition run by Ifra (an international associa-
tion for newspaper and media publishing), the NAA
(Newspaper Association of America) and PANPA :Arkitex IntellTrack monitors
(Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers’ Association). newspaper production.
Other award-winning Agfa visible-light users
included: The Eagle Tribune of North Andover, MA;
the Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester, NY;
and the Buffalo News of Buffalo, NY.
:Arkitex IntellTrack for Better
Newspaper Production Monitoring.
The :Arkitex IntellTrack system helps newspaper
production managers improve the monitoring of
all their production processes. Based on a joint
development project with Prolmage (acquired by
Agfa in 2001), :Arkitex IntellTrack is a web server-
El País invests 1.2 million € in total
based tool that interfaces with a newspaper’s digital solution.
overall production system using special software
‘spies’ called Agents. The Agents, in turn, send all
appropriate information back to IntellTrack to
analyse, and then produce real-time diagnostic
reports on files, folders, production variations
and more. The system fits seamlessly into any
newspaper’s workflow and can track individual
elements as they move from one system to
another.
:IntellSyst, Built with Intelligent
Device Management Technology.
Better diagnostics and faster resolutions are
among the benefits of :IntellSyst, a system that
uses the latest in intelligent device management
(IDM) technology to perform accurate and secure
diagnostic services over the internet.
More than 2000 newspaper customers are
now using the sophisticated system, which
provides an automatic exchange of diagnostic
information between newspaper production sites
and Agfa’s Enterprise Server via the web and the
customer’s local area network (LAN). :IntellSyst
can automatically notify the Agfa Global Service
team of a problem, often before production
personnel at the newspaper are aware that a
problem even exists.
18
:Arkitex AdCenter and AdControl
Chemistry-free plates for violet-laser CtP
Handle Display Ad Production.
are to be available soon.
Specifically designed for the busy and often
complex functions of newspaper display advertise-
ment production, the new :Arkitex AdCenter and
AdControl modules form a single management and
reporting infrastructure for workflow and tracking.
These enterprise level, web-enabled tools
seamlessly integrate with existing newspaper
ad systems.
AdCenter provides precise tracking and
efficient management of in-house print and web
ads, while AdControl automates receiving and
matching of digital ads with newspaper production
ad bookings. Together they provide a flexible,
customisable solution to meet all display ad
requirements, from snapshot views of the current
state of production, to analytical reports on
throughput and convenience.
:ABISS—the Agfa bulk ink supply system.
Sneak Peak at Chemistry-Free Plate
for Violet-Laser CtP.
Visitors to IPEX 2006 in England were treated to
a technological preview of Agfa’s chemistry-free
plate for violet-laser CtP systems. The new plate
uses a technology called ‘photopolymerisation’ to
achieve the digital imaging. The plate is preheated
to stabilise and harden the printing image so that
non-image areas can be safely removed. New and
existing violet CtP users will be able to upgrade
their CtP installations to these new chemistry-free
plates. As viewers saw, the plate offers good visual
contrast and provides easy, clean and high-quality
handling in the pressroom.
:Anapurna L and XL Take Digital
Printing to New Levels With Agfa Ink.
Two new inkjet printers, the :Anapurna L and
:Anapurna XL, bring digital printing another leap
forward not only because of their advanced built-
in technology, but also because they include Agfa-
made inks and media for even higher-quality work.
:Anapurna L and XL take digital printing to
new levels with Agfa ink.
Both new systems offer high-volume industrial
printing onto flexible or rigid media using Agfa’s
UV-curable :Anapurna ink. Maximum print width is
63 inches for the L and 98.5 for the XL, and it also
enables borderless printing capability and white
ink printing.
New Ink System for
Wide Format Printers.
:ABISS –the Agfa Bulk Ink Supply System– is a
professional ink refill system made specifically
for the :Grand Sherpa Universal 90-AM and the
:Grand Sherpa Universal 65-AM wide format
:Interface is an international publication. Some products and services may not be available in all countries. Please contact your local Agfa dealer or sales office for availability.
printers. The new system offers users longer
automated production cycles, resulting in
effortless, unattended printing, and the results
are marked by improved saturation, a uniform
gloss appearance, and much faster drying time
than with other inks.
An ideal solution for those who need to print
with minimal intervention, :ABISS requires no
cartridge switching, has no overflow worries, can
be refilled during printing, and adds to a printer’s
waste reduction efforts.
:Afirma Process Control For
Quality Plates on Press.
Newspaper CtP managers have a unique new CtP
platemaking process they can choose that
guarantees quality plates on press. :Afirma Process
Control eliminates the need for inefficient manual
and random plate checks by monitoring and
controlling targeted prepress parameters.
Reports can easily be accessed on location or
even remotely via a web interface, and automatic
alarms provide warnings of impending problems,
significantly reducing costly plate remakes
and providing a continuous quality check on
the plates.
Three New ‘Energetic’ Thermal Plates.
Three new thermal plates for the offset plate
market have helped make Agfa the supplier with
the widest selection of digital plates for commer-
cial, packaging and newspaper printers. The three
new plates are called :Energy, :Energy Marathon,
and :Energy Elite.
:Energy, a general purpose thermal plate
designed to offer new levels of reliability, quality
and consistency for thermal platemaking, is based
on several years of Agfa experience and innovation
in thermal plate technology. It can be used on any
830 nm thermal platesetter and can be processed
in virtually any processor with the :Energy
Developer.

Enhanced Workflow Management
with :ApogeeX 3.0.
:ApogeeX 3.0 is the newest version of Agfa’s
high-performance, enhanced-quality workflow
management software. With connectivity
enhancements, :ApogeeX 3.0 integrates easily
with non-Agfa workflows, and also provides many
different ways to automate prepress functions
even further than before. Using JDF (Job Definition
Format) and JMF (Job Messaging Format)
standards, :ApogeeX 3.0 enables users to accu-
rately determine how jobs should be processed,
and it then reports back progress for cost-
calculation purposes.
According to the latest reports, there are
now more than 23,000 :Apogee and :ApogeeX
installations improving prepress efficiency at
printers all around the world.
:Delano 2.6 WebApproval for
Improved Proofing and Markup.
Further improving the softproofing responsibilities
of printers, :Delano 2.6 WebApproval offers a
growth path to a full project management suite,
and with options such as :Delano StreamProof,
users can now proofread, markup and approve
high resolution production files in real time using
a standard web browser.
Beyond just softproofing, :Delano 2.6
WebApproval also offers improved spot colour
support, a more effective user interface, and
quicker system response. In addition, version 2.6
handles more pages for more users and greatly
assists with special printing jobs, such as inserts
and posters.
:ApogeeX PackEssential and
PackControl Packaging Solutions.
Two new packaging software solutions are of
particular interest to companies that do offset
printing of labels, folding cartons, and metal.
:ApogeeX PackEssential and PackControl are
designed either to interface between design
software and output engines, or to fully integrate
existing packaging workflow with Agfa plateset-
ters, imagesetters, proofing solutions and screening
software.
PackEssential performs such functions as
rendering, step-and-repeat and nesting accord-
ing to the JDF (Job Definition Format) instructions
it receives from Plato, which is a layout software
package from Esko-Graphics. PackControl is a com-
prehensive packaging pre-production solution that
meets the needs of large printers and converters
who need automation for all high-level workflow
management. It expertly combines streamlined
user interaction with professional control.
19
Technology
Marketing
Next Generation B2 (4-up) CtP. Points of View
User Profile
:Acento II brings high-quality thermal plate
imaging to commercial and package printing Trends
operations who require 4-up or B2 formats. Highlights t
Users may upgrade at any time from the
cost-effective :Acento II E model to the high-
productivity :Acento II S. A new drum balancing
system supports a wider range of smaller presses.
:Acento II images all thermal digital plates :Palladio II M is a manual version
including Agfa’s :Thermostar Plus, the new :Energy of the :Palladio II.
range of plates, as well as chemistry-free :Azura
and developer-free :Amigo.
For printers who prefer the low cost of
ownership of violet-laser CtP, the 4-up (B2)
:Palladio II range brings increased plate
throughput up to 28 plates per hour at 1200 dpi.
The :Palladio II M (manual) images 17 plates per
hour at 2400 dpi and 23 at 1200 dpi, making it
one of the most affordable CtP systems on the
market, especially suited for small commercial
printers and small newspapers. The fully automatic
:Palladio II images 20 plates per hour at 2400 dpi
and 28 at 1200 dpi.
:Apogee PrintDrive LE
‘Digital Light Table’.
For those situations where an interface is
needed between non-Agfa workflows and Agfa
platesetters, filmsetters, proofers and plate
technologies, the :Apogee PrintDrive LE provides
a cost-effective solution.
Functioning as a ‘digital light table’, PrintDrive
LE connects the prepress department with the
press room. It features ‘OpenConnect,’ which
provides easy importation of 1-bit TIFF and DCS
Copy Dot files. An optional WebGrowth function
takes specific press characteristics into account to
create profiles for any press. The :Acento II E is a cost-effective
alternative that can be upgraded at any
time to the high-productivity :Acento II S.
:Avalon CtP in Violet.
The new :Avalon LF Violet incorporates violet-laser
technology into a state-of-the art external-drum
platesetter. The new model uses a variation on
Agfa’s HD imager found in the :Avalon thermal
:Avalon CtP in Violet.
engines with a proprietary imaging technique
to provide the high image contrast needed for
high-speed violet plates. Agfa offers a range
of models using single and multi-diode
configurations and various throughputs
to meet printers’ individual needs.
The throughput for the initial
models will range from 20 to 30
plates per hour but faster models
will be announced at a later date.
The system is compatible with
Agfa’s :Lithostar and :N91V
violet plates.
:Interface Takes Top
Awards in New York
City and New Jersey.
WIN S TO P H O NO U R I N 2 0 0 6 AT B M A - N Y C ( NEW YO RK C IT Y).

:Interface was honoured with an Impact Award, the top honour in BMA-
NJ’s “Internal or External Magazine” category during the organisation’s
Annual Impact Awards celebration on April 25, 2006 in New Jersey, U.S.A.
On June 8, 2006 :Interface took home a second recognition getting the top
honour in the “External Magazine” category at the BMA-NYC ACE Awards
ceremony.

:Interface is published in Thank you.

14 languages with a worldwide
print circulation of 120,000. It’s great to win awards from
Its goal is to provide readers an independent source like BMA.
with information that will help Our most valued critics, however,
them grow their businesses, are you, our readers. Your sugges-
including articles on technical tions and comments have helped us
trends, user profiles and marketing to make :Interface such a success.
strategies. Thank you. 쐍

Introducing :Interface e.
Because you have told us how much you value
:Interface, we are bringing you “:Interface ”. e
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:Interface is an electronic version of the publication
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