Kodak to Headline Future of Newspapers at WAN-IFRA World Publishing Expo 2013

Ways to add value to newspaper production while enhancing production and increasing efficiency will be presented by Kodak at WAN-IFRA’s World Publishing Expo 2013, Berlin, Germany, from Oct. 7-9 in hall 1.2, booth 2310.

Among the solutions showcased to enable newspaper and semi-commercial newspaper printers achieve high-quality results cost effectively will be the Kodak Prosper 5000XLi Press, which provides offset-class output and a combination of speed and superior quality, making it one of the most productive inkjet web presses on the market for the newspaper industry.

Kodak will also share the advantages of the Kodak Versamark VL4200 Printing System, the Kodak Prosper S30 Imprinting System, Kodak ThermalNews PT Digital Plates and Kodak Sonora News Process Free Plates. Visitors from more than 70 countries will see how these easy-to-use, latest-generation systems require minimum operator effort and offer monitoring and intervention to help increase efficiencies to improve productivity and capital costs.

“Kodak is at the vanguard of newspaper production,” said Philip Cullimore, regional managing director EAMER. “Inkjet technology will revitalize the printed newspaper – major publishers like Axel Springer and News UK have invested in Kodak Prosper S30 Imprinting Systems to link their printed and digital offerings and to exploit new commercial opportunities. “Newspapers are discovering how they can adapt their product offering flexibility, especially when it comes to being able to offer more dynamic, targeted content. At WAN-IFRA, we will be showing how they can address these content issues from full pages to variable codes. We will also be showing visitors how they can significantly impact their day-to-day production capabilities and costs with our long-run, environmentally conscious plates.”

Capable of full-page digital color variable printing, the Kodak Versamark VL4200 Printing System is a turnkey solution comprised of reliable inkjet printheads and a choice of controller, which is ideal for short-run or remote newspaper printing. The VL4200 can run at 125 mpm (410fpm) at a resolution of 600 x 360 dpi.

The faster, high quality Kodak Prosper 5000XLi Press, with its wider web width, is expanding the newspaper markets that can use inkjet technology. It will run at 200 mpm and has a print width of 620mm, enabling the printing of broadsheet newspapers without shrinkage. Using Kodak’s nano-particulate pigment inks and a print resolution of 600X600 dpi, it provides a higher print quality, and can print on a much broader range of papers. It will not replace the VL4200, which is uniquely suited to lower volume printing in “out of country” markets.

For applying elements of variable data, there is the Kodak Prosper S30 Imprinting System. The higher-performance choice for hybrid printing applications such as direct mail, inserts, gaming, advertising, package labeling and more has the highest speed in the industry at 900 mpm (3000 fpm). It delivers 600 x 200 dpi output.

“Publishers are finding that by putting unique codes in every printed newspaper, they can allow their readers access to content on their digital offerings, which would only be available to the general public behind pay-walls,” Mr. Cullimore said.

Helping to improve competiveness are Kodak ThermalNews PT Digital Plates, which provide the print quality and stability of thermal plates, while enabling printers to eliminate the preheat and prewash from processing to save electricity and water and reduce process variability.

Removing preheat can cut energy usage by up to 60%. Similarly, by eliminating the prewash step, the water consumption in processing is reduced by 50%, whilst using equal or less developer.

Totally eliminating plate processing equipment and processing chemistry is the Kodak Sonora News Process Free Plate. Completely eliminating processing not only reduces the chemistry, equipment maintenance and energy costs of processing, it improves process control for greater quality and more efficient operations, and it reduces environmental impact. Sonora News Plates can image at up to 240 plates per hour on the Generation News Platesetter, fast enough for some of the larger newspaper operations.

“By speeding up the time it takes to get jobs on press, eliminating the costs associated with processing, and reducing environmental impact, newspapers can improve their profits and be more competitive,” added Mr. Cullimore.

“Everyone is looking for solutions to help them expand capabilities, reach new markets, offer more to existing clients and attract new business,” concluded Mr. Cullimore. “Our market-ready, tried and tested portfolio is doing just that for many businesses across Europe and we are excited to see how many more we can help at WAN-IFRA.”