Fairfax Media is switching its plate systems to Kodak Sonora News process free plates, Libra digital plates and Kodak platesetters.
The company says integration of Kodak’s plate and CTP technology positions Fairfax Media to deliver on its goal to drive greater cost efficiencies, automation, and increased sustainability into its daily operations.
Fairfax will switch 70 per cent of its plate volume to Kodak Sonora News plates, which are designed specifically for newspapers, allowing the company to eliminate costs, time and the environmental impact of plate processing.
This transition will remove the costs of 16 processors from various sites, while eliminating 60,000 litres of chemistry per year. From 13 sites across the country, 10 will be fully chemical-free, while the remaining three will have low-chemical systems.
Bob Lockley, group director of Print & Distribution Australasia, Fairfax Media says, “The introduction of Kodak Technology is an important part of our business strategy to meet our current and future requirements to run a high quality, efficient and sustainable production.
“With the combination of Sonora News Plates and Kodak’s thermal imaging technology, Fairfax Media will be able to lower costs from the elimination of chemical processing, save energy from lower power consumption, while also opening up opportunities to provide new levels of service for our customers.
"We had trialled the plates in a few sites, and were impressed. Fairfax has signed a three-year contract with Kodak for the plates. It is the one we believe has the best results. We wanted a thermal solution, they have the fastest totally chemical free solution, as opposed to low-chem. It is financially viable and environmentally responsible."
The remaining 30 per cent of plate volume will be handled on Kodak’s violet, low chemistry solution, Kodak Libra VP plates. The switch to Libra plates will also contribute to Fairfax’s productivity and sustainability by simplifying processing with the replacement of their traditional developer and replenisher with a single clean-out finisher.
Fairfax Media says it can further increase efficiency and save water by using an easy chem setup that eliminates the plate wash steps.
Brad Kruchten, president Print Systems Division, Eastman Kodak Company, says “We are delighted to partner with Fairfax Media to help them meet their goals to bring even greater efficiencies to their operations, expand their business into more high-resolution, high quality commercial work, while also improving their sustainability.
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