In this issue we ask some of these printers about their transition to CTP and hear how they made it all happen.

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1 Computer-to-plate (CTP) is now a mature technology and is increasingly being implemented as a means of streamlining print production. CTP is well known for its ability to help a printer increase productivity and maximize quality on existing offset presses. Screen provides a comprehensive range of total CTP workflow solutions. There are plenty of success stories of printers who have been able to rise to new levels and expand their business opportunities by making the move to CTP. In this issue we ask some of these printers about their transition to CTP and hear how they made it all happen.

2 Shorewood EPC Europe Successful launch of new specialist print operation with PlateRite 4000 Shorewood EPC is a joint venture between Shorewood Packaging in America and the EPC group of repro and printing companies in Bristol, Cardiff and Cwmbran. Shorewood specializes in home entertainment related print such as CD packaging and is a market leader in the USA. Looking to break into the European market, the EPC group was a natural partner and the cooperation has resulted in a new factory fully equipped with the latest technology. Shorewood EPC chose the PlateRite 4000 thermal platesetting system as part of its new 15 million pound investment in Ebbw Vale, Wales. "The home entertainment print requirements are quite special with small format step-and-repeat needs. There are frequent reprints of varying print runs," explained Managing Director Colin Bennett. "With B2 computerto-plate we have eliminated the use of film which can be messy when re-imposing for reprints. Going direct to plate gives us flexibility on imposition and content. We can batch up individual CD cover designs without any limitation which gives us a very efficient operation." "We have a PlateRite 8000 in Bristol which has proved to be a good investment, so it was natural that we continued with Screen computer-to-plate, albeit at B2 size in Ebbw Vale." Within a short time, Shorewood EPC was producing 2,000 plates a month to feed the one B3-size and two B2-size Heidelberg presses. The platesetters image Fuji Brillia plates, which are also used at EPC Direct in Bristol. As the operation grows, another PlateRite is planned together with another press to meet the anticipated demand for up to 8,000 plates per month. EPC was founded in 1991 by Colin Bennett, Nick Smith and Tim Vernon-Dier. The first site was based in Cwmbran and the company soon extended to factories in Cardiff and Bristol. Originally a group of repro companies, the first press was installed in Cwmbran in Adopting a filmless policy, EPC went immediately to a manually operated computer-to-press operation. Today EPC and Shorewood EPC are operating PlateRite thermal platesetters with Screen's advanced autoloaders. The operation of the PlateRite 4000 is completely automatic at Shorewood EPC with the optional SA-L4000 autoloader. This enables 100 plates to be imaged without manual intervention. The PlateRite 4000 thermal platesetter can produce up to sixteen B2+ plates an hour at 2,400 dpi resolution. Using thermal imaging technology, PlateRite produces crisp dots suitable for long print runs and the plates can be handled in daylight. First generation images ensure high quality and consistent printing results. Elecronic Page Co Ltd Matthew Trounce, Managing Director Stafford Street Bedminster Bristol BS3 4DA Phone / Fax / "We have eliminated the use of film" Mike Bishop at Shorewood EPC setting up the Screen PlateRite 4000 B2+ thermal CTP system. 8

3 Fulmar PLC Europe Fast and confident transition to automated CTP When Fulmar made the decision to move into CTP operation, they took the direct route. They installed two PlateRite 8000 thermal platesetters, configured with Screen's MA-L8000 multi-cassette auto-loader option. At the same time Fulmar's existing Taiga capacity was expanded with the addition of a new Sun Enterprise Server and various software modules. "It is frightening how productive our Screen CTP operation is. I have been holding off investing in CTP for five years, but now the time is ripe," explained Chief Executive Mike Taylor. "There were four obstacles, as I saw it, to overcome to make CTP viable at Fulmar. The first was that film is such a convenient, cheap and long life storage medium. We can now see RAID technology, jukebox CD storage and DVDs as an alternative solution. Secondly, the cost of metal and materials has come down to reasonable levels due to increased competition," continued Mike Taylor. "We now have affordable B1 digital ink-jet proofing of a suitable quality. Finally, thermal imaging of plates is the way to go with more consistent high quality results than conventional platemaking." "In the first two months of operation, the first PlateRite 8000 installed produced 4,600 Agfa Thermostar plates of high quality," commented Vince Grima, Managing Director of Osier Graphics, the subsidiary of Fulmar where the PlateRite 8000s are installed. "We have always had good fit of plates here at B1 level because we have been running a one piece film operation with the Screen imagesetters for the last decade. But we have always battled with spots on the plate and struggled to keep a clean environment. That has been cured with CTP to the relief of the group's machine minders." This was the first installation outside of Japan for the MA-L8000 multi-cassette auto-loader option, which has important benefits for Fulmar. Not only does this system enable unattended operation of the PlateRite 8000 possible for a complete working shift, but it also enables the platesetter to be fed with varying plate sizes. At Fulmar there is a mix of B1 and B2 presses and with this system plates can be produced automatically, according to the size and order required in the pressroom. The plate production schedule is controlled completely from the TaigaSPACE system. Fulmar is one of the largest Screen customers in Europe and now operates ten TaigaSPACE workstations together with a number of Screen scanners and large format imagesetters. Computer-to-plate systems are now operational at subsidiaries W E Baxter, White Quill Repro and Osier Graphics. Fulmar Colour PLC Mike Austin, Marketing Director The Orion Centre 108 Beddington Lane Croydon CRO 4YY Phone / Fax / Vince Grima (left) and Mike Taylor of Fulmar PLC with the Screen PlateRite 8000 computer-to-plate system. 9

4 Image Corporation San Jose, USA Self-made printer continues to make the right moves Not many successful printers go from being a one-man operation working out of their garage to one with 60 employees in only 12 years. That is what Don Watson has accomplished with Image Corporation, a San Jose commercial printer. While smart in relying on traditional craftsmanship, Watson is savvy in using the latest technology. This explains his decision to install Screen's PlateRite 8000 thermal platesetter. The PlateRite 8000, one of the fastest thermal 8-page platesetting devices in the industry and the crown jewel of Image Corp's digital prepress department, is responsible for feeding all of the company's work to its digital printing division. Watson has linked the PlateRite 8000 with three Screen TaigaSPACE workflow systems. Initial reports indicate the platesetter, with its inline auto-loader and plate processor, as well as its 4,000 dpi plate capability, is ahead of schedule in terms of productivity. "We are very pleased with how the PlateRite 8000 has performed so far," said Watson, whose company currently leases 15,000 square-feet of space. "We chose it for its speed but I also like its connectivity. It gives us true digital integrity and the dot screening is exceptional. Everything we do goes through the PlateRite 8000, and it has worked very well in feeding our MAN Roland 306 digital printing press." Watson's desire for excellence has positioned Image Corporation for success. The company combines traditional workmanship and the latest technology with a philosophy that meshes well with high quality work, and is supported by unsurpassable service and reliability. It is evident in each of the three digital divisions - prepress, printing and large format - as well as its photo retouching department. "We began as a prepress stripping company before deciding to buy our own scanner to save time and money," said Watson, explaining his first association with Screen. "We felt Screen had superior scanners at the time. It was the best move I ever made." Watson now has a pair of Screen's hallmark SG 737 digital drum scanners, both of which are digitally linked to Image Corp's server network. He also uses two Screen imagesetters, the MT-R page and DT-R page devices. Together with the three automated Taiga systems, which provide imposition, trapping, and file editing before final output directly to proof, plate or film, all of the equipment is integrated with Mac/PC workflows. The Taiga systems are also networked with the presses and cutters to generate CIP3 files for automatic ink fountain adjustments on press. Fuji's Final Proof digital proofing system helps support true digital integrity with the same resolution and dot screening of the PlateRite Image Corp. Don Watson 2161 O'Toole Ave., Suite F, San Jose, CA Phone / Fax / Digital prepress employee loading the PlateRite

5 Olympus Printing Florida, USA Jacksonville shop makes transition to digital in three days When Tom Zaccour Sr., President of Olympus Printing, and his son Tommy, the company's vice president, decided to make the move to digital printing, they were confident it would be an easy transition. After a year of research they chose the PlateRite 4000 thermal CTP plate recorder from SCREEN (USA) and made the CTP transition seamlessly. "We were doing 100 percent of our work on the PlateRite within three days," said Tommy Zaccour. "There was no need to keep running both film and plates. The PlateRite has not only met, but exceeded our expectations and continues to do so. The speed of the machine is amazing. Our prepress department saves an average of half an hour or more per job, which has allowed us to remain an eighthour operation rather than add another shift." Olympus has a broad base of customers, which includes several statewide financial institutions that have come to rely on the shop to turn around quality work in short time periods. With such a wide range of jobs, the pressmen find themselves running a variety of materials from 4-color brochures and newsletters to letterheads and forms. "You can switch between resolutions on the fly and run your 150-line screen work, go right to 200-line and back without separating them. You can also jump between plate sizes with ease," explained Zaccour. "And it saves time in the pressroom as well; you just put on the plate and go. The registration is perfect and the color is accurate within 100 sheets." Zaccour said in addition to Screen's reliability, it was the features of the PlateRite 4000 that sold him on the machine, especially the way it handles the light source. By using a 32-channel diode, the plate recorder can keep running even if a laser goes out. "We had a laser go down and we were able to keep running until it was repaired," said Zaccour. "Everything has gone so smoothly. This is such a user-friendly machine it took our staff no time at all to learn how to use the equipment." Zaccour said he had expected a smooth transition to CTP for his talented staff of 20, since they were already imposing four-up film. He added that the computerized touch screen guides you step by step through the process, making operation easy to learn. "The biggest hurdle is the chemistry for developing the plates," said Zaccour, who uses Western Litho LT-1 plates. "You need to work with the plate manufacturer to make sure the chemistry and the heat settings are correct so the plates come out correctly." According to Zaccour, Western Litho sent a representative out for the first week the PlateRite 4000 was installed to help the staff adjust to the new system. Once the plates were developed properly, Olympus began outputting 100 percent of their jobs on the machine. Olympus Printing Tommy Zaccour 3027 Dawn Road Jacksonville, FL Phone / Fax / The ease of operation and speed of the PlateRite 4000 are qualities that Zaccour has come to appreciate during the time they have owned the machine, but it was reliability and customer service issues that were foremost in the decision to purchase the PlateRite Unhappy with the service provided by some manufacturers they had previously dealt with, Zaccour said they looked to Screen for a change. "I have been very pleased with the response of Screen's service department," said Zaccour. "They get right back to you and are very knowledgeable and willing to help." The CTP speed team with their PlateRite

6 Communicorp Georgia, USA Manager's research pays off with increased speed and quality As manager of electronic prepress for Communicorp, Tom Coker handles projects for an elite stable of customers. Forty percent of the work is performed for insurance giant and parent company AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE: AFL). The remainder is general commercial printing for an impressive list of US companies. Working for one of the largest and most advanced sheetfed printing and fulfillment centers means making decisions for the right reasons. So when it came time for the company to upgrade its quality platesetting equipment, Coker chose Screen (USA) for the PlateRite 8000, one of the fastest 8- page thermal platesetters now available. "We spent two years researching the thermal platesetting market. Within the first 30 days of installation, it was already exceeding our first six months projections," revealed Coker, who joined Communicorp three years ago. It was a positive experience with Screen's 8-page DT-R3100 imagesetter at his previous company that led him to PlateRite. "We looked at several thermal brands. Two of our vendors mentioned Screen and the more management and I looked at it and learned about PlateRite, the more we liked it." Coker originally estimated he would be using the PlateRite 8000 for about 50 percent of his workload in the first six months. But with the new plate recorder's superior speed and ease of use, along with Coker's talented staff, 95 percent of the work is now going through the PlateRite This kind of speed was one of the features Coker liked about Screen's first thermal device. Almost 90 percent of his work is 6-color, ranging from annual reports and brochures to catalogs and sales flyers. He also does some internal magazines for AFLAC, 5-color jobs that go to the $29 billion company's thousands of employees. This type of work requires many scans and halftones, and it is an area where the PlateRite 8000 is making a difference. "Using the conventional method, it was taking about 20 minutes to make a plate so between our two imagesetters, we were getting eight plates an hour," said Coker. "With PlateRite, we are getting 10 to 12 plates per hour at 2,400 dpi and quickly phasing out film." Coker is also impressed with PlateRite's advanced internal punching system. Screen's auto-balance feature ensures recording of different sized plates with no manual adjustment, and eliminates human error. "The six punch blocks are very reliable. Our pressmen hang the plates and the first sheet is automatically registered," said Coker. "It has cut makeready time unbelievably." The PlateRite 8000 helps produce the high quality look Communicorp's customers demand. "The prints off the PlateRite 8000 are so sharp, we've had to build a gain into our plates for some of the older work," said Coker, who on average uses 800 Kodak plates per month. "We also increased our line screens. Before they were 150 to 175 lpi. Now they are between 200 and 225 lpi." Coker and his staff do a 4-color job every three to six months for AFLAC, producing two million 9 x 12 inch pocket folders. "We run the job 2-up, typically running four or five sets of plates," said Coker. "The first time we did it with PlateRite, we used one set. There was no breakdown of the plates and they didn't wear out." Communicorp was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of AFLAC Incorporated in Communicorp employs 194 people and brings together experienced professionals to provide printing, graphic arts, mailing and promotional incentive services to its parent company and commercial customers. A Fortune 500 company (currently no. 205), AFLAC insures more than 40 million people worldwide. Earlier this year, AFLAC was named the top insurance company for the third year in a row on Fortune magazine's listing of "100 Best Companies to Work for in America." James Woodall of VP Marketing with Nettie Scarbrough and Marshall Long from Communicorp s prepress department. Communicorp Tom Coker 1001 Lockwood Ave. Columbus, GA Phone / Fax /

7 CTP technology, a groundbreaking innovation in itself, is now being taken to even higher levels of efficiency by advanced automation options and powerful workflow solutions. Screen provides total solutions designed to integrate and optimize your investment in CTP technology. These include Trueflow, the intelligent RIP workflow system for streamlined network production, as well as the SA-L and MA-L series of single and multiple cassette autoloaders for state-of-the-art CTP automation. PostScript 3 PDF File check Import Auto-trap Page RIP Output RIP'ed PS Outline PDF RIP'ed PS RIP'ed PDF RIP'ed PS TaigaSPACE Digital Plate Recorder Macintosh Windows PlateEditor FlatWorker Prepress site Windows Macintosh Proof Spooling Film Recorder Large-format printer FlatRunner CIP3 Plate Plate making site Press site Press PlateRite 8600/8000 Screen s PlateRite 8600/8000 series of thermal 8-up platesetters are acclaimed in the market for their speed, reliability, and sharp-dot quality. They feature a solid external drum design and the industry s leading plate handling and clamping systems, enabling consistently fast operation and high-quality output. They also feature an auto-balance system so that no manual adjustments are required for different plate sizes. A range of automatic internal punching options are available that are renown for enabling perfect register on press. The series also supports Spekta screening, the new AM/FM hybrid screening method that blends the strengths of both conventional screening and stochastic screening. The 8600 series features boosted speed for a wider range of plate sizes down to GTO size as well as support for 8-mm clamps. PlateRite 8600/8000 Series Autoloaders The PlateRite 8600/8000 can be configured for long automatic operation with a single cassette autoloader (SA-L8600/8000). This can hold up to 100 plates and automatically removes interleaf paper. A multi-cassette autoloader (MA-L8600/8000) that holds 3-5 cassettes can be added on to the single autoloader. There is also the optional AT-T8001 processor bridge to extend this automation all the way through to the plate processor. With a full-automation setup it is possible for a staggering 500 plates of five different sizes to be loaded, imaged, and processed via the inline processor, all without operator intervention. SA-L8600 PlateRite 8600 PlateRite 8000 SA-L8000 You can count on the speed, accuracy and quality of PlateRite series platesetters to deliver significant gains in the pressroom, including less waste, less rework, and greatly reduced makeready. PlateRite 8600 PlateRite 8000 MA-L8600 MA-L

8 Vol. 12 (New Edition) Teranouchi-agaru 4-chome, Horikawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, JAPAN Phone / Fax No Printed in Japan FSM