Kodak set to showcase its solutions for newspapers at Wan-Ifra Berlin

The portfolio to be exhibited at the show includes Prosper 5000Xli, Versamark VL4200, Prosper S30 imprinting system, Thermalnews PT digital plates and Sonora News process free plates.

Philip Cullimore of Kodak, said, “Kodak is at the vanguard of newspaper production. Newspapers are discovering how they can adapt their product offering flexibility to be able to offer more dynamic and targeted content. At Wan-Ifra, we will be showing how they can address these content issues from full pages to variable codes,” added Cullimore.

Kodak Versamark VL4200 printing system comprises of reliable inkjet print heads and a choice of controller ideal for short-run or remote newspaper printing capable of full page digital colour variable printing. The VL4200 can print at 125 meters per minute (410 feet per minute) at a resolution of 600x360 dpi.

Kodak Prosper 5000XLi press runs at 200 meters per minute and has a width of 620mm enabling the printing of broadsheet newspapers without shrinkage. The press features a text enhancement technology and upgrades in its transport system that virtually eliminates page imperfections caused by paper stretching and wrinkling. At its core is the Intelligent Print System (IPS) designed to process thousands of press inputs that measure imaging performance, detecting variations and making adjustments as needed on the fly.

Kodak Thermal News PT digital plates provide print quality and stability of thermal plates enabling printers to eliminate the pre-heat and pre-wash stage during processing. According to Cullimore, Thermal News plates eliminates the pre-heat step, letting printers achieve greater stability and more consistent quality while maintaining productivity thereby cutting the energy utilisation by 60%. Also, it eliminates pre-wash step reducing the water utilisation by 50%.

“Completely eliminating processing not only reduces the chemistry, equipment maintenance, and energy costs of processing, but also improves process control for greater quality and more efficient operations thus reducing environmental impact,” said Cullimore. Sonora News plates are designed for newspaper applications and works well in both manual and automated platemaking environments, enabling newspaper printers to get their jobs to press fast by eliminating the time needed for traditional processing, claims Cullimore.

“Everyone is looking for solutions to help them expand capabilities, reach new markets, offer more to existing clients and attract new busines. 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," concluded Cullimore.