Kodak’s thermal CTP technology a hit in Tamil Nadu

Earlier this year, Kodak celebrated 21 years of thermal imaging technology and its 21,000th computer-to-plate (CTP) sale at drupa 2016. In India, the print industry continued to build on its healthy growth trajectory with investments in new technology and equipment a key factor shaping the future for the country’s hundreds of thousands of printers. One region, in particular, has characterized this investment trend over the past year. In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Kodak has seen sharp demand for its portfolio of CTP platesetters with ten customers in 2016 choosing to integrate Kodak’s complete pre-press solution — thermal CTP platesetters, thermal printing plates, and Prinergy Workflow — into their operations.

By incorporating this pre-press combination, printers are realizing improvements in productivity, quality, and sustainability, especially when integrating technology like SONORA Process Free Plates.

Some of the well-known printers in Tamil Nadu which have adopted Kodak technology include:

Digital Plate System in Chennai installed their fifth Kodak CTP, a Trendsetter Q800. As a pre-press Bureau, their core needs include speed of output and high resolution to meet the exacting needs of their customers. They opted for a high-speed machine (X Speed) that delivers 2400 dpi output at a standard 34 plates an hour. Combined with Kodak plates, Digital Plate System will utilize this advanced infrastructure to expand their business in the market.

While, Frontline Printer in Guindy, which serves the publishing market (newspapers and magazines) added a second Kodak CTP machine with the purchase of a Kodak Trendsetter Q400.

Eswari Cards in Sivakasi, which was established over 50 years ago, has carved out a niche in the wedding card market, where they are well-recognized leaders offering a wide variety of options to professional wedding photographers. Recognizing market demand for a higher degree of output quality, Eswaro Cards installed a Kodak Trendsetter Q800 CTP and Kodak thermal plates.

In Madurai, Tamil Nadu’s cultural headquarters, a strong economy over the past few years has buttressed the growth of the print industry. Vijaay Offset is taking advantage of this trend and has invested in a Kodak Trendsetter Q800 for their offset production of stationery, book publishing, and general commercial printing jobs.

Olympic Cards is an existing Kodak customer, and they were running an older model of the Trendsetter 800 CTP platesetter. Their experience with Kodak and Trendsetter’s thermal imaging capabilities gave them the confidence to choose Kodak yet again, and they recently installed a hybrid Kodak Trendsetter Q800 CTP with DITR film imaging capabilities. Catering to wedding cards and stationery printing jobs, Olympic Cards is set to grow their business with the help of DITR, which produces consistent, reliable results with sharp image reproduction and exceptional background clarity.

The new installations in Tamil Nadu highlight the trust that the print industry has in thermal plate imaging technology and on Kodak’s ability to deliver on the demands of India’s burgeoning print industry.