BLANKS COLOR IMAGING -- Digital World

The slow-and-steady approach to this transition paid off for Blanks in ways beyond his expectations. "Our system is very fast, much more so than what we could have bought a couple of years ago. It turns out plates so quickly, we have no problem flowing the plates and keeping up with the presses.

"I've watched a lot of press okays," Blanks continues, "and some of the more difficult ones on very critical jobs used to take 45 minutes, an hour or even longer. Now it takes maybe 20 minutes, if we get it approved on the second or third pull. The difference is in the registration; the new system is extremely fast on register. And there's no dirt on the plates because there's no film, saving a lot of time we used to lose in remaking the plates."