DIGITAL PLATES — LESS IS MORE

Jim Crawford, Fujifilm: Rising aluminum costs are definitely affecting manufacturing costs and end-user pricing. In addition, uncertainty over the future of aluminum prices continues to be an area of concern and, since aluminum production requires so much electricity, rising energy costs deliver an additional layer of price uncertainty. Rising energy costs also influence the rising costs of plate packaging and distribution, i.e., carrier shipping costs. Fujifilm spends a lot of effort to have packaging that protects plate products as they transport through the rigors of the distribution process.