PRINTING PLATE UPDATE -- New Precious Metal

As for the no-process Fujifilm plate announced at Drupa 2004, Crawford says the company is "serious about pursuing this application, so commercialization announcements are pending. This product will be aluminum-based and have many operating features of existing Fujifilm thermal plates."

Responding to changes in the marketplace, including the trend toward shorter runs, Heidelberg is now looking to add a processless plate offering to its portfolio, Boggess says. "Two years ago, that wasn't in our plans, but now we are seeing a lot of low- to mid-range sheetfed customers wanting to move into processless technology."