Customers Moving to CtP Love Platesetter’s Automation and Ease of Operation Ridgefield Park, NJ – July 18, 2002 – A mere six months after the first unit was shipped, Agfa has delivered more than 150 of its popular new platesetter, the Palladio, Agfa’s newest member in its family of violet-laser computer-to-plate (CtP) solutions is a fully automated, 4-up flatbed platesetter designed for small- to medium-sized printers. Introduced at Print ’01, Palladio began shipping in January 2002, and since then has taken the world by storm. The platesetter, targeted at the small to mid-size printer, has helped more than 150 printers move to CtP with a fully automated and reliable machine. "As a small- to medium-sized printer, we chose the Palladio because it offers advanced automation that was not available with other platesetters," said Larry Kuhlman, co-owner of Bramkamp Printing Company in Cincinnati, OH. "With its step-saving features, we are able to handle more projects than before, without sacrificing quality." "We are very pleased to have bought one of the first Agfa Palladios. The violet laser imaging technology in the Palladio will save us a lot of money and material in the long run," said Susan Goldsmith, President, Marcus Printing in Holyoke, Mass. "The Palladio can produce a constant stream of ready-to-use plates that minimizes our downtime, and keeps the presses continuously running. We wanted an affordable, reliable, automated and fast platesetter - we found that with the Agfa Palladio," Goldsmith added. The Palladio offers the 4-up printer an advanced, automated, integrated CtP solution at an affordable price, making the move to CtP much easier and less risky. Palladio gives the smaller printers the efficiencies and cost-of-ownership advantages of violet-imaging technology. "We are extremely pleased with the rapid market acceptance of this unique platesetter," said Frances Cicogna, Agfa’s Senior Marketing Manager, CtP Systems. "The Palladio's automation is what the small to mid-size printer needs to reduce costs and improve the bottom line," Cicogna added. Advanced Automation Features Agfa Palladio is a fully automated system that requires minimal attention from operators. It features: - Automated plate loading and handling - A special media cassette keeps 50 plates online – no need for manual loading - Automatically slip sheet removal - Flatbed design and horizontal storage of plates, ensuring maximum reliability - Precision-engineered transport system for accurate imaging - Extremely reliable violet laser diode, providing consistent output A Complete Solution For CtP Workflow No other manufacturer brings such a wide range of solutions for CtP. Agfa solutions go beyond the platesetter to include advanced workflow (Apogee), high-quality screening (Agfa Balanced), digital proofing (Sherpa), responsive service and support (Agfa Professional Support), and all the other elements today's customers need to succeed with CtP. Agfa Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of the Agfa Group, which ranks among the world's leading imaging companies. Agfa develops, produces and markets analogue and digital systems, primarily for the graphics industry, medical radiography, non-destructive testing, micrographic and motion picture film, and consumer imaging and photography markets. The Agfa-Gevaert Group employs about 21,000 people. It is a global organization with 40 national sales organizations and 120 representatives worldwide. In the U.S., Agfa is headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, and employs 4,000 people. Product and company information may be found on Agfa's home page on the World Wide Web at www.agfa.com.