ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. — Label and flexible packaging printers are increasingly utilizing flexographic presses and rotary letterpresses to manufacture their products. Screen has announced that it will display the newly developed PlateRite FX870 computer-to-plate (CTP) platesetter for flexographic and letterpress printing at IPEX 2006, held from April 4 -11 in Birmingham, England. The PlateRite FX870, developed by the Media Technology Company of Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd., is designed to meet the global trends of the package printing industry. A hybrid CTP system for both flexographic and letterpress printing, the PlateRite FX870 takes advantage of the customer-proven technologies engineered into Screen's PlateRite series CTP devices for offset printing. Flexography is the fastest growing printing process, representing about 25 percent of the total printing volume in North America. Flexo presses are used to print corrugated containers, folding cartons, plastic bags, labels and product wrappers. Flexography has grown in popularity since 1990 in North America and Europe with the environmentally friendly printing methods designed around water-based and ultraviolet (UV) inks. Letterpress printing is a popular method of package printing used for sticker labels and beverage cans. However, CTP devices for the letterpress industry have not advanced as quickly as the flexographic printing industry in North America and Europe. Thanks to superb quality and cost-performance ratios, demand for CTP devices targeted to letterpress printing is expected to soar. When compared to conventional plate production techniques, the PlateRite FX870 enables high-quality printing of packaged products. Standout features include improved reproducibility of highlighted areas. In addition, the PlateRite FX870 overcomes issues surrounding startup costs within the package printing industry due to its exceptional cost-performance ratio. Screen believes the PlateRite FX870 will further advance the packaging segment of the printing industry by increasing the product lineup available to meet the specific requirements of package printers. The company is developing a consolidated range of solutions for software and peripherals that will enable Screen to become the leading global manufacturer within the packaging marketplace. Commercial sales of the PlateRite FX870 are expected to begin in September.