ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct.16— Since founding A. Maciel Printing in 1984 with his wife, Monica, Alfonso Maciel has always placed a premium on running an environmentally friendly company. After all, he and his wife had both grown up in and around businesses run by their parents and they expected their children to do the same around the San Francisco print shop they owned. The Maciels wanted a company that was Earth and kid friendly—and it turned out being green was good for business, too. “We wanted our operation to be as clean and safe as possible. It was a decision we made from the start and it turned out to be very good for business,” said Maciel. A. Maciel Printing was a “green printing pioneer,” he added, becoming early an adopter of recycled paper and soy based inks. The company also worked to find energy efficient presses and alternatives to high volatility solvents. In keeping with this environmental consciousness, Maciel selected KODAK THERMAL DIRECT non process printing plates. “The chemistry free plates from Kodak perform great and fit perfectly with our environmental philosophy,” said Maciel, who has been joined in the business by his son, Alfonso Jr. The company does most of its work for nonprofits in the area and the pro Earth stance has attracted business from customers such as the Rainforest Action Network, American Land Conservancy, Greenpeace, ForestEthics and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. The KODAK THERMAL DIRECT non process printing plate is the industry’s only non process plate featuring a traditional grained and anodized aluminum substrate, creating a true “drop in” plate product with the familiar look and feel of a presensitized aluminum plate. Based on fourth generation thermal technology, the new plate does not require the use of a processor or modifications to imaging devices or the press. In addition, THERMAL DIRECT plates are compatible with all popular thermal computer to plate (CTP) imagers, and a wide range of inks and fountain solutions. In addition to the plates, A. Maciel Printing also recently purchased a KODAK PRINERGY EVO workflow system, KODAK MAGNUS CTP platesetter and KODAK MATCHPRINT inkjet proofing solution. “The PRINERGY EVO workflow system is the best we’ve found being offered in the print industry. It saves us a lot of operator time because of the automated imposition and trapping features. We’re more satisfied by the day using the PRINERGY system,” said Maciel. KODAK PRINERGY workflow systems are modular and scalable PDF and JDF-based workflow solutions for commercial and publication printers, inplants and tradeshops. They deliver intelligent automation, optimized production management, advanced KODAK STACCATO screening and SPOTLESS printing solutions, and flexible integration options for unprecedented speed, quality and control in production. The latest release PRINERGY 3.1 workflow systems feature Rules-Based Automation and Layered PDF Versioning, JDF-based integration to centralize and automate traditional and digital print workflows, and technology enhancements to support complex PDF workflows with exceptional accuracy and predictability. KODAK products are backed by KODAK Service and Support, Kodak’s worldwide service organization. Named Best Support Organization at the 2006 International Business Awards, KODAK Service and Support includes more than 3,000 professionals in 120 countries. These professionals are fully qualified to help customers control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.