With the introduction of the new KODAK SONORA NEWS Process Free Plate for newspapers, Kodak is making it possible for newspaper printers to completely eliminate plate processing equipment and processing chemistry from the prepress process. As a result, newspapers can save time and money and reduce environmental impact compared to violet plates and even “chemistry free” plates. The new plate is being previewed in the Kodak stand (Hall 5, F09-1) at drupa.

SONORA NEWS Plates are the only process free plates specifically designed for newspaper applications, where they work well both in manual and highly automated platemaking operations. They are ideally suited for KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS and KODAK GENERATION NEWS Platesetters.

“Getting to press fast is critical in the newspaper publishing industry, and because SONORA NEWS Plates remove the processing step, newspapers can reduce that time by simply imaging and punch/bending the plate and going quickly to press,” said Rich Rindo, Kodak’s Director, Worldwide Graphics Marketing, and Vice President, Graphics Entertainment and Commercial Film. “Kodak has a long history of bringing innovative products to the newspaper industry that improve efficiency, and these plates are the next logical step in improving newspaper production.”

While violet plates require some sort of processing equipment and chemistry, use a less stable imaging process than thermal, and have special plate handling conditions, SONORA NEWS Plates remove all these sources of potential variability, so printers can count on more stable, consistent plates for reliable quality. In addition, because there is no chemistry to buy, store, and dispose of, printers are able to reduce costs and environmental impact with the SONORA NEWS Plate.

Delaware Printing, a newspaper printer, has been using Kodak’s process free plates for more than three years and recently switched to the SONORA NEWS Plates. Delaware Printing converted to process free plates to streamline its production process and reduce the amount of equipment it maintains.

“The process free plates enabled us to remove a significant amount of equipment and materials out of our operations, including processors, the related chemistry and two ovens,” said Tom Bugbee, General Manager, Delaware Printing. “The performance of the SONORA NEWS has been flawless. It’s a great, reliable plate, and the speed that we can produce them at is now about the same as our previous process technology, but with way fewer headaches.”

Delaware Printing prints several of their own newspapers including The Delaware State News and a wide variety of commercial publications throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

The SONORA NEWS Plate will be available worldwide in Q3 2012.

For more information about Kodak at drupa, visit www.kodak.com/go/drupa.