SONORA NEWS Plate technology helps newspapers reduce costs and environmental footprint without sacrificing quality or productivity

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - KODAK SONORA NEWS Process Free Plates are now able to help even more newspaper printers reduce costs and environmental impact. Kodak will showcase SONORA NEWS Plates at the World Publishing Expo 2013 (IFRA Expo & Conference) October 7-9 in Berlin, Germany in booth 1.2.400 and at the Distripress Congress, October 7-10 in Toronto, Canada in booth #5.

Previously, only small to medium-sized newspapers in the U.S. and Canada had the option of using a process free newspaper plate—the KODAK PF-N Non Process Plate. Now, newspaper printers in other regions of the world and even larger newspaper printers can enjoy the benefits of process free with SONORA NEWS Plates.

Designed for both manual and automated platemaking environments, SONORA NEWS Plates enable newspaper printers to get their jobs to press faster by eliminating the time needed for traditional processing. For automated prepress operations, SONORA NEWS Plates now offer a significant advantage—a darker contrast than was possible with previous process free plate technology.

Addressing the need for an easy transition to the new plates, Kodak continues to work closely with NELA and Burgess to ensure that the new SONORA NEWS Plates work seamlessly with their latest automation equipment, such as vision punch/bending equipment, bar code readers and de-interleaving equipment.

SONORA NEWS Plates enable the elimination of plate processing equipment and processing chemistry and are the only plates designed for newspaper applications that offer this benefit while delivering the quality, productivity, and print capability of mainstream processed plates. Running on the GENERATION NEWS Platesetter, SONORA NEWS Plates are able to be imaged at speeds up to 240 plates per hour. In addition, SONORA NEWS Plates help save time and money and reduce environmental impact compared to violet plates and “chemistry-free” plates.  Unlike violet plates, SONORA NEWS Plates do not require any prepress processing, providing printers more stable, consistent plates for reliable quality.

“With KODAK SONORA NEWS Process Free Plates, Kodak adds value to newspaper production while enhancing productivity and increasing efficiency. Because there is no chemistry to buy, store, and dispose of, printers are able to reduce their costs and environmental impact without sacrificing quality,” said Rich Rindo, General Manager of Kodak’s Worldwide Graphics Marketing organization. “Newspaper publishers, regardless of size, can now take advantage of this breakthrough and remove the plate processing step entirely, which ultimately helps newspapers improve their bottom line.”