Hudson, NH USA - At IPEX 2014 being held in London March 24-29, Presstek introduced Zahara, a new thermal offset plate engineered for waterless press platforms. Presstek is extremely pleased to bring to market, an alternative for printers using competitive waterless plates. Zahara is also suitable for printers who see the cost savings and quality improvement benefits of converting their wet offset presses to waterless. Zahara enables a true chemistry-free CTP workflow and in addition to its environmental benefits, the Zahara plate is extremely easy to use with no cover film to remove. 

Offering versatility and drop-in compatibility, the Presstek Zahara plate can be imaged on any 830 nm thermal platesetter and can be cleaned in the users existing processor with its same chemistry—however for customers who prefer a true chemistry-free workflow, the plate need only be rinsed with tap water in the user’s existing processing device. “We are happy to offer waterless press users an easy-to-use option for plate production”, said Yuval Dubois, Product Marketing Manager for the Waterless market segment. He adds that “Zahara is UV compatible, perfect for the production of plastic gift cards or credit cards, for example.”  Zahara is engineered for the industry’s small, half- and mid-size sheetfed and narrow web label presses. Customers are reporting that Zahara offers easy handling and they also report being impressed with Zahara’s resistance to scratches and solvents and its ability to carry high ink densities.   

Presstek feels that waterless press owners will appreciate that Zahara provides a choice and that it easily accommodates their existing workflow with no mechanical adjustments to their existing processor unit. With the Presstek Zahara plate, just simply image, rinse, and print for a true chemistry-free workflow.