CHICAGO, IL - For some people, it saves time. With others, it makes more money. For Pat Zovickian, the co-owner of Allegra Print & Imaging in Norcross, Georgia, it’s both. It is the A.B.Dick DPM34 SC digital platemaker, the most advanced and newest generation of the best selling small format CTP device in the industry. By combining the DPM34 and 8 mil polyester plates with A.B.Dick’s 9985 true two-color and two, 9910 offset presses, she is realizing the dream that led her into the printing business three years ago. A former energy industry worker, Zovickian and her husband, Bill, lived in Connecticut before relocating to Georgia. She had a strong interest in the graphic arts industry for many years and decided to act on it. She decided to buy the Norcross shop, which has been in existence since 1987, after research sold her on buying into the franchise business in 2001. “I would have done this a long time ago if I had known the difference it would make for my business,” said Zovickian. “With the DPM34, we’re making more money and saving a lot of time. Our pre-press people get jobs to press much faster, which makes us more productive.” The DPM34 hails from A.B.Dick’s incredibly successful Digital PlateMaster family of products. Recognized as the industry leader with more than 3,000 installations, the DPM line features award-winning technology that provides superior quality while reducing pre-press steps and limiting operator involvement. When a DPM is equipped with ScanMaster, the innovative digital scanning solution makes a DPM’s affordability even more attractive. The DPM34 also offers patented ThinDrum technology. Combining high quality with the consistency of internal drum technology, less drum surface removes any potential air pockets and eliminates friction, a selling point Zovickian found very appealing. “Some competitors had a virtual drum set-up but not A.B.Dick. They had the real thing,” said Zovickian, who also talked with other print shop owners before making her decision. “I looked at Heidelberg and a few others, examined the specs and compared pricing. I am extremely pleased because I didn’t think we would get quality equal to what they were saying the DPM34 SC would deliver, but we do. We wanted to keep up with technology and offer better pricing while cutting costs. Film and metal plates are very expensive these days.” With only six employees plus Zovickian, time and money are at a premium. Local manufacturers account for 50 percent of the shop’s income. The other half comes from a variety of different businesses and the typical quick print stationary items. She said the 9985 two-tower press handles the four-color work, with the 9910s responsible for one and two-color jobs. “I’m very pleased with the training we received from A.B.Dick for the DPM34 SC. We learned a lot in two days and they were very thorough.”