Düsseldorf, Germany – Drupa – 5 May 2004 – Agfa today announced that its already-fast violet CtP platesetting systems are being complemented by the addition of new, high speed, :Polaris systems. The enhanced versions, the :Polaris XTV-S and XCV-S, are now more than 25 percent faster than the XTV and XCV. Each system is now capable of producing 260 plates per hour, enough to satisfy even the most demanding newspaper environments. Large newspaper companies around the world would appreciate the low cost of operation combined with the high throughput of the :Polaris X, which allows them to extend their deadlines. With the reliable, single violet laser at the heart of the system, high-quality plates are produced one after the other at an astounding pace. “We are pleased that we could further enhance our already successful :Polaris portfolio, so it can reach newspaper printers that demanded more from their platesetters. The significant speed increase demonstrates that we are committed to serving the needs of all newspaper printers, from functionality through to cost of operation,” said Agfa’s Emma Isichei, worldwide business manager of newspaper digital prepress. The reliability of Agfa’s :Polaris X combined with the additional speed and some new features, such as additional paper sensors, ensure that the user can have fast, consistent and reliable plate making hour after hour.