Mount Vernon, Washington -- The Skagit Publishing company has contracted with Southern Lithoplate Inc., to convert from the use of conventional analog plates to Computer to Plate (CtP) using thermal plate technology.

This conversion is part of a planned expansion into a new production facility and the use of a Manugraph DGM Inc. single wide press. The conversion to CtP will be enabled by the installation of a SCREEN NEWS 2000S plate-make, an in-line Proteck 105 processor and Southern Lithoplates Viper® 830 thermal lithoplates.

Tom Blumenshine Production Director stated “we are anticipating that we will achieve both cost savings and improved quality with the conversion to CtP. This will be a benefit for our advertisers and commercial print customers as well as the newspaper”

Steve Mattingly, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Southern Lithoplate stated that “these are exciting times for Skagit Publishing as they move into their new facility and implement their new press. We are pleased to be able to support the effort with proven plate technology”.