HANOVER PARK, Ill., October 2002 — When Mike Rink took over the reins of his father’s small print shop in 1985, he had very BIG plans for the company’s future. Foremost, he wanted to invest in technology that would transform the South Bend, Ind.-based business from a "glorified instant printer" into a real commercial contender. Installing new equipment from prepress to bindery — and, as a result, seeing double-digit growth for nearly a decade — Rink is presently positioning the company for a 2003 transition to CTP. The first phase of the computer-to-plate conversion involved installing a new Fujifilm FINALPROOF digital color proofer. "We do a lot of work for advertising agencies, recreational vehicle manufacturers, colleges and universities, and other [major] companies. We put in the FINALPROOF to get customers used to digital proofing," explains Rink, president and CEO of the company that bears his name. "The transition from analog to digital proofing was transparent. Customers love it! "They’re thrilled that we don’t have to output additional film to make changes, which saves them between $300 and $500 per flat," he continues. "In the past, moving a comma or deleting a period cost hundreds of dollars because we’d have to re-output film. With the FINALPROOF, changes are made on the computer, and the only cost is re-RIPping time and any file intervention. The result is a tremendous savings in hands-on manpower, which can be shared with customers." Significant savings are also being realized in quicker makeready, since digital proofing is a lot faster than analog, Rink states. The FINALPROOF, which offers up to 2,540 dpi halftone resolutions and output screens up to 200 lines, produces one B2 proof in about 15 minutes. Based on the FujiProof Color-Art standards, the FINALPROOF features pigment-based CMYK colors that are exposed using Fujifilm’s laser-diode thermal-transfer technology, which allows for lamination to the same printing stock used on press. According to Rink, the quality of the FINALPROOF is "exceptional," because the halftone dot offers the same color integrity and consistency as an analog proof. For high-end, color-critical work, Rink says, "there isn’t a digital proofing device on the market better than the FINALPROOF." The upcoming CTP transition will strengthen Rink Printing’s foothold on the future, contends the company’s 40-year-old owner, who earned his master’s degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology. "We’re earning a reputation as one of the premier printers in the Midwest," Rink concludes. "Investing in cutting-edge technology is a big part of our success."