Mortsel, Belgium – 30 August 2004 – Agfa announced today that it has signed a major deal with the Daily News of Thailand to convert the newspaper’s operations to a full computer-to-plate workflow. This makes the Daily News the first newspaper in Thailand to adopt a CtP workflow. The new installation will include two :Polaris XDV platesetters, :Sublima technology for high-quality screening with no extra effort on press, and :N91v violet photopolymer digital plates. :Arkitex software (Producer, Newsdrive) will automate the workflow and :Arkitex AutoInk will integrate with EAE’s Print PP to facilitate ink settings and printing. The contract signing ceremony took place at the Imperial Queens Park Hotel in Bangkok and was attended by the top advertisers and publishers of Thailand. Agfa’s trading partner in Thailand is BJC Trading of Bangkok. The Daily News currently uses three imagesetters from Agfa in a film-based workflow with ProImage Newsway production software. The new Agfa computer-to-plate system will cut cost and time by eliminating the film step while improving production speed and print quality. :Polaris XDV is a special version of Agfa’s leading CtP systems range designed to meet the high production speed requirements of newspapers in Asia with large-format presses. :Sublima cross-modulation screening technology will enhance print quality dramatically to ensure high-quality colour for editorial and advertising. :N91v violet photopolymer digital plates meet the quality, speed and run length requirements of the Daily News while offering reliable handling even in challenging circumstances. The Daily News uses 300 plates per day or an annual volume of more than 100,000 sq.m. “When the time came to make an investment in prepress operations, we wanted first and foremost to work with a reliable partner with an established reputation in the newspaper market,” said Prasong Hetrakul, executive director of Si-Phya Publishing Co Ltd, the media company that published the Daily News. “It did not take us long to see that Agfa was high on our shortlist. The quality, speed and dependability of their violet systems have made them a market leader. They also offer the best service and support network in our region. But :Sublima screening was the icing on the cake. We will be printing at quality levels that no one in Thailand has seen from a newspaper press.” “We are proud to be working with Si-Phya Publishing Co Ltd to make newspaper CtP a reality in Thailand,” said Kurt Smits, director of Agfa’s newspaper business worldwide. “We congratulate them on a wise investment decision which will strengthen their leading market position and look forward to working with them closely.” “The partnership with the Daily News of Thailand is a further example of our market leadership for newspaper CtP,” said Agfa’s Graphic Systems general manager for the Greater China and ASEAN region, Andrew Wong. “We have the most extensive resources and the widest experience in our region, and we are committed to providing the highest level of quality service to the Daily News.”