ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. - Consistent print quality and quick turnarounds are trademark characteristics of Custom Printing Inc. Since its inception in 1975, the family-owned sheetfed printer has built a solid reputation for customer service by delivering on its promise: "The way you want it, when you need it." This commitment to producing the highest-caliber commercial projects, direct-mail materials and agency work is evidenced by - as the company puts it - "a series of exciting changes." Among the changes was the purchase of a PlateRite 8000II thermal computer-to-plate (CTP) platesetter from Screen. The eight-up device replaced an existing machine manufactured by another company. "We visited the Screen booth at the 2005 Gutenberg Festival and discussed the innovations in platesetting technology," recalled Charles Utts, president of Custom Printing. "Screen impressed us with its PlateRite CTP design." Earlier this year, Custom Printing embarked on an "extreme makeover" that culminated in the autumn 2005 move to a new headquarters in Oxnard, Calif. Custom Printing relocated from its 19,000-square-foot plant to a 30,000-square-foot facility. To inject energy and attitude into its corporate identity, the $5 million printer revamped its company logo, capabilities brochure and website. These branding enhancements accompanied a substantial investment in capital equipment, including the PlateRite 8000II and a four-color, 40-inch press. Custom Printing employs six sheetfed presses with different sheet widths and color configurations. The prepress department averages 2,200 plates a month. The PlateRite 8000II can output plates for most presses, from GTO to eight-up. It handles 17.7 x 14.6-inch plates up to a maximum size of 45.6 x 37 inches. When outputting 40.5 x 37-inch plates at 2,400 dpi, the PlateRite 8000II can produce 13 plates per hour. "The installation went flawlessly," Utts noted. "It made perfect sense to install the CTP device and conduct training at our new facility. We had the prepress department already set up before the move, so it was a seamless transition." The company selected Trueflow 3, Screen's PDF- and JDF-based workflow management system, to drive prepress production. Trueflow 3 facilitates communication between JDF-enabled devices and systems with its JDF-based job tickets. Automation for output-ready jobs covers every stage of the production workflow, including preflight, overprint, automated trapping, imposition, multiple-format output and CIP3 PPF/CIP4 JDF. Trueflow 3 accepts industry-standard data files, such as PDF/X1-a, PDF/X1-3, Certified PDF and PostScript 3 files. "It's a great system all the way around," Utts said. "Trueflow 3 solved many problems we encountered in the past with different file types. It integrated seamlessly with our digital proofing system with only minor adjustments. The PlateRite device reduces makeready time on press. The plates are able to handle higher ink density. They print beautifully, and the Trueflow system ensures a perfect match with our proofs. Press checks usually last 10 minutes, at most." Utts applauded Screen for the company's willingness to work with Custom Printing to devise the best workflow system. "We didn't always feel a relationship existed with our previous prepress vendor," Utts said. "The nice thing about working with Screen staff is they share Custom Printing's service philosophy. That makes it a pleasure to do business."