ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 9 -- JP Graphics Inc. of Appleton, Wis., has acquired three different printing firms since 1998, transforming itself from catering primarily to quick print customers to a midsize commercial print provider. Rod Stoffel, JP Graphics President, grew up around his family's print shop “with the letterpress clanking away in the basement” and purchased the family business eight years ago. As JP Graphics evolved, Stoffel placed an emphasis on improving productivity and found solutions to increase capacity working with Kodak. “Kodak showed us they have a real desire to partner with midsize printers. In today's world, with web to print and remote proofing, we compete with everybody and anybody. It is critical that we are highly efficient,” Stoffel said. “With our latest acquisition 18 months ago, we went from 25 people to 50 people overnight. We wanted to find ways to increase productivity and serve more customers.” JP Graphics had been using CTP technology for eight years and recognized that investing in technology was a smart decision. The company decided to add a KODAK LOTEM 800 II QUANTUM platesetter with a five cassette automated plateloader, and KODAK PRINERGY workflow system with rules based automation and automated page assignment features. “In our business, speed equals higher customer satisfaction. The automated plateloader on the KODAK LOTEM 800 II platesetter lets us queue up a 48 or 56 plate job, and the plates come out stacked and ready to go to press. It saves us time and manpower,” Stoffel said. JP Graphics uses KODAK WINNER and KODAK SWORD Excel plates with Ultra Grain technology in its printing operation. The LOTEM 800 II QUANTUM platesetter uses KODAK SQUARESPOT thermal imaging technology to maintain sharp resolution and end to end data integrity, from the original file to the press, despite variations in production. The fully automatic sequence of platesetting produces press ready plates without intervention. Plates are loaded automatically from a cassette, followed by slip sheet removal. The customized, inline punch system automatically punches plates according to the press profile selected in the workflow system. Plates are then automatically mounted on the drum for imaging and unloaded directly into an optional inline processor. The LOTEM 800 II QUANTUM platesetter offers multiple loading cassette configurations to suit any need. JP Graphics, which also has a KODAK DIGIMASTER 9110 digital production system on its production floor, found the addition of PRINERGY workflow software has “created more file integrity and helped eliminate errors,” Stoffel said. KODAK PRINERGY workflow systems are modular and scaleable PDF and JDF based workflow solutions for commercial and publication printers, inplants and tradeshops. They deliver intelligent automation; optimized production management; advanced KODAK STACCATO screening and KODAK SPOTLESS printing solutions; and flexible integration options for unprecedented speed, quality and control in production.