Mortsel, Belgium -- Agfa Graphics announced that Jiefang Daily Printing Centre, located in Shanghai, China, is the first newspaper printer in China to use Agfa Graphics' N92-VCF printing plates. Thanks to Agfa's violet chemistry-free plate technology, Jiefang Daily will make great progress in its aim for eco-friendly print production.

Jiefang Daily Printing Centre has 4 Agfa Polaris XTV platesetters. Together they produce about 70% of the newspaper's printing plates. Jiefang Daily is pleased with the high automation, increased efficiency and improved quality of Computer to Plate systems. Now that the entire workflow management is automated, the next goal for Jiefang Daily is to realize full CTP production and reduce waste in the production cycle as a consequence. Switching to CtP technology has already allowed the factory to reduce 50% of its chemical waste. Following a clear trend in China, Jiefang Daily plans to take up more social responsibilities hence eliminate even more chemical waste. Jiefang Daily is the first printer in China to adopt Agfa's N92-VCF (Chemistry Free) plate technology.

Upgrading from the conventional photopolymer plate system turned out to be easy for Jiefang Daily, without the compromise in speed and quality. The conversion of the conventional plate processor to a gumming processor went very smoothly. The configuration was intensively tested to ensure that production requirements could be met. Today, the violet chemistry-free plate has proven to be the ideal solution for Jiefang Daily. It eliminates chemical waste, thus contributing to an eco-friendly production, and at the same time eases plate handling and produces a very constant output quality.

Mr. Zhang Xiaoming, General Manager of Jiefang Daily, commented: "Agfa's N92-VCF truly is an eco plate. The outstanding quality is amazing - it has a good imaging resolution, excellent dot reproduction, and a better ink-water balance that helps shorten make-ready time." He also pointed out, that water is a valuable resource. "The gumming unit is very easy to maintain ' all you need to do is exchange the protection gum when necessary. Last but not least, the plate perfectly meets our production requirements, both in terms of run length and print quality." Jiefang Daily is planning to gradually increase the use of chemistry-free violet plates throughout the production and aims for a print production that is totally environment-friendly.