Wake Forest, N.C. — Newspaper publishers and print production houses continued to retire conventional prepress systems in 2010 in favor of Southern Lithoplate violet computer-to-plate (CtP) technology in order to meet increasing quality and efficiency demands.

Among the companies that converted to violet CtP is Newspaper Service Co., Inc., a PAGE Co-op member headquartered in Panama City, Fla. In 2010, Newspaper Service Co. completed the upgrade of production processes at seven printing sites begun two years earlier. Collectively, the seven locations are responsible for four daily newspapers under 6,000 circulation and a total of six weeklies and biweeklies.

Cody Richard, production manager, called the ECRM MAKO NEWS violet platesetter and Southern Lithoplate Replica™ HSV violet plates the logical choice for Newspaper Service Co.

“Between imagesetters becoming obsolete, the growing scarcity of film-related supplies and the expense of maintaining all those antiquated imagesetters, processors and plate burners, it was foolish not to move to violet CtP throughout our entire group,” Richard explained. “When you put a pencil to it, CtP pays for itself, and violet CtP made the most sense dollar for dollar.”

The Ruston Daily Leader in Ruston, La., and Jennings Daily News in Jennings, La., became the first Newspaper Service Co. sites to adopt violet CtP in 2008. MAKO NEWS units and Replica plates then followed at the Perry News-Herald in Perry, Fla.; Richmond News in Richmond, Mo.; Ennis Daily News in Ennis, Texas; San Benito News in San Benito, Texas; and Southwest Times in Pulaski, Va.

“Timeliness is as important at small newspapers as it is at large newspapers, but it’s harder to accomplish,” Richard noted. “Now we achieve speed savings more easily. Our overall quality has improved as well. That’s number one. We have 20 percent fewer errors since switching to CtP.”

The Argus-Press Co. in Owosso, Mich., is another newspaper company adding Southern Lithoplate digital solutions. The Argus-Press purchased the ECRM NEWSmatic 60, Presteligence NewsXtreme Lite newspaper workflow software and Replica plates. The PAGE Co-op member has been under the management of the same family for four generations.

Waccamaw Publishers, Inc. in Conway, S.C., implemented the NEWSmatic 60 and Replica plates. The locally owned and operated company publishes the Horry Independent, News & Shopper, Loris Scene, Carolina Forest Chronicle, Myrtle Beach Herald and Horry County Business Journal.

The Register-Pajaronian, a PAGE Co-op member in Watsonville, Calif., converted to the NEWSmatic 60 and Replica plates. The News Media Corp. paper is published three days a week with a circulation of 6,000 copies.

G Printing in Glendale, Calif., installed the MAKO NEWS and Replica plates.

The Livingston Enterprise, a PAGE Co-op member in Livingston, Mont., purchased Replica plates. Published Monday through Friday afternoons by Yellowstone Newspapers, the Livingston Enterprise circulates 3,250 copies.

The Imperial Republican in Imperial, Neb., also purchased Replica plates.