Toray Industries Inc. is to meet higher global demand for its pioneering waterless plates with a new printing plate factory in the Czech Republic. The Japanese specialist expects the facility to be operational in early 2014.

Encompassing both coating and converting capabilities, the new Czech production facility will meet the needs of printers across Europe, the Middle East and North America.

“The project to establish European manufacturing capacity for waterless plates is proceeding on schedule and the engineering phase is now substantially completed. Site preparation in Prostejov is in the final stages and the erection of the building that will house the new production line for Toray waterless CTP plates will begin this summer“ states Mr. Matsumoto, General Manager, Graphics Division, Toray Industries Inc., Japan.

“Toray is investing more than 50 million USD to respond to the growing demand for waterless plates. We think our commitment will send a clear signal to the newspaper industry and encourage further investment in the best available technology for newspaper and semi commercial production.”

The move will improve technical support to customers as well as reduce costs  through simplified process flow and logistics. Matsumoto adds: “The European manufacturing site will also enable us to offer an attractive price level for waterless plates in the future.“

Field testing of the products from the new plant is expected to begin in late 2013 and commercial sales to the local market will commence in January 2014.

This latest major capital investment follows the 2003 development of a modern coating facility in Toray’s industrial complex in Okazaki, Japan, where both letterpress and waterless offset plates are currently produced.