ROCHESTER, N.Y. - At the 58^th Distripress Congress in Toronto, Kodak experts will meet with customers to address the changing needs of the newspaper market and showcase the latest KODAK Solutions designed to help streamline production and enhance efficiency. The annual international meeting, which takes place Oct. 7-10 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, attracts more than 700 newspaper publishers and printers from around the world.

“Distripress is one of the industry’s most exciting and engaging events, drawing the industry’s best and brightest from around the globe,” said John O’Grady, Kodak Vice President and Regional Managing Director, U.S. and Canada. “We’re excited that the Congress is back in North America and for the valuable discussions and insights that the event will bring.”

At the Kodak booth (#5), Kodak experts will be available to share ideas on leveraging existing assets to boost revenue, maximizing automation and improving profitability. Visitors to the booth can also see real-life examples of how Kodak is helping its current customers gain a competitive advantage with value-added applications and innovative technologies.

“For years, Kodak has provided its newspaper customers with products and solutions designed to help them stay competitive, expand their printing capabilities and, most important, generate new revenue,” said O’Grady.  “The Distripress Congress serves as a great venue for Kodak to continue to strengthen its relationships with newspaper customers. Our experts will be on hand to discuss the challenges our customers are facing in the industry and their goals for growing business.”

Embracing the “Distribute and Print” Model

Among the Distripress Congress attendees will be newspaper printers looking for viable solutions to accommodate the “distribute and print” business model. This model marks a growing trend where newspapers produce small runs onsite to distribute locally as required rather than transporting newspapers to their destinations by air.  Visitors to the Kodak booth can learn how the KODAK PROSPER 5000XLi Press and KODAK VERSAMARK VL4200 Printing Systems are proving to be reliable options for these types of customers.

The KODAK PROSPER 5000XLi Press features a wide web width and impressive durability on coated papers, along with a color gamut up to 30 percent wider than offset printing.  With the Intelligent Print System (IPS), the PROSPER 5000XLi Press automatically monitors and adjusts settings throughout production to ensure the highest-quality output. The press even includes a number of innovations to eliminate page imperfections caused by paper stretching and wrinkling, and uses a text-enhancement tool to ensure crisp, readable output.  

The KODAK VERSAMARK VL4200 Printing System is also a nice choice for newspaper printers looking to accomplish short-run or remote newspaper printing. The VL4200 Printing System meets the demands for high-end print and color and is capable of full-page digital color variable printing applications.

Saying Yes to Hybrid Imprinting

For those attendees looking for a custom printing solution, the KODAK PROSPER S-Series Imprinting Systems are ideal for hybrid technology. Hybrid printing enables newspapers to print static content using their offset printing systems and seamlessly add in variable content using their digital printing systems. The KODAK PROSPER S-Series Systems leverage this technology to bridge the gap between digital technology and offset presses to help boost revenue and grow readership through highly targeted applications. Newspapers can use PROSPER Imprinting Systems at full production speed to create high-value monochrome or CMYK applications.

Prioritizing Efficiency

Kodak’s digital offset plates, computer-to-plate devices, advanced proofing and screening solutions, and high-performing workflow and automation solutions are also helping printers maximize operational efficiency and print quality. Attendees at the Kodak booth are invited to learn more about KODAK SONORA NEWS Process free plates, which simplify platemaking for newspaper printers. These plates eliminate the need for processing chemistry and equipment and help newspapers save money and achieve high-quality imaging with reduced environmental impact.