HANOVER PARK, Ill. (April 14, 2002) - At the recent Kansas City Chiefs "101 Banquet," where NFL Players of the Year receive their coveted awards, all eyes were on the program - printed by Pittcraft Printing, the official printer of the Chiefs. The 24-page program, containing bios and photos of the winners and presenters, was produced on Pittcraft’s new computer-to-plate system, which features a Fujifilm Javelin Luxel T-9000 CTP thermal platesetter, a PictroProof digital color proofer and a C-550 Sprint scanner. Designing and producing everything from stadium signage to team posters and pocket schedules, Pittsburg, Kan.-based Pittcraft is the Chiefs printer behind the scenes. The 35-employee company is also a Gold and Silver Sponsor of the team’s annual "101 Banquet," which benefits the Chiefs Children’s Fund. As a banquet sponsor, two tables are reserved in the company’s name. This year, Michael Strahan, NFC Defensive Player of the Year, sat at the Pittcraft table. For Strahan and other award winners in attendance - such as Ray Lewis, Cordell Stewart and Coach Bill Belichick - the Pittcraft-printed program commemorates the evening, as well as their outstanding achievements in the NFL during the 2001-02 season. "We’ve been printing for the Chiefs for 15 years," says C.E. Starkweather, Pittcraft’s prepress specialist. "We do the pocket schedules, pocket folders, media guides, flyers, Kids Club material, stadium signage and so on. We have also done a lot of design work for the team." With the Pittcraft name on all of those high-visibility products, such as the 100,000 pocket schedules that are distributed across the state, Starkweather emphasizes the importance of quality printing. In business for more than 50 years, Pittcraft has earned a reputation for printing top quality products. That quality was upped a notch last fall, when the company installed computer-to-plate. "We went Fuji across the board," explains Starkweather. "We looked at all the brands, had all the reps in, visited a few plants, compared products. And, we checked around with other printers who owned Javelins. We couldn’t find any problems with the machine. People all over the country didn’t have anything bad to say about Fuji plates or the machine, so we thought Fuji was the way to go. "The technology has proven itself," Starkweather adds. "What’s touted about the plates is true. They say the plates will do a good job, and they do. There are no hot spots, and there’s very little waste. And, the Javelin is fast!" In addition to speedy output, the Javelin’s automatic internal plate punch ensures repeatability, so plates are always in register. When the plates are in register, Starkweather says, turnaround is quicker. "We’ll get a job in the morning and can have it on press in the evening," he claims, crediting the PictroProof and C-550 scanner for contributing to the speed and efficiency of the overall process. The PictroProof, a two-page digital contone proofer, uses a laser diode-exposed imaging process to produce fast, high-quality color results. Using CMY donor material and receiver paper to simulate commercial printing ink and stock, the PictroProof replicates the color and feel of an analog proof without any chemicals or toners. Noting the PictroProof’s accuracy, affordability and ease-of-use, Starkweather describes the device as a solid proofer that quickly earned the trust of clients and staff alike. "The customers signed off on it, and the pressman have had few complaints," he says. "It’s a good proofing machine." As for the C-550 flatbed scanner, Starkweather says, "again a Fuji product lived up to the touting: The C-550 scan is close to drum quality. It’s a great little machine. "All the Fuji machines are great," he reiterates. "We just love the equipment!" Since running its first thermal plate on Oct. 4, 2000, Starkweather reports, "we haven’t seen any film come through. CTP provides sharper print and more contrast than film. Plus, we’ve upped the line screen to 175 and that helps make a better product." Pittcraft has been producing "a better product" for its customers for nearly 50 years. By continually investing in technology, such as its most recent addition of computer-to-plate, those products are looking better than ever. Products like those printed for the Kansas City Chiefs annual "101 Banquet" held in February. Those same commemorative programs picked up by NFL greats also went home with other banquet guests - like those seated at the Pittcraft table. For these lucky employees (whose tickets were provided by company co-owner and mega Chiefs fan, Tim Collar), the Pittcraft-printed programs commemorated not only the NFL award winners, but it was also a special evening in which printers meshed with players. "Getting to attend Chiefs events like the ‘101 Banquet’ is one of the ‘bennies’ of the job," says Starkweather. Acknowledging there are definite advantages to being the Chiefs printer, he cites one of his personal favorites: tickets on the 30-yard line with field access before games. "As the Chiefs printer, we work closely with the sales and marketing department," Starkweather concludes. "The inside connections are great!" Headquartered in Hanover Park, Ill., the Graphic Systems Division of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. offers a full array of high-quality products and services including: Saber, the world’s fastest platesetter; Dart and the Javelin Series, cost-effective thermal platesetters; Sumo, the world’s fastest imagesetter; the Brillia line of thermal and visible light digital plates; FINALPROOF, a digital halftone dot contract proofing product; PictroProof, a dye-based digital color proofing system; and Quattro, the award-winning flatbed color scanner. Fujifilm’s line of color electronics equipment includes a complete range of imagesetters, RIPs, flatbed scanners and computer-to-plate systems. In addition, Fujifilm has a full line-up of film products and aqueous-based conventional subtractive plates.