For Immediate Release

POLESTAR SWITCHES TO KPG SWORD EXCEL PLATES

Watford, 20th September 2004: Polestar Colchester has significantly increased efficiency at the plant following a recent switch to Sword Excel thermal printing plates from Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG). Benefits have included savings in time, cost and space in the pre-press department, while press minders have been able to print much longer runs from one set of plates.

"We conducted extensive trials of CTP thermal plates from all the leading plate suppliers and KPG's Sword Excel plate came out ahead considerably in allowing us to maintain high quality images on longer runs," says studio manager Tony Lynn.

"We've used Sword Excel plates for print runs of more than 700,000, without a pre heat or post bake, and there has still been life left in the plate. Printing companies make money putting ink on paper, not dots on plates, and if we can keep the presses running with fewer stoppages then the increase in efficiency is huge."

Polestar Colchester is also making savings in its pre-press department, which turns out around 4,000 plates per week. At present this is split evenly between the negative working Sword Excel and KPG's positive Electra Excel plates. Over the coming months the Essex site will change completely to Sword Excel plates and several Polestar sites are watching the developments at Polestar Colchester with interest.

The ability to print such long runs is partly the result of the unique double coating on the Sword Excel plate. The top coat, which prints the image, is not affected in the same way that a normal emulsion would be during exposure and the result is the ability to maintain excellent reproduction on the press even with long runs or printing UV.

"When we switch completely to the Sword Excel plate we will get rid of all our baking equipment, which will free a great deal of space in the pre-press department," says Mr Lynn. "The Sword Excel plate uses less developer in the processor than needed for a positive plate and the developer is much less likely to oxidise.

"We've processed as many as 5,000 Sword Excel plates before changing the chemicals in the bath, which means that overall maintenance of the processor is cut down. This is aided by the fact that the KPG negative processor incorporates fewer rollers than the positive version, so there is less to clean and maintenance becomes easier."

Polestar Colchester is one of the UK's major magazine printers, producing over 40 weekly magazines and more than 90 monthlies, with titles ranging from New Scientist and TV Quest to The Lancet and Pharmaceutical Journal. The company operates a range of web offset presses, including two 32-page Roland MAN Polymans, two 32-page Rotaman machines and a Heidelberg web 8 press.

"We were previously post baking about 20 per cent of plates in order to achieve the desired run lengths. This process obviously has costs associated with both equipment and the power needed to fulfil this role. When you bake a plate you can create problems of fit on the press and plate cracking due to the aluminium becoming brittle during the baking process," says Tony Lynn.

"We're delighted with the accuracy of the Sword Excel plate, which easily lets us hold a 2 per cent dot at high speed. Quality is king in the magazine sector and we need to be assured of quality from our suppliers. We've been a customer of KPG for over 15 years and it has always provided a first class service, with superb technical back-up."

Note to Editors:

Sword Excel Plates

Sword Ultra is a fourth generation thermal printing plate offered from KPG, which produces high image quality and is capable of running up to 500,000 impressions unbaked. Sword technology brings together the speed and convenience of a no preheat/no post bake thermal plate with stable, long-life negative processing. Sword Excel boasts innovative double coating technology, which requires less ink and lower water settings for improved density and colour stability on press. Its protective coatings make it highly resistant to UV inks, chemicals and pressroom handling, ensuring consistent quality and accuracy.

About Kodak Polychrome Graphics
Kodak Polychrome Graphics provides one of the broadest portfolios of digital, conventional and business solutions available in the graphic arts industry today. Products and services include a wide range of computer-to-plate and conventional lithographic and flexographic plate products, digital halftone, virtual, monitor and remote, inkjet, and analog proofing products, digital printing applications, color workflow tools, storage solutions, business solutions and Kodak branded graphic arts films. With headquarters in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA, KPG serves customers around the globe with regional offices in the United States, Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Additional information regarding Kodak Polychrome Graphics may be found on the company's website: www.kpgraphics.com.

For further information please contact:

Kodak Polychrome Graphics:
Pat Holloway, UK marketing manager
Telephone: 01923 655799; Fax: 01923 242704

PR Contacts:
Sarah Wadsworth / Philip Paris / Katie Watson
Telephone: 01372 464470

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