Film and Environmental products to the fore

Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) is committed to the continued development of new products for the traditional non-digital workflow and this is being demonstrated at IPEX 2002 by the launch of Kodak Premier Recording Film. The traditional methods of imaging will be eroded by computer-to-plate (CtP) but KPG feels that its substantial customer base will only erode comparatively slowly as conventional workflows will continue to provide flexible, cost-effective, reliable quality output through imagesetters. There are a lot of them around the world and they will not all disappear overnight.

Emphasising the importance of film the theme of the stand will be "The Big Picture" with a strong movie influence. Film star look-a-likes will be present to welcome visitors to the KPG stand and be photographed on a movie set.

Kodak Limited manufactures the graphic arts film for most of the world at its impressive plant at Harrow. Last year Kodak made a significant investment to modernise the graphics manufacturing facility. The project was worth almost £5million and will ensure that Kodak has world leading graphics arts film manufacturing capabilities to serve the industry for a long time to come.

Kodak Premier Recording Film System
The Kodak Premier film was announced earlier and now it is being launched into the worldwide graphic arts market. Premier Recording Film is a new hard dot film that improves quality and consistency, increases speed and optimises chemical usage. Available in a broad array of sizes, Premier Recording Film is compatible with a wide selection of existing imagesetters as well as being designed to take advantage of advanced features in the newest recording devices and film processors.

Premier Recording Film improves the competiveness of film-based printers by increasing quality and productivity. It's enhanced matte technology makes it ideal for flexographic printing.

Kodak Gen 5 rapid access film
The Kodak Gen 5 family of films is ideal for a range imagesetting requirements including newspapers. The films provide a very stable platform that delivers day-to-day consistent results at incredible speeds whilst using less chemicals. Using the latest Kodak processor, Kodak Gen 5 film can be processed within 20 seconds whilst using 25 per cent less chemicals than other systems.

Kodak Gen 5 films meet the needs of today's customers who want rapid access platforms for their convenience and consistency, yet require even greater performance for faster processing and lower chemical usage. They are reliable, easy to use, and can be easily installed and calibrated quickly. With minimal set-up time, the benefits of the systems are almost immediate.

An easy-feed design allows users to load film rolls into cassettes under ambient light, eliminating the need for a darkroom. Kodak Gen 5 films also feature anti-static protection and low sensitivity to scratching, reducing the chance of scratches, while ensuring reliable transport in imagesetters.

KPG Printers Enviroservices Programme (PEP)
Care of the world we live in is important and KPG will have representatives of the Printers Enviroservices Programme (PEP) available for discussion with customers who are interested in managing their waste streams in a better way.

The Printers Enviroservices Programme (PEP) covers a wide range of products and services tailored to each customer's individual requirements. Kodak Polychrome Graphics has always supplied equipment to manage environmentally sensitive materials, such as silver.

As well as on-site treatments, PEP offers a removal service for unwanted waste from customers' sites. This programme takes care of the safe disposal of not only photographic chemicals but also of waste film, plates, solvents and rags.

Kodak Polychrome Graphics has provided chemical management systems for some time, modifying or reducing all film processing chemicals to have less effect on the environment and help compliance with increasing legislation.

Various CMS Silver Recovery Systems are available which extends and optimises the life of the fixer solution leading to reduced usage, cleaner wash water and lower silver levels in the waste water. The silver recovered earns money, which cuts costs and contributes to a cleaner environment.

Chemical mixing can be a messy occupation. Kodak Polychrome Graphics has a range of three CMS-Mixer models, which provide easy operation, and handling of developer and fixer. They ensure automatic, continuous supply of accurately mixed, fresh chemicals as required for up to four film processors.

The Kodak Polychrome CMS-Aqua 620 monitors the processor's activity and replenishes the exact amount of fresh water per film necessary for efficient washing and archival stability. Thus improved image quality is linked to cost savings in reduced water usage.

About Kodak Polychrome Graphics
Kodak Polychrome Graphics provides one of the broadest product and solutions portfolios available in the graphic arts industry today, including a wide range of conventional lithographic plates and computer to plate solutions, Kodak branded graphic arts films, digital, inkjet, analogue and virtual proofing products, as well as workflow solutions and colour management tools. With headquarters in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA, the company 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: -
Pat Holloway, Kodak Polychrome Graphics
Tel: +44 1923 655799; Fax: +44 1923 242704