Fujifilm signs long-term deal to provide West Ferry Printers with complete CTP solution

Fujifilm Graphic Systems has signed a deal with West Ferry Printers to supply its Brillia LP-NNW plates and a range of Krause CTP equipment and software.  West Ferry Printers, which produces the Daily Express and Sunday Express, as well as the Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday in the UK, will use the plates and CTP equipment on four printing lines at its new Luton site.  The printing solution will be provided by Fujifilm to West Ferry in partnership with Krause-Biagosch GmbH and Direct to Plate Ltd.

As part of the solution, West Ferry is installing four Krause LS Jet Multiformat 350 CTP engines, four Krause Bluefin processors and Nela plate handling and sortation systems.  The newspaper lines will be powered by Krause’s JetNet workflow solution and are already installed at the new site.  

Like all modern newspaper installations, West Ferry decided to site the CTP equipment in the press sound haven. After taking delivery of the equipment in August 2011, the first plates were produced after just one week.  However, production in earnest is due to go live in November, as part of phase one of the overall project.  Phase two will be completed in time to transfer all of West Ferry’s production to Luton by March 2012.  

“We chose Fujifilm’s Brillia LP-NNW plates after a thorough assessment of the market.” comments David Broadhurst, chief executive of West Ferry Printers. “We are moving to a new state-of-the-art site and we wanted to revitalise our production portfolio as part of the move - it didn’t seem to make any sense to move old equipment and an old solution to such a top-of-the-range facility. The build quality, robustness and longevity of the Krause and Nela equipment in conjunction with the performance and quality of Fujifilm’s plate technology are very impressive and we look forward to a successful working relationship long into the future.”

Mick Crawley, operations and project manager at West Ferry Printers, adds: “A high volume newspaper printing environment such as ours requires consistent, accurate and repeatable plate imaging on a daily basis.  The Krause LS Jet  Multi-format CTP engine with its linear drive flatbed imaging technology, when used with the Fujifilm plates, proved to provide the best solution for our long term requirements particularly when compared to other technologies in the market place.  In short, we’re very confident that we’ve chosen the right solution to accompany our business into our brand new facility.”

Keith Dalton, director, Fujifilm Graphic Systems UK, comments: “We’re delighted to be directly involved in such an exciting development for the newspaper industry.  West Ferry’s Luton site will be a fantastic showcase of newspaper production and sends out a great, positive message to the industry.”

Designed specifically for newspaper production, Fujifilm’s Brillia LP-NNW plates provide outstanding printing efficiency thanks to patented Multigrain technology, offering faithful tone reproduction and maximum productivity.


About FUJIFILM Corporation
FUJIFILM Corporation is one of the major operating companies of FUJIFILM Holdings. Since its founding in 1934, the company has built up a wealth of advanced technologies in the field of photo imaging, and in line with its efforts to become a comprehensive healthcare company, Fujifilm is now applying these technologies to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the Medical and Life Science fields. Fujifilm is also expanding growth in the highly functional materials business, including flat panel display materials, and in the graphic systems and optical devices businesses.
 
About Fujifilm Graphic Systems
Fujifilm Graphic Systems is a stable, long term partner focussed on delivering high quality, technically advanced print solutions that help printers develop competitive advantage and grow their businesses. The company’s financial stability and unprecedented investment in R&D enable it to develop proprietary technologies for best-in-class printing.  These include pre-press and pressroom solutions for offset, wide-format and digital print, as well as workflow software for print production management. Fujifilm is committed to minimising the environmental impact of its products and operations, proactively working to preserve the environment, and strives to educate printers about environmental best practice. For more information, visit www.fujifilm.co.uk/gs

For further information contact:
Joanna Muggeridge/Elni Stofberg
AD Communications    
E: jmuggeridge@adcomms.co.uk / estofberg@adcomms.co.uk     
Tel: +44 (0)1372 464470

Judith Spear
Fujifilm
E: jspear@fuji.co.uk
T: +44 (0)1234 57234