Agfa Graphics to focus on Sustainability for Print China 2011

Agfa Graphics recently announced that a series of new products that underline print production with considerable lower environmental impact are making their Asian debut at Print China 2011. One year after the creation of the joint venture with Shenzhen Brothers in China, Agfa Graphics Asia will show and demonstrate sustainable solutions targeted specifically to the Chinese pre-press and printing market.

It is only the second Print China, yet it is already considered one of this year's major events for the graphic arts industry, and Agfa Graphics' strong presence at the event shows their commitment to the Chinese printing industry. Agfa is well recognized in the Chinese printing industry and has been selected as one of the ten best-known foreign brand names for five consecutive years. It is known for its wide offering of complete pre-press systems for commercial and newspaper printers, as well as its extensive range of industrial inkjet printing solutions.

"Agfa Graphics Asia has a determined focus on the Chinese printing market," said Mr. Vanhooren, President of Agfa Graphics and Member of the Board at Agfa Graphics Asia. "China's growth in offset print is both tremendous and challenging at the same time. This industry can only be successful if we answer local needs with specific solutions. We manufacture a range of plates for the region from the Wuxi production plant, to the highest world standard quality, and our R&D teams are working together to design the most appropriate plate production solutions for this market in combination with the most efficient workflow software. These are all investments well spent because, notwithstanding the advance of digital printing technologies, offset is still the dominant printing technology today and is expected to remain so for many years to come."

Among the products and services making their debut is the new :N92VCF chemistry-free violet plate for newspaper applications which outperforms any other solution in terms of quality and consistency, just like :Azura TS for commercial applications.

"We give the growing Chinese printing industry access to the very latest technology in both pre-press and printing," said Mr. Huang, CEO of Agfa Graphics Asia. "Such as :Azura TS, the most successful chem - free thermal printing plate in the industry. It reduces chemical waste by up to 70%, compared to conventional plate systems, which makes it both cost effective and clean. To our customers, it shows Agfa Graphics' concern for their productivity and for the sustainability of their business. At Print China 2011 we will show total system solutions including advanced software tools which will streamline complex processes and raise efficiency by reducing ink layers on press."

Agfa Graphics is also showcasing a wide format digital inkjet printer which saves energy by curing the UV inks with LED arrays. This allows the use of substrates which are more heat sensitive, while still using less power to print, without compromising on print quality.

"We maintain our technology leadership through continuous innovation," said Vanhooren. "For plates, we keep investing in more efficient, highly productive plate making systems with reduced chemistry and energy waste, while at the same time increasing convenience for printers. And this also applies for our digital printing solutions that enable clean but efficient inkjet print."

Print China 2011 runs from April 9th to April 13th at Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Centre in the city of Dongguan.