The prepress operation at Alliance Printing of Coquitlam, British Columbia (a member of Agfa Graphics’ GreenWorks Program) has been ‘green’ for six years after installing a thermal CtP system from Agfa Graphics featuring chemistry-free Azura TS plates – a thermal, negative-working plate designed for low and medium-volume commercial printing. Based on Agfa Graphics’ ThermoFuse technology that eliminates traditional chemistry, the plates provide “predictable, consistent and reliable, high-quality platemaking.” The family-run company has been serving the printing needs of its clients in the Vancouver area and beyond for over 20 years.
“The outcome of this transition was amazing! Our waste was cut significantly and there’s no more chemistry to treat before disposal,” said Shawn Taghvaei, President and Owner of Alliance Printing (pictured previously). “What used to take hours cleaning the processor now only takes minutes, and dumping chemistry every month due to oxidation has become a thing of the past. Also, our on-press performance has greatly improved. We were able to run with much less water, resulting in less ink on the sheets, faster make-readies for improved tone reproduction and improved productivity and profitability.’
The technology has also helped Alliance to be greener in all aspects of its business. “We recycle all of our off-cut papers, cardboard and plates, use vegetable-based inks for printing and recycle our toner cartridges on our digital printers,” Taghvaei added. “Agfa Graphics’ GreenWorks program continues to be very helpful in spreading the word about how green we are and how important that is to all of us here at Alliance Printing.”
“Commercial printers like Shawn at Alliance Printing are not only doing a service to their customers, but to the planet,” said Deborah Hutcheson, Director of Marketing, Agfa Graphics, North America. “We’re fully supportive of endeavours that are eco-friendly and improve commercial printers’ end products and relationships with their customers for increased profits and greater success.”
Every GreenWorks customer receives a marketing toolkit that includes information about the importance of environmentally-safer practices, as well as the new GreenWorks logo which accredited customers can display on their products and promotions.
Installation Update: Agfa Azura TS Plates continue to make BC printer ‘greener’
its great because its quality is absolutely high,quick as it can produce more than 60plates/hour and environmental friendly as well as it cuts down cost of expence!