CTP - Computer to Plate

A highly efficient manufacturer of printed products and sup- plier of the associated logistical services, Kromer Print AG uses the latest innovations from Lüscher in its prepress work

Tuesday 18. December 2012 - Kromer Print AG, which is headquartered in the Swiss town of Lenzburg, was the first company in the world to equip its prepress department with the XDrum! UV. The XDrum! UV is the result of a cooperative development undertaken by Lüscher and Heidelberg and combines two state-of-the-art technologies in one CTP solution.

KROMER PRINT AG, which operates as a print works, logi- stics and service supplier, is based in Lenzburg and employs a workforce of approximately 100 staff. Kromer specialises in the production of commercial, advertising and packa- ging printing on both paper and plastic media as well as printed publications and high-precision targets. Alongside its round-the-clock customer service, a range of further market-oriented print product management services rounds off the company’s portfolio. These include the sectors of administration, warehouse management, a call-off service, distribution, lettershop services and reporting. Kromer co- vers the entire process chain and also offers just-in-time deliveries. This unique modular service package is marke- ted under the trademark-protected name PRINTLOGISTIK. The company’s core skills lie in the planning, storage and, in particular, the logistical management of printed products. In addition, Kromer is keenly aware of the importance of en- vironmental protection and sustainability. The various certi- ficates it has been awarded, such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or PSO 12647, demonstrate the business’s commitment to ensuring production efficiency, offsetting its CO2 emissions and introducing improvements to benefit the environment.
Kromer made it into the headlines of the international spe- cialist press by carrying off the GC Management Award for outstanding corporate achievements in the “Efficiency” ca- tegory. Kromer achieved this distinction in 2012 thanks to its efficiency-oriented corporate approach. In this company, efficiency starts at organisational level. Simple, clear work- flows mean that machines never run empty and eliminate duplicated effort. However, efficient processes also demand an optimised approach to production. “Concentrate your strengths” is the watchword here. The machine pool must be modern and highly automated. Kromer works round- the-clock, six days a week, and puts its faith in a uniform machine concept. However, for Kromer it is equally vital to know they are working with the right partners. That is why the company seeks to develop stable, long-term relations with its suppliers. These must be able to implement and develop Kromer’s internal processes, and guarantee high- performance service.
Sustained growth leads to bottlenecks in plate production
The company’s efficient, market-oriented management is greatly appreciated by its customers. Kromer has been re- cording a constant increase in the number of orders received for a number of years and its plate requirements have grown accordingly. Despite the automation work performed, the somewhat aging plant used by the company was reaching its limits. To cope with the volumes required for round-the- clock print operations, two plate production shifts were re- quired and the organisation involved was correspondingly hectic. Kromer was in no doubt: A solution had to be found!
Lüscher AG Maschinenbau, a developer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art CTP systems for a range of printing tech- nologies, has been a close partner of Kromer for many ye- ars. An XPose! thermal plate handling system has long been used in the prepress department for the imaging of offset plates. When the company decided to look for suitable re- placement plant, it once again turned to Lüscher. What is more, at that time Lüscher was putting the finishing touches to a new CTP system that would ideally respond to Kromer’s needs. After a detailed examination of the various products on offer and following countless tests, the decision was made: The new XDrum! UV with its Dual Cassette Loader (DCL) would be the ideal solution.
The XDrum! UV was developed in cooperation with Heidel- berg and combines two state-of-the-art technologies. The proven Heidelberg imaging unit with the high-performance Lüscher UV laser system guarantees outstanding imaging quality and maximum production reliability. The Swiss-Ger- man collaboration also represents maximum precision and the use of high-quality materials.
Maximised production speed thanks to the XDrum! UV
When Kromer purchased the CTP system, it had not yet even been publicly launched. The XDrum! UV was officially presented for the first time at Drupa in May 2012. After a brief installation phase at the start of June, the world’s first XDrum! UV started operation in Lenzburg on 15 June. Initi- ally, Kromer restricted production to the 1055 x 811 format. After that, the company started to produce the other four formats on the machine.
Kromer was won over by this combination of two proven technologies. The ability to image UV plates confirmed the company in its decision. When asked about working with the CTP solution, Andy Fuchs, head of the Kromer Print AG printing team, has the following to say: “The XDrum! UV requires very little space thanks to its integrated transport system. The plates are fed in fully automatically by the Dual Cassette Loader. Manual loading is also very simple. What is more, the design of the user interface is very user friendly.”
Kromer also benefits in other ways from the use of UV plates. On the one hand, the plates are available at an economical price while, on the other, the company’s independence from plate suppliers is guaranteed. In addition, the plates permit longer print runs, have an exceptionally long shelf life and are extremely insensitive to scratches and chemicals in the print shop. UV negative plates also require only a very low level of chemical consumption. The chemicals are toxical- ly harmless, with the result that Kromer no longer has to dispose of them as hazardous waste as in the past. Along- side its efficiency and quality, the XDrum! UV therefore also meets Kromer’s expectations in terms of sustainability and environmental protection.
“In terms of costs, we clearly benefit from the low price of UV negative plates. However, the savings resulting from the lower maintenance work required for the plate processor and the reduced cost of disposing of the developer should also be mentioned. We have seen a sustained reduction in our total operating costs,” concludes Andy Amrein, Mana- ging Director of Kromer Print AG.
Since it was installed, the XDrum! UV has been an important component in the company’s highly efficient workflows.
With 96 laser diodes operating at 405 nm and a resoluti- on of 2400 dpi, the system is used to process UV negative plates in five formats which easily cover the company’s enti- re portfolio of printed products. The existing plate handling system with the XPose! Thermal has been equipped with UV lasers and now serves as a backup solution for UV plate production. Furthermore, in the future, Kromer plans to use the XPose! to manufacture the new Accent coating plate in- house in order to further increase its flexibility and reduce its total operating costs.