The status of the United States printing platemaking industry (4/4)

——Representation of Krefu, director of Kodak’s film media in Japan, in Japan

â–  Taiwan's Long Chen Co., Ltd. Huang Xiu-chen Translated Source: Taiwan Printing Think Tank

On December 8, 1999, Mr. Kevin P. Clifford, Director of the Print Media Department of Kodak Films, USA, sent Mr. Kevin P. Clifford to report the latest status of printing in the U.S. printing industry to Japan's printing and platemaking industry. With permission, I would like to translate the full text of the report to share the readers and use it as a reference.

Mr. Crichford serves as the trade relations manager for Kodak's US and Canada regions. He often supports the activities of the U.S. and Canadian printing industry groups. He also serves as the Director of Print Media. He often supports various printing and platemaking companies, advertising agencies, and publishing companies. It also bridges the communication between customers and companies.

Let us now talk about the current trends and issues affecting the print and publishing industry in the United States.

28. The key to success - CTP

Towards the direction of CTP, it is not possible to overcome various problems. During this period of time, it is feared that there will be a mixture of negatives and digital information. National advertising is an example of this, especially if it is not the use of data from work processes or the mixed use of color separations provided. In a company with CTP's layout machine, the actual color separation film is scanned with a "copy dot" method, and an image is formed on the thermosensitive plate. This is the use of thermal CTP's high quality and its softness.

Especially for this purpose, there have been developed "copy dot scan machines". One example is CREO's "Neiseng" scanning system. In addition, in the printing company, the digital plate is also exposed using the usual method. This is to use the existing machine to reuse the high quality of the thermal printing plate. Kodak-Palcotron Thermal Printing Plate 830 is designed to be exposed using existing general exposure equipment. Because it can also have the photosensitivity of ultraviolet light, it can be exposed in any way, which can be said to be a very precious feature during the mixing period. Because during the transformation of the printing company, how to invest in equipment is really a headache.

29. The key to success - proofreading

For digital proofreading, there are a variety of different needs. This is not satisfied with the digital workflow, because in the past, digital proofreading cannot have many choices, making it difficult to adopt the CTP workflow. But now this obstacle has disappeared. For example, for contract proofing, there are many options for desktop color proofing, full proofs, and digital blueprints for proofreading. In particular, contract proofing is particularly important, mainly because it is a non-film output, must meet the requirements of color, and can predict the color correction method that can be repeated every time, so it is very important.

The ApprovalXP4 system can overcome this problem, and it can be used for various types of printing management. It can also use the actual printing paper for proofing, removing the uncertainties in the digital database, and indeed providing proofs that are satisfied by the customer. For a printing company, because it holds a digital database, this machine can also be successfully printed on the reverse side to make sure that it can satisfy its customers. It is really important because of the high accuracy of the digital half-timing calibration.

30. The key to success - information equipment

Another point is that the CTP operation process is structured to grasp the key to success, and it is very clear that the equipment. Among them, there are job flow management software that can repeatedly perform job tracking. There is also color management, and it is not possible to perform it in all operations. Therefore, it is not feasible to use a very large database that is not available for high-speed transmission networks. For example, between a Postscript translator and a media image forming machine, a very high-speed communication network is possible, and a high-capacity digital information storage system is also required, that is, 5.2 Terabyte (5.2 x 1,000 Gigabyte) tapes are required. Library and information management capabilities. At the same time, training is also very important, and it is not possible to train the staff who serve as a collective layout. It is also very important for people in business to implement new capabilities and education in new work processes.

In this way, you can continue to carry out activities that enlighten your customers. The most important thing behind the success of CTP is the entire digital workflow; the partnership between the printing company and the customer, and the goal of actually carrying out this kind of business process is to require very open communication. The common effort is indispensable.

31. The increase in the number of printed products is decreasing

What do the printers think about the next five years? There is now a local or regional supplier/printer. There may be more global suppliers/printers in the future, but the total number of companies will decrease. The threat of digital printing can now be seen, but in the future, digital printing can help the existing printing market to grow. Although the printed matter now occupies the center of the entire media, although the printing volume will increase in the future, the overall market share will still fall. At the same time, the share of electronic media, I think will increase.

Next, what will the printing company become after 2005? Digital printing tends to mature in various media and print modes, and is used by local, family, and company companies. At the same time, the Internet will also make overall changes. The total volume of color prints in the world will peak by 2010.

32. The remnants cannot reform the business

How can the industry survive in the end? The answer must be prepared for specific market needs. At the same time, correspondence must be made with very high quality prints. Especially those who need to enter the market need to adopt strategies that can lead to global business opportunities. The Internet may be the transition period during this five-year period, further threatening the printing market.

Only those who take the principle of serving customers can survive. Therefore, the use of brand-new technology, racking their brains for specific customers and providing high-quality printers can survive and thrive. In other words, for the printing industry and the information industry, the new structure of non-business is not reorganized.

(End of the article)