BUYERS' GUIDE: Flexo, newspaper & VLF platesetters

摘要

Sales in CTP kit are beginning to recover as domestic confidence improves and overseas buyers adopt new technologies. After a tough period, it appears that advertising levels have started to recover and this has resulted in a bump in publishers' revenues. Consequently, the volume of work for commercial printers and newspapers has also risen over the past six months, leading to an increase in sales of CTP systems. "During 2008 and mid 2009 the market was the quietest we'd seen, but recently there has been a lot more activity," explains Andy Cook, managing director of FFEI. "I think customers delayed their decision and now there is a bit of catch-up going on, certainly in the commercial print and newspaper market. People just want to get on with it," he adds. While many printers have tried to sweat their assets, they realise that there are still cost issues involved in this approach. Service costs for older machines tend to go up and there is a greater likelihood of productivity glitches. "Printers have sat on their hands for two years and now they're being pragmatic about investments," says Cook.