The charge levelled against processless, chemistry-free or low-chemistry plates is that they can't
cope with long-run jobs. The case for the prosecution centres on two main issues - cost and technology - and the perceived wisdom is that larger B1 outfits are better off with conventional plates because they're cheaper and more durable.

However, the case for the defence is gathering some momentum. The environmental benefits are considerable and the cost of processless plates is coming down. Manufacturers claim that the technology has come on leaps and bounds and there's evidence that a few players in the commercial market are starting to believe them.

It's not just the environmental issue that's bringing them round, there is also the fact that the cost, while not the same as conventional plates, is coming down. However, that's not to say that one size fits all. There remains a few markets that are unlikely to be switching any time soon.

Presstek is widely acknowledged to have pioneered processless plates over a decade ago with its PearlDry thermal ablative plates. The big players have followed suit: Agfa with the Azura, Fuji with the Pro-T and V and Kodak with its Thermal Direct. But when launched, all these products were at a disadvantage compared to the conventional process alternatives.

"They were never pitched at just a small-to-medium user," explains Agfa's director of commercial system sales Ralph Hilsdon. "However, there were a number of factors why larger printers did not use them. One was throughput. The sensitivity of the plates is lower than conventional so you take a throughput hit. The square metre price is also higher."

Scale issues
There were other reasons as to why these products were not suitable for bigger customers, adds Sean Lane, Fuji product manager for offset solutions. "Commercially, they are more expensive: if you buy lots of them your plate bill will go up. Also, the technology couldn't do a half-million run. So technology and commercial reasons were behind why the initial products weren't adopted by the larger customer."

It's also worth noting that there is something of a debate as to whether the industry should even name these products processless or chemistry-free. Fuji prefers to call their Pro-V  product "low-chemistry".

"It is semantics to a certain degree, but chemistry-free is potentially misleading," adds Lane. "You still need chemicals but it's much less than on conventional plates."

Kodak's director of current marketing for pre-press consumables, Kevin Cazabon, concurs. He says that there are still some chemicals involved in the process - Kodak's new Trillian SP plate uses "70% less chemicals and is PH neutral".

"The plates that are currently on the market develop on the press and there is a concern from press manufacturers that this affects the ink train" says Paul Rudman, Xing Graphics product manager for Europe. Xing Graphics is currently rolling out its Fit Eco Primo plate - a "controlled release", according to Rudman, which will soon be tested in Italy having made its debut in the Australian and Pacific markets.

But regardless of the debates over the definition of processless, commercial printers are now under more pressure than ever before to be greener. Processless or low chemistry plates offer a considerable saving in waste and a greener process is likely to impress print buyers.

"Companies now have to be more responsible for their waste - the pressure is coming from the print buyers," says Rudman. "Printers are being told that they have to get a green plate or they won't get the business."

In addition, Agfa's Hilsdon notes that the second generation of processless plates are more competitive in the market. "The run length is not an issue," he says. "Processless can work out economically. Less energy and almost no water is needed. Also, you don't have to dispose of plastic bottles of chemicals; this isn't just a green benefit but provides a real commercial advantage."

"All manufacturers have improved their products technically," adds Fuji's Lane. "Slower imaging used to be a limiting factor, but that's not the case any more, while run lengths have increased. Also, printers coming to the end of deals have to ask if they want buy a new plate processor. They may not want to spend a chunk of money on that and will want to switch to a low-chemistry option, which doesn't involve a processor and the additional energy costs."

Business benefits
One established commercial printer that has switched to processless plates is Hobbs the Printers. Last month, it signed a five-year deal with Agfa, which will provide it with Azura TS chemistry-free plates.

Deputy managing director and operations director Graham Bromley reckons that the plates will help the company reduce its environmental impact, as well as lowering Hobbs' water consumption; it's claimed this will fall by more than 5m litres over the duration of the contract.

Derbyshire-based Buxton Press is another major name that's taken the low-chemistry option; it's opted for Fuji's Pro-V plates. Meanwhile, Kodak's Cazabon adds that the likes of RR Donnelley have shown an interest in this kind of plate technology right from the start.

The new Trillian SP thermal plate from Kodak is being pitched squarely at the high-end, high-volume market. "We are pushing the boundaries," says Cazabon. "The technology is moving to higher speeds and resolutions - there isn't much further to go on those fronts. These are exciting times for low-chemistry plates and in the next three to four years there will be a big turnaround. But this isn't just because of the green element - the financial cost has to make sense. The performance of the product on the press is the first priority."

No limit?
Cazabon believes that such technology can be more of a match for conventional plates at the high-volume end of
the market. However, Agfa's Hilsdon thinks there is a cut off point.

"The gap has closed and processless can work provided the application suits it well," he says. "But the technology won't work for a magazine printer, for example, because the run lengths of around 300,000 go beyond the plate's capability."
It boils down to costs. For a magazine or packaging printer, spending less on plates makes more financial sense if they're getting through so many. Agfa's Amigo plate is pitched between process plates, but above the Azura in a bid to bridge that gap, Hilsdon says; it can get up to volumes of 200,000.

As Fuji's Lane points out there is not one single product to satisfy the whole of the market, from B3 to B1, although the gap between the technologies is narrowing.

"There is a closing in price differential - that's quite common when new technology comes onto the market," he adds.
With printers under more pressure to be greener, it's unsurprising that many have looked into the environmental benefits of processless or low-chemistry plates. If the cost and performance barrier continues to narrow with conventional plates, then it's likely that more B1 players will be switching over the coming years.

Kodak's director of marketing for pre-press consumables, Kevin Cazabon, concurs. He says that there are still some chemicals involved in the process - Kodak's new Trillian SP plate uses "70% less chemicals and is PH neutral".
The plates that are currently on the market develop on the press and there is a concern from press manufacturers that this affects the ink train, according to Paul Rudman, Xing Graphics product manager for Europe. Xing Graphics is currently rolling out its Fit Eco Primo plate - a "controlled release product", explains Rudman, which will soon be tested in Italy having made its debut in Australian and Pacific markets.

But regardless of the debates over the definition of processless, commercial printers are now under more pressure than ever before to be greener. Processless or low-chemistry plates offer a considerable saving in waste and a greener process is likely to impress print buyers.

"Companies now have to be more responsible for their waste - the pressure is coming from the print buyers," says Rudman. "Printers are being told that they have to get a green plate or they won't get the business."

In addition, Agfa's Hilsdon notes that the second generation of processless plates are more competitive in the market. "The run length is not an issue," he says. "Processless can work out economically. Less energy and almost no water is needed. Also, you don't have to dispose of plastic bottles of chemicals; this isn't just a green benefit but provides a real commercial advantage."

"All manufacturers have improved their products technically," adds Fuji's Lane. "Slower imaging used to be a limiting factor, but that's not the case any more, while run lengths have increased. Also, printers coming to the end of deals have to ask if they want buy a new plate processor. They may not want to spend a chunk of money on that and will want to switch to a low-chemistry option, which doesn't involve a processor and the additional energy costs."

Business benefits
One established commercial printer that has made the switch to processless plates is Hobbs the Printers. Last month, it signed a five-year deal with Agfa, which will provide it with Azura TS chemistry-free plates.

Deputy managing director and operations director Graham Bromley reckons that the plates will help the company reduce its environmental impact, as well as lowering Hobbs' water consumption; it's claimed this will fall by more than 5m litres over the duration of the contract.

Derbyshire-based Buxton Press is another major name that's taken the low-chemistry route; it's opted for Fuji's Pro-V plates. Meanwhile, Kodak's Cazabon adds that the likes of RR Donnelley showed an interest in this kind of plate technology right from the outset.

The new Trillian SP thermal plate from Kodak is being pitched squarely at the high-end, high-volume market, such as the RR Donnelley's of this world. "We are pushing the boundaries," says Cazabon. "The technology is moving to higher speeds and resolutions - there isn't much further to go on those fronts. These are exciting times for low-chemistry plates and in the next three to four years there will be a big turnaround. But this isn't just because of the green element - the financial cost has to make sense. And the performance of the product on the press is the first priority."

No limit?
Cazabon believes that such technology can be a match for conventional plates at the high-volume end of the market. However, Agfa's Hilsdon thinks there is a cut-off point.

"The gap has closed and processless can work provided the application suits it well," he says. "But the technology won't work for a magazine printer, for example, because the run lengths of around 300,000 go beyond the plate's capability."
It boils down to costs. For a magazine or packaging printer, spending less on plates makes more financial sense if they're getting through a lot. Agfa's Amigo plate is pitched between process plates, but above the Azura in a bid to bridge that gap, Hilsdon says it can get up to volumes of 200,000.

But as Fuji's Lane points out there is not one single product to satisfy the whole of the market, from B3 to B1, although the gap between the technologies is narrowing.

"There is a closing in price differential - that's quite common when new technology comes onto the market," he adds.
With printers under more pressure to be greener, it's unsurprising that many have looked into the environmental benefits of processless or low-chemistry plates. If the price and performance barrier continues to narrow with conventional plates, then it's likely that more B1 players will be switching over the coming years.